home into their own Country the perfect accomplishment of it was under Christ in the Days of the Gospel partly in this World but chiefly in Heaven Referring it therefore to the Jews when they became the Church of Christ we must thus understand this place For your shame ye shall have double that is for the shame you have undergone amongst your Enemies whether the Babylonians or those that shall hate and despise you both of the Jews and Gentiles for your profession of Christianity and Preaching of the Gospel 1. Cor. 1.2 3 You shall be abundantly recompenced your Honour and Bliss shall be double to what your Shame and Misery was and that particularly by the access of the Gentiles and the great Riches and Glory which they shall bring in to you of which the Prophet had before spoken And for confusion they that is my People shall rejoyce in their Portion that is in God say some who is the Portion of his people or in the bringing in of the Gentiles to be one Church and People with them say others but I conceive it is generally meant of that abundant double Honour and Bliss which they should enjoy instead of their former Shame and Misery in and through the Lord Christ partly in this World and especially in Heaven for under this the foregoing particulars and any other that can be added may be comprehended Therefore in their Land that is in the Land of Israel where the glad Tydings of Christ should be Preached first amongst them and embraced by them or in the Land of the Gentiles that did formerly reproach and despise them the several Countries where the Gentiles shall embrace the Faith and joyn themselves to the Church of Christ or in the Earth which is indeed only the Inheritance of Believers see the Notes Psal 37.9.29 Or in Heaven say some they shall possess the double that is the double Portion before promised them Everlasting joy shall be unto them that is not momentary Joy as is the Joy of the wicked but a lasting Joy begun here in the joy of their Salvation and Eternal in Heaven Ver. 8. For I the Lord love Judgment c. All the difficulty in this Verse is to find out how it comes in here in this place Some take the words to be added as a reason of the foregoing Promises made to his People thus For I the Lord love judgment I hate Robbery for Burnt-Offering that is I so love equal just and upright dealing that though Men should being that which they have gotten by Robbery and Oppression and tender it to me in Sacrifices and Offerings I should loath and abhor them and I will direct their work in truth that is and therefore I will faithfully and constantly reward my People for the word here rendered Work is often used for a Recompence or Reward See Chap 40.10 Or I will order all their Affairs so that they shall go on in a prosperous and successful way The drift of the words they say is this that seeing he loved just and hated all unjust dealing he could not with Equity do otherwise but reward and prosper his faithful People to wit 1. Those of the Jews in Babylon that had under so long and grievous Sufferings continued faithful to him and upright in his Service Or 2. Those of the Gentiles that should so willingly offer themselves and all that they had to his Service But then again others I think most probably hold that there is in these words a promise of a further Mercy that God would confer upon his People namely that God would make them upright and sincere in his Service The ground of this promise is laid down in the first words For I the Lord love Judgment I hate Robbery for Burnt-Offering that is I love that which is just and right and consequently I hate all Hypocrisie and false dealing in my Worship and Service such as is now too usual amongst my People that make nothing of Rapine and Robbery so that they can cover it over with a shew of Devotion in my Service and bring of that which they have thus wickedly gotten and offer it in Sacrifice upon mine Altar And then they say the promise follows made to his Redeemed People of whom he had hitherto spoken And I will direct their work in Truth that is I will make them upright and sincere in my Worship and in their whole Conversation they shall not be as it is now a wicked People and then think to cloke that with making a shew of Piety in bringing Offerings to mine Altar And indeed observable it is that under this promise there may be a hint given to Gods People how they ought to be qualified to make them capable of the Mercies here promised them And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them see the Note Chap. 55.3 Ver. 9. And their Seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their Off-spring among the People c. That is The Posterity of my Church and People shall be known and be renowned and conspicuous among the several Nations of the Gentiles The drift therefore of these words is to shew that though in the Babylonian Captivity the Church and People should be brought to a very low Ebb yet they should be multiplied and be renowned all the World over to wit when the Gentiles should be won to joyn themselves to the Church of Christ for though this promise concerning their being known among the Gentiles c. began to be accomplished at the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon see the Note Psal 126.2 yet its full accomplishment was at the Calling of the Gentiles when indeed those that professed the Faith of Christ were partly for their Holy and Righteous Conversation and partly for the great things that God did for them highly esteemed and owned to be Gods peculiar People all that see them shall acknowledg them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed see the Note Chap. 44.3 Ver. 10. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my Soul shall be joyful in my God c. The Church is here brought in triumphing and rejoycing in the Goodness of God to them upon the Accomplishment of those great Mercies promised in the foregoing Verses to wit their deliverance out of Babylon and their Redemption by Christ see the Note Psal 34.2 For he hath Cloathed me with the Garments of Salvation That is with Salvation as with a Garment by the great Redemption and Salvation he hath wrought for me he hath made me as Glorious in the Eyes of those that behold me as if I were Cloathed with the most Gorgeous and Glorious Apparel and to the same purpose are the following words He hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness for by Righteousness here nothing else is meant but the discovery of Gods Goodness and Faithfulness in the Work of their Salvation which indeed tended much to their Glory see the Note Chap. 51.6 Only
ways and make their way plain and even before them so that they may go on comfortably therein Or 2. that comparing together the upright ways of the righteous with the perverse and false ways of the wicked he doth prosper the one and destroy the other Or 3. that he doth so afflict them by their enemies when they go astray that he is very ready to deliver them again from their enemies upon their Repentance I know many understand this whole verse of God's making the way of his people by his Providence fair and plain before them and accordingly that word which we translate uprightness they render evenness or streightness The way of the just is evenness and suitably they render also the following words Thou most upright dost level the path of the just But according to our Translation the meaning of the place seems clearly to be that which is before said Ver. 8. Yea in the way of thy Judgments O Lord have we waited for thee Having spoken in the foregoing verse of the tender respect which God hath always to his righteous Servants here he sheweth what their assured confidence concerning this had wrought in them to wit that even in the way of his Judgments that is under his forest chastisements they waited upon God in hope that of his infinite Goodness and Mercy he would at last deliver them and receive them again into his favour Now the afflictions which God had brought upon his people he calls Judgments because therein God seems to carry himself as a Judg punishing them for their sins but yet in despensing of them he doth all with judgment and moderation and wholly with a purpose to do them good according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.32 But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world And this expression In the way of thy judgments is because it is God's usual and constant way to afflict his people when they go astray for their spiritual advantage I know some understand this thus That the faithful waited upon God in the Way of his Judgments that is in a way of constant obeying his Commandments or in a way which he had prescribed them in his word But the whole Context sheweth it is meant of the chastisements wherewith he had chastised his people See the Note above ver 1. The desire of our soul is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee That is Even in our greatest troubles our affections were not taken off from thee see the Note Psal 44.17 nor did we cast off our confidence in thee but still our thoughts were upon thee thy word and promises We still panted after thy favour and sought after and waited for thy help and deliverance earnestly desiring that the glory of thy Name might thereby be advanced Ver. 9. With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early That is I have desired thy favour thy gracious presence and help at all times even by night whilst others slept and so still will do with all possible diligence And this is spoken as in the name of every several person amongst the righteous that in this Song are brought in praising God's Name For when thy judgments are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness This is added to shew how they had been brought so to seek after God as was said in the foregoing words namely by the Judgments they had lain under mentioned before ver 8. In the way of thy judgments O Lord have we waited for thee It is as if they had said And indeed it is usual with men all the world over to be brought by thy Judgments to learn Righteousness Yet the meaning is not that all men are by God's Judgments won to true Repentance but that usually when Mercies do no good upon men yet Judgments bring them in either seriously to repent and amend their lives or at least to make an outward shew of doing so See the Note Psal 83.16 which is farther set forth in the following verse Ver. 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked c. Having said in the foregoing verse what effect the Judgments of God do commonly work in men to wit that thereby they are bâ—â—ught to learn righteousness for which see the foregoing Note here they add that indeed some wicked wretches will not be brought to learn Righteousness neither by Mercies nor Judgments How little Mercies prevail with them is shown in this verse Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly whereby may be meant either Judea called the Holy Land which God had given as an inheritance to his own peculiar people whom he required to be a righteous holy people or the Church of Christ where uprightness of Life and Conversation is strictly required and practised but see the Note Psal 143.10 And will not behold the Majesty of the Lord that is though the Lord doth by never so many wonderful works clearly discover the Glory and Majesty of all his Divine Attributes yet will they take no notice of it See the Note Psal 28.5 And then how little they were better'd by God's Judgments is shewn in the next verse Ver. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up they will not see c. That is Though thou dost punish them never so sorely with the strokes of a hand lifted up or rather though thy Judgments be executed upon them in such a manner that it is most apparent that thou hast a special hand therein every one may see that they are the stroaks of Divine Vengeance yet they will not take any notice of it But they shall see that is they shall be foreed to take notice of it and be ashamed for their envy at the people or towards thy people that is their envying the welfare of God's people and spiteful endeavouring to do them all the mischief they could Yea the fire of thine enemies shall devour them That is the vengeance wherewith as with fire thou art wont to destroy thine enemies shall consume them See the Notes Psal 21.9 and 97.3 Ver. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us c. As if they had said Whilst thou destroyest our enemies thou wilt order it so that we thy people shall be in a prosperous and happy condition As thou hast afflicted us so thou wilt now also ordain peace for us see the Note above ver 3. and Chap. 9.6 For thou also hast wrought all our works in us that is all the good we have done or do with respect whereto we hope thou wilt afford us this peace thou hast wrought it in us by thy Holy Spirit But indeed the most and best Expositors would have this read as it is in the Margin of our Bibles For thou also hast wrought all our works for us and
