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
many Learned Expositors it is held that together with the Enemies of the Jews here more especially intended not only all the Enemies of Gods Church in all Ages are comprehended which is the more probable because of the following Clause to the Islands he will repay recompence that is to the Enemies of his People in the remotest Parts and where they think themselves safest from all danger See the Note Chap. 41.1 but also their Spiritual Enemies as with respect to Christs Victory over them which Exposition indeed the following Verses seem much to favour Ver. 19. So shall they fear the Name of the Lord from the West and his Glory from the rising of the Sun c. That is By occasion of this Glorious Work of God mentioned in the foregoing Verse in delivering his People by executing vengeance upon their Enemies Men shall fear the Lord and the Name and Glory of God shall be renowned throughout the World See the Note Psal 113.3 And indeed as was hinted in the foregoing Note though this may be meant primarily of that terror wherewith all the Nations in the World in a manner should be struck upon the Destruction which God would bring on the Enemies of the Jews yet the words do so clearly seem to intend also that filial fear wherewith upon the conversion of the Gentiles the Church of Christ throughout the whole World should fear God that whereas now God was despised by his own People he should then be honoured by the Nations all the World over whence it is also that in the following words there is a Promise added of Gods aiding them against their Enemies that this doth much confirm that more general Exposition given in the foregoing Note of the revenge which God would bring upon the Enemies of his People When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood that is when-ever the Devil and his Instruments shall break in upon my Church like a Flood see the Notes Chap. 8.7 8. The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him or as it is in the Margin put him to flight that is God by his Divine and Almighty Power shall take part with his People and raise up Forces against these their Enemies wherewith he will oppose and vanquish them See the Notes Chap. 5.26 and 11.12 and 49.22 Or God with a blast of his Breath only shall cause them to flee yea the meaning may be if we understand it of the Spiritual Enemies of Gods People that he would by his Holy Spirit so assist and strengthen his People that they should be able to withstand and overcome these their mighty Adversaries Eph. 6.13 Ver. 20. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion c. That is God will send one that shall redeem his People out of their Bondage and Misery Now as hereby the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon was intended Cyrus was questionless this Redeemer But as this was also intended as a Promise of the Spiritual Redemption whereof the other was a Type Christ was the Redeemer And that this was intended is clear by the Apostles citing this place according to the Translation of the Septuagint to prove that certainly the Jews should at last be converted and made partakers of the Redemption that is by Christ Rom. 11.26 27. And so that is when the fullness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved that is the generality of the Nation of the Jews As it is Written There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is my Covenant unto them c. It is as if the Apostle had argued thus The Prophet Isaiah foretold that Christ should come as a Redeemer to the Church and Nation of the Jews who as yet do despise and reject him and therefore certainly there shall a time come when the Nation of the Jews shall embrace Christ as their Redeemer As for the following Words and unto them that turn from Transgression in Jacob as they are spoken with respect to the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon they imply both that that deliverance should be wrought chiefly for the sake of that little Remnant amongst them that were reformed by their Captivity and that it should be to them only a real Mercy But as they are spoken with respect to Mans Redemption by Christ they plainly shew that none can justly challenge any Interest therein but only those that forsakeing their Sins do turn unto the Lord. Ver. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord c. To wit with his People whom the Redeemer mentioned in the foregoing Verse should redeem My Spirit that is upon thee c. That is say some upon Christ the Redeemer And so they take it as a promise made by God the Father to Christ that his Word and Spirit should be for ever continued to his Seed concerning whom See the Note Chap. 53.10 But I rather conceive that this is spoken either to the Prophet Isaiah and then the meaning must be either 1. That this which God had now promised by him should be so accomplished that the memory of it should be continued unto all Posterity Or 2. That the Spirit which God had put upon him and that Gospel-promise which he had published should be continued to the Prophets and others that should succeed him in the Work of the publick Ministry even to the end of the World Or rather to the Church the Redeemed