Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4
And they shall go into the clefts of the Rocks, &c. This Jerome expounds not, as verse. 19. but of men turned from Idolatry, when of blind like mouls they come to see, they shall seek the holes of virtue to hide them in, and renounce the errors of their former opinions. Calvin and some others take it for an inculcating of the same thing, that it might make the deeper impression. Vatablus for these words [And they shall go] rendering it, that they may go, as if here were yielded the reason, why they should cast away their Idols, viz. that they fleeing without any carriage might make the more haste. And because other things before spoken of are again repeated, and the words here used are for the most part the same with those verse. 19. I cannot think with Jerome, that a different thing is meant, but the same with Calvin, their hiding themselves for fear, as also verse. 10.
Cease therefore from man whose breath is in his nostrils, why should he be reputed? Jerome, Quia excelsus reputatus est ipse, and he saith, that it is by the Jews expounded of Christ, but in a contrary sense, as if they were warned to take heed of him, as a weak man, and therefore after Aquila, they read the last words Wherein is he to be esteemed? He also expounds it of Christ, who though he draweth breath by his nostrils, as another weak man doth, yet for his Divinity he is acknowledged the most high. Thus he also saith Origen expounds it, because spoken of a singular man, which is Christ the Lord. But the Septuagint omit it, at which he marvels, but not all the verse, but only the last clause, which yet is now also in all copies. The cause of the different reading is in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies excelsum; Jerome renders it so, but forsomuch as it signifieth also wherein. Pagnin and Munster, and others after Aquila render it wherein, or for what is he to be reputed? And it is by them generally expounded of any man of what power or dignity soever in this world, Cease yet from trusting in him, for he liveth by his breath, which if it be stopped he presently dieth. And this is most agreeable to the premises touching the abasing of man, verse. 11, 17.
CHAP. III.
FOr behold, the Ruler, the Lord of hosts will take away from Jerusalem and Judah all the strength and stay, &c. This is a continuation of the same Prophecy, as the first word [For] showeth, the coherence with the last verse of the former Chapter being this. Because ye will not cease from trusting in man, the Lord will frustrate all the strength of your mighty ones, and that by taking away their sustenance, bread and water. Jerome following on in applying this to Christ, saith, because they refrained not, but persecuted him, they should be by the Roman Army besieged, and have no power to resist, until that all their provision being consumed, they should all be made feeble and perish by famine. He also applieth it spiritually, they should have no sound teachers left upon whom they might stay, nor any spiritual food to nourish the soul. For although the Jews have the parchments, wherein the word of God is written, yet being without the understanding thereof, their souls perish for want of the spiritual food herein contained. That by bread and water, the Word truly set forth is meant, see Amos 8. 11. But forsomuch as in enumerating the particulars to be taken away, the Prophet speaks altogether of corporeal and external sustenance, and verse. 7. is plain for corporeal food, it is better to follow the literal sense only. Yet allegorically Cyril, Basil and Haimo also understand by bread and water spiritual food, and some the bread of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and the water of Baptism, of the comforts whereof men shall be deprived for sin. And the Ancients generally understand this threatening as belonging to the time, when the Roman Army was by God's just judgment brought against Jerusalem for their cruelty against the Lord Christ, against wronging of whom, they take the last words of the former Chapter to be directed. The words translated strength, or staff, and stay, are all one; but that the first is of the Masculine, the second of the Feminine gender, by the Septuagint therefore rendered validum & validam, and hereby he means both men, Judges, and Prophets, and women, as Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, &c. Bread is called the staff of bread, because hereby life is sustained, as an old feeble man by a staff. See the like Levite. 26. 26. Ezek. 4. 26. 5. 26. 14. 13. And this is taken away not only in the want of it, but of a blessing upon it to make it nutritive and strengthening.
