his people The holy one of Israel As if he should say This people was not elect nor separated frō other nations in vaine his meaning is then to set forth a testimonie of his power in this particular and that is the reason why he ioines this title holy vnto it Vers 5. Sit still and get thee into darknes ô daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called The Lady of kingdomes HE continues on the same argument still By how much the more the peoples deliuerance seemed incredible by so much the more is the Prophet forced to set it forth by sundrie descriptions and shewes that the end of the Chaldean Monarchy drawes neere But because this seemed somewhat incredible hee repeates the same thing in many words which he might haue dispatched in one sentence He vseth these descriptions then to set the thing done as it were before them Where he bids them sit still and be quiet it is in signe of shame and contempt And yet this silence may be opposed to her first estate wherein she reigned as a Lady for then she not only lifted vp her voice with authoritie like a Mistris but she caused her words to giue such a sound that the noise thereof terrified all the East Now the Prophet commands her to sit still and leaue her cackquet in regard her condition is so changed that where she was wont to speake so loude before she shall not dare now to mutter one word distinctlie from betweene her teeth Now in that he bids her enter into darknes I willinglie receiue the first exposition for those who are fallen from a prosperous estate into aduersitie sit downe and put their mouthes in the dust with shame and dare scarcely so much as gasp For thou shalt no more be called We know that this Monarchy had a large extent and was Lady ouer many great kingdomes for she was the head of all dominions it was needfull then that these poore captiues should be fortified with these promises and aduertised of Babylons ruine that they might be put in hope of their deliuerance Vers 6. I was wroth with my people◠I haue polluted mine inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou didst shew them no mercy but thou didst lay the very heauie yoke vpon the ancient THis is a preuention A preuention whereby he admonisheth the Iewes as he often hath done heretofore that their captiuitie was a scurge inflicted vpon them by God for if the stroke had come from the hand of another then the remedie had not bin in him That they might be perswaded then that he which had smitten them was able to heale them he wills them to impute it to the desert of their owne sinnes that they were so hardly dealt withall yet he exhorts them to hope well in regard God was minded to keepe a measure in chastising of them and withall toucheth the cause why the Chaldeans should be ouerthrowne namely that God who is the iust reuenger of wrongs and iniuries hath much more iust cause to reuenge the outrages done to his people Besides in the first member he calles the Iewes to repentance in regard they had drawne all these euils vpon their heads by their owne offences Next he accuseth the Chaldeans for taking vp this occasion to exercise their crueltie as if one should flea a child whom the father had only commanded to be whipt with a rod. Whence it followes that the Chaldeans insulted without cause as if by their owne power they had subdued and led the Iewes captiue for they should be iustly punished in that they cruelly misused the prisoners whom they had vanquished Now whereas he saith that he was vvroth and therefore polluted his heritage let vs not thinke that hauing changed his mind he was so farre offended as vtterly to neglect the care of his people so as to thinke no more vpon his couenant no the contrarie plainly appeares as well by the euent as in that he vouchsafeth to call them his people notwithstanding the greater part became Apostataes from him and were iustly reiected of him as prophane But in speaking thus he had respect to his couenant for he had an eie to the foundation and originall whence they issued so as those who came of Abraham according to the flesh are reckoned for the people of God albeit there were very few which were his children by the right of adoption for all in a maner falsly challenged to themselues the title of Abrahams ofspring Thus the word vvrath in scripture is not to be attributed to any passion in God Wrath not any passion in God who euer desires the saluation of his people but vnto vs who prouoke him by our wickednesses For he hath iust cause to be angrie albeit he ceaseth not still to loue vs. God may iustly be angrie with vs and yet loue vs. He so prophanes his Church then that is to say prostitutes it and giues it vp as a pray into the enemies hands that neither do his elect thereby perish nor yet is his eternall couenant violated Nay in the midst of his wrath he remembers mercie Haba 3.2 and mitigates his blowes wherewith he smites his people and in the end will seuerely punish those that vexed them If the Lord pollute his Church then for a time if tyrants cruellie oppresse her let vs not be out of heart but let vs flee to this promise A consolation of great vse to wit that he who auenged himselfe vpon the insolencie of the Chaldeans will not let the rage of our enemies goe vnrecompenced Moreouer we are diligentlie to obserue that men ought not to abuse their victories to handle their prisoners hardly as often it falles out Shew no cruelties vpon the vanquished for when they cast off all humanitie they become like wild beasts and spare neither old nor yong men nor women when they haue gotten the masterie in a word they vtterlie forget their condition Now howsoeuer they abuse their power yet wee may resolue vpon it that God will meet with them in the end for such shall haue iudgement mercilesse as will shew no mercie Iam. 2.13 But it may be demanded how the Chaldeans could exceed the bounds which God had prescribed them Obiect was not God able to haue suppressed their rage And if he were not where is the truth of that sentence An haire of your heads shall not fall to the ground without the will of your heauenly father Luke 12.7 The answere to this is easie Ans for howsoeuer it was not in the power of the Chaldeans to passe their bounds indeed yet may we perceiue a more then brutish crueltie in them in that they indeuored vtterly to roote out these poore helplesse wretches who yeelded themselues to their mercie The Lord complaines by his Prophet Zacharie of the same vnrulines of prophane nations who violentlie rushed vpon his people to destroy them though his wrath was not much moued
treasures which they for the most part lightly esteemed For the Priests were the greatest enemies that the Prophets had to deale withall An Epigram vpon the Translation of M. Caluins Commentarie vpon the Prophecie of Isaiah THrice happie England if thou knew'st thy blisse Since Christs eternall Gospell in thee shin'd Thou art H 'is beetle-blind that sees not this Brutishly ingrate that with a thankfull mind Doth not acknowledge Gods great Grace herein And learne thereby for to forsake his sinne Gods word hath long in thee been soundly taught The sound thereof hath rung throughout the Land And many a Soule by Fishers net been caught Which erst lay thrall in Satans cruell band This fauour great by none can be exprest But such as haue it felt in their owne brest Thy natiue sonnes in thine owne bowels bred Like faithfull Shepheards haue done worthilie And thee with store of heauenlie Manna fed Forcing the Wolues to leaue their crueltie To slinke aside and hide themselues in holes In caues and dens like pur-blind Backs and Moles Tyndall Frith Philpot father Latimer The Gospell preacht by word by life by death Iuel Fox Reynolds Fulk and Whitaker To second them haue spent their vitall breath In hot pursuit of that great Romish Bore Who spoiled quite this English vine before I spare to speake of Deerings siluer voice Of Greenhams zeale of Perkins labours sound Of hundreds moe of Zion-builders choice The like whereof can scarce elsewhere be found Such ground-worke they of Gods Truth here haue plac'd As neuer shall by Hels whole force beraZ't Besides all these of forren Lights the chiefe Beza and Vrsinus many other moe Martyr Musculus for thy more reliefe Are seene in English weed abroade to goe From place to place in euery Shire and Towne To teach the Truth and throw all Errors downe And here prâ—â—â—nted is vnto thy sight The Roiall Prophet Esais Euangel For so me thinkes I may it terme aright That Prince of holy Prophets doth so well So liuely Christs whole historie presage As if h 'had liu'd in that same very Age. Whose Oracles great Caluin doth vnfold In thine owne natiue Tongue for thy Soules health Here maist thou gather precious Stones and Gold And store vp heapes of Heauenly lasting wealth Here maist thou find with very little paine Which would'st not lose for thousand Worlds againe Here maist thou see the black-mouth'd Atheists Confounded quite by Demonstration cleare The cunning Papist put vnto his shifts And made in his right Colours to appeare Her 's Christ his Truth and Life thee set before Heauens Gates set open wide what would'st thou more By Francis Hering Doctor in Physicke A COMMENTARIE VPON THE PROPHESIE OF ISAIAH WRITTEN BY THAT REVEREND AND PAINEFVLL Pastor in the Church of Christ Master IOHN CALVIN Vers 1. A vision of Isaiah the Sonne of Amos which he saw concerning Iudah and Ierusalem in the daies of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah Kings of Iudah ALthough the Hebrew word Chazon which the Prophet vseth be deriued of seeing and doth properly signifie vision yet notwithstanding for the most part it imports asmuch as Reuelation For as oft as the Scripture makes mention of speciall visions which appeared to the Prophets whereby the Lord meant the better to confirme them when hee would haue some excellent thing come to light it vseth the word Mareah which properly signifies vision But to the end I heape not vp many testimonies in the third chapter of the first booke of Samuel where mention is made in generall of prophesies the author of that booke saith 1. Sam. 3.1.15 that the word of the Lord was precious in those dayes because there was no manifest vision where he vseth the word Chazon and a little after the vision by which God manifesteth himselfe to Samuel is expressed by the word Mareah Also in the twelfth chapter of the booke of Numbers Numb 12.6 where Moses distinguisheth the two ordinarie meanes of Reuelation hee there with dreames conioyneth vision as the speciall And yet by the ninth chapter of the same booke of Samuel 1. Sam. 9 9. it appeares that the name of Seer was imposed in old time vpon the Prophets but by way of excellencie because God discouered his counsell familiarly vnto them Now as touching this present place it is out of doubt that the certaintie of doctrine is deciphered out vnto vs by this very word as if it had been said There is nothing contained in this booke which was not manifested to Jsaiah by God himselfe Wherefore the true sense of the word is to be obserued for thereby wee learne that the Prophets spake not of themselues neither yet preferred their owne imaginations but that they were enlightened by God and had their eyes opened to see those things which otherwise of themselues they had not been able to haue comprehended The doctrine of Jsaiah then euen in the very inscription is recommended vnto vs to wit because it containes nothing of mans inuention but the reuelations of God to the end we might bee assured that whatsoeuer is contained in this booke was reuealed vnto him by the holy Ghost Concerning Judah It were not amisse if it were translated Against Judah For the particle Al signifies both the one and the other and the sense will be all one for whatsoeuer this booke contains it doth properly appertaine to Judah and Jerusalem Oiection But if any shall obiect that there are many things mingled in this booke which concerne Aegypt Tyrus Babylon with other cities and countries the answere Answere is that it was not necessarie to recite euery particular in the inscription because it was sufficient that the principall summe should be set before vs thereby shewing to whom the Prophet was chiefely sent namely to Iudah and Ierusalem For whatsoeuer his prophesies containe beside it is accidentally as they say neither yet was it any digressing from the scope of his office to preach to others also what calamities approached neere vpon them for Amos though he were specially sent to them of Israel yet passed hee not the bounds of his vocation when he prophesied also against Iudah Gal. 2.8 Act. 10.17 13.5 14.1 17.2.10 18.4.19 yea we haue yet a more familiar example hereof in S. Pâ—ter and S. Paul Peter was appoynted ouer the Iewes and Paul ouer the Gentiles and yet Saint Peter passed not beyond the bounds of his office in preaching to the Gentiles as when he went in to Cornelius neither S. Paul when he offered the preaching of the Gospell to the Iewes to whom he resorted as soone as he entred into any citie And thus was it lawfull for Isaiah to doe in like manner Nor whilest he endeuoured to discharge his dutie to the vttermost in teaching of the Iewes and purposely bent all his studies that way did he yet go beyond his calling when hee speakes as it were by the way of other nations He takes Iudah here for the whole
can so vse the matter that they shall famish for hunger euen whilest they swallow downe their morsels because his blessing being taken away all nourishment shall passe away as smoke To be short his meaning is that the people shall haue no food that shall strengthen them either because they shall haue no bread nor water or if they haue them yet they shall be able to get no nourishment out of them Vers 2. The strong man and the man of warre the Iudge and the Prophet the prudent and the aged 3. The Captaine of fiftie and the Honorable and the Counseller and the cunning artificer and the eloquent man HE mentions other helpes by which the state of nations or cities are vpheld in their perfection He threatens that the Iewes shal be wholly depriued thereof so as they shall be able to doe nothing in the house by counsell or aduice nor in the fields abroad by force of armes Now he standes not to keepe any strict order but in contenting himselfe with a briefe summe he mingles one thing with an other He beginnes with men of warre by whose hand the countrie was defended Sometimes God takes them away by death and sometimes he makes them become faint hearted and effeminate This last is the most vsuall so that the successors doe degenerate from the valor of their ancestors and those who before were stout hearted in processe of time become fearfull and are disabled for the warre We see also that the first often falles out to wit that the most valiant haue their courage by and by quailed He addes the Iudge and the Prophet Wee know that amongst the Hebrewes Iudges are taken for all gouernors whatsoeuer Also it is not to be doubted but that all Teachers whatsoeuer are to be vnderstood by the name of Prophet He threatens the Iewes then that after the ciuill gouernment shal be abolished The Magistrâ—cie and the Ministry that to the Common-wealth which the two eies are to the bodie and teaching extinct that then they shall be cut off And to speake the truth the Magistrates Teachers haue the same place in the Common-wealth that the eyes haue in a mans head To the same rancke also I referre the word ancients who are the fittest to gouerne because age obtaines prudence counsell and grauitie As touching the name diuine although it be taken in the euill part in the Scriptures yet it should seeme to be taken in the good part here seeing Isaiah reckons vp those things which are necessarie to defend or conserue the estate of a kingdome or citie We may well cal this man then one that knowes wisely how to forecast matters and who hath a deepâ— insight into dark obscure things which are necessarie not by diuinations or superstitious Artes but with a quick and prompt iudgement and with great dexteritie of wit Also in regard that God had forbidden them to go to aske counsell of Magicians Inchaunters Diuiners and that Balaam himselfe testifies that there was no soothsaying in Israel Numb 23.23 if any had rather vnderstand this place of diuinations made by Inchantments I do not gainsaie it neither will there any absurditie follow to reckon it among the number of their chastisements to wit that this people so full of wickednesse shall be also depriued euen of all vnlawfull succours as in Hosea Hosea 3.4 the Idols are ioyned with the Altar and the sacrifices Hee calles him the Duke or Captaine of fiftie according to the manner of speech then in vse For the Captaines of fiftie were among the Iewes as they of hundreds were among the Romanes The Greekes do call them by a name which signifies Princes of hundreds And because such manner of principalitie was not in vse among the Latins therefore the name also was vnknowne vnto them The Hebrew word Ioets which I haue translated Senatour may be applied to particular persons who are excellent in knowledge But because they attribute it to Counsellors who exercise a publike charge I would not depart from the common opinion Moreouer because handicrafts men haue their good vse in the conseruation of the common good and for supporting of an estate aswell as other Arts Isaiah saith that they also being abolished the downefall of the Iewes approcheth vpon them The expositours expound that which is said in the last place diuersly word for word it is He which vndeâ—standeth low words spoken betweene the teeth Now because the pythonicall spirits do giue their answeres by mumblings and low voices some thinke that he should speake heere of Inchantments Others expound it better who by the word Lachas vnderstand secret counsels But for as much as by this word we may vnderstand a graue oration as well as of things secret I haue not been afraid to translate it Oratours Notwithstanding if any had rather vnderstand it of those men who are prudent and learned who being vnfit for oratorie in publike doe yet giue counsell in secret which also is a good thing I do not say against it To conclude we are to obserue this summarie description of a well ordered estate For first Isaiah hath placed corne and other things necessarie for the maintenance of life in the forefront secondly force of warre thirdly knowledge how to gouerne the people and other parts of politicall gouernment in the fourth place the propheticall function charge and lastly handicrafts The Lord beautifies the people with these helpes whom he minds to keepe safe and sound and on the contrarie strippes those of them whom he means to bring to ruine Let vs know theÌ„ that all things which we finde profitable to maintaine vs in this life flowes vnto vs from the free fauour of God Whence it followes that we consider an other point to wit that we take diligeÌ„t heed that we by our vnthankfulnes doe not depriue our selues of so excellent gifts of God Vers 4. And I will appoint children to be their Princes and babes shall rule ouer them TO the end the vengeance of God might be the more apparent he now tels vs how wofull and miserable this change should be to wit when the faithfull wise gouernours should be cut off and that God should put dastards mecoks in their stead By Children we must not onely vnderstand them that are so in age but also in vnderstanding and manners such as are delicate and effeminate persons who haue no strength in them neither are able to manage the sword that is put into their hand He hath not opposed all the members one against an other he thought it enough to shew the meane by which a Common-wealth might soone be brought to ruine namely if so be that fooles and ignorant ones do beare rule who are as children in whom there is no wisdome nor grauitie to be found We may therfore hold it for a sure principle that he is vnfit to gouerne a Common-wealth that is not called thereunto of God nor furnished with singular vertues
looke for the ruine of their enemies This place also teacheth that the Prophets were faithfull assisters one of another to the end they might serue God with one heart and affection Vers 9. * Or In the meane while For the head of Ephraim is Samaria and the head of Samaria is Remaliahs sonne If ye beleeue not surely ye shall not be established BEcause this is a repetition by which hee would confirme that which hee said before namely that God hath limited the boundes of the kingdome of Israel for a certaine time therefore I haue translated In the meane time for otherwise it would bee absurd that the chiefe citie should remaine in hir perfection after the kingdome as hee erewhile foretold should bee brought to nought The sense then is whilest the threescore and fiue yeeres are running on and comming to their end Israel hath some respite His chiefe citie shal be Samaria let him content himselfe with his boundes and aspire no higher for such shall his estate be till he be wholly cut off and be no more reputed a people Except yee beleeue it The particle Ci is put in the middest of the sentence as yeelding the reason of it And therefore some translate thus If you beleeue not that is to say because you are not beleeuers And so restraine the first member to the prophesie of Isaiah but the second to the whole word of God as if he should say If you giue no credit to my words then your infidelitie shall bee knowne to all But thus there should be no difference betweene the verbe Thaaminu and the other verbe Theamenu which are of diuers coniugations But the Prophet hath not changed the termination without cause and it appeares by many testimonies of the holy Scriptures that the verbe Amâ—n in the coniugation of Niphal is taken for to stand or continue fast in his degree I thinke then that this is as much as if he had said Beholde your onely stay waite quietly without being vexed in your selues for that which the Lord hath promised to wit deliuerance if you waite not for it what remaines but that you perish The particle Ci signifies as much it being also vsually so taken in many other places as surely He affirmes then that they cannot stand vnlesse they beleeue this promise yea his words sound somewhat more bitingly namely that although they refused to giue credit vnto it and should endeuour to the vttermost to ouerthrow the stedfastnesse thereof yet would God for his part continue still to bee firme and sure as also that themselues could not stand vnlesse they rested vpon the promise here offered them Whence we haue to gather a generall doctrine to wit that our destruction then approcheth when we shall depart froÌ„ the word of God howsoeuer we imagine our selues to be well and sufficieÌ„tly grounded For our saluation is inclosed in the word of God and when that is reiected God iustly auengeth the wrong that is done to him therein for hee was neere to haue sustained men by his power if they had not voluntarily plunged themselues headlong into destruction we must rest confidently then vpon the promises of God or else it is in vaine to looke for saluation Vers 10. And the Lord spake againe vnto Ahaz saying BEcause the Lord knew very well that King Ahaz was so wicked as he would not rest vpon his promise he therefore sent Isaiah to confirme him by adding a signe For when God sees that his promises suffice vs not hee addes fit and conuenient signes according to our weakenesse to the end wee should not onely heare him speake but that also in seeing his hand reached forth vnto vs we might be further confirmed by euident testimonies Whereupon we ought diligently to note the vse of signes namely to what end God shewes miracles to wit that wee might bee confirmed by them in the certaintie of the word For when we see his power if we make scruple to beleeue his word hee corrects our doubting by making vs see euen the thing it selfe and miracles being added to the word doe become seales thereof Vers 11. Aske a signe for thee of the Lord thy God aske it either in the depth beneath or in the height aboue I Vnderstand these words hie or low simplie He puts it to his choyce to choose a miracle whether he aske it in heauen or in earth It may be this word in the depth hath some greater vehemencie in this place as if he should say Take thy choice God will shew thee by and by that his dominion is farre aboue all the world yea that it reacheth euen to the bottome of all depths so as at his will and pleasure he can raise the dead out of their graues See here then a singular goodnes of God towards the King and towards the people that not only patientlie beares with their distrust for a time but thus graciouslie submits himselfe so far as to be readie to giue them euen such a signe as they themselues would desire for a pledge of his power Indeed he had not so much regard herein to the wicked alone as rather to prouide for the weake which had some seed of godlines in them to the end they might be the more assured that Isaiah spake not at aduenture seeing he could so readily shew a signe of the power of God for a confirmation of his speech The same goodnes of God is now displayed towards such as he beares so much withall although he haue iust occasion to be angrie with them For how great iniurie do they to him when they doubt of his truth What is left to God I pray you when he is dispoiled of that Now although wee doubt yet he is not only contented to pardon it but also to vnderprop our distrust not with words only but which is more with miracles and presents them not only to the faithfull but euen to the vnfaithfull likewise of which wee may take a view in this king Now if he be so gentle to strangers what shall we thinke he will be to his owne houshold seruants which wait vpon him Vers 12. But Ahaz said I will not aske neither will I tempt the Lord. HE vnder a faire pretence refuseth the signe which the Lord offred him saying that he would not tempt him for he seemes as if he beleeued the words of the Prophet demanding nothing else but the word And truely as impietie is detestable before God so doubtlesse he greatly priseth faith Wherefore it should seeme that he who rests vpon the only word of God despising all things else is worthie of great praise because there is no greater perfection then to submit our selues to God Obiect But wil some say Do we tempt God when we receiue that which he offreth Certainely no. Ans Ahaz lied then when he refused the signe which was offred him vnder pretence of not tempting God for there is nothing better or more excellent then to obey God It
Ierusalem depend was it not vpon the manifestation of Christ vpon which foundation the saluation of the Church hath euermore been builded and vpheld Isaiah then speakes properlie saying Thou receiuest not the promises of God but yet will he fulfill them yea he will send his Christ for whose sake it is his pleasure to preserue this Citie and howsoeuer thou beest vnworthie of it yet God will haue regard of his owne glorie King Ahaz then is shut out from the signe which he had before reiected and is depriued of the benefit of which he made himselfe vnworthie yet is the inuiolable promise of God offred againe vnto him which is sufficientlie shewed by the particle Laken which signifies Therefore as if he should say Because thou reiectest this particular signe which God offred thee the same God which was so liberall as to offer thee a signe freely will not cease to giue it although it be irksome and cumbersome to thee But whereas I haue said that the euent of this promise is made euen to Ahaz my meaning is not as if God did therein comprehend him within the number of his chosen for whose saluation God had ordeined his Sonne but as in respect that the word was directed to the whole bodie of the people For they which expound the word Lakem which signifies your sonnes is constreined Moreouer the Prophet leaues this prophane king in regard of the accomplishment of the promise and hath respect to the people who were adopted of God He will giue it you then not to thee ô cursed king nor to thy companions but to you whom he hath adopted For the couenant which God had made with Abraham remaineth sure and vnmoueable And the Lord hath alwaies had a remnant to whom the fruits of it do appertain although hypocrites rule and beare sway ouer the people who are partakers thereof So then there is no inconuenience to propound this promise to the visible Church and to set it in full view before their eies Behold a virgin The word behold hath great weight and it is put to set forth the greatnes of the matter And so is the Scripture wont to speake of excellent and memorable things to the end mens minds may be lifted vp aboue all earthlie things The Prophet commands then that those which heare him should be attentiue and consider this extraordinarie worke of God as if he should say Be not sluggish but wey this great grace of God which you ought cheerefullie to receiue but it is hidden from you because of your dulnes Now although the word Alma which signifies virgin be deriued from Alam which signifies to hide because shamefast and modest virgins presse not into publike meetings and although the Iewes contend very much about this word denying that it is taken for virgin because Solomon vseth it for a yong maid which is beloued we need not stand long in deciding this question Let vs grant them that Alma signifies a yong Damsell betrothed and that this word is to be referred rather to the age as they will haue it which the scripture notwithstanding vseth often when it speakes of a virgin the thing it selfe sufficientlie refutes all their slanders For what matter of admiration had the Prophet spoken of if he had said that a maid should conceiue by the companie of man Truly it had been a rediculous thing to set this forth for a matter of wonder or miracle But put the case it should be spokē of a woman which should conceiue by the helpe of man yet all may see it to be a fond and senselesse thing that the Prophet speaking to the Iewes of a new and extraordinarie matter should adde that a betrothed maid should conceiue It appeares sufficientlie then that he speakes of a virgin which should conceiue by the power of the holy Ghost and not according to the common order of nature And this is that mysterie which S. Paul so highlie magnifies to wit that God was manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.16 And she shall call The verbe is of the feminine gender among the Hebrues For I know not whence they haue taken it which reade it in the masculin seeing the copies which we vse differ not one from another in this respect so that being referred to the mother it is certaine that some extraordinarie thing is expressed We know that the charge is alwaies giuen to the father to impose the name vpon the child in regard it is a signe of that authoritie and power which fathers haue ouer their children neither belongs it to the women But here it is transferred to the mother Whence it follows then that he is so conceiued of his mother that he had no father on earth for otherwise the Prophet should peruert the common vse of the Scripture which attributes this office to mē only Although it is to be noted that this name was not imposed vpō Christ by the wil of his mother neither had there been any weight therein but the Prophet meanes that the virgin shall be as it were the Herault which shall publish this name because there should be no earthlie father to performe this office Besides this name was attributed to Iesus Christ euen in regard of the effect because the only sonne of God clothed himselfe with our flesh and vnited himselfe vnto vs in taking one selfesame nature with vs. He is called then God with vs or conioined with vs which can not agree to the man that is not God The Iewes in their cauillings say A cauill of the Iewes that this name was imposed vpon Hezekias because God deliuered his people by his hand He say they who is Gods minister Ans represents his person But neither Moses nor Ioshua which deliuered the people were so called it followes then that this name Immanuel is preferred farre before that of Moses Ioshua or any other for by this name he surmounts all those that either were before or shall be after him it being a testimonie of an high and excellent dignitie and authoritie wherewith hee is adorned aboue all creatures Wherefore it appeares that not only the vertue of God is heere set forth vnto vs as it was wont to be by such ministers but the vnion of the person in which Christ appeared God and man together Whence we still perceiue that Isaiah telles vs no common matter but shewes an incomparable secret which the Iewes labour with tooth and naile to obscure and darken Vers 15. Butter and hony shall he eate till he haue knowledge to refuse the euill and to choose the good HEre the Prophet confirmes the true humanitie of Christ for it was a thing altogether incredible that he which was God should be borne of a virgin So strange a thing agreed nothing at all to humane reason To the end we should not thinke then that hee imagineth some ghost hee declares the signes of this humanitie by which he shewes that Christ shall appeare in the very true nature