ones in his Zion to whom God here turns his Speech My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed c. that is My Word and Spirit shall still be with thee for thine instruction and direction unto the Worlds end there shall be always of my Messengers Prophets Apostles and other Ministers and Teachers that shall successively Preach my Word faithfully to you and my Spirit shall go along with their Ministry to make it work effectually upon you so that there shall be still a profession of my Truth among you A clear proof that though Councils may err yet the true Catholick Church shall never err CHAP. LX. VERSE 1. ARISE c. This is spoken to Zion to whom Ver. 20. of the foregoing Chapter God had promised the Redeemer should come and consequently according to what is there noted in the Type it is spoken to the Jews in the Babylonian Captivity but in the Antitype to the Primitive Church of the Jews as is evident because afterward Ver. 3. it is said the Gentiles should joyn themselves to her Arise to wit taking it as spoken to the Jews in Babylon out of the Dust that low and sad condition wherein thou hast lain for a long time rouse up thy self and enter into that happy change and advancement which thy God will now bring thee into see the Note Chap. 51.17 Shine be
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
from others to be a holy people unto my self and as a People that had by their wickedness made themselves unfit indeed to be my people and delivered them up into thine hands an unclean uncircumcised people that thou mightest carry them out of my Land whithersoever thou pleasedst See the Note Chap. 43.28 Thou didst shew them no mercy upon the ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke The accomplishment whereof see Lam. 5.11 12. The drift therefore of these words is clear namely to shew that though he was willing that his people should smart for their sins yet he was highly offended with their cruel usage of them Yea and this also is hinted that if God spared not his own people when they sinned against him much less would he spare them Ver. 7. And thou saidst I shall be a Lady for ever c. This is added as another cause of Babylons destruction to wit her security and presumptuous confidence concerning the perpetuity of her greatness and which was indeed the root of her pride and cruelty So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart that is say some That Israel was my peculiar people and that therefore though I made use of thee to correct them for their sins yet there was no likelihood that I would cast them off for ever and consequently thou didst not lay to heart the cruelties thou didst exercise towards them But rather the things they did not lay to heart were the things which were now foretold them those woful miseries which their inhumane dealing with Gods people would at last bring upon them which is further confirmed from the last clause neither didst remember the latter end of it That is what would at length befal thee for thy cruelty to them yet some understand this too of the end of Jerusalem or the people of God namely that they did not bethink themselves that God would at last deliver his people Ver. 8. Therefore hear now this thou that art given to pleasures that dwellest carelesly c. To wit without fear of any change see the Note Judg. 18.7 that sayest in thine heart I am to wit the great Monarch and Empress of the world and none else besides me that is there is no Kingdom like me either for magnificence or sure stability all other are not worth the naming and are as nothing in comparison of mine An arrogant and blasphemous expression wherein she ascribes that to her self which God often mentions as his transcendent peculiar dignity I shall not sit as a Widow neither shall I know the loss of Children that is I shall not sit desolate as a Widow nor want of the Royal issue to sit upon the Throne Or I shall never want a King that shall be as a Husband to me nor be deprived of that numerous people which as my Children live in subjection to me See Rev. 18.7 Ver. 9. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day c. To wit in that day when Babylon was taken by Cyrus which was done so suddenly and unexpectedly that there was no place for counsel or escape The loss of Children and Widowhood that is the destruction of thy people and thy King Belshazzar amongst the rest See Dan. 5.30 See the feregoing Note They shall come upon thee in their perfection that is both the one and the other shall be fully and to the utmost accomplished upon thee even to the utter destruction of thy Kingdom for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thine enchantments that is for all thy magical arts and practices wherein the Caldeans did abound So that this is mentioned as another cause of their destruction Ver. 10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness c. To wit either their wicked policies their rapines and oppressions and all other the wicked ways whereby they had raised themselves to their present greatness and whereby they might still hope to secure themselves against all fears and dangers Or 2ly the riches and power which they had gotten by such ways of wickedness Or 3dly all