The valiant and the warrior, the Judge and the Prophet, the Diviner and old man. For the valiant, saith Jerome, the Septuagint have the Giant, but then it must be understood of a Giant not in an evil sense, as Gen. 6. but in a good, as Psal. 19. yet the word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifying strong or valiant. The valiant and warrior were taken away, when they became subject to the Romans, and could never get free from this servitude anymore; the Judge, when they had no more Judges of their own, but the Romans were their Judges; Prophets also, that is, true Prophets ceased; and Diviners, that is, such others as they had taken heed unto, that were the Prophets of Idolaters, who divined by the flying of birds, the entrails of beasts, or any other unlawful way by consulting with devils, or with the dead; of these Diviners it was spoken before, Chap. 2. 6. The old man is by the Septuagint rendered Presbyter, who is a man, though not of years, yet of wisdom; in saying then that the old man shall cease, he meaneth, the wise, all becoming like children for foolishness and vanity. In the first verse generally, they in whom their strength lay according to man, are threatened, here such are more particularly enumerated; and verse. 3. the valiant, who regard not their lives in defending their Country, who have also skill and strength accordingly. These and other men of war are taken away, either when they are cut off, or of courageous they became cowardly. Diviners, saith Calvin, first seem to be taken in a good sense, because they are spoken of, as conducing to the well-being of a state, yet afterwards he yieldeth to them that understand evil instruments hereby; of whom to be deprived, they in their superstition thought it a great punishment. But taking a Diviner in a good sense, he understands by him one that hath sharpness of wit to find out the meaning of things obscure in the holy Scriptures. By the Prophet he understands all teachers of the Word, and the old man one old in years; and if it be taken so, then the meaning is, that the aged who is past war, shall not be spared anymore, then the young and strong. But because children ruling over them are spoken of, verse. 4. and by them children in years are not meant, but in understanding, it is plain, that by the old man is meant one for his wisdom made an elder, whether old or young.
The Ruler over fifty, and the honorable, the Senator and excellent Artificer and eloquent. As we have Captains over hundreds, so had the Jews over fifties, and these he threateneth should be taken away, so as that they should have none left skillful enough to lead the least band of men, and this is a weak▪state of a people amongst whom a valiant and skillful Leader is of so great avail, that Epaminondas a valiant Captain of the Thebans dying, persuaded them to make peace upon any terms, because he saw that they had none fit amongst them to be a worthy Leader, and so with him began and ended the Empire of the Thebans. For honorable, is acceptable of face, Hebr. hereby one being set forth, who for the estimation, wherein he was, might bear some sway amongst the people to direct and guide them. Jerome following the Septuagint puts this and the next together in his Exposition, unum virum, admirabilem consiliarium, the admirable Counselor, who is but one of a thousand, concerning whom, he saith, the Greek Poets have a saying, He is blessed first that is wise. 2. That hearkens to the wise, but he that doth neither is altogether unprofitable, both to himself and all others. And in our books, thou mayest have many friends, but one Counselor. And the Roman Consuls had their name from this, that they guided that state by their council. The Jews then, from whom the Lord threatens to take away the honorable and Counselor, were most miserable. The excellent or wise Artificer is also taken away, Hebr. The wise in handyworks; of such it is spoken, because there is great use of them for the making of arms and instruments for the war and fortifications; therefore when no such are left, the people are in a weak state; And the eloquent man] Heb. The man understanding mystical or aenigmatical speeches. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used, signifieth Incantation or Charm. But a divine Charmer is meant, of whom the Psalmist saith, They will not hear the voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely: for the wicked are like Serpents or Adders not hearkening to a godly teacher, who wisely layeth open divine mysteries; some yet there are, who have judgment in these things, of whom Paul saith, Let others judge. And amongst the Jews some of the Priests were appointed to hear the Prophets, to judge who prophesied truly and who falsely; and of such intelligent men it is here spoken, that none should be left, but all taken away, and thus all means of good both corporeal and spiritual should fail them.
And I will set children for Princes over them, &c. That is, not in years, but in want of wisdom and fortitude, for so Rehoboam, though forty years old, was but a child. The next word rendered [Little ones] is by Jerome translated effeminate, and the word signifieth also childish and illuders. For, Woe, is it said, to thee (O Land) when thy King is a child; the contrary to those before named are meant, such as like children are without understanding, and easily turned any way, and set their minds not upon things serious but vain, no not upon any heavy accident, as children play and laugh still. The wise amongst the Heathen accounted this the way to ruin. In Porticu tabernae meritoriae, it was thus written in golden Letters,
Nichomachus Vopiscus. Dii avertant principes pueros, & patres patriae dici impuberes, quos ad consulatus dandos dulcia, circuli, & quaecunque puerilis voluptas invitet. And such for imprudence, rashness and inconstancy were the Scribes and Pharisees, and the Zealots amongst the Jews, who brought Jerusalem to ruin, as Josephus showeth more then the Roman power. By the effeminate ruling over them, or illuders, some will have the Romans meant, whom riches made of hardy, tender and luxurious, and Titus in particular, who delighted in Sodometry, as also Trajan, and who through God's just judgment illuded the Jews, as they had mocked at our Lord.