or flesh of men to wit because he shall be nourished after the same maner that other little children be Now the Iewes had another maner of nourishing their children then we haue for they vsed hony which we commonlie vse not and they retaine this fashion among them yet to this day so as they cause the Infant new borne to taste of butter and hony before they giue it suck Till he know That is to say till he be come to those yeeres wherein he can discerne euill from good and as we commonlie say till he be of discretion for the letter Lamed signifies the time and terme namely how long he shall be nourished after the maner of children and this serues to proue his humane nature so much the more By knowledge hee meanes that vnderstanding and iudgement which comes after Infancie is past Whereby we see how farre it pleased the sonne of God to abase himselfe for our sakes that he would not only be fed with ordinarie foode but was also content to be depriued of vnderstanding for a time and to susteine all our infirmities according to his humane nature Heb. 2.15 for this can not appertaine to the diuine nature S. Luke speakes of this time of Christes ignorance when he saith he profited in wisdome and in stature and in fauour with God and men Luk. 3.35 If S. Luke had said simplie that Christ profited one might haue replied that was in regard of men but he expresly addes toward God It was needfull that he should be like to all other little children for a time that hee might be destitute of vnderstanding as touching his humanitie Vers 16. * Or Truely For before the Child shall haue knowledge to eschue the euill and to choose the good the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings MAny are heere deceiued when they will conioine this present sentence with the former as if it were spoken of the same child and so make it an exposition of the former as if the particle Ci were rationall But if we more narrowlie wey the Prophets meaning it will sufficientlie appeare that hauing left the generall doctrine from which hee had made some digression he now returnes to the matter againe for hauing grounded the hope of Ierusalems deliuerance vpon the promised Messiah now he teacheth how it shall be deliuered I expound not this verse then of Christ but of all children in generall and herein I differ in opinion from all others which thinke it should be spoken here of some certaine child But for mine owne part I take the word Hannar generallie so as the letter He should be added for the better vnderstanding rather to shew the age then some speciall child as we commonlie say The child adding this article The for the clearer vnderstanding of the matter which also is very vsuall in the Scripture Now if the word the had marked out some particular child he would rather haue said this child as in other places Neither is it likely that this promise touching the ruin of the kingdomes of Syria and Samaria which followed not long after should be deferred fiue hundred yeeres that is to the comming of Christ we know this were too great an absurditie The sense then is Before the children which shall be borne heereafter shall know to discerne euill from good the land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken By land I vnderstand the land of Israel Syria for although they were two Countries yet notwithstanding they were esteemed but one by reason of the couenant which the two kings had made one with another Some take the land for Iudea but that can not agree because of the relatiue that followes Now it is easie to gather from the holie historie that these things came so to passe according as they are heere written For after Ahaz had called the Assyrians to help him Rezin was slaine by them 2. King 16.9 Pekah king of Israel died soone after that is to wit in the twelfth yeere of king Ahaz and Hoshea the sonne of Ela reigned in his stead 2. King 17.1 2. King 15.30 Before the children then which should be borne soone after should come to yeeres of discretion both the kingdomes were destitute of both their kings because Rezin and Pekah died before that time The word indeed is directed to Ahaz and to the end he might be the more reuiued God promiseth him to take vengeance of his enemies yet only to the end he might be left the more without excuse As touching the words it is said that king Ahaz abhorred or detested the land of Syria and Israel because from thence he was assailed God promiseth then that these kings shall quicklie perish Some turne the word Mipne Because and I confesse it is often taken in this sense but I expound it more simplie heere as if he should say the land shall be forsaken and left destitute of the presence of her two kings so as they shall appeare therein no more And by these words of the Prophet it sufficiētlie appeares that these things are to be vnderstood of both kingdomes Vers 17. The Lord shall bring vpon thee and vpon thy people and vpon thy fathers house the dayes that haue not come from the day that Ephraim departed frō Iudah euen the king of Ashur HEre the Prophet on the other side threatens this wicked hypocrite who seemed afraid forsooth to tempt God and yet in the meane while sought help frō those whom God had forbidden him to meddle withall Exod. 23.32 To the end then he should not lift vp his crest too high in regard of this promise heere made vnto him he denounceth his destruction and testifies that the help which he expected to wit from the Assyrians See 2. King 16.7 and 2. Chro. 28.16 should be altogether for his ouerthrow As if he should say Thou promisest thy selfe wonders from the king of Ashur and thinkest that he will stick close to thee because that against the commandement of God thou hast made a league and peace with him but thou shalt shortlie feele what commoditie will then redound vnto thee by tempting of the Lord. Thou mightest haue rested quietlie at home and so would God haue been mercifull vnto thee but thou louedst rather to haue help of Ashur well thou shalt learne by experience that their crueltie shall farre exceed the crueltie of all other enemies This speech of the Prophet then sutes very well with the former for he presseth the disloyaltie and vnthankfulnes of the king the more neere who in reiecting both the word of God and the signe had made himselfe vtterlie vnworthie of any promise at all Also because that as soone as hypocrites haue escaped any feare or danger they turne by and by to their old bias againe he affirmes that the Iewes can by no meanes escape but they must be chastised according as they had well deserued For this cause he saith expresly that
iudgement For he reueales and manifests himselfe and his power vnto vs in them both First when in taking pitie vpon vs he deliuers vs out of the dangers wherein we are plunged And secondly when he roots out the wicked and contemners of his word The two significations tend to one end because God manifests not himselfe vnto vs but by his workes and we thinke hee hath forsaken vs vnlesse hee giues vs some signe of his presence The Scripture applies this word visitation then to our capacitie because when wee are pressed with afflictions and the wicked in the meane while let loose the bridle to all dissolutions it seemes to vs that God is farre off from vs and that he takes no care of our matters Visitation therefore in this place must bee taken for iudgement And how it is taken in this place by which God will take the wicked by the necke so as they shall not escape him also that he will oppose himselfe against their boldnesse and rebellion Now if there be such horrible iudgements of God heere in this world how fearefull and terrible will he be when he shall come at the last to iudge all men For all the examples of chastisements which now astonish and amaze vs are but small beginnings of that last vengeance wherein hee will thunder vpon the reprobate and hee also reserues and deferres many things which hee seemes to passe ouer in silence euen of set purpose vntil that day And if the wicked be not able to beare the blowes wherewith he smiteth them here below how much lesse well they be able to sustaine his fearefull and incomprehensible Maiestie when they must come before his tribunall seate of glory at whose presence euen the very Angels are astonied When he saith from farre note that wee ought not to waxe senselesse whē prosperitie abounds for all such as extenuate the power of God by a false securitie which rockes them asleepe in their vices shall feele that in an instant he can and also when he will shake both heauen and earth euen from the one end thereof to the other To whom will ye flee He shewes how they shall rest vpon their forces in vaine because they shall auaile them nothing at all to resist the hand of God He also shewes that as they haue been cruell towards others so it should be a most iust recompence that in their need they should finde succor neither from God nor man for there shall be iudgement without mercie vnto those that shew no mercie Iam. 2.13 This shall happen especiallie to the Iudges who ought to haue been a refuge for the whole people because it is their office to defend and maintaine the poore and afflicted but if in stead therof they despise betray or spoile thē is it not good reason they should feele how much their crueltie displeaseth God that euē in their own destructiō As touching that which followes Where will ye leaue your glorie The expositors take it as if Isaiah should say that they shall be depriued of their dignitie And they thinke the Prophet in derision asks what shall become of this their high preheminence wherewith the great ones haue no lesse proudly then foolishlie aduanced themselues when God suffered them to take their pleasure But because this would be too much constrained I rather thinke that Isaiah inquires where they will finde hiding places to secure their glory And in this sense I take the word To leaue namely To put in safetie and the two particles answers thereunto To whom will you flee for succor Where will you finde refuge that you may hide your excellencie Vnlesse any had rather retaine the exposition which I haue put in the margin because the verbe Azab signifies To assure as well as To leaue To conclude if God confound and ouerthrow Princes in this wise that are so high exalted what shall become of those that are of base condition There is none then that hath any cause to flatter himselfe for wee must needs become all as stubble Psal 83.14.15 when the wrath of God shall be kindled against vs. Vers 4. * Or if they fall not Without me they shal fal amōg the bound they shall fall among the slaine yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still BEcause the signification of the Hebrew particle is ambiguous the expositors bring many interpretations Some take it exclusiuely as in many other texts of the scripture euen as if he should say They shall only fall among the prisoners and slaine because they shall be led captiue or put to death Others translate Without me and if this reading agree the Prophet shewes what the cause of their destruction is to wit they are reuolted from God and this is the cause indeed of all euils namely to leaue the fountaine of life of saluation and so consequently of all good things And thus he toucheth the sottishnes of the wicked to the quick who thought themselues iolly fellowes when they had forsaken the Lord euen as if there could not haue befalne them a more desireable and pleasant thing then to be separate farre enough from him and thus it should be a kind of bitter reproch in regard their calamitie should proceed from no other cause then from the absence of God whereof they fondlie reioyced Others thinke this should be a broken or an abrupt maner of speech to wit that they should haue no refuge but in hiding themselues vnder them that were fallen and slaine And also it may be a forme of an oth Now this sense will agree well that God should sweare with indignation that he would not pardon one of them but would deliuer some ouer to their enemies who should cut their throtes and would cause others to be led into captiuitie This sentence then sheweth what destruction shall befall all those who being admonished by the word of God repent not We also gather from the text following that the Prophet threatens them with a fearefull destruction for he repeates that which he hath said alreadie to wit that the wrath of God is not yet appeased and that he will finde out greater chastisements then the former to auenge himselfe vpon them This teacheth vs that there is nothing better then to be touched with true repentance and in good earnest to acknowledge our faults betimes to the end the Lord may shew vs mercie Vers 5. O Ashur the rod of my wrath the staffe also in their hands is mine indignation THat which now followes hath such reference to the denunciation of punishment that yet there is also mingled therewithall some consolation to sweeten the troubles of the faithfull yea the speciall drift of the speech is to shew that all the euil which the Assyrians shall do them is but a scourge sent of God for a time only and yet after the wicked shall haue triumphed with ioy aboue measure it must needs come to
Daniel himselfe who was there present saith Dan. 6.1 that the citie was taken only Dan. 5.30 This is the cause why some expositors haue beene driuen to referre euery thing which is said here of Babylon to all reprobates Ans but therein they haue wrested the text for the Prophet by and by after speakes of the Medes and Persians Moreouer the threatnings which wil orderlie follow hereafter touching the Moabites Tyrians Egyptians and other nations doe sufficientlie shew that this prophesie is properlie against the Chaldeans whom the Prophet placeth in the first rank not that their destruction was so neere at hand as was the destruction of the rest but because the Church had no greater nor more dangerous enemies then they And wee must obserue that Isaiah spake not this whilst the Monarchie of Nineue florished but whatsoeuer he foretold against the profane nations in the whole course of his ministrie is put all vpon one heape as it were Thus then the order of time was not kept but the likenes of things was the cause why they haue put all these prophesies in one For whence is it that Isaiah makes no mention of Nineue seeing hee afterward sheweth that the Assyrians only were they which molested the Iewes with whom the Babylonians were in league but in regard that he speakes not of the histories of his time till he comes to the three and twentie Chapter but only prophesieth of the iudgements of God which came to passe after his death Now when he declares that Babylon shall be destroyed vtterlie it is certaine he speakes not of one destruction barely but vnder it comprehends the full ruin thereof which followed long time after the first For Babylon florished yea after the Persians had subdued it and kept the name and dignitie of a thrice renoumed citie And howsoeuer it be true that another citie was built called Ctesiphon that part of the glorie and riches of Babylon might be taken away yet notwithstanding the commoditie of the place the sumptuous buildings and fortresses of the citie caused that the dignitie royall excepted she was in nothing inferior to the head citie of Persia Yea after the death of Alexander the Great when Seleucia was built neere vnto it yet could it not staine the name and reputation of this so ancient a citie From hence then we gather that the things which are heere spoken can not be restrained to one time And yet is it not without cause that the Prophet threatens them so sharplie seeing the change of their empire was the beginning of diuers calamities which followed thereupon afterwards The change of Babels Empire the beginning of future calamities So that howsoeuer all the people were not slaine yet notwithstanding in regard the citie was forciblie assailed and taken by a sodaine assault and that by night when all the kings court were drowned in drunkennes it could not be but the Medes and Persians hewed all those in pieces which they met withall and therefore we need not doubt but the most valiant of the enemies made many slaughters before they receiued all the people to their mercie For will any man doubt but that this proud nation was dishonorablie handled by these barbarous conquerors seeing it was vnpossible to subdue them by any other meanes Now after that Babylon was by little and little brought vnder shee by and by after changed her king and after she had been a while vnder the gouerment of Alexander the Macedonian Alexander the Macedonian Seleucus Bâ—bel brought to ruin at last she sodainly fâ—ll into the hands of Seleucus who indeuored by all meanes to abate the greatnes of it till at the last it was brought vtterlie to ruine And thus whilst God suffered her to stand she serued as a deformed and shamefull spectacle that the accomplishment of this prophesie might be the more excellent and certaine and therefore our Prophet rightlie affirmes that the wrath of God shall not be appeased vntill this den of theeues shal be wholly brought to nought As touching the words some of the expositors take Enosh which we haue translated man for a warlike and noble man and Adam which wee haue expounded person for all handicrafts men But in as much as the Etymologie agrees not well herewith I doe not thinke the Prophet meant so I am rather of opinion that it is a repetition of words which is common with the Hebrewes Others take the word Ophir which I according to diuers expositours haue translated pure gold for a precious stone but we gather from many places of the Scripture that it signifies very pure and tried gold Vers 13. Therefore I will shake the heauens and the earth shall remoue out of her place in the wrath of the Lord of hostes and in the dâ—â— of his fierce anger THis is an other figure which serues for an amplification For God cannot repeate this doctrine too often The reason is not onely to astonish the infidels but also to bring consolation to the good who are often times disquieted when the wicked are at their ease and haue all things at their desire which Dauid confesseth when he saith I haue cleansed mine heart in vaine and washed mine hands in innocencie Psal 73.13 These liuely images then are for good cause thus painted out before our eyes to shew vs plainly the destruction of the wicked And therefore it is as if Isaiah should say Were it so that the verie heauens had neede to be shaken for the bringing downe and the rooting out of infidels euen that should be done For they thinke themselues out of all danger and so deepely rooted in the earth as if it were impossible to plucke them vp but the Prophet shewes that they greatly deceiue themselues because the Lord will rather shake the heauen and the earth also then that they should not come tumbling downe from their greatnesse whereunto they are mounted vp aloft Whence it followes that although the world presents a thousand leaning stockes vnto vs as well high as loâ—e yet notwithstanding there shall be no stedfastnesse in any of them vnlesse God therewithall be mercifull vnto vs. And if this appeares in particular iudgements how much more will it appeare in that generall iudgement when Christ shall ascend into the iudiciall throne of his maiestie to pronounce sentence of condemnation against all the wicked Vers 14. And it shall be as a chased Doe and as a sheepe that no man taketh vp euery man shall turne to his owne people and flee each one to his owne land HEe declares that outward succours shall profit the Babylonians nothing at all and by these similitudes shewes with what feare the souldiers shall be seazed Now Babel did not onely strengthen her selfe with the men of warre of her owne Countrie but she had strangers also vnder her pay He saith they shall all resemble little Fawnes or Does which are very timerous beasts and to scattered sheepe so as they shall retire
that takes thy children and dasheth them against the stones Vers 19. And Babel the glorie of kingdomes and the beautie and pride of the Chaldeans shall be as the destruction of God in Sodome and Gomorah ISaiah meant to cōclude his prophesie touching the ruin of the Babylonians in a briefe maner in this place although he addes some amplifications to confirme his speech touching the full rooting of them out For the Prophets speake in such sort of the punishments of the wicked that they leaue them no hope of mercie wherewith they might comfort themselues But as touching the faithfull although it seemes now and then that they should be chastened too seuerely yet are they susteined with this assurance that the Lord will haue pitie vpon them and will not vtterlie destroy them Whence we ought to gather that we must not alwaies iudge according to the outward appearance For we shall many times thinke that the children of God are vtterlie vndone whose saluatio◠notwithstanding is neere yea euen in the midst of death it selfe In Sodome and Gomorah Sodome and Gomorah This example is oft alledged by the Prophets to the end wee might know that howsoeuer all chastisements be not equall yet notwithstāding in as much as God is vnpartiall in his iudgements the memorable example which he shewed thereof in the destruction of Sodom appertaines to all reprobates Gen. 19.24 so as those who harden themselues in their sinnes with the like obstinacie shall be no lesse punished then they were And they distinguish betweene the punishments of the elect and reprobates in such wise that still God left some seed to the Israelites but to the wicked none as we haue seene in the first Chapter Chap. 1.9 If the Lord saith he had not left vs a seed we had bin as Sodome and as Gomorah But he pursues the reprobate with all seueritie and therefore the Prophets threaten them with the very same ruine which happened to the Sodomites that is to say an vtter destruction without all hope of recouerie He saith it is the ouerthrow of God to the end wee should not thinke it came to passe by chance or by the will of men For euen as the fire fell not vpon Sodome Gomorah from heauen at randome so Babylon also was not destroyed by haphazard but by the iust vengeance of God Which being alwaies like vnto himselfe did execute his iust iudgement against them and will still doe the same against all reprobates euen vnto the end Whereas Babylon is called the glorie and bright beauty of Kingdomes No glory can withstand Gods almightie power this is added for amplifications sake to teach vs that God cannot bee hindered from performing his worke by any glorie or excellencie whatsoeuer that hee should not vtterly roote out the wicked For in regard that this destruction was incredible therefore so much the more did an excellent example of Gods mightie power appeare in the confusion of it Vers 20. It shall not be * Or sit vpon inhabited for euer neither shall it be dwelled in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian pitch his tents there neither shall the sheepheards make their foldes there BY the word To sit hee signifies a firme estate as if he should say Neuer looke that Babel shall be restored any more For all these phrases of speech tend to one and the same end namely the Babylonians shall be so destroyed that their ruine shall be perpetuall This also he further amplifies when he addes that the destruction shall be so great that the verie Arabians shall disdaine to pitch their tents there and the sheepheards their foldes Now wee may well say that this place was become wonderfull desert and inhabitable seeing these vagabonds made no reckoning of it for this nation of the Arabians in verie deed Arabians vagabonds and theeues did nothing else but trot vp and downe and had no setled abiding For hauing left their owne Countrie because it was barren and therefore is called the desert Arabia for of that wee speake and being giuen to nourish cattell and to hunting they frisked it hither thither and abode in the midst of the fields especially in places of best pasture Thence it came that the Greekes called them by a name which signifieth dwellers in tents The region of Babylon was wonderfull fruitfull before this destruction by reason whereof this change was so much the more terrible and as it were prodigious whether in regard that it lost the first fruitfulnesse or that all abhorred the sight of it because of the continuall calamities wherewith it was wasted Certaine it is the Prophet declares it shal come to passe that not only the buildings shall be broken downe but that the land also shall be accursed Vers 21. But Ziim shall lodge there and their houses shall be full of Ohim Ostriches shall dwell there and the Satyres shall dance there HE goes on in describing a desert place and alludes to that he said before to wit that Babylon should be vnhabited I cannot well tell how this word Ziim should be translated in regard the opinions of the expositours are so diuers who agree no more in this then they doe about sundry names of beasts and hearbs The vse of these things continued not alwaies and the Iewes being ignorant themselues haue not the knowledge of them although some amongst them are not ashamed to brag of their skill in physicke and yet notwithstanding are ignorant not onely of the nature of plants but of beasts also Whereas some are of opinion that Ziim was a wild beast others that it should be a bird and some others a fourefooted beast herein there is no great difference For mine owne part I make no question but the Prophet meant in this place to speake either of wild beasts which cannot be tamed or of birds which make their nests in forrests farre remote from men And there will be no inconuenience in it if we expound that which followes of Satyres or Fairies which the Frenchmen according to the diuersities of regions in one place call Hobgoblins Robin good fellowes and Bugbeares in an other For as Satan abuseth men by diuers impostures so also he allots diuers names to euery one of these It is certaine that the word Ziim is sometimes taken in the Scripture for wicked spirits for it comes of Ziiah which signifies drinesse or desert as Iim comes of Aiam which signifies feare For in as much as the diuell workes strange illusions by Fairies and Satyres therefore the names thereof are attributed vnto him The Prophets drift is to shew that there should be such desolation that the place should not onely be forsaken of men but the euill spirits also should worke their illusions there for by the solitarinesse of the place they take occasion to terrifie those which passe thereby And looke how theeues and enemies shew themselues more cruell when they come out of some obscure place
God not onely disposeth of that which the wicked are to doe but that hee also hath executioners at his commandement to auenge himselfe vpon their iniquities Obiect Whereas he by and by addes that the iniquitie of the fathers shal be punished by meanes hereof it may at the first seeme ouer seuere to couple the children with the fathers as touching the punishment which the fathers haue deserued and ought to beare And yet seemes it to be more hard that the punishment due to the fathers should be extended to the children and their childrens children But this absurditie may easily bee auoided Ans Exod. 20 5. 34 7. Deut. 5.9 Ier. 32.18 Ezek. 18.20 if we interpret the Hebrew word Aon Miserie because it signifies as well the punishment of the sinne as the sinne it selfe But because such sentences are found in many places of the Scripture to wit that God will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children we need seeke no such euasion Neither doth the place in Ezechiel The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of his father Ezech. 18.20 crosse this For God punisheth not the innocent neither must we so vnderstand this place as if the punishment due to the ancestors were conueied ouer by God vnto the children altogether guiltlesse for the fault of the children is forth-with coupled therewithall But leauing now to speake of that vniuersall curse of all mankinde whereunto all of vs are subiect from our mothers wombes let vs take an example from some wicked one whom when God reiects with his whole race truely we haue no cause at all to complain of it For his blessing is free and it is not lawfull for vs to compell him to bestow it equally vpon all because he may dispose of his grace according to his owne good pleasure and it is the dutie of euery of vs apart to acknowledge that whatsoeuer good thing wee haue receiued it is none of our own properly nor naturally but comes vnto vs from elsewhere namely frō Gods free libealirty If so be then that he reiect any must it not also needes follow that his seede should bee accursed For what can remaine in those which are destitute of his grace but a masse of impiety And if they deserue eternal death much more are they worthy of temporall punishments for hee who expects the cutting off of his head ought much more to iudge himselfe worthy of the prison and stripes Wee must obserue this point diligently For I hold the solution of those but childish who thinke the Lord punisheth the children of the wicked with temporall punishments because of the iniquities of their fathers thinking it not vnbeseeming for the Lord to correct those that are innocent Now we know he neuer punisheth such as haue not deserued it besides he is naturally inclined to mercy But how should he spare the wicked if he should exercise his wrath against the guiltlesse This then must be held as a thing resolued to wit that all such as are destitute of Gods grace are subiect to the iudgement of eternall death Whence it followes that the children of reprobates whom the curse of God pursues are subiect to the same condemnation with their fathers And therefore Isaiah speakes not of innocent children but of the lost and desperate which it may be haue surpassed their fathers in wickednesse and therefore are iustly coupled with them and adiudged to the same punishments with them because they haue walked in their steps But some may say that then they beare their owne punishment and not that which their fathers haue deserued I grant this to be true in part but the reiection began before in their fathers for which cause they are also forsaken and cast away of God And yet their fault is not so particular as if they were not guiltie at all but being inwrapped in the same sinnes in regard of reprobation they are also liable to the same miseries and punishment I know wel enough that this solution will not satisfie those who neuer cease to dispute braule against God but if so be I satisfie the faithfull and those that are not contentious I passe not much what the rest say As for the faithfull I doubt not but they will content themselues with this solution which I dare affirme to be most true In the end of the verse som translate That they fill the world no more with enemies as if the Prophet meant to say that all the wicked are the enemies of mankind yea euen of the whole earth and therefore that the Lord prouides for the safety of all when he sweeps them from the earth otherwise it should be choked by them as with thornes and briars It seemes that this signification expresseth somewhat more because the earth receiues vs into her lap if we discharge our dutie but if wee be contemners of God it nourisheth and sustaines vs vnwillingly as her very enemies Yet had I rather follow the other signification which is more generally receiued for I thinke the Prophet meant to say that the wicked grow vp into a stocke and linage and bring forth children in great abundance so as they exceed their progenitors in number and are more glorious in shew and thence came the prouerbe that an ill weede growes apace We may thanke our selues that the wicked are so multiplied Now whereas wee behold an infinit multitude of wicked ones which haue couered the face of the whole earth as it were we may euen thanke our selues for it and yet the Lord neuer deales so seuerely with vs but hee reserues alwaies some good seede although it be very thin sowne yea he alwaies hath an eye vnto some corner of the world where he may giue his seruants some litle breathing And if he should diminish the multitude of the wicked nothing at all it is certaine they would forthwith ouerspread the whole earth By this is confirmed that which wee haue said before to wit that the children of the Babylonians were not slaine causlesse because it is here said it was to the end they should not fill the world with Cities It followes then that they were wicked and therefore cut off by the iust iudgement of God that by this meanes hee might prouide for the safetie of men and that the Lord cannot be accused of cruelty or hard dealing Vers 22. For I will rise vp against them saith the Lord of hostes and will out off from Babel the name and the remnant and the sonne and the nephew saith the Lord. NOw the Lord testifieth that he will doe that himselfe which he before had commanded others to do by the ministrie of the Prophet so that we must obserue both the one and the other Though God vse men as his instrumēts in bringing the wicked to nought yet the worke is properly said to be his owne namely that it is a worke of God when the wicked come to nought although he vse men as instruments