their Magick Arts mentioned in the close of the foregoing Verse and much afterward insisted on whereon they relied much because they thought their Magicians able to foresee and foretel future things and heard nothing but assurance of good from them and likewise able by their Sorceries and Witchcrafts to help them and prejudice their enemies Thou hast said none seeth me That is thou hast flattered thy self as if neither God nor Man could take notice of thy sinful ways and policies See the Notes Chap. 29.15 and Psal 64.5 Thy wisdom and thy knowledg it hath perverted thee That is thy trusting to that which thou esteemest great wisdom and knowledg thy carnal policy or thy great skill in Magick Arts hath deceived thee and mislead thee emboldening thee in thy hardness and causing thee to chucker thy self with groundless hopes and thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else besides me see the Note above ver 8. So that all things considered the drift of this Verse seems to be to shew what was the Root and Spring of that pride and security in the Babylonians mentioned before Ver. 7. as the cause why God would destroy them Ver. 11. Therefore shall evil come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it riseth c. It is in the Hebrew Thou shalt not know the morning thereof and therefore some take the meaning to be either that they should not know what day it should come or that they should take no notice of the apparent signs of their approaching destruction though there should be many things that should be as clear tokens of their approaching ruine as the first dawning of the morning is a token that the Sun is about to rise yet they should never observe them And because the words may be rendered Thou shalt not know the rising thereof it may be the more probably thought that there is a secret nip here given to the practice of their Magicians and Astronomers on whom they so much relied who in their Figure-casting were wont studiously to observe the rising and aspect of the Planets as if it had been said you that by the rising of the Planets pretend or foretel what all days will prove whether fatal or prosperous shall not be able to foresee the rising or the morning of the day of your own destruction And again it may be spoken with reference to the sudden surprisal of Babylon that was taken before the Inhabitants began to fear any danger as all Histories reports But because our Translators have rendred the word thou shalt not know from whence it riseth it is clear that they understand it of their not knowing from what Nation or Countrey their destruction should come upon them the Babylonians not dreaming at that time of any quarrel or evil intention that Cyrus had against them And mischief shall fall upon thee
for thou shalt not be ashamed neither be thou confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame that is wait for this which is promised and thou shalt never be ashamed of thy hope and expectation herein God will in time deliver and restore and multiply thee exceedingly or thou shalt not for ever continue in such a reproachful condition though God may seem to cast thee off for a time yet it shall not be such a reproachful rejection for thou shalt forget the shame of thy Youth and shalt not remember the reproach of thy Widowhood any more that is though thou mayest be for a time in a sad desolate condition like a young Woman or a Widow without a Husband and without Children because thy God shall seem to have forsaken thee and cast thee off for thy Sins yet the Glory and Bliss of thy future estate now promised thee when thou shalt rejoyce in Christ thy Husband and in the multitude of thy Children shall make thee forget all the shame of thy former miseries This I say is the whole intent of that which is here said Yet many Expositors do more particularly understand by the shame of her Youth their bondage in Egypt and by the reproach of her Widowhood her long Captivity in Babylon when God seemed to have divorced her and quite cast her off See the Note Chap. 50.1 And indeed the Prophet Jeremy sets forth her misery then under the same expression Lamentations 1.1 How doth the City sit solitary that was full of People How is she become as a Widow Ver. 5. For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel c. See the Notes Chap. 1.4 And so likewise for those words thy Maker See the Notes Chap. 43.1 21. The intent of that which is said here is to assure the Church of the Jews that God was their Husband and would again own her and live with her as her Husband that she might be fruitful in bringing forth Children to him the God of the whole Earth shall he be called that is he shall be and shall be owned to be the God not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also as the Apostle saith expresly Rom. 3.29 Ver. 6. For the Lord hath called thee as a Woman forsaken and grieved in Spirit and a Wife of Youth when thou wast refused c. That is As a man that hath put away his Wife upon some displeasure doth in pity relent towards her when he sees how she is grieved and in what a sad and disconsolate condition she lives and so takes her home to him again So will the Lord in tender compassion call thee back to him when for