The people shall deal violently everyone against another, &c. Hebr. it is, Man against man, the young against the old, and the base against the honorable. In such confusion is a state, when ruining, and this was the state of the Jews, when being besieged in Jerusalem they were divided into three factions, one holding the Temple, another the Superior, the third the Inferior part of the City, fighting against and killing up one another. Calvin here notes well, because this is threatened after the taking away of wise and stayed Governors, that it is the greatest misery, which can befall a Nation, to be without a good Government, and therefore they are great enemies to the public good that impugn this.
And a man shall lay hold upon his brother, saying, Thou hast apparel, be thou our Prince, and let this ruin be upon thee. Theodotion for ruin, hath infirmity, saith Jerome, and the Septuagint meat; the meaning is, to such poverty and want shall they be brought, that they shall desire to be subject to him, as their Prince, that hath but good apparel and food. They shall not choose him, that is wisest, or valiantest, or most noble, but that abounds most with provision. The sense then of these words, Let this our ruin be upon thy hand, is, Let our misery and want be sustained by thy aid. Vatablus, Put thy hand to this our ruin to help against it. Hebr. Under thy hand, that is, to help it, as a Patient under the Physicians hand. Calvin here notes a most miserable condition of a Kingdom, when to be Prince over it is a thing thought not worth the having, yea by every great man refused, although with some force drawn to it, as is intimated in saying, Shall lay hold upon him. For all men are naturally ambitious of Principality, at the least, in any place there be some, but now in Judea there should be none, an argument that it should be brought very low. By their apparel, saith Musculus, Nobles were known, others going basely, but now such is the pride of the times, that a Nobleman and a peasant cannot by their apparel be known asunder. It is to be noted, that men desire to commit the Principality to one that is wealthy, that he may not need to pill and poll his subjects, or in judging gape after gain.
He shall swear in that day, saying, I will not be a Prince. Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Chirurgeon or Physician, as Jerome renders it, rightly answering to the last words of verse. 6. Let this ruin be under thy hand; that is, to be bound up and healed, as by a Surgeon healing the wounded. Hereby then is intimated, that a Prince should bind up the breaches of the Kingdom, and heal the infirmities of all, wherefore the Greeks call a King 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which comes of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , signifying a medicin. And Alciatus makes an Anchor with a Dolphin round about it an emblem of a King, because as a Dolphin he should foresee tempests a coming, and providently hold the Ship of the Commonwealth as by an Anchor out of danger. The word translated swear, is by Vatablus noted to come of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to lift up, because a man in swearing lifts up his hand to God, as Abraham; it signifieth also to take, because he taketh God's name into his mouth. And here he that denies to take upon him to be Prince, is set forth as denying it with an oath, that there might be no hope of bringing him to it. And this, saith Musculus, [Note.] is the state of the world, when there is apparent danger in having the principality, but at other times, everyone seeks it, and likewise touching Prelacy in the Church, when Bishops were most exposed to the danger of Martyrdom, and had little means, everyone refused this dignity, but now hunt after it. There is not in my house bread or apparel, that is, not sufficient means of maintenance for a Prince; for this is requisite in one that is a Ruler, that he should be a man of Ability, that he may both be of the more credit, and not have need to oppress the Commonwealth by Bribes, but freely execute Justice and Judgment, as one that needs the gifts of none.