As for the next clause If we read it as it is in the margin and the city shall be utterly abased then the intendment of it must be the same with that which went before to wit either that Gods people should be safe and fearless when the Cities of Gods and his peoples enemies or Babylon in particular should be utterly ruined see the Note Chap. 26.5 or that the Church of Christ should enjoy the peace promised them when other places should be like Cities levelled with the ground But if we read it as it is in our Bibles and the city shall be low in a low place the words seem to be added as a farther illustration of the safety and peace of Gods people namely that they should not need to build their Cities on high and steep places as men use to do that they may be made the more defensible because even in those Cities that were in Plains and Valleys and seemed to lye most open to invasion they should be through Gods protection safe and without all fear of danger Ver. 20. Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters c. This may be understood 1. literally as spoken by way of admiring the great plenty wherewith the Prophet foresaw God would bless the land of Judah after those times of peace of which he had now prophecied Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters As if he should have said Happy shall they be that shall live to see that day when your land that was wasted by the Assyrians or that lay over-grown with briars and thorns during the Babylonian Captivity shall be so fruitful that it shall yield as rich Crops to those that sow their seed therein as those grounds usually do that lye by great Rivers or are any way best watered that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass to wit to till and plow and harrow the Grounds and so to fit them for the sowing of seed in them or to tread out their Corn after it is reaped with the feet of those Cattel Or the meaning may be that their land should yield them such plenty of Corn that they should not need to spare it to grow up for Harvest but should turn out their Cattel to â—eed in their Corn-fields as in their Pasture-grounds or at least that they should put in their Cattel to crop it for a time because it should grow up so exceeding rank But 2. It may be understood mystically as spoken with respect to Gospel-times Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass that is Blessed shall they be that shall in those days be sent forth to sow the seed of the Gospel and that because they shall to their great joy find the hearts of the people where their seed is sown to be as fat and well watered ground that shall bring forth fruit abundantly Some indeed by sowing beside all waters do understand sowing the seed of the Gospel among all Nations But I conceive it is only the fruitfulness of the soil that is implied by that expression CHAP. XXXIII VERSE 1. WO to thee that spoilest and thou wast not spoiled and dealest treacherously and they dealt not treacherously with thee c. Some understand this of the Babylonian and the rather because the same words in a manner are before spoken of the Babylonians see the Note Chap. 21.2 But it is rather the Assyrian and it may be Sennacherib particularly over whom the Prophet doth here insult denouncing a War against them because they had wasted and destroyed so many Countries and of late the land of Israel being no way provoked thereto by any injury which those Nations had offered to them and because they had dealt perfidiously with those that had no way dealt so with them And this last some would have to be purposely added with respect to Sennacherib's proceeding on to waste the land of Judea after he had taken a great sum of money of Hezekiah to withdraw his Army But for that see the Notes 2 Kings 18.7 14 17. The wo denounced is set forth in the following words when thou shalt cease to spoil thou shalt be spoiled and when thou shalt make an end to deal treacherously they shall deal treacherously with thee that is when God shall put an end to thy rapine and treachery the same shall be done to thee which thou hast formerly done to others And that which is said of others dealing treacherously with him may be looked upon as accomplished when Sennacherib was slain by his own Sons as he was worshipping in the house of Nizroch his God 2 Kings 29.37 Ver. 2. O Lord be gracious unto us c. The Prophet having foretold the destruction of the Assyrians or other the enemies of Gods people doth here suddenly as not able any longer to contain himself break forth into a prayer either as in his own name or the name of the Church in general desiring the speedy performance of that destruction upon the enemy which he had now foretold And this he doth as foreseeing the great misery and danger his people would be in until this deliverance came and withal as acknowledging the just hand of God therein upon them and shewing that it was by praying unto God for mercy that the deliverance promised must be obtained O Lord be gracious unto us we have waited for thee see the Note Chap. 8.17 be thou their arm that is their mighty defence and strength for the subduing of their enemies see the Note Psal 89.21 every morning that is constantly and without delay see the Notes Job 7.17 and Psal 73.14 our salvation also in the time of trouble to wit say some as thou hast been to thy people in former times Ver. 3. At the noise of the tumult the people fled c. Here the Prophet returns again to speak of the destruction threatned before ver 1. speaking of that which was to be as if it were done already Some understand it of the tumult raised amongst the Babylonians by the Medes and Persians when they ruined that great Monarchy But the most of Expositors by far understand it of the ruine of the Assyrian Army 2 King 19.36 At the noise of the tumult the people fled that is At the noise of the tumult raised in the Assyrian Camp when the Angel came upon them in such a dreadful manner See the Note Chap. 30.30 and struck them with a pannick fear and made such a slaughter amongst them they that were not yet slain fled away at the lifting up of thy self that is say some When thou didst ascend thy Tribunal to pronounce sentence of Judgment against them or when thou didst appear in thy mighty power to execute vengeance upon them having before seemed to sit still and not to mind them the Nations were scattered to wit the several Nations that served in the Assyrian Army But see the Note Psal 68.1 Ver. 4. And
not go on and express this in his Prayer was because he was not able to speak any longer for weeping as it is immediately added in the Text and Hezekiah wept sore And so what he could not or perhaps was afraid to ask in words because it was contrary to what God had said should be his tears spake and God heard them But see the Note 2 King 20.3 Ver. 4. Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying To wit as it is expressed in the Book of Kings afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle court so near was the sick bed of this good King to the Throne of God in Heaven even his sighs and groans God heard and was presently careful to have him comforted with a promise of longer life and that for the better strengthning of his faith by the same Messenger that had made known to him the Sentence of Death that God had pronounced against him But see the Note 2 King 20.4 Ver. 5. Go and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of David thy Father c. By these words he makes known to Hezekiah that he was mindful of the Covenant he had made with David concerning his continuing of the Kingdom of Judah to his Posterity I have heard thy Prayers I have seen thy tears behold I will add to thy days fifteen years that is To the days thou hast already lived In 2 King there is another particular inserted in the promise here made to wit That on the third day he should go up to the House of the Lord. But for this and the following verse see the Notes 2. King 20.6 Ver. 7. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord c. In 2 King 20.8 It is said that Hezekiah desired a sign of the Prophet Isaiah to assure him that this which he had promised him should certainly be which the Prophet hath likewise noted in the close of this Chapter and that hereupon God by the Prophet made him this promise of a sign for which see the Note there Ver. 8. Behold I will bring again the shadow of the Degrees which is gone down in the Sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward c. In 2 King 20.9 10. it is said that when Hezekiah desired a sign of Isaiah for the strengthning of his faith the Prophet tendered to him two different signs leaving him to his choice which of them he would take namely That the shadow on the Sun-dial should either go forward ten degrees or go backward ten degrees and that when Hezekiah answered That it was a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees and desired rather that the shadow might return backward ten degrees for all which see the Notes in that place hereupon this promise was made him of bringing back the shadow ten degrees the accomplishment whereof is related in the next words so the Sun returned ten degrees by which degrees it was gone down to wit after the Prophet had prayed that it might be so for this is expresly inserted 2 King 20.11 And Isaiah the Prophet cried unto the Lord and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward c. for all which see the Notes there Yet withal this also is here observable that those words so the same returned ten degrees may well induce us to think that the miracle now wrought was not as some would have it in the going back of the shadow in the Dial of Ahaz whilst the Sun kept on its course but in the retrograde motion of the Sun it self And indeed how else could they in Babylon take notice of this Wonder See the Note 2 King 20.12 And beside the Analogy between the sign and the thing signified depends much upon this Princes are in their Kingdoms as the Sun in the World The bringing back therefore of the Sun when it was hasting to its setting and the lengthning of the day thereby beyond its natural time was most fit to signifie that after the same manner how impossible it might seem considering the desperateness of his disease and the Sentence of Death by God himself pronounced against him Hezekiah should be brought back from the Grave whither he was posting and his life be lengthned out beyond expectation Ver. 9. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick and was recovered of his sickness That is The Song of Thanksgiving which he composed and committed to writing even as his Father David used to do intending to leave it to posterity as a Monument of his own fainting heart in the time of Gods mercy in recovering him out of his sickness and his hearty thankfulness for it Ver. 10. I said in the cutting off of my days c. That is When I perceived partly by the violence of my sickness but especially by the sentence of death which the Prophet had pronounced against me that God was now hewing me down in great displeasure I began to think within my self or I concluded fully within my self as I lay upon my sick bed I shall go to the gates of the grave that is I am now a dead man See the Note Psal 9.13 I am deprived of the residue of my years that is the years I might have lived by the ordinary course of nature Thus in the first place he acknowledgeth his own weakness and the terrors wherewith he was surprized when he saw himself likely to be cut off by an untimely death in the flower of his age the reasons whereof see before in the Note 2 Kin. 20.3 the more hereby to magnifie the mercy of God to him in his recovery Ver. 11. I said c. See the foregoing Note I shall not see the Lord to wit in his Temple See the Notes Psal 27.4 and 42.2 even the Lord it is twice repeated to set forth how vehemently he was afflicted herewith in the land of the living see the Note Psal 27.13 And indeed his particular expressing of this when he desired a sign of his recovery ver 22. What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord doth plainly show that this was one main thing that troubled him when he lay under the terrors of Death I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the World that is I shall no longer live amongst the Children of men here in this World Or as I shall no more behold God in his Ordinances so I shall also be cut off from the Communion of the Church of the living and so I shall not do that good to the people of God that were under my charge that I desired to do Ver. 12. Mine age is departed c. The time of my life and abode here in this World is at an end and gone and is removed from me as a Shepherds tent who use not to stay long in a place but to remove their tents from one place to another See the Note Job 27.18 I have cut off like a Weaver my life