to execute his iudgements For he spake thus to them heretofore Prepare a slaughter vers 21. Whence we haue to note not only the power of God but also the efficacie of prophesie Whence the Prophets ordeined of God giue commandement to all nations to do this or that it is then so farre off that men can hinder the euent thereof that they are euen constreined to performe the will of God Now because we ordinarilie stay our selues vpon men and in forsaking God attribute the power of doing all things vnto them we must hold this principle that seeing God worketh by them himself is properlie the author of the worke whereof they are only but the executioners and instruments This is clearely inough laid open vnto vs by the dependence of the places following I haue thought it best to resolue the letter Vau into a particle of shewing the cause for he yeelds the reason wherfore he commands the Medes and Persians to prepare a destruction and slaughter for the Babylonians for I will rise vp against them This phrase I will arise expounded saith he and this phrase where God saith he will arise is very frequent Thus also the Prophet applies himselfe to our capacitie because the maiestie of God is so high that we can not comprehend it We thinke he takes his ease and is idle whilest he winks at the wicked and therefore when he will cause men to feele his power and giue some testimonie thereof by some visible worke he saith he will arise The epithite which he afterward addes calling him The Lord of hostes serues for a confirmation of this sentence as if the Prophet should say I haue not giuen these Commandements to the nations of mine owne head for it is God that gouernes and leades all the battailes vnder his owne hand Seeing the Prophet is ordeined then to pronounce the senteÌ„ce on Gods behalfe he may also command meÌ„ to the end they may yeeld obedience vnto him He yet repeates the same thing in the latter end of the verse Sayth the Lord. shewing that he speakes nothing but that which the Lord gaue him in charge that so the prophesie might be the more autenticall God cuts off not only the posteritie of the wicked but their memorie also Pro. 10.7 Now it hath been often told vs before that Babylon was not thus ruinated till after the death of Alexander the Great By the sonnes and nephewes he meanes not only the Posteritie but the Memorie which the wicked would obteine so as they might be long renoumed after their death God tooke euen this also away from Babylon that so no remembrance should remaine thereof at all but only reproch and ignominie Vers 23. And I will make it a possession to the hedghog and pooles of water and I will sweepe it with the beasome of destruction saith the Lord of hostes HE yet againe confirmes the same things which he spake heretofore touching the future destruction of Babylon to wit that men shall hereafter inhabit it no more but it shall be made an hidious Caue into which wilde beasts shall retire Some say that the word Kipod which we haue translated Bicure signifies a Beuer others an Hedghog other a Torteis But it is very likely by the circumstance of the place that our Prophet speakes of a beast which frequents the waters because afterwards he mentions a poole or marish which in deed properlie belongs to the situation of the place for howsoeuer Babylon was not compassed in with pooles yet is it situated in a moist soile Euphrates waters the region on the one side and Tigris on the other thence it is that the Lord threatens to drowne it Vers 24. The Lord of hostes hath sworne saying Surely like as I haue purposed so shall it come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand IT was needfull to adde an othe for the more full confirmation of the threatning The reason why God in faine to adde an oth to his threatnings For nothing is more hardly beaten into our heads then to heare tell of a present destruction of the wicked because we see them florishing furnished with all kind of helps seeming to be out of all dangers vtterlie secure Therfore wee are at our wits end in beholding them being so dazled with their glorie that we can scarsly beleeue God when he threatens their ruin and perdition and therefore he addes an othe that they might haue no occasion to hang in any suspence See the like in Chap. 22.14 Whence we may see how gratious louing he is towards vs in succoring our weaknes by applying this remedie vnto it for otherwise his bare word ought to suffice This serues then for the great consolation of the faithfull as we shall see hereafter But this short forme of an othe which he vseth ought to be well knowne vnto vs because we meete often with it in the scriptures Othes slip out of our mouthes at randon with too much boldnes but Gods sparingnes in suppressing the greater part of his oth ought to bridle our inteÌ„perancie and thereby the Lord bridles vs lest we should take too great libertie in oths which slip out of our mouths at randon with too much boldnes for he suppresseth the greater part of the othe If I performe not this which I haue decreed let men take me for a lier and hold me no more for God this I say or some thing else like vnto it fearefull to vtter should be heere supplied Men ought then to refraine their tongues lest they ouerflow too lightlie in execrations making horrible imprecations against themselues yea let them rather learne by the Lords example here to hold in their rebellion Vers 25. That I will breake Ashur to pieces in my land and vpon my mountaines will I tread him vnder foote so that his yoke shall depart from them and his burden shal be taken from off their shoulder SOme thinke this is spoken of the host of Senacherib 2. King 19.35 Chap. 37.36 which was destroyed by the Angell whilest the siege was before Ierusalem If wee shall receiue this interpretation the sense will be thus to wit The Lord will shortly shew some euident proofe of this ruine wherewith hee threatned the Babylonians For those which heard the prophecies might aske What shall the ruine of Babel profit vs when she hath destroyed vs first were it not better for vs to remain in our own laÌ„d that she might continue safe What consolation can we take in her destruction seeing with her our selues must also perish And truely I make no question but Isaiah sets before them a proofe of Gods fauour in the destruction of their enemies which was either come to passe already or should shortly happen I dare not affirme in what time the Prophet foretold this There may be some probâ—ble coniecture that Senacherib was discomfited before the time of this particular prophecie vnlesse there bee
safe He calles them a terrible nation because they should be an astonishment to all those that should behold them being disfigured with such horrible calamities For I cannot approue of their iudgement who expound this of signes and wonders which the Lord shewed amongst the Iewes to make them feared of all he hath regard rather to that place of Moses where it is said The Lord shall make thee an astonishment and a wonder Deut. 28.28.37 also the nodding of the head and a prouerb and derision is vsed in other places Iere. 18.16 19.8 25.18 He signifies a people then whose sight shall be so fearefull that they shall be an astonishment vnto all and we know that as this was foretold so also did it come to passe to the Iewes When it is said on euery side it is as much as if one should draw lines and that they should be so well knit together as there should no place be left emptie betweene them or as if an husbandman made such furrowes in his field that he leaues not one clot of earth vnturned vp or broken Thus was this people beaten downe and broken By the floods he meanes a great armie of enemies to wit or the Assyrians Now he alludes to that which he said before in the 8. Chapter vers 6. to wit that the people being discontented with their little riuer Shilo desired rather roaring and violent waters After then that they had called theÌ„ forth for their succor they were ouerwhelmed by them as with a deluge So that the cause of all this ill successe was for that they coÌ„tented not themselues with Gods promises but sought out strange helps If now then this commandement giuen to the swift posts be taken as froÌ„ the person of God thence we gather that he doth not alwaies assist his elect at the first brunt but withholds his help till things be growne to a desperate estate For he sends not a ioyfull and happie message to those that were in safetie or to those that were onlie lightlie touched with the rod but to a nation spoyled and trodden vnder foote yet in that he commands them to hasten his meaning is that the iudgement shall be sudden and vnlooked for so as light shall shine out of darknes as it were euen in a moment Vers 3. All yee the inhabitants of the world and dwellers in the earth shall see when he setteth vp a signe in the mountaines and when he bloweth the trump ye shall heare HE shewes that this worke of God shall be so excellent that the Iewes shall not only perceiue it but all the inhabitants of the world also These words which are put in the future tence are by some translated in the Imperatiue according to the scripture phrase but it agrees best to take it in the time to come As if he should say euen the people farre off shal â—e witnesses of this calamitie because all shall behold thâ— stâ—ndard and shall heare trumpets sounding thorowout the world And hence it shall appeare that this warre was not raised vp by men but that God himselfe will shew that he is the only author of it and that by excellent witnesses When warres are made euery man discernes what is done openlie but the greater part of men attribute both the beginnings and issues thereof vnto fortune Isaiah contrariwise shewes that all these things ought to be attributed vnto God because he will plainely manifest his power by a new and extraordinarie meanes for he works so sometime that his hand is hidden and his worke vnknowne vnto men And sometimes againe he shewes his power in such wise that euery one is constrained to acknowledge it and that is it which the Prophet meant to say in this place Vers 4. For so the Lord said vnto me I will rest and behold in my tabernacle as the heate drying vp the raine and as a cloud of dew in the heate of haruest AFter he hath threatned the destruction of the Ethiopians or of their neighbours and hauing therewithall shewed that great consolation should thereby redound to the Iewes or else by way of a flout hauing derided the foolish confidence which deceiued them now he addes that God will so moderate these confusions that he will in the end gather his chosen people vnto himselfe The particle Ci which I haue translated Furthermore is sometime put for shewing the cause sometimes aduersatiuelie But the latter sense in this place seemes to agree best the reason is because the Prophet preuents a doubt which might otherwise haue greatly troubled the consciences of the weake For when wee see things in an vproare there is a vaile forthwith spread as it were ouer our eyes which takes away from vs the sight of Godâ— prouidence for the estate of this people whose destruction he threatens was such that this prophesie might seeme a fable or matter of scorne for as we may collect there was no danger nor change to be expected Some referre this to the person of Isaiah as if he satisfied himselfe by depending vpoÌ„ that which God had reuealed vnto him that is to say as if hee had now quieted and setled his minde which indeed wee ought to doe after we haue heard the voyce af God waiting assuredly for the accomplishment of that which is foretold vs. As Abacuk saith I will stand in my watch-tower Abac 2.1 But I rather think that the Prophet recites that which the Lord6 had reuealed vnto him and that the Lord himselfe pronounceth this sentence with his own mouth as if he should say I will rest that is I will hold me still and do nothing for the word also signifies to See Now hee which lookes earnestly acts nothing but onely contents himselfe with beholding that hee sees with pleasure and delight Hereunto serues also the word Tabernacle as if the Lord should rest himselfe on â—he roofe of an house 〈◊〉 on the contrary hee is said to ascend into his iudgement seate when he auengeth himselfe vpon the wicked behauiours of the vnbeleeuers for these phrases of speech are fitted to our capacitie Vnlesse any had rather affirme that the Prophet alludes to the Sanctuarie so as howsoeuer the maiestie of the Lord may seeme to be hidden for a time from this afflicted people yet should not his rest be vtterly without fruit The summe of all is this that howsoeuer all things should be coÌ„founded so as one might imagine that God would meddle no more with the gouernement of the world yet doth he take his ease on this wise as you would say of set purpose euen as if hee were shut vp and fallen asleepe in a chamber minding to manifest the fruite of this his rest in due season As the heate drying up Isaiah doth yet better expresse that which hee hath said before by this similitude Wee may apply it to the Prophets meaning two waies First as if God being awaked out of his sleep wold shew such a gracious couÌ„tenance as should
speake the language of Canaan and shall sweare by the Lord of hosts one shall be called the Citie of destruction HAuing threatned the Egyptians and laid forth the cause of Gods iudgements he now comforts them and promiseth them mercie for he shewes that all of them in a maner shall be restored and shall recouer a prosperous and florishing estate againe For of sixe Cities saith he fiue shall be saued so as one only shall perish He had before threatned an horrible iudgement to fall vpon the whole kingdome so as if any shall consider the former prophesie well he can comprehend nothing therein but a state vtterlie past recouerie He promiseth then that they shall be restored by a speciall fauour of God So that this is to be taken as an increase of the Churches restauration or as a full measure of Gods grace after the redeemer is sent The manner of speech is somewhat obscure but if we examine it well there is little or no difficultie at all in the sense For his meaning is that the sixt part of the Cities shall onely perish and that the rest shall continue safe The most difficultie is in the word Haheres some reade it Hacheres that is to say of the Sunne but they deceiue themselues by taking one letter for another Those who expound it of the Sunne thinke that the Prophet spake of Heliopolis but it sutes not well with the scope of the text because hee not onely promiseth that fiue Cities shall bee restored for that had been no great matter but saith in generall that of sixe townes or cities fiue shall remaine vntouched and doubtlesse there were manie Cities in Egypt I let passe the fables of the old writers and of those who haue affirmed that it contained twenty thousand Cities Yet it must not be denied but there were a great number in a Country so renowned and well peopled in a Kingdome that florished as it did and was so frequented and in so sweete and well tempered an aire Let vs put the case then that there were a thousand Cities or a few more Hee saith that the sixt part only shall perish and that the rest shall be restored so as the number of the destroyed shall bee little in comparison Now it appeares sufficiently by that which followes anon after that this restauration is to be vnderstood of the worship and seruice of God By the word lip hee vnderstands the tongue taking a part for the whole meaning thereby to shew the agreement that the Egyptians should haue with the people of God and the faith whereby they should make profession of his name By the tongue hee also notes out by a figuratiue maner of speech a confession For in regard there was but one tongue onely which acknowledged and called vpon the true God to wit of this people that dwelt in the land of Canaan it thereby appeares sufficiently that by this word tongue we must also vnderstand their consent in religion To speake the same or diuers language whereby either agreement or discord are signified are phrases of speech very frequent in the Scripture But let vs obserue that euery consent is not sufficient for example if men should agree together to retaine a worship of their owne deuising and approbation ought they not to come and consent to that truth which was reuealed to the fathers Neither doth he onely say that the Egyptians should speak one and the same language but the language of Canaan for they were to change their speech to vse that which Gold had sanctified not that the pronunciation of this language was more holy but it is commended because it containes the doctrine of truth We are to obserue this diligently to the end wee may learne the true manner of consenting We ought to labour for a â—onsent in religion alwaies prouided that the condition be good We ought to seek agreement by al means but let vs beware that the coÌ„ditions be good whereby it is procured for it is not lawfull to seeke a meane betweene both as the destroyers of true religion doe which yet would be taken for makers of pacifications Away with such light and double tongues let the truth be retained which hath no other foundation but the word of God Let them that draw neere to it speake with vs and whosoeuer falsifieth that let him auoid and chuse a language fitting his owne humour but let vs continue firme and constant in this trueth The Egyptians then cannot speake the language of Canaan vnlesse they first of all forsake their owne that is to say all superstitions Some refer this to Ptolemeus his time but without any good ground because wee may gather from the verses following that the Prophet speakes of the pure religion and true worship of God And first of all vnder the figure Synecdoche hee teacheth that the speech shall be holy taking one onely kinde thereof to wit that they shall professe themselues to be Gods seruants by swearing by his name It may be read They shall sweare in the Lord or by the Lord because the letter Lamed often signifies By. If we reade it In the Lord the sense will be that they should promise to obey him and that with a solemne oath as when a nation takes an oath of alleageance to their Prince And it is all one as if he had said they shall submit themselues vnder the power of God and yeelde themselues vnder his gouernment But in regard the other reading is more generally receiued I also the more willingly allow of it For seeing an oath is a part of Gods worship the whole is hereby signified by taking a part for the whole To sweare also by the name of God is often taken to beare witnesse that hee is the true God His meaning is in a word that they shall foundly giue their names to Christ If faith in the heart bring not forth an open profession it will surely proue but a cold opinion in stead of faith Hence we may gather that wee must make an open profession of our faith if we meane to yeeld God his true seruice and if any will keepe his faith shut vp in his heart such a one shall be sure to haue but a cold opinion in stead of faith because true faith brings forth a franke confession and so inflames vs inwardly that we shall neither will nor chuse but make that knowne to others which we carry in the closet of our hearts Euery knee shall bow before mee and euerie tongue shall sweare by my name saith the Lord Isai 45.23 Where faith is then there ought also to be the outward worship the confession of the mouth Rom. 10.9.10 Holy things must not be applied to profaâ—e vses Wee must in like manner obserue that the things which appertaine to Gods seruice ought not to be applied to profane vses it is the profanation of an oath then to sweare by any other thing then by the Lord. For
we must oppose against them to wit if these Ceremonies of theirs be of God then ought we to receiue them if not then is it lawfull for vs to reiect them nay we can in no wise approue of them but we therein offer wrong vnto God because mortall men doe then vsurp that authoritie which vnto him belongeth Besides God imposeth not When God imposeth any Ceremonie he addes his word vnto it nor sets signes before vs without the word for what Sacrament would it be if wee should only behold the bare signe It is the doctrine only which makes the Sacrament Let vs know then that there is nothing but plaine deceit when the word goes not before The Papists do therefore fondlie impose the name of Sacrament to their vaine Ceremonies when they are not able to confirme them by the pure Scriptures Well the Lord hath so ioined these things together that none can separate theÌ„ but withall they offer violence to the order which he hath instituted Now in that Isaiah is commanded to loose the sackcloth the most of the interpreters gather that the Prophet was at that time clothed with a mourning weede in regard that he bewailed the calamitie of Israel for sackcloth was a mourning garment as appeares by that which is said in Ioel Chap. 1.13 They say then that this was done that in bearing vpon him the garments of the guiltie or condemned he might aske pardon of God or that it could not be that his apparell and countenance should testifie gladnes because his heart was in heauines And indeed it was vnpossible but he must needs be sore afflicted in beholding so great and horrible calamities Some thinke it was his ordinarie apparell in regard that the Prophets vsed to weare a mantle as testifieth Zachariah 13.4 But this is too weake a coniecture neither hath it any shew of reason It is more likelie that he was clothed with sackcloth to expresse his sorrow For those of Iudeah were become so senselesse that they cared not a whit neither thought they that this miserie should euer be able to come neere them no nor then when their poore brethren were miserablie afflicted and scattered before their eyes nay they rather thought themselues out of all danger and made a mocke at the words of the Prophets who threatned and foretold their ruine This was the cause why Micha also complained Mich. 1.11 that none bewailed the calamitie of Israel Some also aske whether this was a thing done indeed or rather whether it were not a bare and naked vâ—sion which hee was to set forth to the people Whether the Prophet stripped himselfe naked or not The most receiued opinion is that the Prophet neuer stripped himselfe naked but that it was shewed him by way of vision onely and that but once Their reason is because he was not able to indure to goe naked the space of three whole yeeres Vers 3. both in regard of the heate and cold and of other incumbrances occasioned by the time But what hurt is it if wee should say that the Prophet couered himselfe in his house and abroad also onely that he shewed this spectacle of nakednes to the people when he was to performe his propheticall office For I am not much moued with that reason that hee could not indure the heate nor cold because God who had inioyned him to doe it When God inioynes vs any seruice he therewithall furnisheth vs with abilitie to performe the same was also able to arme and preserue him when hee did it But they bring an other reason to wit that nakednesse had been vnbeseeming a Prophet I answere that this nakednesse was no more dishonest then circumcision which spectacle in the opinion of prophane men was the most ridiculous thing that could be imagined seeing the priuie members were then discouered I doe not thinke neither would I any should that the Prophet stripped himselfe so naked but that he coueuered those vncomely parts which would haue giuen but a foule and deformed spectacle to the beholders It was sufficient that the people were taught what the Lord meant heereby and that they might be moued with it as a thing extraordinarie That also which moues mee to be of this iudgement is that which is said here By the hand or in giuing commission for albeit this maner of speech be often found elsewhere yet wee neuer meete with it in any place but it imports some hidden vehemencie by which the effect it selfe is noted out The Prophet then sets himselfe before God and in the middest of the Citizens as the herauld of the calamitie that was to come and that not by word onely but euen by a visible signe also It is to be obserued in like manner that it is not noted in the text in vaine that Isaiah did so Master Caluins iudgement touching the Prophets going naked Thus haue you mine opinion to wit that the Prophet went naked as oft as hee preached onely shewing those parts of his body which might be seene without blushing As touching the sackcloth although priuate men were wont to confesse their sinnes in time of trouble in that maner yet it is probable that Isaiah vsed this signe both by reason of his office as also to confirme his doctrine and the better to rouse the people out of their securitie If at any time it fall out that the Lord chastiseth either our selues or our brethren hee commands vs not to change our raiment neither is it needfull but we are altogether cruell and inhumane if the afflictions of our brethren the subuersion of the Church moue vs not And if it be our parts to mourne wee ought also to stirre vp others to doe the like and by our example Heb. 13. Rom. 12.15 16. to prouoke them to feele the calamitie of the Church that they may be touched with some compassion Vers 3. And the Lord said Like as my seruant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoote three yeeres as a signe and wonder vpon Egypt and Ethiopia 4. So shall the King of Ashur take away the captiuitie of Egypt and the captiuitie of Ethiopia both young men and old men naked and barefoote with their buttockes vncouered to the shame of Egypt THree yeeres Quest Why puts hee this space of time Ans Because it was granted to the Egyptians and Ethiopians of the Lord as a time of truce to the end they might come to repentance also that hee might thereby proue the faithfulnesse of his people that without delay they might pull themselues backe from seeking all vnlawfull succours thirdly to the end the Egyptians and Ethiopians might know that their ruine was not far off howsoeuer they seemed to bee in a well setled estate Moreouer the Lord meant heereby to discouer the rebellion of the wicked for doubtlesse many shewed their impietie in scoffing at the Prophets nakednesse as on the contrarie that the faithfull being moued with such a spectacle might learne
her Therefore in seeing the Church so many waies and with such diuers calamities afflicted at this day and an infinit number of soules to perish whom Iesus Christ hath redeemed with his pretious blood must we not needs be cruell and barbarous if we be moued with no sorrow at all Especiallie the Ministers of the word ought to be thorowlie touched with the feeling of this sorrow for as they are held for the watchmen and therefore can see further off so also ought they to sigh when they perceiue the signes of a scattering of the sheepe to be at hand Now the Prophets publike teares serued as we haue said to breake the hearts of the people for he had to doe with men of such obstinacie as could not easilie be brought to lament There is a place almost like vnto this in Ieremiah where he bewailes the destruction and scattering of the people saying that his soule fainted with sorrow Iere. 4.31 And in another place Who will graunt that my head might be filled with waters and that mine eies might be a fountaine of teares to weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people Iere. 9.1 Iere. 9.1 When the Prophets perceiued they labored in vaine to breake the hard hearts of this people surely they could not chuse but be ouerwhelmed with griefe and sorrow and therefore they indeuored by all meanes to mollifie y◠hearts of the obstinate that if it were possible they might be bowed and brought back againe into the right way Vers 5. For it is a day of trouble and of ruin and of perplexitie by the Lord of hosts in the valley of vision breaking downe the Citie and a crying vnto the mountaines HE againe signifies that the Lord is the Author of this fearefull iudgement Though it be often told vs that God is the author of our afflictiōs yet we forget it when we should put this knowledge in practise and to the end the Iewes might not gaze heere and there wondring that the enemies should get the vpper hand he tels them plainely that they fight against God himselfe Now albeit we often meete with this doctrine in the holie Scriptures yet notwithstanding it is no way superfluous neither can it be so often repeated but we forget it when we are to practise it thence it is that we humble not our selues before our Iudge but cast our eyes rather vpon men and externall meanes then vpon God who would easilie remedie our euils By day he meanes a time prefixed according to the vsuall prase of the Scripture because it seemes that God yeelds ouer his right for a time when he winkes at mens wickednesse but he forthwith recouers it againe in that season that himselfe hath appointed Now it is not for nought that he names the valley of vision againe for the Iewes thought themselues secured from all dangers because it pleased God to inlighten them by his word But because they did vnthankfully reiect the doctrine thereof it was but a vaine confidence to thinke the bare inioying of it should any way profit them for the Lord not onely punisheth the infidelitie of those that are out of the Church but that also of the Church it selfe Nay rather he begins to manifest his anger against it first for he will not indure to haue his graces abused nor that men should boast of his titles in vaine That which is added touching The cry of the mountaine it may be referred to God to the Caldeans and to those also which fled because the vanquishers raised vp a cry to augment the terrour but the vanquished either cried for mercie and fidelitie or else testified their sorrow by teares weepings The singular number may also be takē for the plurall or else it is meant of that side of the Citie in which the Temple was built Both expositions agree to the text and there is no great difference whether we say That the enemies cried from the mountaine of Zion to incourage one another or that their cry was heard of the neighbour mountaines when they pilled and destroyed the Citie or that the citizens themselues made their lamentations sound to the mountaines which inuironed the plaine of Iordan Vers 6. And Elam bare the quiuer in a mans chariot with horsemen and Kir vncouered the shield THe expositours are of opinion that this is a continued speech that the Prophet denounceth the same iudgement against the Iewes that he had done before But when I consider all things aduisedly I am enforced to bee of the contrarie opinion for I thinke the Prophet vpbraides the Iewes with their obstinacie and rebellion See the exposition of the eleuenth verse for that giues light to this for that they repented not albeit the Lord had chastised them and thus he repeates the historie of the time past to put them in remembrance that God his chastisements had done them no good Thus should these things bee distinguished from the former In the other verses he foretold what should happen to the Iewes but now he shewes that they are iustly punished and that they haue deserued these violent blowes wherewithall the Lord smites them For hee had called them to repentance not onely by his word but also by most wofull effects yet had they shewed none amendement at all notwithstanding that their wealth was wasted and the Kingdome weakened but proudly persisted in their rebellion There remained nothing thē but that the Lord should bring heauie iudgements vpon them seeing they thus persisted in their obstinacy and rebellion Now I haue translated this Hebrew coniunction Vau by way of opposition it being often taken in this sense Those who thinke the Prophet threatens in the time to come retaine the proper sense as if the Prophet hauing made mention of God should by and by adde the executioners of his vengeance But I haue already shewed what exposition I haue approued and it shall appeare hereafter by the course of the text that mine opinion is not without good reason In that hee names the Elamits and the Kirenians it agrees better as I take it to the Assyrians then to the Babylonians For although these nations did neuer make war vpon the Iewes by their owne instinct yet is it very likely that they were in wages with the King of Assyria and occupied a place in his host when he besieged Ierusalem Now we haue said alreadie that by the Elamits are meant the Esterne people and vnder the name of Kir it is certaine that the Prophet comprehends the Kirenians And because they bare shields he saith they discouered them because they drew them forth of their cases when they entred into the battell Whereas some translate In the chariot of horsemen I reiect it not yet had I rather render the words of the Prophet word for word for I thinke he meanes a chariot of warre They vsed then two sorts of chariots one serued to beare the baggage and the other to