Certainly Jerusalem is come to ruin, and Judah fallen, because their tongue and studies are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory. He speaks in the Preter tense of a thing to come, for the certainty thereof. For their tongues against God, this most probably was by their mocking at his judgments, Cha. 5. 10, 24. and plainly refusing to obey him speaking by his Prophets Jerem. 44. They were so desperately wicked, that they set themselves against God, and studied how to provoke him. His eyes are spoken of, to show their open sinning, even as it were before the Judges face, not being ashamed of any wickedness, although his glory had oft shown itself unto them, yet they were nothing moved hereby to fear to sin thus against him. And that their open sinning is hereby meant, is shown verse. 9. where they are said to sin with Sodom. Jerome applieth that of their tongues and studies against the Lord, to their crying out, Crucify him, we will have no King but Caesar.
And the proof of their countenance answereth to them, they show their sin like Sodom, &c. That is, the impudency of their faces in other sins committing, is suitable to their speeches: for herein they are as the Sodomites, who were not ashamed to bid Lot to bring out the young men, that they might lie with them, as man with woman, which is an abomination. This may be taken as spoken in answer to them, if they should say, Why do we come to ruin? whereby doth it appear, that we deserve it? Answ. If it appeared not otherwise, yet the cause might be seen in their countenance, which shown pride, stoutness, cruelty and effeminatenesse. For the countenance oft times discovereth men's wickedness, as wisdom makes the face to shine; so it is hard not to bewray wickedness by the countenance, as Ovid saith, and Seneca, Vultus loquitur quodcunque negas. So it is said of an holy Bishop sometime, that he saw in the faces of those that came to the Communion, who were wicked and who godly, for the faces of the one sort appeared to him red and deformed, the faces of the other fair and amiable. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used hath divers significations. 1. For an alienation or transformation of the countenance, whereby the wicked, as if they forgot themselves to be mortal men, carry themselves most arrogantly. 2. For feigning himself to be another, as the wicked show one thing in their face, but are another in their heart. 3. In Hithpael, he hath made himself unknown, and R. Jonah saith, that the Arabic Haccar, signifieth hardness. And if it be thus taken, the meaning is, the hardness or brazennesse of their faces testify against. Otherwise their dissembling countenance or their proud and disdainful look.
Say, it shall go well with the just, &c. That is, saith Calvin, resolve upon it in your hearts, that what calamities soever come for sin, yet good, as the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth, shall redound hence to the righteous. To work righteousness, as Musculus hath it, is hereby intimated to sow, and of this sowing, good fruit shall come in the end, as of doing evil, evil and destructive fruit, as is added verse. 11.
Woe to the wicked, they shall be rewarded according to the works of their hands. And so saith Jerome the Jews were, when as they had delivered Jesus into the hands of the Romans, so they were at length by God delivered into their hands for their destruction, and by the Jews being a Noun singular he will have Christ understood, as if all men were exhorted to praise him, as doing a good thing in destroying the Jews for their enmity against him, and therefore rendereth it, He shall eat, for they shall eat, contrary to the Hebrew. This, saith Sasbont is spoken to the Reader of this Prophecy, it shall finally be well with every just person, but woe to the wicked; whereby eternal damnation is commonly set forth, Hebr. Here is no more in the beginning of this sentence, but, Say to the just, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which may as well be rendered, that he is good, as that good shall be to him; but the common reading is to be preferred, as the next words added for explication show. The Septuagint have a strange interpretation here, reading it isru for imru, bind, for say; and it is this, Bind the just one, because he is unprofitable for us, as if it were the saying of Jews conspiring against Christ.
Little ones are oppressors of my people, and women reign over them, &c. Jerome according to his manner, applies this to the Scribes and Pharisees, who exacted Tithes and first-fruits through their covetousness, and for profits sake rejected Christ. And he calls them women, because they were drawn also by pleasure, and so much regarded the favor of women, that they did in a manner rule in the Church. The same that before were called effeminate, saith Sasbont, are here called for more disgrace women. Vatablus, and Calvin, and Musculus understand it of their Princes, who were of little strength and power as women and children be, so that he speaks of it, as a wonderful judgment that they should be under such, whereas men naturally are so impatient of rule, if it be tyrannical and exacting, that they will not be brought under it, unless by force: but these grew to that stupidity like asses, that a child or a woman might exact upon them, and they bare it, and this is the best . My people, they that govern thee, deprave thee. This is added, to show by what means they that were of no more power then women, were exactors over them, viz. by seducing them, by getting such Authority in their hearts, that they thought their dictates Oracles, and anything well done, which was done according to their direction. For when people do thus over-honor their Princes, being ready to obey their wills in anything, they are a people depraved indeed, and so is the way of their paths, as here followeth, that is, the whole course of their lives. The word rendered, They that govern thee, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They that bless thee, and speak all good unto thee, and as if there were no fear of any evil to come, saying, Peace, Peace, these make thee secure in thy sins, till destruction comes suddenly upon thee. It may be applied either to their Elders, to follow whose Ordinances they were so addicted, accounting it the greatest piety and security to the state, or to their false Prophets, who countenanced these their doings, as from the Spirit of God, Heb. for the first words, Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 My people, his oppressors a little one, the singular being joined with the plural to disparage them the more in that they were oppressed by such, as if all their wit and power were put together, they were but as one little one.