Practical Exposition on the 3d. Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans choice on Psal 4. v. 6 7 8. by Anthony Burgess Dr. Donn's 40 Sermons being his 3 Volumes Parâ—us Exposition on the Revelations A Narrative of the Horrid Popish Plot by Dr. Oates The Witch of Endor Mr. Tho Dangerfield's of the Sham Presbyterian Plot. Smith's Account of the 14 Popish Malefactors in Newgate Animadversions on the 5 Jesuits Speeches The Excommunicated Prince a Tradegy as it was acted by his Holinesses Servants by Capt. William Bedlow A Conference between a Bensalian Bishop and an English Doctor concerning Church-Government Books 4 to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by George Swinnock M. A. An Antidote against Quakerism by Stephen Scandret An Exposition of the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by William Greenhil The Gospel Covenant opened by Pet. Bulkley Gods holy Mind touching matters Moral which he uttered in ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Elton B. D. The fiery Jesuit or an Historical Collection of the Rise Encrease Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuits exposed to view for the sake of London Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan The Practical Divinity of the Papists discovered to be destructive to true Religion and mens Souls by J. Clarkson The Creatures goodness as they came out of Gods hand and the good mans mercy to the Bruit-creatures in two Sermons by Thomas Hodges B. D. Mediocria or the most plain and natural apprehensions which the Scripture offers concerning the great Doctrines of the Christian Religionâ— of Election Redemption the Covenant the Law and Gospel and Perfection by John Humphreys Baxter's which is the true Church Naked Truth 4th part Doolitle's Protestants Answ to a Popish Quest Mr. Kidder's Charity directed Humphry's peaceable Disquisitions An endeavour for Peace among Protestants A conference between a Papist and a Jew and a Protestant and a Jew An Essay for the Education of Gentlewomen A warning for Servants or the case of Margret Clark An Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Sermon by the peaceable design A Discourse of Pluralities The middle way of Predetermination Popery an Enemy to Truth by Mr. Sheldreck Dr. Dumoulin's conformity of Independent Government to the ancient primitive Christians Excommunication Excommunicated in a Dialogue between a Dr. of both Laws The case of the Protestants in England under a Popish Prince A modest Inquiry into Dr. Stillingfleet's Historical Mistakes The State of Blessedness An Answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Book by J. H. Liberty of Conscience in order to universal peace Phelps Innocencies reward Rosses Mestogogus Poaeticus Phelps on the Revelations Gilaspys Ark of the Covenant Present State of New England Dr. Collings of Providence Froysell's Sermons of Grace and Temptations Yarrington's Englands Improvement first part Idem second part Meaning of the Revelation by John Hayter The Morning Lecture against Popery or the principal errors of the Church of Rome detected and confuted in a Morning Lecture preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Four useful discourses 1. The art of improving a full and prosperous condition for the glory of God being an appendix to the art of contentment in three Sermons on Phil. 4.12 2. Christian submission on 1 Sam. 3.18 Phil. 1.21 4. The Gospel of peace sent to the sons of peace in Six Sermons on Luke 10.5 6. by Jeremiah Burroughs A new Copy-Book of all sorts of useful Hands The Unity and Essence of the Catholick Church visible by Mr. Hudson The intercouse of Divine Love between Christ and the Church or the particular believing soul in several Lectures on the whole second chap. of Cant. by John Collings D. D. Large 8 vo The sure mercies of David by Nath. Heywood Heaven or Hell here in a good or bad conscience by Nathaniel Vincent A practical discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the nature and duty of Prayer by Tho. Cobbet Of quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects discovered by Theophilus Polwheile Heaven taken by Storm by Tho. Watson Reading and Spelling made easie both by Tho. Lye Aesop's Fables with Morals thereupon in English Verse ANNOTATIONS ON THE Prophecy OF ISAIAH CHAP. I. Ver. 1. THE Vision of Isaiah c. That is the Prophecy which he received by Revelation or Inspiration from God see the Notes Numb 24.3 and 1 Sam. 3.1 for Ch. 2.1 it is called The word which Isaiah saw or The Epitome or Sum of his Visions and Prophecies Besides those of the Tribe of Levi that were set apart to be the â— Israelites ordinary Teachers Deut. 33.10 and Mal. 2.7 God was often pleased especially in those times when the Priests grew corrupt and neglected their duty to raise up out of any other of the Tribes Prophets who were called and gifted and acted by Gods Spirit and sent forth to teach the People and to make known the Will of God unto them in an extraordinary way yea and some of these at the last God made use of as his Penmen for the writing of part of the Canonical Scripture to wit the following Books of the four greater and the twelve lesser Prophets as they are commonly called which are therefore frequently mentioned in the New Testament as of equal authority with the Books of the Law as in Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them And Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets It is commonly said by Interpreters that after the Prophets had prophesied or preached unto the people they used to write the Sum of their Prophecies or Sermons and affix them to the doors of the Temple which after some time were by the Priests removed from thence and laid up in the Temple as a part of the sacred Canon But of this there is no certainty nor any great probability considering how ill affected the Priests were to the prophecying of the Prophets in those days only that they by divine appointment committed their Prophecies to writing for the use of the Church is unquestionably clear John 1.45 We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write to which some refer those passages Isa 30.8 and Hab. 2.2 where the Prophets are enjoyned to write their Visions As for this our Prophet Isaiah it is not without cause that his Prophecy is set in the first place for 1 By that which is noted afterwards concerning the time of his Prophecying it is evident that he was one of the first of the Prophets if not absolutely the first of them all And 2. Besides that Hezekiah sending so many noble Persons to him to acquaint him with the Letters which Rabshekah had written to them and to desire his prayers for
is They shall with songs of Praise extol God for the discovery that he hath made of his glorious Majesty his infinite Power and Justice and Goodness and Mercy both in punishing those multitudes that shall then be destroyed and in preserving that small remnant of them that shall escape in that common Destruction they shall cry aloud from the Sea that is From the Islands that are in the Sea or from the Countrys beyond the Sea even from the uttermost parts of the earth the shouting and singing shall be heard of those that with such a loud voice shall praise the Lord for their deliverance But now the great question is Of whose and of what Rejoycing this is meant Many learned Expositors there are that do understand it meerly of those that should escape that general Destruction threatned in this Chapter both in the land of Judea and all the Countrys about them And some understand hereby those that were delivered from Salmanasser or Sennacheribs invasion in the days of Hezekiah and others far more probably of those that escaped when the Babylonians made such havock both in Judea and in all the Countrys round about that were over-run and subdued by their victorious Armies But because the Prophet seems here to foretel that the joy of the remnant that should be reserved not only amongst the Jews but also amongst the Heathens about them should be so exceeding great and in the following verses that they should in their joy praise the Lord God of Israel which the Heathens never did till they embraced the Christian Faith therefore I conceive he intends here not only the joy and shouting and singing of those that should be delivered from the general devastation whose joy might be said to be heard from the parts beyond the Sea because thither many of them might be sold for Captives but also principally the joy and singing of their Posterity that should exceedingly triumph and praise God for the wonderful discovery of his Majesty his incomparable Power and Mercy in the great work of mans Redemption by Christ and in calling them into the Kingdom of Christ by the preaching of the Gospel as likewise their lifting up their voice freely and without fear in spreading abroad the glad tidings of Salvation far and near wherever they had any opportunity to do it As for the last clause they shall cry aloud from the Sea some translate that they shall cry aloud from the West because the Mediterranean Sea lay on the West of Judea And accordingly they understand it of the rejoycing of those believing Jews that spreading the Gospel in the Western parts of the World whither they fled upon the last Devastation of Judea by the Romans did exceedingly rejoyce when they saw the Roman Empire submit to the Scepter of Christ But it is hard to say that this is here particularly intended Ver. 15. Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires c. These may be the words of the Prophet stirring up Gods people to go on in praising God as in the foregoing verse he had foretold they should do but yet they are commonly taken to be the words of the remnant before spoken of who escaping that publick Desolation that was coming upon the earth should not only themselves praise God with a loud voice as was said in the foregoing verse but should also as is here said stir up others to do the same even from the experience of their deliverance Some render the words as in the Margin of our Bibles Glorifie the Lord in the valleys and they hold that the valleys are named either because the Valleys are usually most inhabited by reason of the conveniency of water and plenteous feeding that is there to be had or else to imply that even in the darkest Corners of the earth in the basest and obscurest Countries of the World the Praises of the Lord should be heard But they are best rendred I conceive as in our Translation Wherefore glorifie ye the Lord in the fires that is Ye that are in the fires of great Tribulations and Troubles consider of this great work that God hath done upon the earth and be thereby stirred up to glorifie God by trusting in him and rejoycing in hope of being delivered by him and let all do this all the world over which is implied in the following words even the Lord God of Israel in the Isles of the Sea See the foregoing Note Ver. 16. From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard Songs c. As if the Prophet had said What do I speak of glorifying God in the Valleys and in the Isles of the Sea We the people of God have heard Praises sung to our God even from the uttermost parts of the earth Only we must know that though the Prophet speaks of this as of a thing done already to imply the unquestionable certainty of it yet his meaning is That this should be done hereafter the time was coming when they should hear Psalms of Praise sung unto God even from the remotest parts of the earth And though we may say that there was an initial accomplishment of this when the Jews were delivered out of Babylon and other Nations were at the same time set free that had been held in bondage by the Chaldeans yet I conceive the full performance of this was not till the Gentiles were brought in to the Church and so joyned with the Jews in singing Psalms of Praise unto God And accordingly we must understand the following clause wherein the subject-matter of those their Songs of Praise is set forth even glory to the Righteous to wit either 1. That they should glorifie the Righteous God because he had by his righteous Judgments rescued poor Prisoners and Captives from the bondage of their proud Enemies that had tyrannized over them or because he had manifested himself to be a righteous God by performing his promises concerning Christ and the calling of the Gentiles Or 2ly as some would have it That they should spread abroad the Glory of Christ their Redeemer who is indeed often termed the Righteous in the Scripture as 1 Joh. 2.1 We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous See also Isa 53.11 But I said My leanness my leanness c. Some would have this rendred as it is in the Margin My secret to my self my secret to my self and that the meaning should be That he concluded confidently of that which God had secretly imparted to him to wit That the wicked should be destroyed and the Righteous spared Or that the Prophet durst not reveal that which was secretly made known to him but kept it to himself namely that of those that should thus praise God and Christ there should be so few of his own Countrymen the Jews the Gentiles being for the generality admitted to be Gods peculiar people which is altogether improbable That Translation therefore which we have in our Bibles is far the better But I