also in an other place teacheth With such sacrifices God is pleased Heb. 13.10 For he neuer commanded men to offer sacrifices as if they benefit him no he needed them not but he only appointed them these exercises of pietie vnder the law now vnder the Gospell he commands vs to distribute something to our neighbours of that we possesse testifying that whatsoeuer wee employ for the reliefe of our brethren is to him a sacrifice of a sweete smell And it ought greatlie to kindle the loue of bountie and liberalitie in vs when we heare that our almes are so highlie commended and that our hands together with our gifts are consecrated vnto God THE XXIIII CHAPTER Vers 1. Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and he maketh it waste he turneth it vpside downe and scattereth the Inhabitants thereof THis prophesie as I take it is as it were the shutting vp of all those things which haue bin described froÌ„ the thirteenth Chapter vnto this wherein Isaiah hath not onely foretold the ruine of the Iewes and Israelites but also of the Moabites Assyrians Egyptians and others In a word he heere comprehends all in a short summe as if he had viewed all the neighbour countries that were knowne to the Iewes Some referre this to the Israelites others to the Iewes thinking the Prophet speakes of their destruction but seeing he makes mention of the world I can not be drawne to take this place in any other sense but that he now in a few words comprehends all that which he hath said of many particulars and those belonging to diuers times Whereas he in the next verse makes mention of the Priest it contradicts this that I say nothing at all although it might thereby seeme that these things should only appertaine vnto the people of God for albeit he speakes of all nations yet the Iewes alwaies deseruing to be preferred in the first place Isaiah was to regard them chieflie and principallie because it was theirs by right For he speakes of others accidentallie as you would say no maruell then if hauing touched them he mentions his owne people in a particular maner Others vnderstand this place of the whole world in generall yet so as they referre it to the last day which me thinks is too strict for the Prophet hauing threatned the Iewes and other nations in the end addes a consolation to wit that the Lord will once againe raise vp his Church making her to flourish more then euer it did now how can this agree to the last Iudgement By the word earth I thinke the Prophet meanes not the whole world but those regions which were well knowne to the Iewes as for example if we at this day should speake of things which happen in the world we should hardly passe beyond Europe much lesse should we thinke of that which is done in India because the parts on this side is our world as it were In the same Isaiah speakes of the earth and of the Inhabitants of the Countries adioyning which he and those to whom he spake knew To conclude we may limit this world whereof the Prophet speakes in this place within the confines or bounds of the Assyrians Egyptians Moabites and other nations as if he should say Hitherunto I haue spoken of diuers calamities which then were like to fall vpon many people and do yet threaten many others in particular but now behold the conclusion The Lord will spoile and ouerthrow the face of the earth with all the beautie of it Others expound the verb Bolkah he opens the earth that the enemies may the more easily enter into it but I had rather expound it He vncouers the earth because they vse to say The earth is couered or clothed all the while great multitudes of people inhabit it as also wheÌ„ it abounds with beasts and fruits contrarywise it is said to be vncouered and made bare when it hath lost her inhabitants for so she is stripped of her garment euen as if a man should be stripped out of his coates and other apparell Now this was to happen to the Assyrians Egyptians and other nations which he mentioned before as well as to the Iewes and therefore he wraps them vp altogether in one iudgement Vers 2. * Or and the pâ—iest shal be like the people c. 〈◊〉 And there shall be like people like priest and like seruant like master like maid like mistris like buyer like seller like lender like borower * Or the borower like the lender like giuer like taker to vsurie ANd there shall be like priest By these words he signifies an vtter ruine where all order gouernment and policie shall cease for whilest any Commonwealth flourisheth there is alwaies a certaine difference betweene the people and the priests well then he notes an horrible confusion Now vnder this word priest he puts the particular for the generall taking a part for the whole which is a thing very vsuall in the Scriptures although we may take the word Cohenim for those which are placed in any dignitie whatsoeuer because the Hebrues sometimes giue this name to Princes but speciallie to such as are of the blood Royall notwithstanding I willinglie receiue the figure Synecdoche before mentioned Now sithence the Prophet puts this confusion of estates among the catalogue of Gods curses shewing that when they be thus turned topsie turuie it proceeds from his fearefull indignation Good order in a Commonweâ—lth a singuler testimonie of Gods fauor we ought on the contrarie to gather how well-pleasing policie and the well ordering of all things is vnto God as also what a great fauour we receiue from him when such good order is preserued and continued amongst vs. For it being gone our life differs nothing from that of brute beasts Wee are therefore not onely to acknowledge it to be an heauie hand of God vpon vs but also to confesse our owne sinnes to be the cause Our sinnes the cause of all disorders in Commonwealths when hee confounds estates depriues vs of the word and of iudgement seates which being once put downe the comfort of our life therewithall is fallen to the ground We may also obserue hence that the Lord in executing his iudgements spares not mens persons of what calling soeuer they be What an holy calling was the priesthood which the Lord had consecrated to himselfe and adorned after a glorious manner How much did the people also glorie in it as if the continuance thereof had been vnchangeable and to haue indured for euer Yet notwithstanding euen this honourable order of men is wrapped in amongst the iudgements of God because he respects no persons Nay the more fauours wee haue receiued from him and the greater our aduancement is the more seuerely will hee correct vs if wee proue vnthankfull and abuse his benefits To this appertaines that which is here added touching masters and seruants buyers and sellers for wee know that these callings are lawfull and
this or that Iam. 4.13 Prou. 16.1 like those rash heads who think themselues able to accomplish all their lusts for if we haue not so much power as to moue our tongues to giue an answere much lesse can we of our selues bring greater enterprises to passe It is in vaine for men then to purpose determine and to dispose of their waies vnlesse God guide them by his hand But this his hand he reacheth forth to the iust and of them he hath a speciall care To whom God reacheth his directing hand For if so be the prouidēce of God extends it selfe generallie ouer all creatures and that he prouides for the necessities of the yong Rauens Sparrowes and the least worme that creepes vpon the ground much more hath he a fatherlie care of the faithfull to deliuer them out of the dangers and streits into which they are plunged Vers 8. Also we O Lord haue waited for thee in the way of thy iudgements the desire of our soule is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee THis verse conteines a most excellent doctrine without which the former things might seeme to haue been spoken in vaine for the Prophet hauing said that God will be our leader all our liues long so as we shall neuer erre nor stumble and yet in the meane while we see our selues brought into so many extremities that in our iudgements all these promises are meerely vaine when I say he thus exerciseth our patience it stands vs vpon to wrastle manfullie and yet to hope in him notwithstanding Of this the Prophet here giues vs warning namely that although we alwaies see not this smooth and goodly plaine and that the way is not made so euen vnder our feete but that we must presse thorow many streits yet must wee still giue place vnto hope and patience Though Gods promised assistance comes not when we would yet must we still giue way vnto hope and patience By the way of the iudgements he meanes aduersities for so this word is often taken in the Scriptures This is the marke then whereby true Christians are discerned from the false A note to discerne true Christians from hypocrits for whilest hypocrits inioy all things at their desire they blesse God and highly extoll him but in aduersitie they murmure and blaspheme him thereby plainely shewing that they neuer trusted in him at all and therefore they serue God no longer then he serues their turnes in al things Contrariwise when the faithfull are exercised vnder diuers crosses and calamities they are prouoked thereby to draw neere vnto God and to trust in his helpe The particle Also therefore hath great weight in it for it is as much as if the Prophet had said The faithfull serue God cheerfully not onely when hee vseth them gently but euen then also when hee deales roughly with them neither faint they vtterly because they are sustained by hope Wherein cōsists the true triall of sound godlines then Truely in this that we trust in God not onely when hee filles vs abundantly with his benefits A triall of a sound heart but then also when hee withdrawes the light of his countenance yea when he afflicts vs and shewes vs nothing but the signes of his wrath and heauie displeasure Let vs learne therefore to apply this doctrine to our vse as often as the calamities of this present life doe presse vs and let vs not cease to hope in him although all things seeme vtterly desperate If he should kill me saith Iob yet would I trust in him Iob 13.17 And Dauid protests that hee will not feare though he should walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death Why so because hee knew that God was with him Psal 23.4 In thy name In these words the Prophet meant to shew from whence this magnanimitie of minde in the faithfull proceedes which suffers them neither to faint nor to fall vnder the greatest assaults surely it is in respect that being loosed from those profane desires wherein the wicked are intangled they euen in their greatest distresses wherewith they are compassed about haue freedome and libertie of spirit to send forth their grones and cries boldly into the presence of God Naturally I confesse our desires are disordered and the cares of this life doe as it were glew vs to the earth our thoughts float vp and downe or else are so besotted that they cannot freely aspire vnto God The essence of God in like manner is hidden from vs whereby wee wax the more slow and dull in seeking of him For these respects therefore the Prophet brings vs backe from this hidden incomprehensible essence of God to his name As if he should say Content your selues with that manifestation of him which you find in his word for there he sets before vs as much as is expedient to wit his iustice wisdome and goodnesse yea and his very selfe also It is not without cause also that he addes this word remembrance for thereby he shewes that the first apprehension or thought of Gods name sufficeth not but that wee ought to meditate thereon continually because without this helpe all light of doctrine Meditation a speciall helpe to maintaine would by and by vanish For the trueth is the light of true doctrin the right and sound knowledge of God must needes inflame our hearts with a desire after him yea more then that it prouokes vs to an insatiable thirst after profiting Knowledg meditation must goe together euen as oft as we remember him The knowledge of God then goes before and in the second place we ought to exercise our selues much in the meditation of it for it is not enough once to haue had some little taste thereof vnlesse therewithall a loue and desire after the same bee increased by a continuall meditation Hence wee may learne then that the knowldge of God is no idle nor dead imagination Vers 9. With my soule haue I desired thee in the night and with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse SEe yet a more ample exposition of the former sentence for before speaking in the person of all the faithfull he said that the desire of their soules was to the name of God but now he brings in himselfe speaking My soule hath desired thee saith hee As if hee should say All the powers of my soule are busied in seeking of thee and thy name The word Nephesh is often taken for the vitall spirit but because the Prophet vseth two sundry words here I so distinguish them How soule and spirit is taken here The vnderstanding and will two principall parts of mans soule as that the soule shall signifie the desire and the will and the spirit the intellectiue part For we know that the vnderstanding will are the two principall parts of mans soule and God
good lawes by the which they might liue but because they haue not obserued my iudgements and haue cast my statutes behind their backs prophaning mine ordinances and setting their eies towards the Idols of their fathers It is iust with God to mâ—ke vs serue cruel Lords when we will not yeeld willing obedience to his lawes therefore I also gaue theÌ„ statutes which were not good and iudgements in which they should not liue Ezech. 20.24 Now in regard they might haue prosred and beene happie by Gods blessing in times past if they had yeelded their obedience to his word therefore Ezechiel threatens them that Tyrants shall rule ouer them and in spite of their teeth shall cause them to submit themselues to their cruell edicts and lawes yea and that without bringing any profit or reward at all vnto them Isaiah in this place bewailes the like miserie Oh saith he whilst the Lord reigned ouer vs we had much adoe to content our selues with our estate but now we are constreined to beare a wofull seruitude and therein are iustlie punished for our wickednes The faithfull also which liue vnder the Papacie or such as are forced to yeeld in any sort to wicked lawes and constitutions full of superstition may well take vp the like complaint for they are vnder such an authoritie as is against God The slauerie of such as are vnder the tyrannie of the Romane Antichrist they are oppressed vnder more then a barbarous seruitude which binds not the bodie only but leades them to the flaying of their soules But we will remember thee only It seemes this particle should be opposed to the former thus Albeit these prophane Lords would turne and withdraw vs from vnder thy gouernment yet will we hold our selues fast vnto it because we assuredlie know our selues to belong to thee But there may be gathered from hence a more ample doctrine to wit that although carnall reason is readie to say that such as are made a pray to their enemies and cruellie vexed vnder their tyrannie are forsaken of God yet the Iewes cease not therefore still to reioyce in him notwithstanding they saw him nothing neere vnto them for the only remembrance of his name susteined them and did sweetly feede and nourish their hope Thus there is an opposition of great weight betweene the remembrance of Gods name A singular grace of God it is to cleaue fast vnto him wheÌ„ he seems to forsake vs. and the present feeling of his fauor for it is a rare and singular grace of God constantlie to cleaue vnto him when he seemes to be absent and farre off from vs. Others translate In thee and in thy name but here is no such coniunction To let that passe therefore A Consolation fitting our times this place affords vnto vs such consolation as is exceeding necessarie for our times wherein the peruerse vnthankfulnes of men by casting off the sweet yoke of God haue drawne vpon themselues a grieuous and cruell slauerie neither are we to wonder if we see this tyrannie alreadie exercised euen in many places where the name of God is called vpon The faithfull I say must not therefore be discouraged only let them rest their hopes vpon this consolation to wit God will neuer vtterlie forsake those whose whole ioy and delight consists in the remembrance of his name Let them not feare then I say at any hand to professe this their confidence before all men What confidence Truly that they had rather die ten times then once to recoile back from God Better to die often then once to reuolt and so to darken his glorie For whosoeuer he be that through feare giues place to men They that sin against conscience for feare of men neuer yet tasted in truth how gracious the Lord is let him know for a truth that he hath not as yet rightlie tasted how gracious the Lord is Whilest we enioy the free vse of Gods word then let vs diligentlie exercise our selues in it that so we may arme our selues therewith against the time of need to the end the world may know that we haue not studied it as in a dreame Vers 14. * Or being dead they c The dead shall not liue * Or being slaine they shall not c. neither shall the dead arise * Or for this cause thou hast c. because thou hast visited and scattered them and destroyed all their memorie THe Prophet comes againe to speake of the wofull end of the wicked whose prosperous estate often disquiets and dismaies vs as we may see in the 37. Psal and in the 73.17 That our eies then may not be dazeled in the beholding of present things the Prophet threatens that their end shall be most wofull Others expound this place of the faithfull who seeme so to die in the eyes of the world as if they should neuer rise againe but it is very cleare that he here speakes of the wicked and reprobates which will euidentlie appeere by the contrarie to this which is added in the 19. verse For we haue in this place an opposition betweene the resurrection of the good and the bad whose estates would be little differing one from another vnlesse it should appeere that the one sort were iudged to eternall death Euery iudgement that lights vpon a reprobate in this life is a seale vnto him of his endlesse torment in the life to come and the other to a blessed and an euerlasting life Nay the wicked are not simplie condemned to eternall perdition but all the iudgements of God which befall them in this life are as it were the beginnings and seales vnto them of their endlesse torment for they can not be relieued by any consolation at all Why so Because they inwardly feele that God is their enemie Whereas we haue translated Slaine others reade it Giants but seeing the word Rephaim in many places of the Scriptures is taken for the slaine Psal 88.10 Prou. 2.18 9.18 21.16 it will agree best if wee take it so here otherwise the opposition would not be fitting That which followes For this cause hast thou visited them is put here by way of exposition for he shewes why the reprobates perish without hope of any restauration to wit because God hath determined to cast them away Now what can they expect from Gods wrath which is inflamed against them but death and perdition Vers 15. Thou hast increased the nation O Lord thou hast increased the nation thou art made glorious thou hast enlarged all the coastes of the earth THis verse is diuersly expounded for some think the Prophet shewes how the faithfull are not pressed with one affliction alone but are plunged ouer head and eares as it were in extreme miseries and yet can see no issue out of them Others expound it more simply thus O Lord thou hast inriched thy people with many benefits and so they think that the Prophet mentions those
vnto for the good conseruation of a vine to wit that it be well husbanded and well fenced By watering of it he comprehends whatsoeuer belongs to the dressing and manuring of it wherein he promiseth to leaue no dutie vnperformed whereby the good thereof may be procured But vnto this vigilancie must needs be added for what would it auaile to husband a vine with great labour if afterward it should be left open for theeues and beasts to enter in and spoile it at their pleasures God will neuer cease to supplie his Church with necessarie benefits The Lord promiseth therfore that he will likewise keepe it that no hurt be done vnto it but that the fruites may haue time to ripen and may afterward be reaped in their season Howsoeuer this poore vine be subiect then to many inconueniences by reason of enemies and cruell beasts which will still be assailing of it with great furie yet God promiseth that he will interpose himselfe for her defence so as it shall be kept safe and sound from all dangers Now seeing he hath appointed a certaine day in which we shall sing this song Vers 2. let not our hearts quaile if for a time he withdraw his help from vs. Be it that he leaues vs to be spoiled and vexed for a little while yet will he let vs see in the end that he hath not forgotten vs. Vers 4. Anger is not in me who would set the briars and thornes against me in battell I would goe thorow them I would burne them together THis verse conteines a most sweet consolation in it For the Prophet therein shewes the incredible loue which God beares to his people albeit they be of a peruerse and wicked spirit God takes vpon him heere then as we shall see anon the person of a louing father greatlie offended who is angrie with his sonne yet so that he must needs shew how much he is inclined to pitie and compassion because the ardent loue he beares to his sonne ouercomes all his displeasure God can not so hate his chosen but he makes them feele his fauour In a word he shews that God can not so hate his chosen but that he therewithall will make them feele his fatherlie loue towards them euen in the middest of his corrections wherewith he visits them The Scripture is wont to set forth God vnto vs many waies for sometime it sets him before vs as one whose wrath is kindled and as one terrible to behold againe in other places shewing nothing but mercie and loue Now why is he set forth thus diuerslie Surely because wee are not capable of his goodnes For this cause he is faine to shew himselfe froward with such as are froward and pure with the pure as Dauid shewes Psal 18.26 For he manifests himselfe in such wise vnto vs as we giue him occasion And if he shew himselfe seuere at any time we may thanke the hardnes of our owne hearts for it But the Prophet speakes not here of all indifferentlie but of the Church only to whom he will euer be a father notwithstanding that he chastise and correct her for her sinnes and iniquities His Church shall continue safe then howsoeuer she be vnworthie of such a benefit This verse must be restrained to the Church This sentence therefore must be restrained to the Church that so there may be a relation alwaies had betweene God and his elect whom he can not but dearely loue although his anger be seuere against the reprobate Thus we see the excellencie of this Consolation God can not be angrie with his chosen for if we be sure that we are the called of God we may boldly resolue that he can not be angrie with vs and to speake properlie it is impossible Why so Because he loues vs with such a constant affection as he can neuer lose it I denie not but God at that time hated some euen among this people and yet he calles them his beloued because of his secret adoption Now by how much the more God shewed himselfe good and gratious towards the people by so much the more were they all left without excuse that had prouoked his wrath against them by their rebellions Neither need we doubt but he aggrauates their fault by this circumstāce to wit that he is enforced to change his wonted affection towards them in regard of their frowardnes For hauing spoken of his mildnes he suddenlie cries out Who would set the briars and thornes against me in battaile Or as others translate who will make me like the briar and the thorne Now it were not amisse to reade it VVho will set the briar against me that I may fight as the thorne against it For there is no coniunction copulatiue betweene these two words But I willinglie content my selfe with the first exposition to wit that God wisheth he might haue to do with thornes and briars which he would quicklie consume with the fire of his indignation But if any had rather say that the Prophet here taxeth the doubts which often troubles vs by reason of our owne infidelitie when we feele the anger of God to be kindled against vs as if he should say You much deceiue your selues in that you compare me to a thorne and a briar that is to say in attributing a cruell or froward disposition of nature vnto me if any I say shall thus interpret it I hinder him not to follow the same and yet I suppose it to be besides the Prophets meaning Whereas others also thinke that God here puts vpon him the person of one that is angrie as if he should say I will no longer be so milde nor easie to be intreated as I haue been heretofore this also seemes so constreined that it needs no further refutation I grant that as God is gratious and mercifull by nature so nothing goes more against the same then roughnes and seueritie as one that is constreined to borrow another nature as it were from others when he would shew himselfe angrie But if the text be read as I haue first interpreted it I doubt not but it will be sufficient of it selfe to refute the rest to wit that God takes vp a heauie complaint that he is not to fight rather with thornes then against his vine which he is therefore constreined to spare because it is his inheritance That which followes after J will goe by steps thorow them and burne them doth also confirme mine exposition for burning belongs to thornes and briars all which the Lord would burne euen as if he made war against them and therefore he shewes that he will carrie himselfe more moderately because hee hath to doe with his vine Hence we gather that if the Lord be not angry with vs If God refraine his anger towards vs it is not for our merits but for his free election sake wee are not to attribute it to our owne merits or deserts but to his owne free election For
should euen desire to haue companie with Asses and horses I grant our Prophet doth not simply condemne al leagues with idolaters in this place but hee respects that prohibition which was expressed in the very law of God it selfe Deut. 17.16 Exod. 13.17 to wit that they should haue no association with the Egyptians at all Hee is thus moued to indignation against the Iewes therefore chiefly in regard of this prohibition because it could not bee but Gods dishonour must of necessitie be ioyned with this their running downe as desperate men into Egypt This is the cause why hee calles them peruerse and ebellious children which phrase wee haue expounded in the first Chapter Chap. 1.4 His meaning is that either they were men sunke deepe in their obstinacie wittingly and willingly reuolting from God or that they were so rooted in obstinacie that there was no soundnesse nor integritie left in them In the very entrance then hee chrageth them that they were men giuen vp to their owne counsels and therewithall did cast off the Lord. Although some expound To spread the effusion or shedding and that it agrees with the Prophets meaning yet others in mine owne opinion haue turned it better to wit who couer the seceret and this reading I haue followed The reason is because he speakes here of counsels and priuie plots by which in thinking to deceiue the Prophets their meaning was indeed to flee from Gods presence Those which translate That they may couer themselues with a couering are grosly mistaken for albeit the Iewes sought to the Egyptians for securitie yet doth the Prophet rather aime at their wilie plottings of which I spake erewhile and both the expositions come all to one sense Now hee repeates one and the same thing by three phrases of speech first that they couered their counsels from God secondly that they asked not counsell at his mouth and thirdly that they would not be gouerned by his Spirit For those that are caried away with a conceit of their owne wit doe willingly giue themselues to cunning deuices whereby they may couer their infidelitie and rebellion and for as much as it was not their meaning to obey Gods word therefore they neuer craued the direction of his Spirit Thence comes that sorrowfull and wofull euent for it cannot be auoided but those counsels and determinations which the Lord gouernes not must come to a miserable and fatall end Counsels that are not directed by God must needes haue a fatall end They that take counsell from Gods word shall be sure to be directed by Gods Spirit What wisdome is there but that which proceedes out of his mouth Let vs seeke vnto it then that is to say let vs aske counsell of his word so shall wee also haue the direction and gouernement of his Spirit from whence proceedes all wisdome and counsell But wee are to note that the word and the Spirit are matched together which crosseth those fantasticall spirits who leaue the word forsooth to aspire to Oracles and secret reuelations And thus they would come vnto God but they will not keepe the Kings high way as they say nay rather despising it What doe they else then but striue to flie without wings as the prouerb Prouerbe is Let vs therefore hold vs fast to this principle Principle that whatsoeuer we consult or enterprise in the whole course of our life without warrant from Gods word will in the end deceiue vs because we begin at the wrong end for that onely ought to be our guide And surely if we doe but well bethinke vs of our owne ignorance or rather our great brutishnesse wee may easilie bee brought to confesse that our madnes is worthy to be condemned to wit if we shal thinke our selues so wise as not to vouchsafe to inquire at Gods mouth If any obiect Obiect that all things are not comprehended in the holy Scriptures neither doth it in euerie small circumstance resolue our doubts I answere Ans all things whatsoeuer that concerne the well ordering of our life is fully conteined therein Let vs then once conclude in our selues If we will yeeld our selues to be ruled by Gods word he will not suffer vs long to linger in our doubtings that the word of God shall haue the rule ouer our thoughts and actions and that we seeke to square them according vnto that then may we be sure that God will neuer suffer vs to hang long in suspence but will giue vs a way and passage out of all difficulties and incombrances And yet it may be wee shall wait long for the accomplishment of this worke but in the end it is certaine the Lord will deliuer and draw vs out of them all if we be willing and readie to obey him Be it therefore that we are carefull in laboring seeking after such meanes as may serue Gods prouidence yet must we alwaies nourish this meditation in our brest to wit that we begin nothing till we be assured that the thing is well-pleasing Begin nothing till thou beest assured that thou takest in hand is pleasing to the Lord. and acceptable in his sight The Prophet we see then condemnes the boldnes of such who seeke to succour themselues by vnlawfull causes thinking that way to prosper best when they vse all meanes be it right or wrong euen as if they meant thereby to be their owne sauiours Now it is certaine that this proceeds from infidelitie and distrust because they thinke God to be insufficient to saue them vnlesse they yet runne to seeke help of strangers although it be flatlie forbidden them From thence comes those vnlawfull contracts and craftie conueyances by meanes whereof men thinke their affaires shall haue better successe then if they walked honestlie and vprightlie one with another Wee for our parts doe see infinite examples of this vnbeliefe in all the parts of mens liues for they thinke themselues as good as vndone Men for the most part thinke themselues vndone vnlesse they liue by vnlawfull meanes if they should make it their resolution to be content with the only blessing of Almightie God and to deale truly and iustly with men But let vs know that we are not only cast off and forsaken but cursed of God as soone as we bend our selues to seeke defence from vnlawful helps Let all our enterprises counsels and studies therefore begin at Gods reuealed will It is our dutie alwaies to waigh with our selues what he commands or forbids that so being whollie deuoted to his seruice and to the obedience of his Commandements we may suffer our selues to be guided by his Spirit which if we refuse to do then shall our presumption cost vs the setting on as they say He saith that they laid sinne vpon sinne because the Iewes did nothing else by their goodly preparations wherwith they thought to furnish themselues but dasht their foot against the same stone and of one euill made twaine which was too