Jehovah stands to contend, remaining to judge his people.
Jehovah shall come to judgment with the Elders, &c. Having shown both the internal cause of their punishments, viz. their sins, and the external, their unworthy Governors, now he cometh to threaten these Governors, who oppressed and seduced them, for so Jerome expounds [with the Elders] against the Elders, and this is by the following words, where he challengeth them for it, made plain, Ye have destroyed my vineyard, &c. Vatablus, To come to judgment with the Elders, is to come to judge them; so Ps. 82. he sets amongst them to judge them for their faults in judging. After the manner of a great man at variance with others, he will come and stand to see if these Princes have anything to say for themselves, that a just judgment may be made betwixt him and them, as one not willing to carry it by his power, but that justice should prevail. Sasbont by Elders here rather understands Abraham, Isaac, Moses, &c. with whom God will come to judge the present wicked Generation. And coming to speak upon this, Ye have destroyed my vineyard, this, he saith, is the house of Israel, according to Chap. 5. But if so, as indeed it is, how can any other be meant, but their Princes, and Priests, and Elders, who by seducing them, and through exactions impoverishing them brought them to destruction: for it cannot certainly be spoken to the Commonalty, who were the persons destroyed; wherefore the persons destroying must be the wicked Elders, with whom he threateneth to come into judgment, as he before complained of them. Thus also Calvin and Musculus. The Princes were accused Chap. 1. 23. that they judged not the fatherless or the widow; now God speaking to that saith, that he stands to judge these his poor people by revenging their wrongs upon their Rulers, that none may think great men to have a license to sin in their places anymore then mean persons. They are challenged for destroying God's vineyard, whereby both is intimated, how dear the Church of God is to him, and what a foul sin it is in Princes and Rulers over this vineyard, that should dress and keep it, after the manner of beasts to eat it up and to wast it. The spoil of the poor is found in your houses; this is added for conviction; for when stolen goods are found in the thiefs house, it is evidence enough against him: The Ruler counts that which he can get any way by reason of his place, his own: but God makes another reckoning, viz. That they be the goods of the wronged, for which the Judge shall answer. And such, saith Musculus, be the tithes, which are appointed to the poor in the houses of Bishops, Canons, and great secular men. This indeed is true of secular men, they taking of tithes cannot be excused of having the goods of the poor in their houses, but if by Bishops, Ministers feeding the flock of Christ be meant, and keeping Hospitality for the poor, the accusation is not true, since the tithes were at the first given to the Levites as their inheritance, who ministered about the Temple, and the tithes spoken of to be alike communicated to the Levites and poor, were tithes every third year arising out of the nine parts, when the yearly tithe was paid, as I have shown upon the place.
Why do ye beat my people or bruise them, and grind the faces of the poor, &c. Now the Lord is brought in as speaking in judgment, or contending with the Elders. The first is also rendered by Vatablus, Atteritis, Why do ye wear out my people? that is, by oppressions and exactions bringing them to poverty, what an audaciousness is this for you, that are set over the people for the good of everyone, through your pride and covetousness to do them so much evil? They are said to grind the faces of the poor, who when they are brought into judgment are reviled and stricken upon the face both to their smart and ignominy, as was often used by the Jews, for so was Michaiah used, and Jeremy, and Christ, and Paul, and it is set forth by a Metaphor of grinding, because the cheeks suffered violence between both the hands; sometime being stricken with one, and sometime with another; and this is set forth as spoken by the Lord God of hosts for more authority and terror to the greatest. Vatablus to express the exposition before-going, hath Colaphis caeditis. But the faces of the poor are also ground by want, as Amos 8. 4. when they even perish hereby.