accordingly they understand it passively of the works that had been done for them as if they had said All that hath befallen us all that hath been done by our selves or others tending to our peace all our preservations and wonderful deliverances have been the work of thy hands And thus from the experience of what God had hitherto done for them they encourage themselves to hope in God that he would yet further do them good Ver. 13. O Lord our God other lords besides thee have had dominion over us c. That is Other Lords besides thee who art our Soveraign Lord and besides those whom thou hast appointed to rule over us have unjustly and tyrannically usurped Dominion over us And this as it is spoken with respect to the Jews is meant of the Babylonians and other foreign Tyrants that had ruled over them and as it respects the Church of Christ it may be meant of all that at any time do tyrannically oppress them But by thee only will we make mention of thy Name That is by thy Grace only as we have hitherto so we will still own our selves to be thy servants and make mention of thee as our true Lord and Soveraign and worship and praise thy Name Or by thy Grace supporting us or by the confidence we have in thee alone we will still make mention of thy Name as glorying in thee as believing that out of respect to thine own Name thou wilt preserve us that we may honour thee and serve thee though for the present thou seemest to neglect us and as esteeming the bare remembrance of thy Name to be sufficient to support our hopes Or though our enemies have for a long time tyrannized over us yet by thy free goodness only and by thy good hand of Providence over us in preserving and delivering us without which nothing else could have contributed any thing thereunto we may now and will always as we have just cause own thee and cleave to thee and praise thy Name Ver. 14. They are dead they shall not live they are deceased they shall not rise c. As if they had said Whilst thou hast ordained peace for us thine own People those our great Lords that did for a time tyrannize over us are irrecoverably destroyed they shall never be able to rise again to their former estate to trouble and oppress thy People no more than they that are dead and laid in their graves are able to rise from thence and to live again in the world as formerly they did see the Note Chap. 24.20 Or they are slain and dead and shall never live upon earth any more Therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them c. To wit That they might be irrecoverably cut off from the earth and never more flourish in the world and afflict thy People as they have done Ver. 15. Thou hast encreased the Nation O Lord thou hast encreased the Nation c. Some would have this understood of God's encreasing and multiplying the benefits he conferred upon his people But according to our Translation it is the encrease of their number that is here intended And it may be spoken either 1. with respect to God's exceeding multiplying the Nation of the Jews in former ages Or more particularly of their encrease in Babylon that even there the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied as was seen by the multitudes of those that returned from thence to Jerusalem whose Inhabitants were by this means mightily encreased Or 2. with respect to the great encrease of that his peculiar people by bringing in multitudes of the Gentiles who joyned themselves to the Church of the believing Jews and became one people with them And as for the following words Thou art glorified either it is meant of the glory that redounded to God by the great multitudes that returned to Jerusalem and the destruction of their enemies which made way to their deliverance Or by the great accession he made to his Church by the Conversion of the Gentiles Or else of God's glorifying himself by his chastisement of his own people See the Note Levit. 10.3 to wit in causing them to be carried captives into Babylon of which that is clearly meant which is added in the last clause of the verse Thou hadst removed it far unto all the ends of the earth See the Note Chap. 6.42 The drift of this place therefore seems to be the setting forth of the Lord 's different dealing with his people and with their enemies these he utterly destroyed but though he chastised his people sharply yet the issue of their afflictions was good Ver. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee c. As if they had said When thou Lord didst visit thy people with the rod of affliction then did they visit thee of whom they had been too forgetful in a way of Repentance and seeking to thee for mercy They poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them see the Notes 1 Sam. 1.15 and Psal 42.4 The word in the Hebrew which we translate a Prayer is properly a Spell or a Charm or a secret Speech as it is expressed in the Margin of our Bibles the intent whereof was to shew That in their Prayers by reason of extream shame and grief for their sins and the terrors of God that lay upon their spirits they could hardly speak or utter what they would say as it was with Hannah when she prayed 1 Sam. 1.13 and Hezekiah Chap. 38.14 they poured out their souls with tears sighs and groanings that cannot be expressed as the Apostle calls them Rom. 8.26 Ver. 17. Like as a woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery c. When the throws of a travelling woman are indeed sharpest and hardest to be born is in pain and crieth out in her pangs see the Note Chap. 13.8 so have we been in thy sight O Lord that is So extream have our sorrows and miseries been as thou O Lord hast seen and known And this may be added as that which did greatly encrease their sorrow That God should look on and see them in such extream misery and yet afford them no help even as it must needs be a great grief to a Woman in travel to see her friends stand by and never mind to lay hands on her to afford her any help for the furtherance of her delivery Ver. 18. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind c. That is With strong desires we groaned after deliverance from those Oppressions and Miseries that we lay under we had many thoughts in our heads how it might be brought about and were ready many times to conceive great hopes of what we desired and laboured what we could to effect it but all proved vain and came to nothing As a Woman that thought her self to be in pains of travel and finds at last that it was nothing but wind she
invite the Nobles or look out for some of the Nobles to take the Kingly Government upon them that so they might be ordered and defended by them but none shall be there that is there shall be none of their Nobles to be found as being all destroyed or at least none that will undertake the Government see the Notes Chap. 3.6 7. and all her Princes shall be nothing that is they shall be all found to be slain and destroyed or so poor and contemptible that they shall be found as nothing for the undertaking of such a Dignity And thus the Prophet doth covertly deride their former vaunting in the glory of their Kingdom telling them that now they should have a Kingdom without a King Ver. 13. And thorns shall come up in her palaces nettles and brambles in the fortresses thereof c. See the Notes Chap. 32.13 14. and it shall be an habitation of Dragons see the Note Job 30.29 and a court for Owls or Ostriches to wit where their Princes had wont to keep their Courts see the Notes Chap. 13.21 22. Ver. 14. The wild beasts of the desart shall also meet with the wild beasts of the island and the Satyr shall cry to his fellow c. See the Notes Chap. 13.21 22. the shrich-owl also shall rest there and find for her self a place of rest to wit because there shall be no body there to disturb her Ver. 15. There shall the great owl make her nest and lay and hatch and gather c. That is her young ones under her shadow that is say some under the shadow of those ruines where she hath made her nest or rather under the shadow of her wings all which imports that these creatures should have their setled abode there and consequently that this desolation of Idumea should continue for a long time Ver. 16. Seek ye out of the book of the Lord and read c. Some understand this of the book of Gods Law wherein it is often said how tenderly careful God would be of his people and how surely and severely he would punish their enemies and so they take this to be all one as if the Prophet had said Observe whether God hath not there threatned that such desolations shall come upon the wicked enemies of his people as I have foretold Again others understand it of the whole Scripture then written and that because there are many Prophecies therein concerning the destruction of the Edomites see Numb 24.18 Psal 137.7 Amos 1.11 12. But now the most of Expositors and upon better grounds do understand it of the book of the Prophets or rather particularly of the Prophecy of Isaiah which he wrote by the guidance of Gods Spirit as if it had been said When the time shall come of which I have now spoken take the book of the Prophets and read the relation of this which I now prophecy and you shall find that every thing will exactly come to pass which I have now foretold no one of these shall fail that is no one of these beasts and fowl before mentioned none shall want her mate which implies that they should breed and fill the land for my mouth it hath commanded as if he had said I have commanded my Prophet to foretel this or I have ordered it to be done And then speaking in his own person he adds and his spirit it hath gathered them that is God according to what he foretold hath by a secret instinct or by his Almighty power and word of command gathered these creatures together Ver. 17. And he hath cast the lot for them c. That is The wild beasts and fowl before mentioned God hath given them the Land of Iduâ—â—a for their setled habitation and they shall injoy it without disturbance as men do an inheritance that is by lot assigned to them and his hand hath divided it unto them by line that is to each one their several portion see the Notes Psal 16.5 6. they shall possess it for ever from generation to generation shall they dwell therein see the Note before ver 10. CHAP. XXXV VERSE 1. THe wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them c. That is For the destruction of the enemies of Gods people related in the foregoing Chapter and conseqently for the deliverance of his people thereby And the same is intended in the following clause and the desart shall rejoyce and blossom as the rose But now whereas some would have the meaning to be that the very desarts in Judea should rejoyce at this so great a mercy as if the Prophet had said that the very sensless Creatures should triumph for this see the Note Psal 65.12 I rather think that by the wilderness the solitary place and the desart is meant the land of Judea which was by Sennacherib laid waste like a desart see the Note Chap. 33.9 and much more afterwards when the Jews were carried captive into Babylon and consequently that the promise here made that this wilderness and desart should be glad and rejoyce must be understood of the flourishing and joyful condition whereinto this land should be brought when the Assyrians first and the Babylonians afterward should be destroyed Only we must know that under this type a greater mercy is promised to wit That the Church both of Jews and Gentiles under Christ that were in their natural estate as a dry and barren Wilderness void of all goodness and grace should be brought into a blessed flourishing and joyful Condition spiritually and initially in this life but perfectly hereafter in Heaven See the Notes Chap. 32.15 16. And thus even the Edomites that were threatned in the foregoing Chapter to be turned into a wilderness are a part of that desert that should thus triumph in Christs vanquishing of their spiritual Enemies To be sure many Expositors hold That in this mystical sense the Gentiles are principally if not solely intended However ever even in this promise may be included also That when Christ shall destroy the enemies of his Church she that was under those persecutions laid waste as a desert shall then be brought into a flourishing and triumphant Condition Ver. 2. It shall blossom abundantly and rejoyce even with joy and singing c. That is The Wilderness before mentioned See the foregoing Note the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it the excellency of Carmel and Sharon They that understand this of the very deserts of Judea say that hereby is shown how they should rejoyce and sing to wit by becoming as gloriously fruitful as the most fruitful places of the Land which then must needs be taken hyperbolically But now understanding it of the Church under Christ this Expression might be intended to set forth both her exceeding great Glory in general and more particularly that all the Glory and glorious priviledges which the Church of the Jews formerly enjoyed should be transferred upon her as namely those mentioned by the Apostle Rom. 9.4 the