will bind vp our wounds which may otherwise seeme mortall and deadly Quest Now if any aske why the Lord deales thus seuerely with his children I answer Ans wee seldome profit in his feare when he vseth vs mildely for our vices are so rooted in vs and cling so fast to our bones that they cannot bee cut off vnlesse God whet his razor verie sharpe and keene Vers 27. Behold the name of the Lord commeth from farre his face is burning and the burthen thereof is heauie his lips are full of indignation and his tongue is as a deuouring fire HEe foretels the destruction of the Assyrians which were then the principall enemies of the Church I grant the Iewes had almost no neighbours that were borderers but they were against them notwithstanding in respect the Assyrians were the richest and mightiest of all others the Prophet scarcely mentions any but them and the Babylonians who had bin Monarks ouer nations although sometimes by a figure called synecdoche the Caldeans are signified vnder the name of the Assyrians By the name of God he meanes God himselfe but he vseth this circumlocution in regard the Assyrians and the rest of the nations serued goddes of gold and siluer For they mocked the Iews as if they had worshipped a God in name onely Why so Because they represented him not forth by some shape or image as we read of a certaine prophane Poet A prophane Poet. who vsed to say of them in scorne that they worshipped the clouds and a diuinitie that was shut vp in heauen See how infidels and prophane persons iudge of God according to their outward senses but our Prophet brings the faithfull to this name of God As if he should say This God which hath manifested himselfe vnto you by his name The God whom wee neither feele nor see with outward senses is sufficient to auenge the wrongs done to his church this God whom you neither touch nor see shall come and shall auenge the wrongs done vnto you From farre He addes this by way of yeelding or granting so much as it were vnto the idolaters For as long as the wicked feele not the hand of God they thinke him far off and in the meane while deride the faithfull as if they trusted in vanitie The prophet therefore speaking according to the opinion of the vnbeleeuers shewes that that same God whom they esteeme so far off shall come or rather that hee is already come and is hard at hand This he signifies by the particle Behold which he opposeth to the word farre off and therein admonishing the faithfull also to passe ouer all impediments that they may come to the hope of this promised redemption Now to shew that Gods name is not worshipped in vaine nor without fruit in Iudeah the Prophet sets before them his fearefull power His face is burning which he will manifest for the ouerthrow of the enemies of his Church For when he speakes to the faithfull he sets him forth gentle louing patient slow to anger and pitifull to put life as it were into them but to the vnbeleeuers he proposeth nothing but horrors and terrors So that where the wicked tremble at the very naming of God the faithfull being allured by the sense of his bountie goodnes do sweetlie repose themselues vnder the shadow of his wings and are not oppressed with such feares Hence we are taught alwaies to keepe our hearts in a reuerent awe of God lest we finde him such a one to vs as the Prophet here describes him to the wicked Where he saith the burthen of the Lord is heauie to beare his meaning is that God will bring such heauie calamities with him when he comes that the wicked shall sinke vnder them for by this weight he vnderstands the strokes which they shall receiue He also expresseth the same thing in mentioning the lips and tongue Quest But wherefore did he rather name them then his hands Ans Surely the wicked mock at all the threatnings which are published vnto thē out of Gods word and esteeme whatsoeuer the Prophets say no better then fables But they shall feele one day to their cost that this sound which proceeds out of Gods sacred mouth is no vaine word neither yet a thunder which only strikes the eares but they shall in the end feele the force of this word which they haue despised Vers 28. And his spirit is as a riuer that ouerfloweth vp to the neck it deuideth asunder to fanne the nations with the fanne of vanitie and there shall be a bridle to cause them to erre in the charets of the people HE goes on with the denunciation which he began in the 27. verse as if he should say The Church in deed must passe vnder the rod yet so as the Assyrians in the end shall vtterlie come to nought For he saith that they shall be swallowed vp of the Spirit of the Lord which he compares to a deepe riuer First similitude of a deepe Riuer Others take the word Spirit for Breath so as it should be an allusion to the whirlewind or to some boisterous tempest In the next place he vseth the similitude of a fanne Second similitude of ◠Fanne which is very frequent in the scriptures and saith that he wil fanne the Assyrians to shake them out and to scatter them For this cause also he addes the word vanitie that is to say an vnprofitable Fanne which cannot retaine or keepe any thing but loseth whatsoeuer is put within it For we know God is wont sometimes to sift and fanne his owne deere children but it is to gather thē into his floore as good wheate The third similitude is taken from a bridle The third of a Bridle whereby the Lord vseth sometimes to tame the pride and fiercenes of the wicked in a word to shew that he is their Iudge I denie not but he also bridles and curbs his seruants and children but it is to bring them to tracktablenes for the wicked he raines them vp so hard that he tumbles them into perdition and that is the meaning of this clause where he saith it is a bridle to cause them to erre For fierce horses are tugged this way and that way by their riders and the more they wince the more they spurre them God likewise keepes the wicked short and handles them so roughlie that they erre at euery blow hee giues them as Dauid well describes it Psal 32.10 The end why the Prophet vseth these similitudes Now the end of these similitudes is to teach vs that there is no dallying with God For albeit he forbeares vs for a time yet at the last we shall prooue the Prophets words true to wit that his spirit or breath shall be enough to swallow vp the wicked and suddenlie to consume them no lesse then if a flood had passed ouer their heads To conclude seeing he shewes that the nations were to be fanned in the fanne of
one deserues no reproofe if so be hee therein derogates nothing from Gods power But it is vtterly abominable and damnable if we suffer our selues so to bee intangled in these outward helpes as thereby vtterly to neglect seeking vnto God and in distrusting his gracious promises to desire to trust in vnlawfull meanes The word to looke signifies often in the Scriptures This trust and confidence because wee are wont to looke wishly towards them from whom we looke for succor Act. 3.5 To be short wee are here taught to put the trust of our saluation in none but in God alone that so wholly resting our selues vpon his promises we may goe with boldnesse and aske whatsoeuer is to be desired He permits vs lawfully to vse all things which he hath ordained for our good yet so that all the powers of our soules doe stay vpon him alone In calling him the holy one of Israel hee sets forth the frowardnesse and vnthankfulnesse of this people that being receiued into Gods faithfull protection they cared not to contemne so gracious a protector and guardian of their saluation but chose rather to runne after the lusts of their owne hearts In the last word of the verse In adding forthwith the name of God hee shewes that they could not bee kept in awe neither by the power nor goodnesse of so louing a Father Now since it pleaseth him at this day to allure vs by no lesse fauourable kindnesses to come vnto him wee shall play the rebels egregiously if we looke any other way or if we refuse to rest in him onely Looke whatsoeuer it is then that turnes the eyes of our mindes from looking directly vnto God shall bee the same to vs as Egypt was to the Iewes Vers 2. But yet hee is * Or wise also wisest Therefore hee will bring euill and not turne backe his word but hee will rise against the house of the wicked and against the helpe of them that worke vanitie VVHere he calles God wise hee adornes him not with a perpetuall epithite but taxeth the craft and subtiltie of those whom hee saw to please themselues in their wisdome more then was meete Chap. 19.15 Hee told them a little before that they digged deepe to couer their counsels when by their close and secret practises they thought to flee and yet to bleare the eyes of the Lord. Now in taunting wise hee derides their follie as if hee should say No doubt but you thought your selues to be iollie wise men in so doing yea but you haue to deale with a God that hath wisdome also to espie your plots well enough Iob. 5.19 1. Cor. 3.19 Wherein hee priuily taxeth them for such as imagined that God could not charge them with any thing or as if hee had bin one that was vtterly vnacquainted with their doings In a word it is as much as if hee should haue said What will become of this goodly wisdome of yours in the end will it bereaue God of his Spirit Nay contrariwise in reprouing you for your deceit and vanitie he will shew by the effects that hee catcheth the wise in their craftinésse 1. Cor. 3.19 Hence wee may gather a doctrine that is well enough knowne to wit that whosoeuer they be that couer their doings by crafty and close practises shall be so far off from benefiting themselues any thing at all thereby that they shall so much the more inflame the iust displeasure of God against them An euil conscience alwaies flees from the iudgement of God Chap. 30.1 An euill conscience alwaies flees Gods presence and seekes out corners wherein to burie it selfe if it were possible out of his sight The wicked deuise many waies to defend their sinnes and to make their partie good against God pleasing themselues in their wisdome and subtilties albeit in so doing they haue no cloke or maske to hide themselues vnder that is of any value Others being blinded with their owne greatnesse are bold to despise God and all his threatnings And therefore when the prophet saith that God is wise also he toucheth the soare to the quicke to the end they might nourish no such good conceit of their craftie deuices as if they could thereby ouerreach the Lord. Now in regard they were vnworthy that Isaiah should stand ouer-long to pleade the case with them therefore he tels them flatly that God hath store of arguments ready to snare these politike heads withall For first of all they imagined that God tooke little or no heede how things went in the world because they forsooth were left to sinke or swim as they say in the middest of so many dangers And secondly they esteemed his menaces to be nought else but so many scar-crowes Taking it as a thing granted therefore that it was lawfull for euery one to prouide for his owne safetie from hence sprang this headines to run any way and that boldnesse to bee still plotting new deuices The Prophet shewes then that God will auenge the wrongs which were done vnto him and that all things are in a readinesse for the execution thereof moreouer that his word could not bee violated or ouerthrowne by no deuices nor subtile practises of men He calles them workers of vanitie because they indeuored to fortifie themselues against Gods vengeance with a vaine and vnlawfull defence that is to say with the helpe of the Egyptians In the first clause of this verse he seemed after a sort to yeeld them the title of wise men because hee opposed thereunto the wisdome of God but now hauing dispersed their mists hee discouers to the whole world their iust shame and reproch Hence wee are taught that it is safest for vs to renounce our owne reason and to subiect it onely to the will of God Why so Because there is no stabilitie nor stedfastnesse at all in the plottings of vnbeleeuers nay they rather wittingly incense and prouoke Gods wrath to burne against them by these their wittie deuices Vers 3. Now the Egyptians are men and not God and their horses flesh and not spirit and when the Lord shall stretch forth his hand the helper shall fall and they shall altogether faiâ—â— IT seemes that Isaiah vtters nothing here but that which euery one knowes neither would any man stand to call the truth thereof into question For who would be so mad as to affirme either that the Egyptians were God or to denie that they were men This was out of controuersie and therefore euery one would willingly assent vnto it for the generall But to come to particularities there they were so blockish or stood in such a mammering that they called that truth into question of which before they were fully resolued Thus they waxed proud taking themselues to be no more men and that they might vtterly free themselues from yeelding obedience vnto God For this cause we are often admonished in the holy Scriptures not to trust in man because nothing is more vain theÌ„
seriouslie therein consider Gods iust reuenging hand Vers 16. Seeke in the booke of the Lord and reade none of these shall faile none shall want her make for his mouth hath commanded and his very spirit hath gathered them BY the booke of the Lord some vnderstand this prophecie as if he stirred them vp to reade it diligently and so it is as if he should say not one title of it shall faile when the time is expired as he addes by by after Others expound it more subtillie of Gods eternall decree thus Search whether he hath not so ordained it but this exposition is too farre fetched The word Law expounded I expound it of the law it selfe therefore which by way of excellencie is called the booke of the Lord because out of it the Prophets drew all their doctrine as we haue often told you heretofore That the noueltie of such a fact then should not make them reiect this prophecie Isaiah saith that they were aduertised of it long before and thus hee priuily taxeth their incredulitie for remaining so grosse conceited as to esteeme this thing altogether new and vnheard of Now he hath good reason to bring them to the law wherein God so often declares that he will haue care of his people and will punish the wicked sort Seeing Moses therefore spake of it so long agoe the Prophet saith that none ought to be so incredulous touching the truth of his prophecie seeing he telles them of no strange matters but onely confirmes that which Moses hath long since testified and taught This I take to be the natiue sense of our Prophet who by these words meant to fortifie the Iewes to the end they should wait with patience for the promise of the Lord as being assured that the euent would manifest the truth of those things which were alreadie foretold to fall vpon the Idumeans and other enemies of the Church Why so Because Moses had testified without cause of blame that God would alwaies protect and defend his people Againe it was needfull they should be aduertised hereof that when the Idumeans should be thus dealt withall indeed they might not thinke it fell out by chance but might acknowledge God the author of this iudgement For such is the peruersitie of mans nature that he beleeues not though he be forewarned till the very pinch and besides hee is giuen to attribute that vnto fortune which proceedes from the iust iudgement of God Isaiah therefore preuents these inconueniences in willing them to aske of Moses touching the truth hereof because hee was reuerenced of all in respect of his authoritie None of them to wit of the beasts for the Hebrewes vse these two wordes Isch and Ishah not only when they speake of men and women but also of males and females of all kinds For his mouth He confirmes that which he said before for albeit Gods works be manifest inough yet he makes vs comprehend them better by his mouth that is to say by his word that thereby wee may haue a clearer sight of them and this is the right viewing of the works of God to wit when with a quick eie we behold them in the cleere glasse of his word For we are too bold and presumptuous and giue our selues the raines too much vnlesse we be guided by this heauenlie doctrine as it were by torch-light The pride and ouerweening of men therefore is here to be repressed Men erre because they seaâ—ch not the Scriptures Mar. 12 who will call into question and censure the iudgements of God and all his workes without being ruled by his word for if they would seeke in his booke and aske at his mouth wee should see greater pietie and religion in them then there is Now the Prophet in speaking of the mouth of the Lord meant to confirme that which was said before touching this iudgement the reason is because nothing can faile of that which issues out of his sacred mouth Isaiah affirmes it to be a thing impossible then that that which is once decreed of God which he also hath coÌ„manded him to publish in his name should euer be called backe by any meanes And thus with this buckler hee repulseth all the difficulties which easilie ariseth as oft as the promises of God doe surmount our reach I grant he sometimes threatens with condition as he threatned Abimelec Gen. 12.17 and Pharaoh Gen. 20.3 and the Niniuites Ionah 1.2 whom afterwards hee pardoned because they repented but if he haue once determined to punish men indeed hee will shew by the effects that hee is both true of his word and able to performe it as well as hee is able to deliuer his in the time of neede This the Prophet expresseth againe when he maketh the mouth and spirit or breath to consent together for albeit the spirit of the mouth and the word doe often signifie one and the same thing and that the Hebrewes are wont to repeate one thing twice yet here he makes an elegant allusion vnto the breath from which the words proceed and of which they be formed as if he should say this prophecie shall not want his efficacie because God who by his voice hath commanded the brute heasts to possesse Idumea wil also draw them thither with his onely breath Now hee speakes of a secret inspiration What maruell is it then if all beasts assemble themselues together at Gods first becke as we see it came to passe in the deluge yea euen in the creation of the world when Moses testifies that at Gods commandement all beasts came by and by vnto man to subiect themselues vnder his gouernment Gen. 2.19 7.15 The bruit beasts would haue been subiect to man if man himselfe had been subiect to God And would they not thinke you haue been subiect and obedient to him still if he himselfe had not been depriued of this authoritie by his owne rebellion But being now reuolted from God the beasts forthwith began to band themselues against him and to offer violence vnto him Vers 16. And hee hath cast the lots for them and his hand hath diuided it vnto them by line they shall smite the eares in speaking and should not therewithall cause the same to sinke into our hearts all would be to no purpose In that he attributes this efficacie vnto the word then let vs also therein know that it is himselfe from whom that power proceeds that so it might not be spoken fruitleslie but might worke inwardlie vpon the conscience The Lord works not vpon all nor at all times inwardly vpon mens consciences not at all times nor vpon all but then when it pleaseth him thus to worke by the secret power of his holy spirit Hence we gather that by the same word we be brought into the right way of Gods seruice for without it we should remaine ignorant all our reason would faile and not only stagger but our infidelitie would make vs become whollie brutish It
temptation also in that he keeps himselfe close to the meanes ordained of God and desires to heare his voice by the mouth of his Prophet Isaiah For albeit he rested vpon none but God only yet he reiects not the testimonie of a mortall man like himselfe and this is the cause why the title of the Prophet is here expreslie mentioned because he sent to Isaiah to be confirmed by some new prophesie And thus he names him not as a priuat man but as the seruant of the Lord whose office it was to comfort the King by some word of consolation There are two notable remedies then by which we are succoured in affliction Two soueraigne remedies by which we may receiue comfort in affliction First we must call vpon God for his deliuerance Secondly we must send for the Prophets of God if they be to be found that they may giue vs some word of consolation for it is their charge to comfort and refresh the afflicted by setting the pretious promises of life before them But if Prophets be wanting yet we shall haue sufficient and full consolation in the word it selfe For we must aske counsell of these Prophets which God hath sent not only during the terme of their liues but for euer afterwards and of those that succeed them for although themselues be dead 2. Pet. 1.19 yet we haue their bookes still with vs their doctrine liues and shall remaine for euer but the summe is we must alwaies aske counsell of God Some may demand Quest whether Hezekias was not sufficiently instructed and furnished with the promises was it not a signe of infidelitie in him then to seeke for new promises of the Prophet I answere Ans It is not to be imputed to him for infidelitie or distrust that he seekes a new promise because being best acquainted with his owne infirmitie he was not ashamed to seeke new confirmations of his faith The flesh alwaies solicits vs to distrust The flesh euermore solicits vs to distrust therefore we ought neuer to despise new succors therefore we ought not at any time to despise new supplies nay rather it stands vs in hand to vse all the best meanes we can to beate back the multitudes of temptations which dayly presse vs. For Satan inuirons vs so close on euery side that if we be not well furnished indeed it is not possible for vs to wind out of his snares and intanglings Although we be well instructed in Gods word then and haue learned that he will surely help vs in the day of trouble yet when some extraordinarie surge or waue ariseth it is all the need then to get vs to the mouth of the Lord againe and againe Although our faith be well confirmed in theâ— promises yet vpon new assaults we ought once yea twice to get new confirmatioÌ„s from the mouth of the Lord. and still to seeke out new confirmations to comfort quicken and strengthen our faith We haue no particular prophesies now but we ought to applie the generals to our particular vses because they were written for our learning Rom. 15. In that Hezekias sent Ambassadors to Isaiah and went not himselfe it was because he praid in the Temple for it appeares the mourning was generall in regard that both the elders and counsellers were clothed in sackcloth it is also very probable that the King had proclaimed a publike fast Let vs also note that Isaiah liued not in the Kings house to giue himselfe to iollitie there but in his absence God meant to proue the faith of this good King Vers 4. If so bee the Lord thy God hath heard the words of Rabshekeh whoÌ„ the King of Ashur his master hath sent to raile on the liuing God and to reproch him with words which the Lord thy God hath heard then lift thou vp thy praier for the remnant that are left Obiect IT seemes that Hezekias doubts whether the Lord would heare or no for the particle Vlai is translated if peraduenture and it is taken in this sense almost throrowout the whole Scripture Ans But we must note that the faithfull are accustomed to speake thus though they bee most assured that God will succor them They are indeed somewhat perplexed but it is onely in regard of the difficultie of the temptation wherewith they are pressed Hezekias might well doubt if we looke vpon the estate as it then presently stood but hauing turned his eies towards the word of God hee became more certaine of Gods will and then ceased to tremble any more Now because it cannot be auoided but the flesh will alwaies fight against the spirit in the faithfull and so ouercharge them that they are faine still to drag the wing or to traile the leg after them they sometimes fit their words according to the difficultie which presents it selfe before them And in other places we may obserue that Gods seruants haue spoken on this manner though the matter were out of doubt For when Saint Peter exhorted Simon the Magician to repentance Acts 8.22 he addes If paraduenture the thought of thine heart may be forgiuen thee but hee therein counsels him not to tremble or to pray in vnbeliefe because such a praier had been in vaine but he sets before him the greatnesse of his sinne that hee might quicken him vp with the greater feruencie to awaken at the last that hee might proue a true conuert indeed This word if then is not put here in a doubtfull sense but signâ—fies that which wee vsually speake it may be when we dare hope or promise something to our selues Neither doth Hezechias speake thus as if God vnderstand not what the wicked say or as if he were vtterly ignorant of it but because this principle was fixed in his heart to wit that the Lord is neer vnto all such as call vpon him in truth he now therefore armes himselfe with praiers and is fully resolued to withstand all distrust And for as much as he could not attaine the goale without great strife he saith peraduenture or it may be Note also that he addes heere two sorts of hearing which in part resolues this question True it is that at the first there seemes to be some repugnancie in these words It may be hee will heare the words which he hath heard but it is a very apt kind of speech for Hezekias is certainly perswaded that nothing is hidden from God He onely disputes in himselfe whether God would examin this miscreants blasphemies For in regard that he often defers his punishments for a time and seemes to winke at mens impieties it seemed that hee now also tooke no knowledge of these blasphemies Lastly he takes it for granted that all things are manifest naked before Gods eies onely he askes in some perplexitie whether the Lord indeed will shew himselfe displeased with Rabshekehs railing by some outward signe or no that is not to let him escape any longer vnpunished To be short he desires to
thee but it is writen faire in plaine tables for hauing chosen thee I afterwards gaue thee my law that thou shouldest not wander hither and thither but mightest keepe thy selfe loiall vnto mee that so I might performe my promise concerning thy saluation As touching that which followes and not cast thee away it seemes both superfluous and that it comes in out of place were it not that it is an vsuall thing so to doe with the Hebrewes which also hath great weight in it For thereby hee expresseth the stedfastnesse of their election as if he should say I haue not left or forsaken thee though thou hast giuen me many occasions for the ingratitude of the Iewes was so great that hee had iust cause to haue cast them off but that hee meant to shew himselfe to bee that God who changeth not Now that which is said of them belongs also to vs for this sentence of the Apostle is perpetuall Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Howsoeuer then hee casts off the greater part of the world in regard of their incredulitie yet he alwaies reserues to himselfe some seede of adoption that so the calling may remaine in some sprigs neither indeed can Gods election be altered by the peruersitie of men And therefore let vs remember that God hath chosen vs on this condition that wee should still remaine in his house and familie God hath chosen vs but vpon condition that we continue in his familie albeit by good right we deserue to bee driuen out of it Vers 10. Feare thou not for I am with thee bee not afraid for I am thy God * Or yet or certainly I will c. I will strengthen thee and helpe thee and I will sustaine thee with the right hand of my iustice BEcause the former doctrine was to settle the peoples hearts touching their quiet resting vpon Gods prouidence the Prophet thence concludes that they ought not to feare hauing so many benefits set before their eies in which they might euidently discerne the loue which God bare vnto them The reason which he addes for I am vvith the is diligently to be obserued For this is the sure foundation of our confidence to wit which being once fixed in our hearts we shall stand fast and inuincible against all manner of temptations as on the contrarie when wee thinke God is absent or doubt whether he wil assist vs or not feare surprizeth vs and carries vs floting vp and down through many waues of distrust But if wee rest vnmoueable vpon this foundation there is no calamities nor tempests whatsoeuer that can ouerwhelme vs. And yet the Prophets meaning is not that the faithfull can be so confident Faith is neuer so firme that it should not be assailed with wauerings yet at last it gets the victory that feare should no more assaile thē but notwithstanding they haue wauerings in their hearts and be often solicited to distrust vpon diuers occasions yet they resist the same with such constancie that faith at the last gets the victorie For it is incident to vs by nature to feare and to lie full of doubtings but such a vice is to bee corrected by this meditation God is vvith me to helpe and takes care for my saluation Some reade it in the preterperfect tence I haue helped thee but I reade it in the future I vvill helpe the. I also expound the Hebrew particle Ak Yet it being often vsed in this sense in other places It may also be taken for Certainly but I leaue the choice to the readers discretion If wee take it in the preterperfect this particle will be as much as Yea or Likewise Vnder the word iustice the Scripture not onely comprehends equitie but also the Lords fidelitie in preseruing his Church For he shewes his iustice when hee defends his children against the conspiracies and sundry plots of their aduersaries He calles the right hand of his iustice then that whereby he manifests his fidelitie and iustice Whence we are to gather a singular consolation to wit that we ought not to feare seeing the Lord is determined to protect and defend his seruants for it is not possible he should either put off or renounce his iustice Vers 11. Behold all that prouoke thee shall bee ashamed and confounded they shall bee as nothing and they that striue with thee shall perish THe Prophet promiseth the Iewes assured helpe against their aduersaries for if hee had giuen them hope of their deliuerance and had made no mention of their enemies their minds might haue been forestalled with many such perplexed thoughts as these It is true indeed that God promiseth much touching our deliuerance out of all perils but yet we see our aduersaries the stronger who deale cruelly and vnciuilly with vs. Where is then that saluation so oft and so largely promised See heere therefore a circumstance added to the generall promise As if he should reply I grant your enemies florish and yet at the last they shall be ashamed and confounded Deliuerance is promised but it is vpon condition that you abide the brunt of your enemies and buckle hand to hand diuers waies with them For we must not promise to our selues any worldly rest or tranquillitie heere because wee must alwaies bee ready armed to fight Vers 12. Thou shalt seeke them and shalt not finde them to wit the men * Or that plead with thee of thy strife for they shall be as nothing and the men that war against thee as a thing of nought THou shalt seeke That is to say if thou seekest them For we vse not to seeke out enemies after they are put to flight Therefore I thinke it should be construed thus if thou seekest them thou shalt not find them because they shall be cut off and brought to nothing Wee must note here that there are two sorts of enemies Two sorts of enemies the first sort assailes vs by open violence the second by words that is to say they rent vs with slanders cursings and reuilings Not onely so but they summon vs to their courts as if their cause were iust and good nay they bring vs before the iudgement seates and often accuse vs of those crimes whereof themselues are the authors But such are the crafts of Satan Satans policies whose seruants seeing these are what maruell is it if they tread in the steps of their lord and master First then the Prophet speakes of pleaders and next of the armed enemies which dealt roughly with the Church What wonder is it then if we be exercised with false accusations Nay wee must not thinke it strange if many companions fell themselues to Antichrist as his vassals to reuile and slander vs Antichrists hirelings seeing the same hath befallen the Prophets and other seruants of God Vers 13. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying vnto thee Feare not I will helpe thee THe Prophet shewed vs