Also the Lord saith, because the daughters of Zion are proud, and walk with a stretched out neck, &c. Having taxed the Princes and Elders, here, because he had spoken before of women reigning over them, and exacting upon them, he speaks against their pride and wantonness, saith Jerome, to maintain which the people were so greatly oppressed. And it is not only against the greatest, but all women laboring with the same vices. And this pride is shown in the affected carriage of the head and body, and of the feet in going. He mentioneth also another exposition by daughters, understanding lesser Towns and Villages about Zion, as we sometime read of this City or that, and her daughters. And a third exposition Tropolog. by daughters understanding souls. But it is best to understand it properly of the women of Zion, for whose sake oft times such exactions to the impoverishing of many were made, that they might be the more profuse in cost about their bodies. In reproving them the Prophet, 1. Censures their inward pride, as the fountain of their proud gestures and ornaments, then by speaking against stretched out necks, he taxeth their outward pride; for to have a submiss look argueth humility, and a lofty look pride, which is intolerable in man, but much more in a woman, being the more infirm both in body and mind, and the first in transgressing. Wandering eyes here also next spoken against, argue immodesty and insolency, for the Matronlike carriage of the eye is a stayednesse. But much more do they offend, that paint their eye-lids and faces, such pride is most intolerable, it being an attempt to amend the work of God. Walking about is also levity in women, and is spoken against by Paul, and they are bidden to keep the house, according to which the Ancients made Venus with the shell of a snail, to intimate that a woman should always have her house over her head, and look to the affairs thereof. The tinkling with her feet here also taxed, is understood by some of her affected gate after the manner of dancers, by others of costly ribbons with bells tied at her feet, which made a little tinkling noise as she went, but all devised to set forth her pride; and if these things be taxed in women, much more in men, as arguing effeminatenesse so curiously to deck and set forth themselves, because it is more tolerable in a woman, in whom attiring the body to make her show the more amiable, renders her the more acceptable to her husband, whom she ought to please.
Therefore the Lord will make bald the top of the daughters of Zion, &c. As pride begins at the head, saith Musculus, so doth the judgment threatened for it, the hair, which is the greatest ornament to a woman, being taken away by some scab or scurviness, they being forced to pluck it off. Whereas it is add • d, that he would also discover their shameful parts, he understandeth it as accomplished, when by the Chaldees they were stripped and driven after the manner of beasts into Babylon. Jerome for the last words hath, The Lord will make naked their hair; and ignominy shall be for ornament. The Hebrew is, He will lay open their nakedness, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth nakedness, and so though it may set forth any naked part of the body, yet more properly the secrets, of the discovering of which women are most ashamed, as being taught by nature to hide them. The meaning is, that whereas in their pride they multiplied their bodily ornaments unreasonably, not being content some of them with their own hair, now they should both be stripped of garments and hair both, and be put into a most shameful and miserable condition.
In that day the Lord shall take away the ornament of the ratlers, the cauls and half moons. Hieron. The ornament of the shoes. But a word coming from the same Root is used here, and ver. 16. expounded tinkling or rattling; and Vatablus saith, That the Spanish women did wear bells about their heels when they danced.
Their olfactories, bracelets and miters; That is, something hung about their necks, having sweets enclosed therein, and their tires were vails covering head and face all but their eyes. The rest of their implements, not to speak of them in particular, because I find nothing but conjectures about divers of them; the reason why this enumeration is made, is to show proud and light women's vanity in their dresses, unto which must go so many things all over the body from top to toe, and how much God is provoked hereby, that all such as have any modesty or fear of God in them, may eschew this superfluity, as a means to bring them to the want of all things, and be content with fewer ornaments, as becometh the humble professing the truth.
And there shall be for a sweet savor a stink, for grinding tearing, &c. That is, wherein any excess hath been used, and pride shown, a contrary punishment; so much doth God abhor the curious, excessive and proud use of all bodily things, that we may be sober herein. And for stinking it is noted by Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. 2. That they were very irksome to the Emperor Marcus for the stink that came from them, whereupon he calls them Faetentes Judaeos, and this Fortunatus saith, is washed away by holy Baptism.