and Gods great goodness to him in raising him upon his Prayers to him so speedily out of so sad a Condition he would be careful to walk all his days as became a true Penitent softly that is Pensively and mournfully as to his bewailing the sins wherewith he had displeased God or softly that is Warily and circumspectly as to his care for the avoiding of every thing whereby he might offend and displease him for the time to come Neither indeed can I see how this last clause as it is in our Translation can be any other way probably understood Ver. 16. O Lord by these things men live c. This verse is several ways translated by Interpreters But according to our Translation the meaning is clearly this O Lord by thy favour and promises by the word of thy command and by thy providence accomplishing what thou hast spoken is the life of men continued to them or prolonged as thou pleasest yea even to those that were at the brink of the Grave or that haply had before the sentence of Death pronounced against them for this is spoken with reference to that in the foregoing verse he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it See the Note Deut. 8.3 and in all these things is the life of my spirit that is And by these things doth my soul still continue within me chearfully and comfortably enlivening my body so wilt thou recover me and make me to live that is And so by thy will it is that I am recovered and do live or so thou wilt perfect the work of my recovery which thou hast begun and make me to live that remainder of years thou hast appointed for me Ver. 17. Behold for peace I had great bitterness c. Or on my peace came great bitterness that is When I was healthful and well and had not the least fear of any distemper of sickness that was coming upon me yea when by Gods miraculous destroying the Assyrian Army both my self and the whole Kingdom seemed to be in a way of setled peace and thereupon I began to promise my self that I should now live the remainder of my days in prosperity and peace on a sudden I was surprized with this bitter affliction but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption that is Out of thy fatherly love to me See the Note Psal 3.2 thou wert pleased to recover me even from the very grave for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back to wit as things loathsome to thee which yet thou wert pleased to forget and forgive so as never to charge them upon me And Hezekiah that had before alledged that he had walked before God in truth and with a perfect heart and done that which was good in his sight ver 3. doth yet withal acknowledg here That his sins had been many and the cause why God had visited him with his late dangerous sickness and doth not so much rejoyce in his recovery as in Gods love and pardoning mercy which was better than a thousand lives to him Ver. 18. For the grave cannot praise thee death cannot celebrate thee c. See the Notes Psal 6.5 and 30.9 and 115.17 Hereby Hezekiah intends to intimate that he knew that Gods end in restoring him to his former health was That here in this World he might set forth his praise and that this therefore he would certainly do yea that upon this account he chiefly rejoyced in his recovery Ver. 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day c. The repetition of this word the living the living is very Emphatical and amongst other things doth clearly discover how full of joy his heart was upon the thought of this that by his recovery he should have so fair a season afforded him to speak good of Gods name the fathers to the children shall make known thy truth that is Thy faithfulness in performing thy promises as thou hast now done unto me they shall teach their Children what great things thou hast done and how they ought upon such occasions to extol thy name and so thy Praises shall be continued from Generation to Generation yea these words may seem probably to imply that Hezekiah had it now in his thoughts that by Gods gracious lengthning out of his days he might come to have a Son to succeed him in his Throne whom he might instruct to live to Gods praise and glory Ver. 20. The Lord was ready to save me therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments c. That is I will do it with and in the publick Assemblies of thy people as indeed Hezekiahs recovery was a great blessing and a just cause of thankfulness to all the people and he saith we will sing my songs either as intending the Psalms which he meant to compose or else those Psalms of Thanksgiving which he and the people used to sing upon such occasions Ver. 21. For Isaiah had said Let them take a lump of figs c. See the Note 2 King 20.7 Ver. 22. Hezekiah also had said What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord See the Note above ver 7. In 2 King 20.8 it is What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day But the last clause is here only mentioned because this implies how earnest his desires were that he might go up to the Temple to praise God for his recovery CHAP. XXXIX VERSE 1. AT that time Merodach-Baladan the Son of Baladan King of Babylon sent Letters and a present to Hezekiah c. To wit by the consent and advice of his Princes whence it is that these Messengers are called the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon 2 Chron. 32.31 But see the Notes for this whole passage 2 King 20.12 c. Ver. 2. And Hezekiah was glad of them c. To wit as being vain-gloriously joyed with thinking how renowned he was become even in remote Countries and withal haply as chuckering himself with a conceit that by the friendship of this King of Babylon he should be the safer for the future from any further Invasion of the Assyrians and if this were so it must needs argue that he was not so confident in Gods protection as the remembrance of Gods late miraculous Deliverance of him from the Assyrians might well have made him But for this and that which follows and shewed the house of his precious things See the Note 2 King 20.13 Ver. 3. What said these men and from whence came they unto thee c. This the Prophet demanded of the King not because he knew not who they were and whence they came but that by the Kings answer he might take occasion to deliver the Message which God had given him in charge As for his answer They are come from a far Country c.
See the Note 2 King 20.14 Ver. 4. Then said he What have they seen in thine house c. See the foregoing Note and Hezekiah answered All that is in mine house c. Though Hezekiah might well have thought that Gods Prophet used not to come unto him but about very serious and weighty matters and he enquired not of these meerly out of curiosity that he might know what the business was he was come about yet by his plain and direct relating what he had done it appears that he apprehended not that he had sinned herein but rather expected to be commended for his wise and prudent managing of the whole business Ver. 6. Behold the days come that all that is in thine house and that which thy Fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried to Babylon c. As if he had said All these things wherein thou hast so prided thy self and whereof thou hast so exceedingly gloried shall be plundred and carried away even by the Babylonians whom now by so great respects thou hast sought to engage to thee A sad Message this was But by making known that this fact of Hezekiahs should help forward that dreadful desolation which indeed was chiefly brought upon the whole Land for the wickedness and obstinacy of the people in general 1. God discovered how hateful and detestable the sin of Pride and Vain glory is in his sight And 2ly he brought Hezekiah and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to humble themselves for what had been done as it is expresly said they did 2 Chron. 32.26 But see also the Note 2 King 20.17 Ver. 7. And of thy Sons that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away c. To wit mediately or immediately his Posterity his Children or Childrens Children and they shall be eunuchs in the Palace of the King of Babylon that is Servants or Officers See the Note 2 King 8.6 And this was accomplished partly in the carrying away of Manasseh his Son Captive into Babylon 2 Chron. 33.11 but especially in the Captivity of Jehoiachim and others of the seed Royal See 2 Chron. 36.10 20. and Dan. 1.3 And by foretelling this Hezekiah was further informed how vainly he and his Progenitors had chuckered themselves in the great treasures they had horded up for their Posterity seeing both their Treasures and Posterity too were not long after to be carried away into Babylon Ver. 8. Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken c. Thus the good King doth quietly submit to the Sentence of God and to the denunciation of it by the Prophet Good saith he is the word of the Lord as if he should have said It is most just that God should thus punish both my sin and the wickedness of this people and I know that what he doth therein he will do out of fatherly love to those that fear him he said moreover for there shall be peace and truth in my days which in 2 King 20.19 is expressed thus Is it not good if peace and truth be in my days for which see the Note there By peace and truth is meant assured peace or peace with the faithful accomplishment of what God had promised particularly it may be that of the lengthning out his days for fifteen years So that that which Hezekiah intended hereby was That he had cause to own it as an effect of Gods Goodness and Favour to them that this Judgment should be suspended and deferred so long that during his life peace should be continued amongst them which also might hint some hope to them that when the evil threatned was brought upon the Land God would remember mercy in the midst of Judgment CHAP. XL. VERSE 1. COmfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God As if he should have said The Lord God who doth still own you for his Covenant-people though he hath so severely chastised you for your sins and will still approve himself to be your God upon the mention made in the foregoing Chapter of the Babylonian Captivity ver 6 7. whereby we may see how fitly the Stories there related were inserted in that place the Prophet addresseth himself to comfort the people of God with many promises of their return from Babylon and being setled again in their own Country and under this also of our Redemption by Christ from that more dreadful Bondage under Sin and Satan whereof that deliverance of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity was a type or shadow so that indeed most of the following Prophecies if not all even to the end of the Book are mainly concerning this subject the return of the Jews out of Babylon and that great work of our Salvation by Christ And it may well be thought that when the time of the Babylonian Captivity began to approach the Prophet wrote this Prophecy purposely that during that long and sad time of their exile they might have this as a Cordial amongst them for the chearing of their hearts In the beginning of this Prophecy God by Isaiah enjoyns his Prophets to wit such as God should raise up in the time of the Babylonian Captivity as namely Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Haggai Zachariah and others that they should comfort the sad hearts of his people with the tidings of their approaching deliverance and especially likewise those that about the time of Christs coming in the flesh were indued with a Spirit of Prophecy and spake to the people concerning that great mystery such as were Zachary old Simeon and Anna together with the Apostles and other Preachers of the Gospel that they should comfort poor dejected sinners with the glad tidings of our Redemption and Salvation by Christ And herein observable also it is 1. That to imply what plenty of these God would raise up after that long time of silence when they had not in a manner a Prophet amongst them See the Note Psal 74.9 this Command is expressed in the plural Number Comfort ye comfort ye my people And 2ly that it is twice repeated 1. To set forth Gods pity and compassion toward his afflicted people 2ly To imply how faithfully and strenuously God required this work should be done by his Messengers and Ministers And 3ly to hint what full abundant and continual ground of Consolation was contained in the glad tidings they were to impart to Gods people Ver. 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. That is to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Or the people of God and Church of Christ in general It is in the Hebrew Speak to the heart of Jerusalem whereby is meant either that they should speak that which might be as pleasing and delightful to them as their own hearts could desire or rather that they should speak those things that might affect comfort and revive their very hearts within them and cry unto her that is proclaim to her with much assurance and earnestness that her warfare or