out by chance Hee repeates againe though thou hast not knowne me to confirme this point the better to wit that Cyrus obtained nothing of God but for Iacobs sake vers 4. first that he might thankfully acknowledge so great a benefit and as a testimonie of his thankfulnesse hee might indeuor to shew kindnes to the people of God Vers 6. That they may know from the rising of the Sunne and from the West that there is none besides me I am the Lord and there is none other God would haue the memory of his mercies retained in his Church THe Prophets meaning is that this worke should bee so excellent that all nations should extol and magnifie Gods name therein yet was it not forthwith accomplished For albeit the fame of this victory was spread far and neere yet few perceiued that the God of Israel was the author of it But after it was manifested to those that dwelt neere it was divulged also to others till at last the newes thereof came to the vvhole vvorld Neither doth hee foretell what should by and by fall out but that which was afterwards to be accomplished notwithstanding these things were a long time concealed The Lord then would not suffer the remembrance of such a deliuerance to vanish but would haue the same to be called to mind by continuall admonitions to the end the nations furthest remote might celebrate the memorie of this deliuerance from generation to generation euen to the worlds end Wee ought likewise to obserue that which I haue touched before to wit that the Prophet ioines the first prophecies with the last because the returne of the people was as a beginning and forerunner of the generall deliuerance to come And thus he speakes of the true and perfect restauration of the Church Adde also that although men by their malice and vnthankfulnesse should burie these glorious works in obliuion See the first section after the seuenth verse for the further exposition of this sixt verse yet it followes not thereupon that the same should not cleerely shine in the view of the whole world for they cease not to retaine their glorie stil though the blind worldlings haue no eies to behold them Vers 7. I forme the light and create darknesse I make peace and create euill I the Lord doe all these things AS if he should say Those who were wont to attribute all things to fortune As I thinke this whole section belongs to the sixt verse or to Idols shall now know the true God so as they shalt attribute all power and glory yea and the administration of all things to him only He speakes not of a perfect knowledge albeit the same be required to attaine vnto the vnderstanding of former things Now seeing the Prophet affirmes that the very Pagans shall vnderstand that this whole action is ordered and gouerned by the prouidence of God it ought to make those that beare the name of Christians to blush when they rob him of his power to giue it to diuers sorts of gouernours forged in the shop of their owne braines as they doe in the Papacie For what an acknowledging of God call you that to giue him onely bare and naked titles For as he is the true and onely God so must wee ascribe vnto him his absolute and full authoritie which hee hath in ordering disposing of all things at his pleasure both in heauen and in earth By these words of light and darknes vnder a figure he vnderstands as well peace and war as prosperite and aduersitie Light and darknesse taken for prosperitie and aduersitie Obiect Ans Afterwards according to the phrase of the Hebrewes he extends the word peace to all good successes which plainly appeares by the opposition for he not onely opposeth peace to war but to all other mishaps Some giddy heads wrest this word euill as if God were the author of it but it is euident enough to him that hath eies to see how shamefully they abuse our Prophets testimony For that which is plainly opposed expounds the signification of the word adde if you will that the members ought to be referred one to another for he opposeth peace to euill that is to say to wars calamities and other aduersities If he had opposed righteousnesse to euill they might haue had some pretext but this opposition of things so directly contrary is easilie vnderstood And yet the common distinction is not to be reiected to wit that God is the author of the euill of punishment but not of the fault God is not the author of euill as some would haue him A common distinction God the author of the euill of punishment not of the fault A false doctrine of the Sophisters 1. King 11.14 23. But the Sophisters doe expound it amisse for although they confesse that famine plague warre vnfruitfull seasons and such like scourges doe come of God yet they denie him to be the author thereof when they befall vs by reason of men Which is a false doctrine and vtterly crosseth the Prophets words for the Lord often raiseth vp the wicked to correct vs by their hand as it appeares by many testimonies of the Scripture I grant the Lord inspires not euill into them but he vseth it as a meanes to chastise vs and therein performes the office of a iust Iudge Did he not so serue himselfe of Pharaohs hardnesse of heart Exod. 2.23 1.11 and others to afflict his people Let vs therefore hold fast this doctrine to wit that God onely is the author of all things God the author of all things and how that is to say he sends aduersitie and prosperitie howsoeuer hee vseth mens industries therein that so nothing may bee attributed to fortune or to anie other cause whatsoeuer Vers 8. Ye heauens send downe dew from aboue and let the clowdes droppe downe righteousnesse let the earth open and let saluation and iustice grow forth let it bring them forth together I the Lord haue created him The doctrine of this verse was very effectuall to confirme the faithfull in the expectation of their deliuerance to come SOme thinke this should be a forme of praier which the faithfull were to vse in waiting for that deliuerance whereof the Prophet speakes And thus they ioine this verse to the former The Lord will not deliuer you by and by it shall be your duties therefore to solicit him by your praiers But I expound it otherwise to wit that the Prophet speakes still in the name of the Lord who in regard of his absolute power hath heauen and earth at his becke and heere commands them in his name to apply themselues to further the restauration of the Church This verse therefore hath great force in it to confirme the faithfull in the hope of their redemption to come for which way soeuer the Iewes turned their eies they saw nothing but matter of despaire If they looked towards heauen behold God an
vse and end that men might be nourished and susteined vvith the fruites it bringeth forth no doubt but he hath giuē it to his childrē in the first place Gods children haue or ought to haue the first place in the earth Our minds must be vpheld by hope by which we may manfully resist temptations and that in a soueraigne degree of honor aboue others I grant wee see not this come alwaies thus to passe and therefore our minds must be framed to be vpheld by hope that so wee may stand firme and inuincible against all sorts of temptations In a word the Church of God shall stand as long as the foundations of the earth remaine for it shall be established before God as the Sunne and Moone in the firmament Psal 89.36.37 In Chap. 54.9 he will vse an argument of greater force to wit If the couenant which was made with Noah touching the constant estate of the world be firme Gen. 9.9 much more shall his promise made to his Church be sure and permanent for the world is corruptible and perishable but the Church which is Christs kingdome shall remaine for euer The Church remaines for euer The promises therefore which are made concerning her must needes be more firme and stable then any thing besides Now because the earths principall ornament stands in her being inhabited the Prophet addes that it was not created to be vvaste but for men to conuerse in If any shall obiect Obiect on the contrary that the earth was without forme and void euen after it was created as it appeares in Genes 1.2 where Moses vseth the same word Tohu that the Prophet heere doth which signifies without forme Ans and emptie the solution is easie for the Prophet speakes not of th◠beginning of the creatiō but of Gods purpose by which hee ordained the earth for mens vse and abode The Prophet then contradicts not Moses at all seeing he hath respect to the vse and end As touching that which followes to be inhabited it extends it selfe to all mankind in generall to wit the earth is ordained for all men to dwell vpon For whence comes it to passe that the Lord nourisheth vs prouides all necessaries for vs yea and sustaines the very wicked The reason why God continues sinfull man vpon the earth Is it not that his decree might continue stedfast because hee hath appointed men to haue their dwelling in it Otherwise it were impossible that hee should indure so many vices wickednesses to raigne and not vtterly to destroy man from off the same but hee respects his owne holy ordinance and not our deserts Heere is the reason then why states and kingdomes continue so long in the middest of Barbarians and Infidels The Lord vvill haue the earth inhabited And howsoeuer for the sinnes of men the Lord oftentimes brings some Countries into desolation and sowes it as it were with salt in regard they become barren and are notable to sustaine their inhabitants yet he euer so mitigates his stroke that the earth is inhabited by some because God will haue his decree to stand inuiolable But we must remember what I said before to wit whilest there is a world to bee inhabited of men that God will haue a remnant reserued which shall call vpon his name God will alwaies haue a remnant to call vpon his name From hence then may all the faithfull gather great consolation for albeit the world contemnes them and that they be few in number and on the contrary that the wicked surpasse them in multitude riches power and authoritie yet how little account soeuer bee made of them and that they be esteemed no better then abiects and the of-scouring of al things yet are they precious in the eies of the Lord because he acknowledgeth them for his children and therefore will neuer suffer them to perish In that he repeates it againe I am the Lord it is not onely to iustifie his eternall essence but to put a difference betweene his Maiestie and Idols that he might still retaine the Iewes within the bounds of his pure worshippe and seruice The superstitious sort will confesse indeed that there is one God but they forge that one God in their owne braine we must therefore know and acknowledge that God which manifested himselfe to the Patriarks and Prophets Neither speakes he heere of Gods eternall essence onely as many thinke but likewise of all the offices which peculiarlie belong vnto him to the end none may dare to transfer that which is onely proper vnto him and not vnto creatures Vers 19. I haue not spoken in secret neither in a place of darknesse in the earth I said not in vaine vnto the seede of Iakob Seeke you mee I the Lord doe speake in righteousnesse and declare righteous things NOw he brings the people to the doctrine of the Law because God cannot be comprehended by the sense of flesh and blood Howsoeuer then he be hid from carnall reason yet he fully manifests himselfe and giues a remedy in his word which supplies our want to the end we should seeke no further then it were it not so we should be left as men without any hope at all and should vtterly quaile He therefore protests that hee called vs not vnto him in vaine albeit his helpe be deferred because that which hee hath promised is most sure As hee hath shewed vs cleerly then whither we ought to flee and vpon what to rest so will he let it be seene by the effects that the hope of such as haue staied vpon his word shall not be fruitlesse Hence wee may see how abominable their speeches are who affirme that a man can gather no particular assurance of his saluation An horrible blasphemie to affirme that a man can gather no particular assurance to himselfe of his owne saluation out of the Scriptures from the word of God they also make it no better then a nose of wax that they might discourage Gods people from medling with it For these mastiues barke thus in regard they see it discouers their errors and that the whole foundation of their rotten building is ouerthrowne by the doctrine contained in that little volume But with Dauid we answere Thy vvord O Lord is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my paths Psal 119.105 With Isaiah and the rest of the holy Prophets we answer that the Lord hath deliuered nothing that is obscure doubtfull or deceiuing and with Saint Peter we confesse that the vvord of the Prophets is most stable and sure to vvhich as he saith vve do vvell in giuing heede as to a light that shines in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in our hearts 2. Pet. 1.19 And if this were said of the Law and of the Prophets vvhat shall vve say of the Gospell by which this light is openly reuealed vnto vs Shall we not affirme with Saint Paul If the Gospell be yet hid
it is hid in them that are lost whom Satan the God of this world hath blinded 2. Cor. 4.3 Let the blind world then accuse it selfe when it cannot indure the brightnesse of this word and as for vs let vs stand fast and abide by this heauenly light which the faithlesse labour to dimme and darken with their mists and fogs of errors Moreouer it seemes the Prophet alludes to the Oracles which were giuen out of caues and the three footed stoole of their Idols for they were things vncertaine and full of illusions But Gods answers are free from such things for he speakes not in darknesse Prou. 9.3 but in the highest places of the Citie neither vtters he ought that can deceiue or be turned two maner of waies Obiect But will some say experience teacheth that the Scripture is both hard and obscure Ans It is very true but this is to be attributed to the dulnesse slownesse of our vnderstandings and not to the Scriptures For the blind or such as are weake sighted Simile cannot accuse the Sunne in that they are not able to behold it The fault is in themselues And yet this remaines sure that as many as are teachable and yeeld obedience vnto Gods ordinances shall not lose their labour because the Lord will shew himselfe a faithfull teacher towards the humble and meeke Psal 25.9 The Scriptures easie to them that will vnderstand Prou. â— 9. Howsoeuer then all attaine not to a perfection of knowledge yet the study of such as seeke vnto God vnfainedly shall neuer returne without fruit In this clause also the Prophet shewes that the end and vse of the Law serues to bring men to God for it is the onely true happinesse of man to be knit againe to his Sauiour and the sacred bond of this coniunction consists in faith and in true pietie Now in the second member hee not onely protests that he spake distinctly and without ambiguitie but also sets forth the stedfastnes and certaintie of his word The stedfastnesse and certaintie of Gods word as if he should say I make not these large promises to circumuent or beguile pooore captiues withall as if I meant to feed you onely with faire words but I will also surely performe whatsoeuer I haue promised And thus he conuinceth their ingratitude who being called answered not for Gods meaning is to make vs partakers of all the good things which hee offers vs whereof otherwise wee are vtterlie destitute Where it followes that God speakes in righteousnesse it serues as an exposition as if hee should say Gods word neuer yet found deceitfull to any that rested vpon the truth of it My word by which I seeke to draw the Saints vnto mee was neuer yet tainted with any vntruth but containes things that are altogether righteous Psal 19.9 The words of the Lord saith Dauid are pure words as the siluer tried in a furnace of earth fined seuenfold Psal 12.6 In Gods word then wee haue a cleere righteousnesse shining out vnto vs which hauing scattered all our darknesse will forthwith inlighten our mindes and vnderstandings Vers 20. Assemble your selues and come draw neere together yee abiects of the Gentiles * Or those which carry the wood of their Idol and which pray vnto a God that cannot saue them haue no knowledge they haue no knowledge that set vp the wood of their Idoll and pray to a god that cannot saue them HE bids defiance to all Idolaters and summons them to appeare that they might haue the matter taken vp All Idolaters summoned to appeare vpon some reasonable conditions as we haue seene before in other places But the issue will goe wrong on their sides because all their reasons will bee easilie ouerthrowne As if he should say They now please themselues in their superstitions but when their cause comes once to the trial all pretexts shall by by vanish like smoke so as it will be no masterie to put them all to silence Let them assemble then if they will by troopes let them consult conspire and doe their vtmost by threats fraudes and terrors yet must the truth needes preuaile at length against them The Iewes had great neede of this confirmation in regard they saw idolatries and superstitions to haue the full swinge on euerie side and the true seruice of God vtterly to be extinct To this fortresse also must wee flee at this day when wee consider our feeblenesse and weakenesse The Turkes possesse a great part of the world The Papists aduance themselues with their crests set vp on high in euerie place and we in the meane while which are but an handfull are esteemed no better then the wormes of the earth but yet in the end truth which is great will preuaile The truth will at length preuaile and as a conqueresse will pull downe all that state and pompe which now dazles our eyes Some translate the word Pelite Reiected others Fugitiue or escaped and thinke it is directed to the Iewes which were returned home But this sense is too far fetched it rather seemes that the Prophet vnderstands thereby the reiected of the Gentiles because the verbe Palat signifies to reiect And yet the Prophet speakes not heere of the common nor worst sort but directs his speech to those that were the learnedst richest and of greatest renowne among the Gentiles For he calles them reiected in respect that they are nothing in the sight of the Lord. And yet if any had rather expound the word a farre off I hinder him not for it is as if hee had said Assemble you selues from all parts of the earth In adding those vvhich carry the vvood hee shewes with what furie Idolaters are carried away who worshippe the Idols which themselues carry vpon their shoulders in processions or we may if you will take this word To beare To lift or set vp in some high place for it is the policie of Satan to erect and set vp Images vpon pillars and in high rood lofts to strike men with an admiration of them and to draw them by the onely view to proferre them some signe of reuerence and honour And yet we may take it simply for the whole seruice which is performed to the Idols that he might plainly shew how there was nothing but vanitie and folly in all that they did For the superstitious sort cannot be ignorant that their Idols haue more need of mens helpe then men haue of theirs Idols haue more neede of mens help then they haue of theirs that can neither goe nor stand an end vnlesse men lend them their hands And to this appertaines that which is added that they pray vnto a God vvhich cannot saue them For what follie is it to pray and make vowes to a senslesse stocke or stone that neither heares nor sees And yet the vnbeleeuers ride post as it were to dumbe and dead Idols for helpe Vers 21. Tell yee and bring them
husband nor children on the contrary he shewes that both these euils shall ouertake her so as she shall be made a wofull spectacle for all to behold with contempt in regard of her desolatenesse He addes that it shall come vpon her in perfection that is to say there shall not one iot or tittle thereof faile for she shall know the miserie of widowhood with a witnesse as they say And thus there is a close opposition betweene the moderate corrections in which some mitigation may bee expected and that horrible vengeance of God which brings forth no other issue but a finall desolation for the more the wicked exalt themselues in their pride the lower will the Lord abase them in his indignation and wrath The higher the proud exalt themselues the lower the Lord will abase them Because of the multitude c. Others translate Of thy soothsaiers But mee thinks the word should rather note out the vice then the persons Some take the letter Beth for a particle of rendring the cause and expound it Because in which sense it is often found in the Scriptures albeit wee may expound that the Chaldeans shall finde no helpe nor succour in their deceiueable diuinations in which they gloried so much and so it may be translated Notwithstanding As if hee should say Notwithstanding the multitude of thy diuiners and coniecturers these things must needes befall Babylon For he derides the confidence which they put in these fond prognosticators through whom they thought to foresee things to come But in regard he will insist longer vpon this point in the 12. and 13. verses therefore I willingly consent that hee heere recites one of the causes of their destruction to wit that they despised all dangers vpon the confidence they conceiued in these impostures and illusions Vers 10. For thou hast trusted in thy wickednesse thou hast said None seeth mee Thy wisdome and thy knowledge they haue caused thee to rebell and thou hast said in thine heart I am and none else HE explanes that which he said in the former verse though we may extend it further to wit that he taxeth the Chaldeans for their fraud oppression outrages and wicked practises whereby they so highly magnified thēselues For all these great kingdoms lightly become great dens of theeues as an arch-theefe which once raigned among them said because they can neuer inlarge their territories but by plucking from others by force and violence therefore they driue the lawfull possessors out of their houses that they may be Lords and Kings within themselues Now he calles that vvickednesse which hee adornes afterwards with these goodly titles of vvisdome and knowledge For thus tyrants are wont to compasse their deuices they forget all equitie and right that they may make the poore to fall in their nets But the Lord detects and discouers their trecheries so as euery one may see they dance but in a net After Iob hath said that God catcheth the wise in their wisdome to shew what this wisdome is he calles it craftinesse Iob 5.13 As touching that which by and by followes namely that Babylon said none saw her wickednesses this sets forth with what freedome she committed the same For seeing reuerence or shame holds men in some awe he that feares not God as a witnesse of his behauiour and thinkes men notes nothing hee doth such a one will not sticke to practise anie villanie I grant that the most wicked are sometimes stung with the worme of an euill conscience but they close vp their eies and plunge themselues into a benummednes and deadnesse of conscience as Moses within the ground In a word their confidences are seared vp with an hot yron But aboue all we see how they scorne God with a desperate presumption as if by their fetches they were able to dazle his eies For when they purpose to beguile the simple it sufficeth that they may doe it closely as if belike they could deceiue his eies who in all places beholds both the euill and the good Prou. 15.3 But they flatter themselues in their cunning in vaine for the Lord will easilie plucke off their vizards Let all men detest such vvisdome then by which men deceiue their owne soules and pull ineuitable ruine vpon their owne heads I am and none else He againe repeates those blasphemies mentioned in the 9. verse that all might know how much God abhors them and how neere such are to endlesse perdition that exalt themselues higher then is fit Vers 11. Therefore shall euill come vpon thee and thou shalt not know the morning thereof destruction shall fall vpon thee which thou shalt not bee able to put away destruction shall come vpon thee suddenlie ere thou bee aware HE continues stil to scorne the vaine confidence of the Babylonians Babels sudden downefall who thought all things safe by reason of the foresight they had touching the situation of the starres He therefore denounceth against them that which the Scriptures affirme to hang ouer the heads of all contemners of God When they shall say Peace and safetie then shall sudden destruction come vpon them 1. Thes 5.3 So as they shall not know in the morning what shall befall them ere night Now it appeares sufficiently out of Dan. 5.30 how certainly these things came to passe Vers 12. Stand now among thine Inchanters and in the multitude of thy Soothsayers with whom thou hast wearied thy selfe from thy youth if so bee thou maiest haue profit or if so be thou maiest haue strength THe Prophet speakes to the Chaldeans Babels confusion remedilesse as wee are wont to speake to common ruffians or harlots who will receiue no admonitions Hold on your course still you shall see in the end how the world will goe with you So he saith Thou shalt tell me one day what good thou hast gotten by thy soothsaiers and coniecturers By the word Stand hee alludes to the gesture of diuiners who stand still in a place til some bird flie that way Also the Astrologers stand obseruing the course of the heauens and will not misse the least point If any had rather expound it Diuines then Diuinations I doe not much contradict him because the word Kabarim is ambiguous If thou mayst be strengthened As if he should say Thy diuiners can not turne away that destruction which is ready to fall vpon thine head for he insults ouer their peruerse confidence foretelling that after they shal haue vsed all the shifts they can yet they shall proue fruitlesse and bootlesse Vers 13. Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels let now the * Or binders of the heauē Astrologers the starre-gazers and Prognosticators * Or come forth stand vp and saue thee from these things that shall come vpon thee A plainer description of that which before was deliuered obscurely NOw hee describes that more plainely which he said a little before somewhat obscurely to wit that all the counsels which
wherewith he is endued set light by all his aduersaries he also labors to draw others to the same constancie with him and as in a glasse describes to the life what the state and condition of all Ministers of the word is and shall be For thus he would turne them from the loue of the world that they might giue themselues whollie vnto God and to fixe their eies altogether vpon him for there is no combat so sharp in which they shall not be more then Conquerors vnder the leading of such a Captaine By the similitude of a flint he shewes that come what come will he will not shrinck an inch for the signes of feare and astonishmēt and of all other affections appeare by and by in the face which plainely vtters to all how matters goe within When Gods seruants are handled thus shamefullie they must needs quaile vnder so many iniuries if they had not browes of brasse and yron to repulse them And in this sense it is said that Ieremiah was set as a defenced Citie and yron pillar and vvalles of brasse against the Kings of Iudah against the Princes and against all the people Iere. 1.18 Ezechiel also had his forhead made as hard as the adamant which is much harder then the flint that he might not recoile back from the obstinacie of the people Ezech. 3 9. This sentence I shall not be ashamed is not to be taken in the same sense with that in the former member for there it is referred to the affection and heere to the effect or the thing it selfe When in the beginning of the verse then he glories that he shall not be confounded because God is on his side it is to shew that it sufficeth not to know that God will help vs vnlesse we also feele the same by experience For what profit haue we by his promises vnlesse wee put our confidence therein Faith then is required both to vphold our comfort and assure vs of Gods fauor but in the end of the verse the Prophet boldly protests that he is vndoubtedlie perswaded of an happie issue And thus to be ashamed signifies to be disappointed For they that conceiue a vaine hope are subiect to mocks and reproches Heere we see then that the faithfull teachers and Ministers of the word haue promise of a speciall defence Let Satan and the world bend their forces together then to assaile them with all their power the more they assault them the stronger shall Gods defence and protection be ouer vs. Thence we must conclude that all such as are fainthearted and quaile when they come to the triall were neuer yet well fitted to execute their office For he that hath not learned to fight is neither apt to serue God nor his Church 2. Tim. 2.5 neither is he fit to preach the doctrine of the word Vers 8. He is neere that iustifieth me who will contend with me Let vs stand together who is mine aduersarie Let him come neere to me 9. Behold the Lord will help me who is he that can condemne me Loe they shall wax old as a garment the moth shall eate them vp VVEE must alwaies remember that the Prophet speakes nothing heere that is proper to himselfe only A Minister that hath a good conscience may haue also great boldnes but testifies what a one God will and euer shall be towards the faithfull Ministers that so being assured of their lawfull calling and executing their offices faithfullie they might boldly contemne all aduersarie power and neuer slack their duties an inch for any slanders Why so Because the Lord who iustifies them hath and euer will be readie to maintaine and defend his owne truth Now whosoeuer he be that will indeed boldly protest this he ought to haue a pure conscience For if he haue vnaduisedly intruded himselfe not hauing a sure testimonie of his lawfull calling Intruders can not challenge to thēselues this priuiledge or if he be such a one as brocheth his owne dreames and fansies in vaine shall he boast of this promise for it appertaines to none but to such as being called of God doe faithfullie and purely discharge their duties Now howsoeuer mockers and despisers of God will neuer cease to make many replies against his seruants yet Isaiah stil offers himselfe to pleade his masters cause and that as boldly as if none durst enter the lists against him or to forge any slanders for their defence Not that he was able to charme their tongues but because he was well assured they should gaine nothing by all their tattle Thus then he shewes that notwithstanding all the false imputations which the aduersaries lay vpon the word and the Ministers thereof they must not be discoraged For there is no crime with which they doe not charge vs. But all in vaine Why so Because the Iudge that defends their innocencie is neere The faithfull Ministers therefore may by S. Pauls example summon the false and sinister iudgements of men before the Iudgement seate of God who will giue a iust sentence 1. Cor. 4.4 Let vs stand together The faithfull teachers ought to be so confident as without feare to challenge all their enemies the field For Satan with all his supposts dare not at all times stand to their tackling openly but especially when they encounter vs with lies But they haue close and secret practises and iugling tricks vnder boord to surprize such as stand not vpon their watch Yet the seruants of God feare not to shew their faces nor to enter the lists against the aduersarie neither are they abashed to reason and debate the matter if the enemie dare appeare For the truth is of such strength that it flees not the noone day as we see heere that Isaiah feares not boldly to egge and prouoke all those to the fight whom he saw to lie in wait to trap him And here he vrgeth them againe saying Let him come neere me For the true Pastors ought to be alwaies readie to yeeld a reason of their doctrine But where is he that vouchsafes to heare them patientlie or that will consider what his doctrine is which they preach I grant the aduersaries are readie enough to draw neere but it is only to draw out their swords and to cut the throates of Gods seruants or to whet file their tongues that they may be fit to defame them by all sorts of slanders In a word their best defences consists in fraude and tyrannie for with reasons orderly gathered from the Scriptures they dare not encounter we therefore being well assured of the equitie of our cause are readie with a christian fortitude to challenge them the field For though they condemne vs without hearing our defences yea and though the numbers of thē be great which subscribe to their sayings yet will we not be outfaced for God whose cause we defend is the Iudge who at the last will giue sentence on our side It seemes S. Paul alludes to this