a time he had cast thee off as for those words as a Wife of Youth some think they are added to imply the cause why she was so sorely afflicted in Spirit namely because she was in the prime of her Youth when her Husband had put her away But I rather conceive that these words are added either to imply some ground of the inclinableness of the Husband to receive his forsaken Wife back again into favour namely because a displeasure taken up against such an one a Wife of Youth can hardly be perpetual and irreconcileable or else to imply the entireness and fervency of the Husbands love to his Wife thus received again into favour to wit that she should be most dear to him as a Wife in her Youth useth to be or that she should be as dear to him as ever she had been formerly in the flower of her Youth See Prov. 5.18 Ver. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee c. As if he had said Should it be granted that I had forsaken thee which God never doth to his Church though he may sometimes hide himself from them yet it was but for a small moment And indeed though their seventy years Captivity in Babylon was a long time of misery yet it was but a little while both in Gods account See the Note Psal 90.4 and likewise in regard of that Eternal happiness which God hath prepared for his People in Heaven And indeed observable it is that the same may be said of Mans Life should it be wholly spent in misery the same period being set to the usual continuance of Mans Life which was set to the Babylonian Captivity namely threescore and ten years Psal 9.10 but with great mercies will I gather thee that is with marvellous Mercies and withall too of long continuance that so it may be opposed to what was said before of his forsaking them for a small moment even everlasting mercies as it is more fully expressed in the following Verse In a little wrath I hid my Face but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee And thus also God gives them to understand that it should not be with him as it is often with men that after reconciliation made are colder in their affections than formerly in that his mercies should be greater and more firm and lasting than ever they had been As for this expression with great mercies will I gather thee as it seems to have respect to the dispersion of the Jews into several Countries in their Captivity from whence they were to be gathered together before they could be carried home into their own Country so it also clearly implies Gods free Grace in their reconciliation namely that they should not return to him of themselves but that God out of his pity to them should fetch them home Ver. 9. For this is as the Waters of Noah unto me c. That is say some This deluge of misery wherewith you will be in appearance overwhelmed and utterly ruined in Babylon shall be as Noahs Flood to wit such as I will never more bring upon you But I rather conceive that this is meant of the Covenant of Grace whereinto God had promised to receive his People whom he had seemed to have forsaken namely that this should be as the Waters of Noah to him that is as the Covenant which God made with Noah concerning that deluge and that not only in regard of the inviolable stability of that Covenant that the Covenant which he would make with them should be as firmly and certainly accomplished in all succeeding Generations as that had been and should be to the end of the World but also in regard of the substance of the Covenant because as I then engaged my self to Noah that I would never drown the whole World any more so my Covenant now is that I will never bring such a deluge of misery and desolation upon my People as that was in the Babylonian Captivity which is set forth in the following words For as I have sworn that the Waters of Noah should no more go over the Earth though we read not of any Oath in express tearms that God sware to Noah concerning this yet because solemn Covenants used to
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
12.4 and to the Holy one of Israel see the Note Chap. 12.6 because he hath glorified thee to wit by the great things he hath done for thee and particularly by enlarging thy Church by the access of the Gentiles But see the Notes before ver 5 6 7. Ver. 10. And the Sons of Strangers shall build up thy Walls c. This in the type was accomplished when at the Jews return from Babylon the forreign Nations did afford them Free-will-offerings towards the building of their City Jerusalem and the Temple being encouraged thereunto by the Proclamation of Cyrus see the Note Ezra 1.4 notwithstanding the opposition that was made against them herein by the Samaritans at their return home yet thus far by the help afforded them by strangers this Prophecy was fulfilled and likewise when the Proselytes of other Nations returning with them did join with them in repairing both their City and Temple and the like may be said of the following words and their Kings shall minister unto thee that was accomplished in the favour afforded the Jews by Cyrus and some of his Successors But now in the Antitype this was clearly fulfilled when God raised up even amongst the Gentiles Learned Men that by their preaching and writing and Princes that by their