having formed them for himself and for his own Glory he was engaged to deliver them even out of respect to his own honour that he might have a people to praise his Name Ver. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob c. That is say some You my people the seed of Israel have not called upon me in your troubles as having indeed no confidence in my protection and help But rather by calling upon God here as usually elsewhere the whole worship of God is meant and accordingly I take these words But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob to be all one in effect as if he had said You think that you have called upon me and so have yielded me that honour for which I made you my people as it is said in the foregoing verse but it is not so you have not called upon me but upon an Idol-god of your own feigning a god which will be content meerly with external Worship which I abhor Chap. 29.13 nor do ever own those Prayers as service done to me which are not offered with the inward Devotion of a believing holy and obedient heart and so thou hast not called upon me but thou hast been weary of me O Israel that is it hath been a burden to thee to serve me And the drift of the Lords alledging this is say some to shew what just cause he had to cast off them and take in the Gentiles to be his people But rather it is to shew that their deliverance out of Babylon now promised them and likewise the great work of our deliverance by Christ would be meerly of Gods free Grace and not because they had desired any such favour from him Ver. 23. Thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt-offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices c. That is say some Thou hast not offered them to me but to Idols And so they understand also the following clause I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense that is I have not exacted such abundance of these kind of oblations of thee as therewith to over-burden thee and to make thee weary of my service no it is thine Idols for whom thou hast been at so much cost and upon whom thou hast tired out thy self with offering them such a multitude of Sacrifices But rather the meaning is that because they did not offer them in a right manner God did not own them as sacrifices offered to him See the Notes Chap. 1.11 c. they were not the service which he had given them in charge Ver. 24. Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money c. To wit for the precious Ointment Exod. 30.23 or for the Incense Exod. 30.7 wherewith it is therefore joyned Jer. 20.6 It is thought to be the same that is elsewhere called Calamus Ezek. 27.19 and it is spoken of as a costly thing because it grew not in their own land but was brought from far Countries neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices that is Thou hast not satisfied nor delighted me with thy sacrifices I never regarded them See the foregoing Note but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities as if he should have said I have not caused thee to serve with imposing upon thee too great a burden of sacrifices but thou hast caused me to serve with thy wickedness to wit because thy sins have been as great a grief and trouble and burden to me as it is to men to serve under hard Task-Masters and I have been as much wearied with bearing with thee as such a man can be with enduring such a hard service Ver. 25. I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake c. And not in regard of any desert of yours and see the Notes Psal 51.1 Ver. 26. Put me in remembrance c. That is If you have any thing to alledge or reply against this which I have charged you let me know it Or if there be any thing wherewith you have deserved your deliverance and the Remission of sins promised put me in mind of it for it may be I have forgotten it and therefore you shall do well to bring it into my remembrance which is spoken by way of a sharp ironical derision let us plead together to wit that the truth betwixt us may be known See the Note Chap. 1.18 declare thou that thou mayest be justified that is Say what you can for your selves alledge what it is whereby you have deserved that I should work so great a deliverance and so great salvation for you that hereby you may be justified Ver. 27. Thy first Father hath sinned c. Some understand this of Adam the first Father of all Mankind and think that this is mentioned because sin being traduced from him to all his Posterity they that were descended from such a corrupt stock must needs be sinners themselves Again because this seems to be spoken with more special respect to the Jews others understand it of Abraham and that with respect to his being an Idolater before his calling see the Notes Josh 24.2 And indeed Abraham is usually spoken of in the Scripture as the first Father of that Nation because he was first circumcised which was the sign whereby they were always afterwards distinguished from other Nations as Chap. 51.2 Look unto Abraham your Father And they used to glory much in this see Matth. 3.9 and John 8.39 But indeed the most of our best Expositors hold That hereby is meant their Ancestors in general Thy first Father which is all one as if he had said Thy fore-father hath sinned and the word Father being usually taken collectively as it is Ezek. 16.3 Thy Father was an Amorite it is all one as if it had been said Thy fore-fathers have sinned And so for the following words and thy teachers have transgressed against me thereby I conceive is plainly meant their Priests and Prophets and that this is added as an aggravation of the wickedness both of them and their Fathers that even they that taught others and so should have been themselves most exemplary for good were even as bad as others And so the drift of the whole verse I conceive is to shew that seeing their fore-fathers had been great Transgressors as well as themselves they could not ascribe the great deliverances which God had now promised to any goodness that God had found either in them or in their Fathers Indeed this people did use to glory much in their Fathers but God gives them to understand that had there been nothing else to move him to shew them mercy they had been destroyed long ago Ver. 28. Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary c. Reading this as it is in our Bibles I conceive it is clearly meant of those at least the chief of those that in
shall never thirst 4. That by these words And he that hath no Money come ye buy and eat yea come buy Wine and Milk without Money and without price to wit any thing given in exchange for them instead of Money I say hereby is not so much meant as I conceive that the Poor are invited to come as well as the Rich as that all are invited to come freely and to accept of that Mercy and Life that is tendered in Christ though they are nothing though they have nothing and can do nothing towards the obtaining of this bliss and happiness even those that are most sensible of their Spiritual Poverty and Indigency in this regard The same that was before meant by coming to the Waters is here again meant by buying Wine and Milk only it is expressed by these other kinds of Food to imply the sweet and comfortable refreshing that Men shall find in this Spiritual Food and that all good that Sinners can want or desire is to be had in Christ and that there is provision for all sorts of People Milk for Children and Wine for those that are of grown years yea and that they shall have as sure an interest in what is tendered without Money and without Price as if they had bought it And 5. That by the frequent repeating and urging of this Invitation is implyed both Mens backwardness in accepting the Grace here tendered them and Gods earnestness that they should be perswaded and won to accept it Ver. 2. Wherefore do ye spend Money for that which is not Bread c. That is That which is not true Food See the Note Chap. 3.1 and your labour that is the Money you have gotten by your labour for that which satisfieth not that is that which will neither asswage your hunger nor nourish you and cause you to live It is as if he had said Why do you so eagerly pursue sparing neither cost nor labour that which will no way profit you that is that which will afford no furtherance for the obtaining of that Soul-satisfying bliss and happiness which in Christ is tendered to you And hereby is meant 1. The greedy pursuit of the things of the World which a Man is not sure to obtain and cannot long hope to enjoy and which whilst he doth enjoy them cannot satisfie the thirst and desires of his Soul nor make him happy 2. All strictness and diligence in false superstitious Will-worships which would provoke God to displeasure instead of pleasing him and were never like to bring them to Life Eternal Matth. 15.9 And 3. All false Doctrines concerning the way of attaining Gods favour here and Eternal Life and Happiness such as that of the Scribes and Pharisees of Mens being saved by their own works and righteousness See Tit. 3.5 Hearken diligently unto me as if he should have said And by a constant observing the direction of my word you shall be sure to prevent all such mistakes and eat you that which is good that is that which is really good that which is Bread indeed that which will indeed procure Gods Love and Favour comfort you here and preserve you unto Life Eternal and let your Soul delight it self in fatness that is you shall have abundance of the choicest and chiefest good even that which will fully delight and satisfie your Soâ—ls See the Note Psal 36.8 Ver. 3. Incline your Ear and come unto me c. See the Note above ver 1. and Psal 45.10 hear and your Souls shall live See the Note Psal 22.26 and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you wherein is implyed 1. A renewing and confirming of that Covenant of Grace which God had made with their Fathers in and through the Lord Christ which was for the substance of it an everlasting Covenant as if he should have said Though you have on your part broken Covenant with me and though in the Babylonian Captivity I may seem to have cast you off and the Kingdom setled upon Davids Posterity may seem to be utterly ruined yet fear not I will renew and confirm that my Covenant with you And 2. The making of a new Covenant with them to wit the Covenant of the New Testament confirmed with the blood of Christ which though it were the same in substance with that which God made with his People under the Old Testament yet it was a new Covenant in regard of the new manner of the dispensation of it many ways and may be here called an everlasting Covenant in opposition to that which was before because it was to continue for ever and not to be abrogated as that which God made with the Jews was As for the following words even the sure Mercies of David some by David here understand Christ as he is elsewhere called Ezek. 34.25 and Hos 3.5 because he was that Messiah whom God had promised of the seed of David and accordingly by the sure Mercies of David they understand those stable Mercies which God had promised and covenanted in and through the Lord Christ the Mediator of the Covenant See the Note Chap. 49.18 to confer upon his People But again others understand it of King David and so by the sure Mercies of David they understand either Mercies that should as surely be performed to his People as those were for which he had engaged himself by Covenant to David or else rather the very Mercies which he had promised to David and in and through him as the Father and Type of Christ unto his Church and People 2 Sam. 7. c. and Psal 89.4 35 c. namely that God would give unto David a Son that should save his People and that should reign over them for ever And hence it was that the Apostle Paul alledged this place to prove the Resurrection of Christ Act. 13.34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the Dead now no more to return to Corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure Mercies of David For the Promise made to Christ or to David concerning Christ the Eternity of his Kingdom and the Mercies he should procure for his People could not have taken effect if after he was Crucified he had not been raised again from the dead Ver. 4. Behold I have given him c. To wit Christ See the Note Chap. 9.6 who in the foregoing Verse was called David or at least intended as the Son and Successour of David the Mediator of the Covenant the Mercies whereof are there called the sure Mercies of David I saith God the Father have ordained him for a witness to the People that is to make known and testifie to the Gentiles the Counsel of God concerning Mans Salvation and by accomplishing what God had foretold should be to testifie and make good the Faithfulness of God Whence was that of our Saviour to Pilate To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I should bear Witness unto the Truth