according to the custome of the Hebrewes I see no reason why Oecolampadius hath translated Oecolampadius Hee hath exposed his high places to the rich By the rich vnderstanding tyrants and proud men for they are wont to wax insolent and intemperate in regard of their riches which they abuse to play the Tarmogants Thus I thinke that by the vvicked and rich he vnderstands one and the same thing Isaiahs meaning is then that Christ was subiect to the contumelies insolencies and lusts of the wicked Scribes and Pharisies For the Scribes and Pharisies on the one side rushed vpon him with a desperate fury and on the other side the factious people cried no hing but crucifie him The factious people Pilat crucifie him Matth. 26.66 Pilat contrary to all equity law gaue an vniust sentence of death vpon him though hee were informed of his innocencie The Roman souldiers Marke 15.14 And the Roman souldiers greedy of any pray put the cruell and wicked sentence cruelly and wickedly in execution Iohn 19.16 Who would not haue thought now but that Chrst had been vtterly ouerwhelmed an◠buried amongst the bloody hands of these cruels murtherers For I take the graue heere by a metaphor in regard the wicked and their executioners had almost ouercharged him Obiect And if any obiect that Christ was buried honourably I answere Ans that this buriall was the beginning of his glorious resurrection But heere hee speakes of his death which is often signified by the graue This then I take to be the true meaning and yet I giue euery man leaue to iudge as it pleaseth him Though he had done none iniquitie The Prophet sets Christs innocencie heere before vs not so much to defend him against the slanders of the wicked as to recommend vnto vs the fruit of his death lest wee should imagin that he suffered at aduēture He was innocent and suffered by Gods decree not for his iniquities but for ours for he bare the punishment due to vs. Now in two words he expresseth Christs perfect innocencie to wit that hee sinned neither in vvord nor deed Surely euerie one will confesse that this cannot be affirmed of any mortall man it followes then that it appertaines to Christ onely Vers 10. Yet the Lord would breake him and make him subiect to infirmities when hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede and shall prolong his daies and the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand BY this we may the better discerne of that which I haue briefly touched The fruit of Christs death expressed to wit that the Prophet propounding Christs innocencie had a further drift then to defend him against the contumelies and reproches of the wicked The marke hee aimes at then is to make vs looke vnto the very cause that so we might feele the effect thereof in our soules for God neither ordaines nor executes ought at randon Whence it followes that the cause of Christs death was lawfully vndertaken The exposition also is still to bee remembred of vs Obiect which we touched in vers 6. There was no sinne in Christ but why vvould the Lord then haue him suffer Ans Euen because hee sustained our person and cause for there was nothing at all that could satisfie Gods iustice but the death of his only begotten Son The word Asham signifies sinne and oblation for sinne and so oftentimes it is found in the latter signification in the Scriptures Exod. 29.14 Ezech. 45.22 For the beast sacrificed was so offered as that bearing the punishment and curse of the sinne it also blotted it out And the Priests signified so much by the imposition of hands euen as if they had laid vpon the beast the sinnes of the whole people Leuit. 4.4 And if any priuate man had offered he also put his hands vpon the head of the beast as if hee had thereby translated his sinne from himselfe vnto it Leuit. 4.27.29 And therefore Saint Paul calles Christ the curse or execration saying Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs Galat. 3.13 And in another place Hee made him to be sinne for vs vvhich knew no sinne that wee might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2. Cor. 5.21 Also in Rom. 8.3 For that which was impossible to the law in that it was weake by reason of the flesh that hath God done by sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of flesh subiect to sin and for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in vs. The Prophet then by this word Asham signifies the same which Paul calles curse and sinne in the places formerly alleadged Now heere the fruit of Christs death is expressed in regard that by his sacrifice sinnes are done away and God is pacified towards man for the vertue of this word sacrifice must be referred heereunto Hence it followes that the abolishing of sinne and satisfaction for sinne is no where to bee found but in Christ Now that we may the better remember these things first wee must note that we are all guiltie before God so as we are accursed and lothsome in his presence Will wee then bee brought againe into his fauour Sinne must be taken away But this cannot bee done with purgations deuised by man How then We must resort to Christs death because wee cannot otherwise make satisfaction to God In a word No satisfaction can be made to God for our sins but by christs death Isaiah teacheth that sinnes cannot be pardoned vnlesse wee flee to this death If this language seemes harsh and not seemly for the person of Christ let such a one enter into his owne heart and consider in good earnest how feareful and terrible Gods iustice is when nothing is able to appease it but the sacrifice of Christ And so the inestimable grace which shines in the curse of Christ will easily remoue all offence Hee shall see his posteritie The Prophets meaning is that it shall bee so farre off that Christs posteritie shall be diminshed by his death that contrariwise it shall be the meanes to raise vp seed vnto him For in quickening the dead he begets a people which he afterward will cause to multiply exceedingly Neither is there any absurditie at all in it to call the faithfull the posteritie of Christ though they bee his brethren for they bee his of-spring Where hee addes Hee shall prolong his daies some supply the relatiue Asher Which saying that the posteritie shall indure long But I expound it more simply that the death which Christ shall suffer shall not cut off the length of his daies that is to say from liuing eternally Some departing out of this life doe leaue children which shall suruiue them yet vpon condition that their fathers be first dead But Christ shall haue his children with him for he dies not as men doe but obtaines eternall
are therefore called vnprofitable costs For by siluer he vnderstands all industrie studie and paines of men not that God esteemes a rush of all that which wee offer him in vaine to serue him but in regard the sense of the flesh esteemes those labours very precious which we haue foolishly taken vp By the word bread hee vnderstands that which he said before touching vvaters and by labour that which he called siluer As if he should say Men wearie themselues much for nothing For when they follow their inuentions they must looke for no reward though they vex and martyr themselues neuer so much Therefore the Prophet saith that those who labour inconsiderately shall neuer be satisfied For if they forsake God to seeke out new meanes of saluation they shall neuer be filled because as Hosea saith they are fed with wind Chap. 12.1 They may well seeme to be full whilest a vaine conceit blinfolds them but they shall be like those who being swollen vvith vvind feele not their hunger And yet it were much better for them to bee so pinched with hunger and thirst that they might thereby be prouoked to cry earnestlie vnto the Lord to be filled according to that in Psalme 63.2 My soule thirsteth for thee like the dry ground But bread or water alone would not suffice to fill vs neither can our life bee sustained with one of them That is the reason then why the Prophet hath vsed diuers vvords to shew that God furnisheth vs with all things abundantly that are necessary to preserue life lest we should vse any vnlawfull shifts to succour our selues elsewhere But because euery one rusheth himselfe into error by his owne counsels and all hauing forsaken God doe vanish away in their owne peruerse imaginations the Prophet heere addes a remedy namely that we whollie depend vpon the mouth of God For whosoeuer submits himselfe vnto his word needes neuer feare that hee hath mispent his time And heere we see a wonderfull goodnesse of God in that he offers his grace though men be vnthankfull and vnworthy of it Yet notwithstanding he addes a condition for the entrance into life cannot bee made vnlesse wee giue eare vnto him And as the cause of our ruine is that we stop our eares against Gods word so the way to heauen is open vnto vs if wee hearken vnto him diligently He repeates the same admonition againe the better to moue our affections and redoubles the word Heare in hearkening And that hee might the better win vs with sweete allurements he protests the fault to be our owne if we be not fully satisfied with all sorts of good things Vers 3. Incline your eares and come to mee heare and your soule shall liue and I will make an euerlasting couenant with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid BY this heape of words wee may the better conceiue of that which I haue said before namely The ground of Gods couenant that God omits no meanes to awaken and correct our dulnesse and yet heere is a reprehension For it must needs be granted that such are too drowzie headed who being so louingly called doe not forthwith yeelde their obedience An excellent place which shewes that our happinesse consists in that odedience which wee ought to yeeld vnto the word Now when he speakes thus his meaning is to bring vs to saluation and therefore the fault rests wholly in our selues for wee contemne this sauing quickening word Moreouer if God should onely command vs to doe that he hath inioined vs hee should therein shew vs the way indeede how to obtaine life but yet without any profit to vs. For the law as it comes forth of Gods mouth is the minister of death 2. Cor. 3 7. but when he calles vs to himselfe and adopts vs for his children when he promiseth remission of sinnes and sanctification this causeth them which heare to receiue life of him We are thē to consider what kinde of doctrine it is that hath life in it that we may therein seeke our saluation From this place also we gather that there is no hope of saluation vnlesse we be obedient to God and his word and by this all men are conuinced so as they can pretend no cause of ignorance for he that vouchsafes not to heare shall neuer be able to alleage one sound reason for his owne defence But as I haue said these repetitions set forth the patience of God in calling vs. For he summons vs not for once only but if he perceiue that we be slow he admonisheth vs the second yea the third time that he might ouercome our stubbornnes He reiects not those then at the first which disdaine him but after he hath many times allured them Furthermore heere is expressed the nature of faith The nature of faith when he commands vs to come vnto him for wee must so heare the Lord that the fruit thereof may also follow Those also who receiue the word of God in faith do cast away their lusts and reiect the world wherewith they were fast bound that they may willingly draw neere vnto God and that with much ioy and gladnes of heart Yet faith can not be conceiued without hearing Rom. 10.17 that is to say without vnderstanding of the word and therefore he commands vs to encline our eare before we come When mention shall be made of faith then Gods word the ground of faith let vs remember that it must be ioined to the word in which it hath her foundation Where he addes and I vvill make a couenant some demaund Quest whether God had not made a perpetual couenant with the Iewes before for he seemes to promise a new and vnaccustomed thing heere I answere Ans he promiseth no new thing but that which God had before contracted with the people and therefore it is but a renuing and a confirmation of the couenant to the end the Iewes should not thinke that Gods promise was abolished though they saw thēselues so long banished For whilst they were driuen out of that countrie which was promised and giuen them being without the Temple and without the sacrifices and had no marks at all left but the couenant of Circumcision who would not haue thought but that God had vtterly shaken them off Isaiah then hath fitted this phrase of speech as you see to the capacitie of the people that they might know how the couenant of God made with their fathers was firme stable and eternall and neither mutable nor temporarie He signifies the same thing by the mercies of Dauid but by this clause he shewes that the couenant is free because it hath its foundation laid in nothing but in the meere goodnes of God As oft then as wee meere with this word Couenant in the Scriptures Couenant and mercie must alwaies be matched together wee must therewithall call to minde the word mercie or grace Now he pronounceth he will be faithfull therein and forthwith he signifies that
who are wont to reply that their goods are their owne like Nabal 1. Sam. 25.11 It is mine owne say they and therefore I may keepe it to my selfe Why should I make that common which God hath giuen me for my particular vse The Prophet answers that it doth indeed appertaine vnto thee but vpon condition that thou dealest out part thereof to the hungry and thirstie and not that thou shouldest eate all thy selfe alone Truly common reason teacheth vs that the hungry are defrauded of their right vnlesse their wants be supplied yea such a wofull spectacle often moues the most barbarous and cruell to compassion Afterwards hee reckons vp some particulars which are vsually wont to mollifie the stoniest heart and moue them to shew mercie The reason is that their inhumanitie which are not touched with the sense of the pouertie and need of their brethren might be the lesse excusable Lastly hee concludes and hide not thy face from thine owne flesh where we are to note this word flesh for thereby he meanes all men in generall not one whereof wee can behold but therein of necessitie wee must view our owne nature as in a glasse It is great inhumanitie then to disdaine and despise those in whom wee are forced to acknowledge our owne image Vers 8. Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee and the glory of the Lord shall imbrace thee THe Prophet shewes that God is not ouer rigorous A preuention of an obiection neither requires hee of vs more then is neede though hypocrites complaine causlesly neuer so much in accusing him of too great seueritie for when their workes are condemned then they gnash the teeth and answer that God can neuer be content and therefore they know not what they should doe more nor what way to take Hee answers them againe that God requires no more but a pure and vpright heart that is to say a good conscience If they haue that he will shew them mercy and in gathering them together againe will giue testimonie of their holinesse and will blesse them euery manner of way whom he hath iustly chastised for their disloyalties In a word that they shall haue no occasion at all to murmure as if he were too sharpe towards them because they should taste of his bountie and liberalitie if in reiecting all hypocrisie they would dispose themselues to worship him in sinceritie We must note the particle then For on the contrarie it signifies that hypocrites are very farre off from this pure worship of God though they would be taken for the holiest men in the world But the Prophet holds them more then conuinced when by their owne workes he shewes that they neither feare nor reuerence the Lord. By the word light he meanes a prosperous estate as on the contrarie darkenesse signifies a life full of miserie and calamities And this we know is a phrase of speech much vsed in the Scriptures Mich. 7.8 Chap 42.16 Health notes out an happie and quiet life as we shall see anon in another place For the plagues which were inflicted vpon this people by the hand of God in regard of their sinnes had almost consumed them so as they pined away as a sicke man that is brought low by a languishing disease For there is no sicknesse so sharpe as to be pressed with the iust vengeance of God or to be washed vnder his curse The word righteousnesse may be taken two waies either for a testimonie of vprightnesse or for an estate well ordered because God would heale the confusions and place all things in their first estate The first sense then will be after God shall be reconciled with thee the testimonie of thy righteousnesse shal appeare before him and before men as if an Herauld of armes went before thee There are other expositors which had rather take righteousnesse for a well ordered common-wealth which is a gift of God and no small token of his fatherly loue And in other places also we haue seene that it is taken in this sense amongst the Hebrews But the last member which followes the glorie of the Lord causeth me rather to follow the first exposition Thy righteousnesse shall goe foorth that is to say All shall know that thou art iust and holie vvhereas before thou wast guilty and conuicted And thus the glorie of the Lord shall be put vpon thee whereas before thou wert ouerwhelmed with ignominie and reproches For we are exposed to shame and contempt when we beare the punishment of our transgressions Vers 9. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt crie and hee shall say Here I am if thou take away from the middest of thee the yoke the putting foorth of the singer and wicked speaking ISaiah prosecutes that which he hath alreadie begun to intreate of namely that the Iewes should prosper in all things The same argument further prosecuted if they liue in such equitie and so abstaine from all wrong that thence men may take notice of their piety and religion For he pronounceth that which is said by Hosea and is repeated by Christ That mercie ought to bee preferred before sacrifice Hos 6.7 Matth. 12 7. Hauing spoken then of the duties of charitie and likewise hauing protested that such as performe them shall be happie now he ads Then thou shalt cal and the Lord shal heare thee For herein consists the chiefest part of our happinesse namelie if God vouchsafe to heare vs contrariwise there cannot befall vs a more wofull condition then when hee is our enemy Now for the exercise of our faith he attributes that to our prayers which he is minded to bestow voluntarily Wherein our principall happinesse consists and of his meere liberalitie For if he should still supplie vs with his benefits while we slept as it were the affection of prayer would grow cold in vs yea would be vtterly frozen vp and so his liberality shuld nourish our sloth negligence Albeit then that hee preuent vs by his free grace yet will he haue our prayers to come betweene and therfore he addes Thou shalt crie and he shall say Here J am For this promise containes also an exhortation to the end we should not remaine idle When hee saith Here am I this appertaines not to our outward senses but by the effects he shewes that he is neere vnto vs and afuours vs. And in the end of the verse he repeates againe that God will be pacified towards the Iewes if so be they did repent By the yoke he comprehends all the molestations wherewith the poore were vexed As if hee should say If thou ceasest to molest thy brethren and abstainest from deceit and violence the Lord will blesse thee euery kind of way The lifting vp of the finger also containes vnder it all manner of iniuries For wee are wont to say Lift vp thy finger when we meane to
remaines alwaies the same For if it be asked Who reedifed Ierusalem Truly it was this people But out of this infinite multitude God culled out an handfull and cut off all the rest Some thinke that the Cities should not be big enough to containe so many people for which cause they should be forced to build those againe which were throwne downe before But this seemes too farre fetched By the foundations from generation to generation whereof he speakes in the second member some thinke that the Prophet only repeates that which he said before and so expound foundations of generations because they had a long time bin ouerthrowne in regard these buildings were forthwith to be reedified and set vp but many impediments should come betweene that should cause the worke to cease notwithstanding this may be referred to the time to come thus Thou shalt reare vp the buildings which shall remaine for a long space for he seemes to promise vnto the Church such an estate as shal continue a long while as if he should say other buildings stand not long but this shall indure for many generations If any had rather referre it to the time past I gainsay him not And thou shalt be called The Prophet here comprehends two points First that the people should resemble a ruinous building Secondly that they should shortly be built againe But he attributes to the Iewes that they shall be the repairers and directors of the paths in regard the Lord shall vse their seruice to that end Wee haue heere then an excellent promise namely that the ruins of the Church shall be gathered againe together and repaired Now seeing the Lord will vse our selues in this worke let nothing hinder vs from imploying our whole seruices this way And albeit the world resist and scorne vs as witlesse people yet let vs be of good courage and ouercome all these impediments For we must be valiant and bold when we know it is the Lords vvorke who hath enioined vs thus to doe Vers 13. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath * Or delites a delite to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honor him not doing thine owne wayes nor speaking * Or thy words a vaine word SOme thinke the Prophet hath respect to the outward obseruation of the Sabbath because it was not lawfull to trauaile on that day Now howsoeuer I reiect not this yet I take it that the sense hath a larger extent for vnder the figure Synecdoche he signifies the whole course of mans life it being a thing well knowne to all that by vvalking our whole conuersation is vnderstood He saith then If thou ceasest to follow thine owne swinge if thou shut vp all passage against thy selfe vvalke not vvhither thy fantasie leades thee c. For they are said to turne their feete from the Sabbath who impose not this law vpon themselues namely not to wander whither their vnbridled lusts would carrie them Now as before vnder the fast he comprehended all ceremonies and shewed that these disguisings in which they placed their holines were nothing but vain and vnprofitable things so in this place he shewes wherein the true obseruation of the Sabbath consists to the end they should not thinke it to be in the outward rest from bodily labor but in the true renouncing of our selues that is in abstaining from all wickednes violence voluptuousnes and euill thoughts First by the word foote he meanes their works for the Iewes durst not trauaile nor dresse any flesh vpon the Sabbath day and yet they made no scruple at all to vex their poore neighbors and to scorne the afflicted notwithstanding he comes forthwith to speake of the vvill and vvords that he might comprehend all the parts of that obediēce which is due vnto God The word delights ought to be referred vnto God and not to men For there is nothing which pleaseth him better or is more acceptable vnto him then the obseruation of the Sabbath and his pure worship He carefullie repeates that men do much ouershute themselues if they cōtemne the commandements of God to set vp their vnprofitable workes in the stead thereof and also admonisheth vs to suffer our selues to be gouerned by his only will Moreouer he mentions some particulars whereby he shewes that the true obseruation of the Sabbath consists in the renouncing of ouer selues and in the conuersion of the whole man and therefore he layes the vvill for the foundation that from thence may flow vvords and deeds for we lightly vtter the conceptions of our vnderstandings and by our vvords we manifest our vvill then followe the actions Whosoeuer then will indeuor to serue God as he ought he must first of necessitie whollie renounce his will and carnall reason Hence we see wherefore the Lord so oft requires the obseruation of the Sabbath in the Scriptures Exod. 20.13 Doubtlesse he looked higher then to the externall ceremonie which is this rest in which the Iewes placed a worke of great holinesse No he rather meant that hauing put off all the concupiscences of the flesh and renounced all their inordinate affections For a more particular explication and application of this 13. verse see Widley vpō the Sabbath Lib. 2. Chap. 4. Sect. 2. they should testifie their sincere obedience For in truth that man can neuer be said to meditate aright of the heauenly life that is not dead both to the world and to himselfe Now howsoeuer this ceremonie bee abolished yet the substance remaines For Christ is dead and risen againe to the end we might keepe a perpetuall Sabbath that we cease from our own workes to suffer the Spirit of grace to worke powerfully in vs. Vers 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iaakob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it THen shalt thou delight It seemes he alludes to the word delights in the former verse For the word Tithannagh which the Prophet vseth comes of the word Onegh which hee vsed in vers 12. in saying that the Lord tooke great delights in the true obseruation of the Sabbath In a word his meaning is that the people receiued no delight from God because they prouoked him to anger would not obey his will For if wee square our liues according to the rules of Gods Law wee shall be his delights and hee shall be our ioy and contentment He testifies then that the Iewes are the cause themselues that God takes no more pleasure in them also that their owne liues are so comfortlesse By this then hee priuily reprocheth the Iewes namely that through their owne folly they haue drawne downe so many calamities vpon them Afterwards he addes that they shall mount vpon the high places of the earth thereby promising vnto them their returne
were ashamed then that in times past they had erred so farre out of the right way and acknowledge their owne offences And to say the truth vvhen they attribute their sinnes to the vvrath of God their meaning is not to exempt themselues from blame nor to abolish their faults But the Prophet vseth a phrase of speech very ordinary For the holy Ghost is wont to say that God causeth men to erre hardens and giues men vp into a reprobate mind 2. Thes 2.11 Rom. 9.18 and 1.28 Now when the faithfull speake thus they meane nothing lesse then to make God the author of euill and of sinne as if themselues were innocent or as if they meant to extenuate their crime But they aime at an higher market and rather confesse that their sinnes haue separated them from God and is the cause vvhy they are left destitute of his holy Spirit Yea that thence is came to passe that they haue been plunged into infinit miseries Those who say that God leades vs into error by priuation that is to say in regard he bereaues vs of his spirit hit not the very white It is said that God both hardens and blinds when he deliuers men vp to be blinded by Satan who is the minister and executioner of his wrath for otherwise we should euer be a pray vnto the will of the diuell but in regard he is able to doe nothing of himselfe without Gods commandement God the author of blinding hardening yet not the author of sinne to whose beek he is subiect we truely affirme that God is the author of this blinding and hardening which also the scriptures doe witnes in many places And yet it followes not thereupon that he should be the author of sinne because he punisheth mēs ingratitude by such a blinding And thus the faithfull in this verse confesse that God hath left them but their sinne was the cause so as they still acknowledge Gods iust reuenging hand vpon them In like maner after Moses hath said That thitherunto God had not giuē the people eies to see nor an heart to vnderstand hee layes not the blame thereof vpon God but shewes the Iewes where they were to seeke the remedie of such a benummednes vvhereof they vvere conuinced Deut. 29.14 But these seeme to take another pretext heere in that they aske a reason and expostulate the matter with God as if he had bin bound to haue handled them more mildly Ans But I answere that the faithfull haue still an eye to Gods goodnes whilest they confesse that their afflictions are the iust recompences of their sinnes Some referre these words to the captiuitie as if the faithfull complained of the Lord for suffring them to languish so long a time in the same As if the Prophet should say That their obstinacie increased because the Lord gaue them no taste of his grace For the faithfull are often surprized with a very dangerous temptation when they see the wicked ouerflow in all abundance and are almost discouraged as Dauid hath well expressed it in Psalm 125. But the Prophets sentence seemes to be more generall for the faithfull acknowledge themselues to haue erred because they were not guided by the Spirit of God whereof they complaine not but rather desire that this spirit may bee giuen them by which their fathers in former times were gouerned and obtained all things prosperouslie Why hast thou caused our hearts to turne from thy feare Some translate Wherefore hast thou hardned but because this sutes not with that which followes from thy feare I had rather translate To turne backe And the verbe also signifies so much Some thinke these words returne for thy seruants sake appertaine to all the people As the Scripture indeede is wont to terme all the houshold of faith by the name of Gods seruants But I thinke it is properly to be referred vnto Abraham Jsaac and Iacob which surelie is much more probable Not that the people rested in their intercession but in regard that God had made the couenant of grace with them that they might deliuer it ouer from hand to hand vnto their successors Thus then the faithfull set not these Patriarkes before them as common persons onely but in the qualitie of Ministers witnesses or mediators of the couenant with the foundation of their faith as in that song Psal 132.1 Lord remember Dauid In which place the name of this good Patriarke is not set before the Lord as if the faithfull thought hee had been their aduocate but in regard the promise which was made vnto him touching the restauration of the eternall kingdome in his familie did appertaine to the whole body of the people How Papists wrest these words to proue their intercession to Saints The Papists snatch vp these words with great ioy as if by them the intercession of Saints were proued But by the true exposition of the place we may plainly see how easie a matter it is to answer them For it is spoken of the Fathers not as if they deserued ought at Gods hand of themselues or were now intercessors betweene God and vs but because the free couenant which not onely appertained vnto them but also to all their successors was contracted onely with them To the Tribes That is to say Returne to thy wonted fauour towards thy people By this we see that the things aforesaid tend to no other end but onely that the people doe labour thereby to prouoke the Lord to mercie after they haue laid before him their miseries and calamities How wee must come to God Here then we see the maner how we are to addresse our selues vnto God namely by putting him in minde of his former benefits and by manifesting in his sight our griefes and sorrowes Thus we must doe if we would obtaine deliuerance Of thine heritage That is because God had chosen this people as his proper portion As if hee should say What shall become of thy people if we perish Not that God was tied to this people but in respect hee had giuen them his faith by oath Thus the people durst very well vrge God with his promise and importune him by their praiers in regard hee had voluntarily obliged himselfe both vnto their fathers and to their children But now seeing all promises are ratified and confirmed in Christ 2. Cor. 1.20 and that we haue the truth of all things wee ought to bee built vp in so much the greater confidence for the couenant is not onely contracted in his hand but it is also confirmed and sealed with his blood I grant he was the mediator as well for the fathers as for vs but all things are now more cleere and manifest in regard they then stucke in many obscure shadowes Vers 18. The people of thine holinesse haue possessed it but a little while for our aduersaries haue troden downe thy sanctuarie IT is a wonder that the Prophet saith the people possessed the land but for a very little