Thy men fall by the sword, &c. Here again he returns to the destruction of those in whom their strength lay, their valiant men, so that the City Jerusalem which he brings in by a Prosopopeia, shall lie upon the ground, and her gates mourn, because there should be nothing but misery, and matter of grief, and sorrow for her desolation.
CHAP. IV.
IN that day seven women shall lay hold upon one man, &c. The number seven, saith Jerome, and sometime ten, were familiar amongst the Hebrews, because of the Sabbath of the seventh day, and the ten Commandments. But by seven is not always meant precisely the number of seven, but many, so likewise by ten, as when Zechariah saith, Ten men shall lay hold upon the skirt of a Jew, saying, we will go with thee. For the present place, such a destruction being made in Jerusalem, as hath been formerly prophesied of, he showeth here, that many women shall be forced to follow one man, pleading only for the benefit of marriage with him, for the increase of posterity, it being then counted a great reproach for a woman to be barren. And this showeth, saith Muscul. how few men should be left by the sword of the enemy, whereas there should not be above one for seven women, & women for fear of wanting husbands should lay aside womanlike modesty so far, as to offer themselves to men, and whereas the man commonly should provide for the woman food and raiment, to offer to provide these for themselves. Basil allegorically by seven women laying hold upon one man, understands the Jews living after their own laws, but laying hold upon Christ to be delivered from the reproach of spiritual barrenness, and other Allegories there be of Jerome and Cyril, which are as little or less pertinent. For the woman's being called by the name of her husband, that hath been so ever since the Creation, for the woman is called Ishah, from her husband Ish, for as Ishah signifieth a woman, so Ish the man, although Adam called his wives name in another respect Eve, viz. because she was the mother of all men. And the Hebrews and Romans also called the wives by their husbands names, as Mary of Cleophas, Mary of James, Cornelia, Tullia, Caia, &c.
In that day the branch of the Lord shall be to beauty and glory, and the fruit of the Land to excellency.
In that day] saith Musculus, in those days, whereby is not meant strictly the time of the destruction before prophesied of, for what glory could there be then? but in a time that should follow after this, viz. at their return out of Captivity. But by the Branch, saith Calvin, some understand Christ, because he is set forth by this name, Zech. 6. 12. yet to him that shall more accurately look into this place it will appear, that not that branch, but a stock of people delivered and reflourishing again is meant, because at the end of this verse it is expressed, of whom this is spoken, viz. the delivered of Israel, and verse. 3. Those that are left in Zion; Thus Calvin, who also laboreth to prove, that by the branch may be understood blessings temporal and spiritual, wherewith that people should be blessed, who had been before made so miserable. But Jerome by the Branch understands the branch of Christianity springing up in the time of the Gospel, and the glory here spoken of, shall then be not to all, but to a remnant of Israel which shall be saved, of which remnant the Prophet spake before Chap. 1. 9. that is, the Apostles and such as were converted by them, whose names were written in the book of life; suitable to which is the speech of Christ to his Disciples, Rejoice, that your names are written in Heaven. Vers. 3. When the Lord shall wash away the filthiness of the daughters of Zion, and the blood of Jerusalem, that is, when they shall come to be baptized for the remission of sins, and in saying [blood] he alludeth to that Chap. 1. Your hands are full of blood; and points at their crying out, His blood be upon us and our children; they that turned being also cleansed herefrom. And according to this the Fathers generally expound it; and Tremellius also, alleging Isa. 11. and Jer. 23. 33. where Christ is also called the branch, neither is any other elsewhere set forth by this name. And most aptly is Christ thus called, who sprung up in Israel to the great illustration of that people, when they were wasted with many miseries and brought most low, so that they had no Ruler of their own, but were under strangers, the Romans and Herod, even as a tree cut down to the stump, but he then coming was as a Branch springing forth, to glory and honor, when he wrought so many miracles, that made him famous in all parts, And the fruit of the earth to excellency and ornament to the deliverance of Israel. The Son, who was before called the Branch of the Lord, is now called the fruit of the earth, because he took flesh, and so was born upon earth; and he is said to be an ornament to the deliverance, that is, the delivered, the abstract being put for the contrete, and by the delivered are meant such as are saved of the Church consisting both of Jews and Gentiles, which is God's Israel.