Joh. 18.37 A leader and commander to the People that is one that is to lead them in the way of Life both by his Doctrine and Example and whose commands upon pain of Eternal Damnation all men are bound to obey Matth. 28.20 Ver. 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not c. That is Thou O Christ for he it is that was spoken of in the foregoing Verse shalt effectually call in those Nations to believe in thee whom formerly thou didst not own for thy People nor didst regard or take any notice of to wit the Gentiles And indeed this is that which David did long before say of himself as he was a type of Christ a People whom I have not known shall serve me Psal 18.43 and Nations that knew not thee that is that had never heard of thee and so had no knowledge of thee but lived without God and without Christ in the world Eph. 2.12 shall run unto thee See the Note Chap. 2.2 because of the Lord thy God and for the holy one of Israel that is because the Lord thy God which is spoken of Christ with respect to his humane Nature shall clearly manifest himself to be thy God and thy Father and shall make thy Ministry effectual by convincing the Nations that thou art true and very God the Son of God sent to save Sinners for he hath glorified thee to wit by the miraculous passages at his Birth and Baptism by his transcendent holiness and the Miracles that were wrought by him and his and especially after his Passion by his Resurrection and Ascension whereby the Nations were brought in to own Christ to be the only begotten Son of God and Saviour of the World Ver. 6. Seek ye the Lord c. The exhortation in the beginning of this Chapter is here further pressed by the Prophet namely that Men should diligently seek after that Grace and Reconciliation with God which was tendered to them in Jesus Christ Some would have it understood as spoken to the Gentiles only of whom the Prophet had spoken in the foregoing Verse others as spoken to the Jews by way of pressing them to come in by the example of the forwardness of the Gentiles before mentioned But it is rather generally spoken to all lost and miserable Sinners Seek ye the Lord while he may be found that is immediately and without delay whilst yet Mercy and Pardon is tendered to you in the means of Grace and God doth yet by his Spirit move you to accept of it And to the same purpose is that which follows call ye upon him while he is near that is whilst he is near in the means and offers of Grace But See the Notes also Psal 32.6 and Prov. 1.28 Ver. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way c. This is added to shew that though Reconciliation be freely tendered in Christ to the worst of Sinners yet it is tendered upon condition of unfeigned Repentance and that without that no favour can be expected from God Ver. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts c. God having promised in the close of the foregoing Verse that he would have Mercy on true Penitents that would forsake their Sins and return to him and that he would abundantly pardon them lest poor dejected Sinners should scruple this as judging of God according to what is usual amongst men here he puts them in mind of the infinite disproportion that is betwixt God and Man for my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord that is my thoughts and ways of pardoning and shewing mercy to Sinners must not be measured by the thoughts and ways of mercy that are in men towards those that have offended them 1. Men are many times inexorable And 2. Especially in injuries of a higher Nature And 3. At least they are hardly won to be reconciled and will often have some considerable compensation for the wrongs done them And 4. Their Reconciliations are seldom sincere and perfect And 5. Though they be yet through sickleness they are in danger to repent of their Reconciliations and to revive their old Quarrels But now in all these it is quite contrary with God See Exod. 34.6 7. Matth. 12.21 I know some do otherwise understand these words For they conceive that therein there is a reason given why Sinners must abandon their former thoughts and ways if they desired that God should be at peace with them namely because their thoughts and ways were not Gods thoughts and ways that is such as God had appointed their ways and thoughts should be or because there was such a contrariety betwixt Gods thoughts and ways which were all infinitely holy and just and theirs that were so exceedingly sinful and wicked But this Exposition cannot consist with the following Verse whereby it is clear that the transcendency of Gods Mercy above Mans is here intended Ver. 9. For as the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are my ways higher c. That is Incomprehensibly higher See the Notes Psal 103.11 The distance betwixt Heaven and Earth doth not fully parallel the distance that is betwixt the Mercies of God and Man because Gods Mercies are infinite but this expression serves to set forth that Gods Mercies are wonderful far above Mans. One Man may exceed others in pity and tender compassion and readiness to pardon Injuries as far as the Mountains are above the Dales but the highest Heavens are not so far above the Center of the Earth as Gods Mercies are above all the Bowels of Mercy that can be imaginably in the most merciful Men. Ver. 10. For as the Rain c. Here the Lord makes good what he had said before concerning the greatness of his Mercy by assuring them of the certainty of what he had promised them For as the Rain cometh down and the Snown from Heaven and returneth not thither to wit without effecting that for which they were sent by the God of Heaven but watereth the Earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give Seed to the Sower and Bread to the Eater that is that it may yield Men not only plenty of Bread for food but also sufficient Seed for the following year It is true that the Rain and Snow may in some Sense be said to return again to the Heavens in the Vapours which from them are exhaled by the Sun or blown up by the Winds and so carried up into the Clouds But this expression here of the Rain and the Snows not returning again intends no more but that they never fail of effecting that for which pleas'd to showr them down upon the Earth Ver. 11. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my Mouth c. That is Every word which my Prophets shall deliver truly from me Yet I conceive this is spoken here with particular respect to that promise which God had made them concerning their deliverance out of Babylon
Beast goeth down into the Valley to wit gently and softly when it is led down a steep Hill the Spirit of the Lord that is God by his Almighty Power or by his Holy Spirit caused him that is Moses say some the Leader of his People or rather thy People Israel to rest to wit in that the Lord after he had carried his Israel through the Red Sea did lead him along quietly through the Wilderness providing for him resting places by the way as it is expresly said Numb 10.33 until he had brought them to Canaan the land of their rest see the Notes Psal 95.11 and Jer. 31.2 And then in the next words the Prophet turns his speech to God so didst thou lead thy People to make thy self a glorious name see the Note above ver 12. Ver. 15. Look down from Heaven c. Here the People of God in Babylon or the Prophet in their name having from ver 7. set forth what great mercy God had shown to their Fathers and what great deliverance he had wrought for them in former times do now pray that God would do the like for them that though he had of late for a time hidden himself from them yet now he would again appear for them see the Note Psal 80.14 and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory to wit the extream misery we are in implying that if God would but take notice of their misery they hoped he could not but pity and help them where is thy zeal that is thy vehement love to thy People not enduring to see them wronged by their Enemies see 2 Kings 19.31 thy strength the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies towards me It is an expression taken from those rumblings in the Bowels which strong passions of this nature do usually work in Men see the Note Chap. 16.11 see the Notes Psal 77.7 and 89.49 are they restrained that is dost thou or canst thou against thy natural inclination restrain those yearnings of thy Bowels which are wont so freely to flow out towards thy People at other times Ver. 16. Doubtless thou art our Father c. As if he had said And therefore surly thou wilt pity us thy Children though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel acknowledge us not to wit as being long since departed out of this world They indeed were our Fathers but they are now strangers to the things that are done here below and know nothing of our condition Some there are indeed that would have the words understood in another sense As 1. Though Abraham be ignorant of us c. that is though Abraham and Israel would not own us as their Children yet we are sure thou O God art our Father Or 2. Though we should suppose that they are ignorant of our condition let that be granted yet certainly God is our Father Or 3. Though they were not comparatively to be owned as their Fathers yet to be sure God was their Father But all this needs not there is no cause why we should stumble at that sense which the words do clearly and plainly hold forth thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer to wit therefore their Father because he was their Redeemer thy name is from everlasting that is thy fame for thy great works hath been from everlasting or this thy name of being the Redeemer of thy People hath been from everlasting And indeed thus some read the last words jointly together as it is in the Margin our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name It may be haply questioned by some why in the beginning of this Verse Isaac is not reckoned amongst their Fathers as Abraham and Israel But to this the common answer that is given is that Abraham and Israel are mentioned because God did oftenest and most solemnly appear to them and confirmed his Covenant with them and because the Covenant was first made with Abraham and all Jacobs Children were taken into Covenant And besides it is said that Abraham and Israel being named Isaac that was between them is included Ver. 17. O Lord why hast thou made us to err from thy ways c. This is spoken with reference to that before But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit ver 10. Why hast thou made us to err from thy ways and hardened our Heart from thy fear That is Why hast thou by way of punishing us for our sins withdrawn thy Spirit from us and delivered us up to a Spirit of error and obstinacy and so left us to run after our own Hearts into so many erroeous and wicked ways see the Notes Chap. 6.9 10. and 29.10 Exod. 7.13 and Job 12.16 Some indeed understand this a little otherwise Namely that this is spoken of Gods being the occasion of their turning away from Gods ways and their obstinacy therein by continuing them so long under the oppression of their cruel Enemies which is indeed a sore temptation for which see the Note Psal 125.3 But I conceive the first Exposition is the best and accordingly that it is spoken by way of bewailing that their Heavenly Father should in such wrath withdraw himself from them and so leave them under such a dreadful Judgment and by way of entreating that it might be otherwise with them as if they had said Why dost thou not soften our Hearts and reform what is amiss in us Return for thy Servants sake the tribes of thine inheritance that is be reconciled again to thy People and shew thy self again favourable to them because they are thy Servants and thine Inheritance and it might seem dishonourable to God to cast off his Servants or to disregard his own Inheritance Yet some understand it otherwise Return for thy Servants sake c. that is with respect to thy Servants our Progenitors and with respect to the Covenant which thou madest with them see Note Psal 132.1 But the former Exposition is far the clearer Ver. 18. The People of thine Holiness c. That is thy holy People see the Note Exod. 19.6 have possessed it but a little while and this they say though they had possessed it many hundred years because Men are prone to think it but a little time when they have enjoyed a thing long if they earnestly desire to enjoy it longer or rather because those many hundred years were indeed but a little while in comparison of what God had promised the Patriarchs Namely that they should possess it for ever Gen. 17.8 Our Enemies have trodden down thy Sanctuary that is thy Temple or the Land of Canaan for that is sometimes also called Gods Sanctury see the Note Psal 78.54 However this implies that the wrong to himself might well engage the Lord to appear against their Enemies CHAP. LXIV VERSE 1. OH that thou wouldest rent the Heavens c. The People of God as being much troubled at that whereof they had complained in the latter end of the foregoing Chapter that the Heathens had