the fire made the vvaters to boile in regard that contrarie to their wont fires and lightnings were mingled with violent raines and tempests As if hee should haue said This fire kindled by the Lord was so fierce that it melted all things were they neuer so hard and drunke vp euen the very vvaters To this appertaines that which is added touching the melting of the mountaines before his face For hee opened a way for his redeemed euen thorow the greatest incumbrances that they met withall Hee saith also that the Israelites saw things which they neuer looked for in regard that albeit God had aduertised them and had acquainted them with many experiments of his power yet this terrible spectacle whereof he speakes greatly surmounted their capacities and vnderstandings yea and all the reason of man Vers 4. For since the beginning of the world they haue not heard nor vnderstand with the eare neither hath the eie seene another God besides thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him THis verse confirmes that which wee haue said before namelie that the faithfull desire nothing here which is strange and vnheard of but only that God would but shew himselfe such a one towards them as in times past he had done to their fathers and that hee would continue foorth his liberalitie And withall seeing it hath been his custome to succor his people and to giue them some assured testimonies of his presence that he would not now discontinue the same for the time to come that so his almightie power might still shine more and more For you must note that he so brings in the people praying vnto God that therewithall they should confirme their hope from the remembrance of the time past and with the more boldnesse might haue their recourse to the throne of grace The eie hath not seene Doubtlesse the Prophets meaning is to magnifie Gods goodnesse by mentioning these so many benefits which God in former times had bestowed vpon his people This manner of commendation also is very high and excellent when being rauished with admiration in regard thereof he cries out that there is no God but he Likewise that the things which God hath done for his peoples sake were neuer heard of before But this may be read two waies for the word God may be taken in the accusatiue or in the vocatiue O Lord none but thou hast seene the things which thou hast done to those that wait for thee But the other reading is more receiued namely They haue neuer heard nor seene such a God In this last reading the particle of similitude must be supplied for without that the sentence would bee imperfect No eare then hath heard neither hath the eie seene such a God as doth such things And thus God is here separated from idols from which the superstitious sort thinke they obtaine all blessings but they are onely the deuices of mans braine which can neither doe good nor hurt Contrariwise God deales foorth his benefits of all sorts liberallie to those that serue him It seemes S. Paul expounds this place otherwise Obiect 1. Cor. 2.9 and applies it to another sense Yea he cites it in other termes because hee followed the Greeke translation The Apostles made no scruple touching this point Ans in regard they rather respected the sentences then the words and thought it sufficient only to point out this place of Scripture vnto the reader whither they might resort to be satisfied touching the things which they taught But where S. Paul seemes to haue added of his owne Neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them which loue him this he did that his speech might be the better vnderstood For nothing is added which agrees not very well with the Prophets doctrine And that wee may the better perceiue this agreement wee must consider his drift In that place hee disputes about the doctrine of the Gospell which hee shewes doth farre surpasse all the reach of mans wit Why so Because it containes such a knowledge as is contrarie and wonderfullie farre remote from the wisdome of the flesh In a word that it is an hidden wisdome For which cause S. S. Pauls drift in alleaging this text 1. Cor. 2.9 Paul worthilie breakes foorth into this admiration in weighing and pondering of the same And our Prophet calling to mind these rare and famous works of God Obiect Ans as one astonished cries out that there was neuer such a thing heard of So concerning this grace which surmounts all the rest namely when Christ is offered vs in the Gospell we may breake foorth after the same manner and say O Lord the mercie which thou shevvest vnto thy people farre surmounts all our reason Neither eie eare hart nor spirit can attaine to such an height S. Paul then you see applies this place fitlie to his disputation neither doth he corrupt the Prophets sentence when he exalts aboue all things in the world that excellent and peculiar grace which God hath bestowed vpon his Church There yet remaines another difficultie namely that the Apostle transferres that to spirituall benefits which is here said of temporall But we may affirme that Isaiah simplie respected the cause from whence these benefits of God issued though hee therewithall had an eie to the estate of this life present For all the good things which God hath giuen vs here below for the sustaining and cherishing of our naturall life are so many testimonies vnto vs of that fatherly loue which he beares vs. The propertie of faith And it is also the propertie of faith to ascend by visible benefits to inuisible graces Thus then howsoeuer the Prophet seemes to meddle onely in matters touching their bodily deliuerance and other things appertaining to this life present yet aimes he therein at an higher marke and especially respects those benefits which in particular manner belonged to the people of God The inioying of temporall benefits should carrie vp our minds to the meditation of those that are eternall For what a sottishnesse were it if whilest we inioy benefits temporall wee should not by them mount vp to the welspring from which they flow namely from Gods meere loue and mercie Both good and bad doe indifferently inioy these common good things but that particular fauour wherewith he entertaines vs appertaines to none but to his houshold seruants Hence it is that wee not onely consider that which appeares to our outward senses but wee forthwith ascend vp to the very cause Vnto which point though neither eye nor eare can reach that is to comprehend therein the grace of adoption by which the Lord protests that hee will be our Father yet hee reueales this vnto vs by the witnes of his holy Spirit It is also very likely that the Prophet hauing spoken of a particular benefit of God takes occasion thereby to arise vnto a generall consideration For when the matter concernes the meditation
because the Prophet speaking of the filthinesse of sinnes comprehends all the Iewes without exception though there were among them many of the true seruants of God But they haue no reason so to doe for he speakes not here of euery one in particular but of the whole bodie in generall which hee compares to filthie cloutes in regard it was trampled vnder feete and extreamelie afflicted Some haue been wont to alleage this place to proue that it is so farre off from meriting any thing by our workes that euen our works themselues are infected and lothsome before God But this seemes as I thinke to be farre from the Prophets intention seeing he speakes not here of all mankind in generall but describes their complaints who being led captiues felt Gods wrath heauie vpon them For which cause they confessed that both themselues and their righteousnesses were like filthie cloutes First of all then he exhorts them to confesse their sinne and to acknowledge their offence secondlie to aske pardon And that the meanes how to obtaine the same is first to acknowledge our miserable and wofull condition and therewithall to confesse that wee therein receiue the iust recompence of our offences Wee all fade This is a very apt comparison which shewes that men wither and wanze away as soone as they feele Gods wrath Which point is notablie described in Psalm 90.5 and 103.15 and in chap. 40.6 We are rightly compared to leaues then because our iniquities are the winds which carrie vs away Vers 7. And there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy selfe from vs and hast consumed vs because of our sinnes THe Prophet confirmes that which was said before A confirmation of the former sentence For hee admonisheth the faithfull to acknowledge that they are worthie of such a reuenging hand of God how sharpe and seuere soeuer it seemed Now he mentions some capitall sinnes And because it had bin too long to haue stood deciphering them out one by one he strikes at the roote it selfe and saith that Gods seruice vvas contemned Vnder the word Jnuocation hee comprehends the whole seruice of God according to the vsuall phrase of the Scriptures For the principall part thereof is that wee call vpon God thereby testifying that our whole trust is in him It is very certaine that prayers and vowes were alwaies in vse among the Iewes but because they wanted the affection of the hart and that it was farre remote from God therefore he esteemed none of these fained deuotions Which hee yet better explaines in the particle following where it is said that none stirred vp himselfe to seeke God But all of them vanished away and fell to nothing through their owne slothfulnesse First hee shewes that the thing we ought chieflie to desire is that we may be fully conioyned with God For when we are estranged from him it must needes follow of necessitie that all things should turne to our destruction and woe Now by nature wee are exceeding idle and slothfull for which cause we haue need to be quickned vp with the spurre Seeing then that we take pleasure in our carelesnesse it stands vs in hand to hearken aduisedly to the Prophets counsell lest wee become vtterly senselesse Otherwise it will come to passe in the ende that the Lord for his part will disdaine and reiect vs. For the Prophet describes the miserable estate of this people who had no desire at all to take hold vpon God neither was there any meanes left to awaken them vp to a sincere desire of godlinesse And hast consumed vs. They complaine againe that they were ouerwhelmed with the weight of their miseries without being any thing at all relieued or cased by God For Jsaiah propounds these things in the name of the vvhole people and intreates the Lord not to suffer them to languish any longer vnder so great calamities Vers 8. But now O Lord thou art our father we are the clay * Or thou art c. and thou art our * Or former potter and we all are the worke of thine hands After the laying foorth of their miseries they crie for pardon in this and in the verse following AFter they haue bewailed their miseries with which they were almost ouerwhelmed now in plainer termes they desire the Lord to pardon and ease them of their smart and withall doe more boldly professe themselues now to bee his children notwithstanding For it was adoption onely that could raise vp their hearts vnto a liuely hope so as notwithstanding the burthen of afflictions wherewith they were pressed downe yet they ceased not for all that to rest vpon God as vpon a father This order ought to be well obserued for to attaine to a sound and sincere humilitie of heart it is needfull that wee be deiected and laid on all foure as they say But if despaire ensue let vs hasten to this consolation for seeing God hath vouchsafed to elect vs for his children it is our parts to hope that he will saue vs euen then when things shall seeme most desperate and confused Thus then in regard of the free couenant the Israelites protest they are Gods children that they might feele his fatherly good will towards them in such wise that his promises might not be in vaine By way of comparison they amplifie and set forth Gods grace in confessing that they were formed of the clay for they seeke for no excellent matter in themselues only in their originall they extoll Gods mercie who of mire and clay hath bin pleased to create them his children In the second member where God is called their former and the people the vvorke of his hands it comes all to one sense for they whollie attribute vnto God their being and the author of all they had And this is a right acknowledgment God is robbed of his glory whilest men glorie in themselues for God is robbed of his due honor whilest men glorie in themselues be it neuer so little But Isaiah speakes not heere of the common creation of men but of their regeneration for which respect the faithfull are in particular called the workemanship of God Chap. 17.7 and 19.25 and 22.11 and 27.11 and 37.26 and 43.1.15 Ephes 2.10 They heere acknowledge then a singular fauour that God hath done them first in electing them for his people and then in inriching them with so many and excellent benefits Vers 9. Be not angrie O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer loe we beseech thee behold we are all thy people THe people pray that God would mitigate both his vvrath and their afflictions Not that God euer exceeds measure but in regard they should be vtterly ouerwhelmed if he would stand to examine thē to the vtmost They pray then that their paines may be moderated As Ieremiah saith Correct me ô Lord but in iudgement that is to say in measure Ier.
effectuallie confirmed because it was verie hard to be credited Althogh euen in this noueltie the Prophet meant to magnifie Gods vnexpected grace The summe is The summe of this text that after God shall be offered to the Gentiles and that they shall bee receiued into the holy race of Abraham then there shall bee a Church in the world out of which the Iewes shall be expelled Now wee see that all these things which our Prophet here mentions were accomplished by the Gospell wherein the Lord truely manifested and offred himselfe vnto strange nations Vse As oft then as this voice of the Gospell sounds in our eares or as oft as we reade these holy prophesies let vs know that the Lord is neere and offers himselfe that being familiarly knowne wee may with boldnesse and assurance call vpon him Vers 3. A people that prouoked mee euer vnto my face that sacrificeth in gardens and burneth incense vpon brickes The fruit that came from walking after their owne imaginations in this and the next verse HE shewes and prosecuteth more at large in what things the Iewes rebelled against God namely that hauing forsaken his commandement they defiled themselues with sundrie superstitions Heretofore he had said that the Iewes had reuolted from God in regard they wandred after their owne inuentions Now he sets forth the fruit of this their wandring The spring of all superstitions namely that hauing giuen their thoughts free scope they ouerthrew the pure worship of God And this indeede is the fountaine from whence al superstitions proceede euen when men please themselues in their inuentions chusing rather to bee wise in their owne eies then to restraine their senses within the lists of Gods law It is but in vaine then that the superstitious alleage their deuotions and good intentions as they call them for God so abhorres and detests them that those who rest therin are tainted of high treason and are guiltie of the breach of Gods couenant because we ought to enterprise nothing of our owne braine but to yeeld our obedience to Gods commandement In a word the beginning and perfection of his pure seruice consists in teachablenesse By the verb to prouoke Isaiah sets foorth the inpudencie of the people who prouoked the Lord of set purpose neither had they any such reuerence of his Maiestie as to subiect themselues vnder his gouernement And this he further amplifies in adding vnto my face For seeing those that are admonished by the word haue him present as it were before their eies they sinne with an hie hand and are more guiltie of impudencie and rebellion then such as neuer heard tell of the word He also mentions the gardens which they had dedicated vnto their Idoles and affirmes that God was prouoked by them Some think it should be spoken of brickes here by way of contempt and that they are secretly opposed to the Altar vpon which God would haue them onely to sacrifice And thus they thinke the roofes of the houses are here meant where the superstitious sort were wont to sacrifice in regard they were made of brickes But I rather thinke this word simplie signifies the Altars which they had erected to their idols In the meane while howsoeuer they had a faire pretence to imitate the forme of that Altar ordained by the Lord yet he abhorred such an excuse because it was contrarie vnto his word Vers 4. Which remaine among the graues and lodge in the deserts which eate swines flesh and the broth of things polluted are in their vessels HE reckons vp other sorts of superstitions Which albeit by reason of the breuitie of the words it bee somewhat obscure yet from other places of the Scriptures it may easily bee gathered what they were For as Necromancy was a thing much in vse among profane nations so also the Iewes went into the sepulchers and deserts to aske counsell of diuels whereas they should onely haue sought counsell at the mouth of God And in supposing to fetch answers from the dead they delited to be deciued by the illusions of wicked spirits Now by the 18. of Deuteronomie vers 11. and other places it appeares how expreslie the Lord had forbidden this And we haue touched it somewhat before in Chap. 8. We are here taught in generall that the Lord requires nothing more of vs then obedience which hee accepts aboue all sacrifices 1. Sam. 15.22 Which eate svvines flesh He complained before that Gods seruice was polluted by their superstitions Now he addes that they reiected all difference of things so as they discerned not between the pure and vncleane And he recites one kind namely that they abstained not from swines flesh This seemes but a light matter Yet is it not so for all that For we must not iudge how great this sinne is by our rule but according to that which the Lawgiuer hath prescribed Neither is that sinne to be esteemed light which God hath forbidden This appertaines to the externall profession of faith by which the Iewes should haue shewed how farre off they were from the prophanations of the Gentiles Wee must not recoile then from that rule which God hath giuen vs no not the thicknes of our naile Vers 5. Which say Stand apart come not neere to me For I am holier then thou these are a smoke in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day HE notes out a grosse impietie that was among the Iewes namely that of an obstinate mind and an vntamed rebellion they opposed themselues against the true seruants of God neither would they obey any admonitions For whilest we giue eare to admonitions and reprehensions there is some hope of repentance but if wee reiect them then is it certaine that we be past cure Now howsoeuer the Prophets words in appearance seeme to be obscure yet the summe of them is that hypocrites doe disdainfully and malepartly thrust backe those vvho faithfully admonish them because they attribute vnto themselues either a shew of holinesse or in respect that their pride cannot indure that any should reproue them for hypocrisie is neuer separate from disdainfulnesse Hypocrisie neuer separate from disdâ—infulnesse pride Let vs not meruaile then if those who bee tainted with this vice doe insolently exalt themselues bragging of their holinesse and thinke that they excell therein aboue all others and if we at this day also doe find the like qualities in the hypocrites of our time which Isaiah hath described to bee in those that then liued For Satan hath so blinded them that whilest with a vaine bragging of words they set their deuotions to sale they basely esteeme of Gods word The expositors thinke this should be a generall sentence which reproues the Iewes for not submitting themselues vnto the Prophets but me thinks the circumstance of the place should be considered which they haue not sufficiently respected namely that this verse depends still vpon the former so as the Iewes are sharply reprooued for
a terrible and grieuous threatning to wit that the vengeance of God is readie to sease vpon them to the end they might feele that the contemners of God shall not remaine vnpunished We must also note that there is but one only rule of well liuing that is the obedience which wee yeeld vnto God and to his word Also in these words there is a traÌ„sported sentence by a figure which wee call Hypallage because the speech should be resolued thus If you be of a readie mind and haue full consent of will to obey or else thus and yet in the same sense If ye hearken and obey me and my word Seing then that God placeth the felicitie of men in obedience it followes that our life is then well ordered when wee heare God speakâ—ng and that we obey him in all things Now wee may see how great the wickednes of men is when they vouchsafe not to lend their eare to God but reiect the felicitie which hee offereth and prepareth for them Truely their froward affections ought to bee timed to the end that whilst these poore wretches draw the wrath of God vpon their owne heads they might not wittingly and willingly cast themselues headlong vpon the edge of the sword Wee must note also that in the verse followin g which is the conclusion he threatens them with extreame ruine if so be they still continue to rebell obstinately against God The good things of the earth He meanes the fruites which the earth brings forth for the necessitie of our life For the earth seemes to bee somewhat vnkind when it brings not forth her fruites but keeps them as it were in her bosome Although I make no question but hee alludes to the promises of the law where God promiseth that he will blesse the ground of such as walke in his commandements that they may haue abundance of all good things And yet hee offereth not the commodities of this life vnto vs to the end he would stay vs in an earthly felicity which hypocrits indeed only gape after wholly imploying all their wits thereabouts but that by the contemplation thereof we should lift vp our minds to the heauenly and spirituall felicity as also that by the taste of his so great goodnes he might accustome vs to rellish the estate of eternall happines Now the ancient people were inured rather to be called by such shadowes and resemblances to the heauenly inheritance namely by the taste of earthly benefits And this difference is well to be noted that we may applie this doctrine to our vse according to that degree whereunto God hath been pleased to exalt vs. Now the Prophet would teach vs that true felicity with the complements thereof consists in the obedience of God also that the wicked in rebelling against him doe draw vpon themselues all manner of calamities and that we therfore ought to impute all the euils which we endure to our sinnes and rebellions as to the proper cause thereof Vers 20. But if yee refuse and be rebellious yee shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it TThe wicked alwaies thinke the punishments which they suffer are farre greater then their fault although God deale mercifully and fauourably with them And howsoeuer they dare not wholly iustifie themselues yet notwithstanding they cease not as we haue said heretofore to accuse him of too great seueritie But the Prophet shewes how there shall bee no end of their plagues which they often suffer till they bee wholly consumed as also that there are yet more heauie chastisements prepared for them of God that they should not imagine to escape with those light fillips wherewith they were hitherto smitten The Papists wrest this place to establish their free will And thus they reason If men be happie when they will obey God then it followes that it is in their owne power to will Behold a childish argument For the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet disputes not what or how great our power of will is to good or euill but admonisheth that it is by our owne default that we enioy not the abundance of all good things and further that the necessities wherewith wee bee pinched are the iust rewards of our disobedience and rebellion Now there is great ods betwixt demanding whether a man bee able to make his will which is euill good and whether by his wicked will which is his owne by nature hee drawes vpon himselfe all the plagues which he endureth These subtile and craftie doctors therfore do vniustly and falselie ground their doctrine of free choice of good and euill vpon this place For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Because threatnings ordinarily doe not much moue such as are carried away with their inordinate desires and lusts the Prophet to the end he might awaken them from out of their so great drousines admonisheth them that this sentence proceeds not from the mouth of a mortall man but that it is come out of the mouth of the eternall God who is not mutable as men are but is alwaies as good as his word He sets the authoritie of God before them then to feare and terrifie them to the end that such among them as were fallen into a dead sleepe in their vices might earnestly giue themselues to hearken to his threatnings Vers 21. How is the faithfull citie become an harlot It was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therin but now they are murtherers TO the end the reprehension might be the more forcible and that their wickednes might be the more detestable in that this people were thus reuolted from God and from all integritie and vprightnes he cries out as if he saw some strange and vnwonted thing And surely it was an horrible change that the people whom the Lord had chosen and set apart to bee a royall priesthood to himselfe should thus fal from so soueraigne pietie and godlines into the gulfe and sincke of all sinne and wickednes But he speakes chieflie of the citie of Ierusalem which was the royall seate of the Sanctuarie of God hee complaines that she which heretofore was a faithfull gardian of iustice is now become a denne of theeues and that of an holy and chast virgin she is become an harlot To the ende therefore hee might make the bastard Iewes who were farre from the integritie of the holy Patriarks the more ashamed hee takes vnto himselfe the person of a man astonished who wondreth and reasoneth with himselfe how such a thing could come to passe Also in this word faithfull hee alludes as I thinke to the faith in mariage which the wife ought to keepe to her husband I grant that the signification of the word reacheth further but waying the circumstance narrowly I thinke it not amisse to take the word faithfull for chaste For a little after he opposeth the contrarie member calling her harlot So as being in times past a loyall wife keeping faith to her
husband shee is now become an harlot past shame and blusheth not at her villanie Now it is an vsuall thing in the Scriptures to call the Church of God by the name of his wife which degree of honour Ierusalem kept whilst shee retained her spirituall shamefastnes and perseuered in the lawfull and pure worship of God but as soone as she gaue ouer that then she became an harlot Now it is not to be doubted but this astonishment of the Prophet was ioyned with great sorrow For it ought to make our haire to stand an end to see men reuolt and slide backe from God and forsake the faith and allegeance which once they promised him Neither can it be but men of any good heart will be deeply touched with extreame sorrow at the beholding of such a wofull spectacle We reade Luk. 15.10 how the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner and therefore they are much grieued at the perdition of any one of them But how much more heauie and sorrowfull are they when they behold the ruine and destruction of a whole citie and Church Now this admiration carries with it a complaint as if the Prophet should haue said to Ierusalem From what an excellent and flourishing estate art thou fallen into what miserie hast thou plunged thy selfe What shame and dishonour hast thou laid thy selfe open vnto For in making mention of her former estate in which shee had flourished and had been honourablie accounted of hee thereby prouokes her to bee so much the more moued so as she who in times past had been an honest mother of a family should haue much more care of her honour and reputation then such a one as hath passed her whole life in all kind of wicked and leude behauiour She was full of Iudegment He shewes what the fruites of this loyaltie was in times past We may take iudgement for vprightnes only or if any will he may take Iustice for giuing to euery one that which to him belongeth and Iudgement for taking the cause of the innocent in hand and reuenging the poore and needie For so the Scripture indeede vseth them when these two words are ioyned together But because they are not wholly ioyned together in this place I take iudgement simplie for vprightnes as being one and the same thing twise spoken to manifest it the more clearely But now they are murtherers Here hee shewes how Ierusalem is become an harlot For whereas iustice and equitie were in times past highly in estimation in her eyes now on the contrarie shee is full of murthers Now he meanes not murtherers and theeues onely as hath been said but those who vnder colour of iustice drew other mens goods to themselues by deceit and violence and lastly those who walked not plainely and simplie with their neighbours in what estimation soeuer they were as sometimes nay very often it falles out that the most wicked are the most praised Now from this estate whereunto Ierusalem was come let vs consider after what manner Satan for the most part exerciseth his tyrannie ouer the Church of God euen as if the bridle were laid in his necke For if euer there were a Church it was in Ierusalem and yet notwithstanding Isaiah saith that it was become a denne of theeues or as a caue wherein men were deuoured and swallowed vp But if Satan had his swinge so there let vs not meruaile if the case bee now alike with vs but let vs rather giue order that we be not corrupted by so wicked examples Vers 22. Thy siluer is become drosse thy wine is mixt with water THe Prophet speaks by a figure and vnder two similitudes shewes here how that although things were not wholly ouerturned in appearance yet that their estate notwithstanding was changed and corrupted in such wise as it was far from that which it was wont to be For he saith that drosse shined in stead of Siluer and that there was nothing in their wine but colour without any sauour as if he should haue said Howsoeuer thou makest a faire shew of goodnes yet there is nothing that is pure to bee found in thee Thy wine which was wont to be of it selfe is now mixed and howsoeuer it deceiues them that looke vpon it yet by the taste one may know it is corrupted Now all this is to none other end but that the Iewes hauing once purged themselues from all dissimulation should begin to confesse their sinnes and not to please themselues any longer in them as hypocrites are wont to doe To which purpose these Similitudes which he here vseth are very apt and fitting for the drosse of siluer hath some resemblance with siluer also the water that is mixed with the wine hath some shew of the colour of the wine it selfe and yet notwithstanding they are farre off from the puritie of the things which they resemble So the hypocrits paint themselues with the colour of false siluer although indeed they deserue no more commendations then drosse yea they are more detestable therein then if they were openly wicked Yet notwithstanding they oppose themselues against God and men and no lesse disloyally then wickedlie paint ouer themselues with vanitie and vaine shewes to couer their malice withall Vers 23. Thy Princes are rebellions and companions of theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherles neither doth 〈…〉 doth the widowes cause come before them THere is an allusion and meeting together of wordes in this place which hath a verie good grace as if hee should say Thy Princes are pincers Neither speakes he so of the princes as if the people were holy and blamelesse but hee toucheth the welspring of the mischiefe for euen as no euill is more hurtfull then that which comes from the head and disperseth it selfe into all the members so also is there nothing more pernicious in a commonwealth then a corrupt and wicked Prince who spreadeth abroad his corruptions ouer all the body as well by example as by giuing libertie thereunto Prou. 29.12 From whence also came the prouerb Such a master such a man It is all one then as if the Prophet should haue said that it was no particular vice that reigned among the common people but that the Princes and great Lords had let loose the raines to al wickednes Also there is a close amplificatioÌ„ in the word Princes because it is a thing much to be lamented that the euill should come from thence where remedie should be sought He ioynes one particular which â—s that they are companions of theeues by which words he signifies that they were so farre off from endeuoring themselues to represse theeueries and wrongs that on the contrarie they drew gaine and profit from thence and he calles them theeues iustly who in taking part of the pray gaue licence to others to steale Neither can it be auoided when a Iudge suffereth himselfe to bee corrupted by bribes that disorders should not raigne for