bounty and favour should much promote the Edification of the Church and advance her strength and glory see the Note Chap. 49.23 for in my wroth I smote thee but in my favour have I had mercy on thee This was spoken of the Jewish Church whom for their sins God did often sorely afflict for a time but afterward of his Free-grace shewed favour to them both in their deliverance out of Babylon and in that greater Mercy of their Redemption by Christ Ver. 11. Therefore thy Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night c. To wit that the Gentiles may from every side come in and join themselves in one Church with thee none being excluded that shall in a right manner tender themselves and that they may by night as well as by day bring in their Wealth to thee And indeed that this is intended appears by the following words which are added to explain that which went before that men may bring unto thee the forces or wealth of the Gentiles see the Note above ver 5. and that their Kings may be brought that is that not only the common sort of People but even their Kings also who are usually fierce and not easily won this way or that to do any thing contrary to their own Wills may be brought in to thee to stoop to the Gospel and Scepter of Christ And indeed the word here used in the Original may be understood either of their being brought in to the Church in the State and with the attendance of Kings or of their being brought in as Captives subdued by the Preaching of the Gospel to stoop to the yoke of Christ see the Note Psal 149.8 Even this also indeed some understand of the Type As namely that it is said that the Gates of Jerusalem should stand open continually c. to imply the great confluence of the Nations round about thither upon the Jews return thither from Babylon and of the readiness both of the People and their Kings to contribute liberally to their help But we may easily see how much more clearly this suits with the coming in of the Gentiles upon the Preaching of the Gospel And as for the Evangelist St. John's citing this place Rev. 21.25 to set forth the peace of the Church triumphant in Heaven the ground of that is only because the Apostle knew that the Prophet speaks here of that Glory of the Church of Christ which shall be perfected in the Kingdom of Heaven Ver. 12. For the Nation c. As if he had said nor shall these thy open Gates endanger thee by letting in thine Enemies upon thee for the Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee that is all People that will not submit to the Gospel and Scepter of Christ erected in thee shall perish c. that is shall everlastingly perish Nor can this indeed be any way well understood of the Church of the Jews returning out of Babylon but with respect to what she should come afterward to be in the days of the Gospel Ver. 13. The Glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee c. That is that all Cedars and other goodly Trees which make Lebanon look so Gloriously shall be brought in to thee the Firre-tree and the Pine-tree and the Box together see Chap. 41.19 to beautifie the place of my Sanctuary to wit the Temple at Jerusalem see Ezra 7.27 and I will make the place of my Feet glorious that is my Foot-stool my Temple as is before said for though the Ark is in some places more especially called Gods Foot-stool for which see the Notes 1 Chron. 28.2 and Psal 99.5 yet the Temple is else-where also called Gods Foot-stool as in Lam. 2.1 where the destruction of the Temple is thus set forth That the Lord remembred not his Foot-stool in the day of his anger and so likewise Ezek. 43.7 So that in the Type the rebuilding and beautifying of the Temple after their return from Babylon is clearly here meant see Ezra 3.7 But in the Antitype it is certainly meant of the edifying of the Church of Christ his Spiritual Temple and Foot-stool his setled dwelling-place and God here promiseth a continual supply of whatever might tend to the strengthening and adorning of it Ver. 14. The Sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy Feet c. Though there was some dark shadow of the accomplishment of this in the great respect and honour which was yielded to the Jews after their return from Babylon by many Nations with their Kings that had formerly been their bitter Enemies yet the full and clear accomplishment of it was in the great honour which the Gentiles and their Kings should yield to Christ and his Church see the Note Chap. 49.23 and they shall call thee the City of the Lord c. that is they shall own the special interest which thou hast in God being convinced by his appearing so wonderfully for thee Ver. 15. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that no man went through thee c. That is disregarded and in a desolate condtion see the Notes Chap. 3.26 and 3.11 12. I will make thee an eternal excellency or a lasting excellency that is I will bring thee into a most excellent and glorious estate and this I conceive must be understood of the Jewish Church from the time of her deliverance out of Babylon till she came to be made glorious by becoming the Spouse of Christ and so on forward unto the end of Christs Kingdom It is meant of the Spiritual excellency of the Church here and of