chearfully obey thee and delight to do that which is right in thine Eyes And by meeting them I conceive is meant meeting them in a way of Love Mercy and Reconciliation as the Prodigals Father went out to meet him whilst he was yet afar off Luke 15.30 and as in our ordinary Speech we are wont to say of those to whom we are willing to be reconciled that we will at any time meet them half way Those that remember thee in thy ways that is that remember thee in thy several wayes or dispensations of thy Providence whether of Mercy or Judgment do accordingly praise thee or pray unto thee Or rather those that being mindful of thee and so of their Duty to thee are careful to walk in the wayes thou hast enjoyned them But now the question will be of whom this is spoken Some think it is meant of Gods dealing in former times with their forefathers Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy wayes that is thou didst meet or wert wont to meet them in great loving kindness and Mercy thou didst shew them great favour many and many times as if they had said Thus it was with our forefathers but it is far otherwise now with us But according to our Translation I conceive it is spoken indefinitely as of that which God doth at all times and so it may imply both that God had done so with his righteous Servants in former Ages and that he would have done the like also for them if they had trodden in the steps of their holy Progenitors behold thou art wroth for we have sinned as if they had said because we have sinned thou hast in thy wrath brought great Miseries upon us and so it was with us as it was with our Fathers in those is continuance and we shall be saved that is in those thy ways of Goodness and Mercy to thy People there is continuance they are stable and perpetual And therefore we hope that we shall be saved Ver. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing c. That is as any Person or Thing Naturally or Legally unclean As namely Lepers and such as had touched any dead body c. There were doubtless some holy Persons amongst them even when they were in Babylon But they speak here of the body of the People in general that were wicked and prophane and cast out of the Holy Land and excluded from all Communion with God in his Sanctuary even as those that were legally unclean were shut up for a time from conversing with their Brethren and from going into the Temple And this is likewise added as in opposition to that which was said in the foregoing Verse either thus Thou wert very gracious to our Fore-fathers that rejoyced and wrought Righteousness c. but now they are all gone and we are all as an unclean thing c. Or thus Thou art constantly gracious to those that work Righteousness and remember thee in thy ways yea and when thou art wroth with them because they have sinned against thee upon their returning to thee thou out of thy unchangeable goodness and mercy art ready to shew them Mercy and to save them but alas it is not thus with us We are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy Rags and for this last branch there is much difference amongst Expositors concerning this word Righteousness 1. Some think the abstract is here put for the concrete as if they had said Our most Righteous men are as filthy Rags 2. Others understand it as spoken Ironically of those horrid Enormities wherewith they had provoked God to cast them out of the Land and for this see the Note Chap. 57.12 3. Others hold that thereby is meant all their Legal Rights and Services which being performed Hypocritically and by men profane and wicked were abominable in Gods sight how Righteous soever they judged themselves in that regard And 4. Many conceive that hereby is meant that the best actions of the best of them when best performed had so much defilement of Corruption and Sin cleaving to them as might render them if God should examine them rigorously by the rule of his Law hateful unto him And indeed either of these four Expositions do fairly suit with the drift of this place And then for the following words they contain an acknowledgment of the misery whereinto their Sins had brought them and we all do fade away as a leaf that is the Beauty and Glory of our former estate is withered and gone see the Notes Chap. 40.6 7. and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away that is as the Wind drives faded leaves from off the Tree or blows them about when they are fallen from the Tree so have our Sins driven us away into the Land of our Captivity Ver. 7. And there is none that calleth on thy name c. That is though we are in so sad a condition yet there are very few none in a manner that for the appeasing of thy wrath and the removal of these Judgments doth in a right manner seriously and from their Hearts cry unto thee see the Note Chap. 43.22 for that this is meant by calling on Gods Name is evident by the following words that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee that is that do endeavour to rouse up themselves that they may with all possible fervency and importunity pray unto thee that so thereby they may keep thee from departing away from them or win thee to return again in mercy to them or stay thy hand from smiting them any farther as Moses did as it were hold the hand of God from destroying the Israelites when he said unto Moses Let me alone that I may destroy them c. Deut. 9.14 Or that they might cleave close to God as their God and Father resting upon his Grace and faithfulness though in his anger he seemed resolved to cast them off The sum of what they here confess against themselves is That there was scarce any amongst them that took care to step in and intercede for the People as Moses Samuel and others in former Ages had done As for the last clause for thou hast hid thy face from us see the Notes Chap 8.17 and 57.17 that may be added as a reason not only of the miseries that were come upon them but also of their stupidity in that they called not upon God when they were in such misery It was because for their wickedness God had hid his face from them and left them to themselves Ver. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we all are the work of thine hand To wit not only as we are thy Creatures but also as we are thy People see the Notes Chap. 19.25 and 43.1 21. and Job 10.8 9. In the words the People of God seem to plead with him that though he might
turn his speech more especially to the Jews to whom he directed his Prophecy And so he seems to do in the words immediately following because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinance broken the everlasting Covenant that is They have wittingly and willingly run on in a way of doing whatever they listed themselves without ever taking any care to obey the Commandments of God for though some would extend this to the Heathens sinning against the Laws of Nature which God had written in their hearts yet methinks this is clearly added with reference to Gods people in particular And though some by the Laws would have the negative Precept within the bounds whereof they would not be kept and by the Ordinance the affirmative Commandments which they minded not to obey yet more commonly by the Laws Expositors understand the moral Laws and by the Ordinance the Ceremonial Statutes which they are said to have changed either because they kept not to the rule therein prescribed but changed and altered things as they pleased themselves However by the everlasting Covenant which they had broken is certainly meant that Covenant of Grace which God had made with Abraham and his Seed and was to have been by them inviolably observed for ever Ver. 6. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth c. That is The Curse and Wrath which God denounced against all that rebel against him and which the Israelites had imprecated upon themselves in case of disobedience Deut. 27.26 shall utterly consume both the Inhabitants of the earth and all besides that is thereon Yet because in the following verses the Prophet speaks of the miseries which the barrenness of the earth should bring upon them therefore some Expositors do understand this of the particular curse Deut. 28.16 17 18. and they that dwell therein are desolate that is They are left in a desolate Condition stripped of all their former Comforts and Enjoyments therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned that is Destroyed with fire and sword by hostile Invasions or rather consumed and destroyed by the flaming fire of Gods wrath See the Notes Chap. 9.18 and 10.16 yet some understand it of their being burnt up with that heat and drought which should be the cause of the burning up of the fruits of the earth whereof afterward the Prophet speaks and few men are left the generality of the people being cut off by Gods Judgments or carried away into Captivity Ver. 7. The new wine mourneth c. This Expression is used to imply either 1. That they should have a mournful Vintage their Vineyard yielding them so little Wine or 2ly That their Wine should be wastfully spilt or swilled down by the Enemy And so the next the time languisheth implies either 1. That their Vines should fade away and yield little fruit or 2ly That they should be cut or trodden down by their enemies See the Note Chap. 16.8 All the merry-hearted do sigh that is all that having abundance lived plensantly and merrily or all that used to be jovial and merry with drinking Wine instead of singing shall now sigh and mourn And in all this now the Prophet doth covertly tax their former intemperance and excessive jollity as if he should have said You that have spent your days in such immoderate pleasures and jollity shall shortly find that the case will be sadly alter'd with you Ver. 9. They shall not drink wine with a song c. That is Their drunken feasting and revelling shall cease strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it that is Though they should have strong drink they shall take no delight in it for very anguish and sorrow of heart their miseries and Calamities will imbitter all their Comforts Ver. 10. The City of confusion is broken down c. Some understand this of Jerusalem particularly because say they the Prophet doth still seek to apply the Judgments here denounced particularly to the Jews to whom he prophesied But it may better be understood collectively of the several Cities in those Countrys against which the Prophet doth here prophecy And they may be called Cities of confusion either with respect to the base confusion and disorder that was in them there being nothing therein well ordered as it ought to be or else with respect to that Confusion and Desolation that was coming upon them the City of Confusion is broken down that is Every City destined to Confusion and Destruction shall be broken down by the enemy every house is shut up that no man may come in that is All houses are so blocked up with the ruines of them that there is no way to enter into them or they all lye desolate the Inhabitants being slain or carried away Captives so that there is no coming out or going into them Ver. 11. There is a crying for wine in the streets c. To wit of people bewailing the want of it or the loss or spoiling of it by the Enemy all joy is darkened c. that is Their joy shall be over-clouded with sorrows or turned into sorrows See the Note Chap. 13.10 Ver. 12. In the City is left Desolation c. That is not only in the Country but even in the Cities too there shall be nothing left but Desolation all that is therein shall be destroyed and the gate is smitten with Destruction so that there is no going in nor coming out there but even in the gates where there used to be the greatest concourse of people there shall be utter Desolation Ver. 13. When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people c. That is When there shall be such Desolation made as is aforesaid among the people both of Israel and the neighbouring Nations round about them there shall be as the shaking of an Olive-tree c. See the Notes Chap. 10.22 and Chap. 17.6 where the same is said of the Jews that is here said both of Jews and Gentiles together The drift of these words is to shew either 1. That the Destruction made amongst these people should be so great that there should be but a very small remnant left undestroyed Or 2ly That though there should be such Desolation made in those parts of the earth both Judea and the Countrys round about yet there should not be such an utter riddance made of the people but that there should be a small remnant left and reserved out of whose Posterity God meant to gather a Church of his Elect that should praise his Name Ver. 14. They shall lift up their voice c. That is This little remnant before mentioned both in Judea and the Countrys round about that shall escape that common Destruction and Desolation that is coming upon the whole earth in a manner in those parts of the World shall with great joy of heart lift up their voices to shout and to praise God for their wonderful Deliverance they shall sing for the Majesty of the Lord that