And it shall be that the remnant in Zion, and in Jerusalem shall be called holy, &c. That is, everyone, who shall be delivered from the sword, and infidelity by turning to the true faith, that is, every true Christian shall be holy, even everyone, that is written to life in Jerusalem; here it is alluded to the writing of men's names in a book of Genealogies, for here they searched in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra, to find who were true Israelites: but by Jerusalem here is meant the heavenly Jerusalem, where who so is written shall live forever, but others not, and this is the book of Predestination, wherein no man knows who is written, but God only, till he be truly converted, for then he hath a white stone given him, and a new name written in it, which no man knoweth, but he that hath it.
In the spirit of judgment, and of fire. In this verse are the means, whereby they shall be sanctified and made holy, that are by Christ delivered, viz. They shall be washed by Baptism, and unto water fire shall be added, as was done in the day of Pentecost, and thus everyone that is truly baptized is baptized with water and the holy Ghost. Others that understand all this of the Jews returning from Captivity, say, that the Prophet having spoken figuratively of them, verse. 2. under the name of a Branch, and the fruit of the earth now speaks of the same plainly, they shall be called holy, not that everyone of them shall be such, but so many as be elect, who are the invisible part of the Church mingled here with the impure. For the reason yielded verse. 4. He will wash away the filthiness, &c. They understand this of his destroying the wicked by his former judgments, who were as filthiness and blood amongst them, but being taken away the remnant was pure and holy. Whence Calvin noteth, That judgments executed upon the Church in the most rigorous manner, do not, as is commonly thought, make against the welfare thereof, but for it, because although the people be reduced to fewer, yet they are more worth now then all the great multitude before, because holy.
And the Lord shall create upon all the habitation of mount Zion a cloud by day, and in the night the brightness of flaming fire, &c. Hebr. A cloud and smoke, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as also Tremellius renders it, and Jerome: but Marlorat, Darkness. And it is a Prophecy, saith Jerome, of renewing the like favors to the Church under the Gospel to those of old in the wilderness, the meaning being, that they should be sheltered from trouble both in adversity and prosperity. Wherefore smoke here doth not set forth the darkness of ignorance or error, but glory, as the house of God is sometime said to have been filled with smoke; and Joel prophesying of the coming down of the holy Ghost, saith, blood and fire, and the vapor of smoke. Tremellius, upon every Tabernacle, that is, every Congregation of the faithful shall be a cloud, that is, direction in the right way, and upon all the glory protection, or a covering, wherein it is alluded to the Tabernacle, over the glorious things whereof there was a covering, because also verse. 2. it is said, The Branch of the Lord shall be to glory, the Congregation is here set forth by the name of glory for the excellency thereof. The cloud and smoky darkness, intimating the flame ready to break out, and the flame were both for direction to the Israelites going through the wilderness to Canaan, wherefore hereby is set forth, that the faithful under the Gospel should have the direction of God's Spirit through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan. And because the cloud cooled and defended them from the heat of the Sun, but yet was occasion of some darkness, their light not being so bright, and the flame of fire enlightened them against the darkness of the night: in speaking hereof the Prophet showeth both the protection of God, that should continually be over his Church, and the mixture of adversity with prosperity for the greater good thereof. For light in the night setteth forth comfort to mitigate the darkness of calamity, and a cloud in the day, affliction whereby God tempereth the prosperity of his Saints, least they being taken herewith should wax proud, wherefore God in the day of prosperity protecteth his with a cloud of affliction, and in the night of affliction visits them with the fire of divine oblectation, for overmuch prosperity hurteth as much as overmuch adversity, For upon all the glory shall be protection. Here it is alluded to the Ark, which was the glory of Israel, and because the Ark figured out the Church under the Gospel, it is meant that every Church shall be under God's protection, and special providence, as the Ark and Tabernacle then was, when the cloud was over it.
And the tabernacle shall be a shadow in the day from the heat, and a receptacle and hiding place from the floods and rain. That is, the same protection shall be as the cloud to shadow the Church from the heat of persecution of bloody enemies, and a receptacle, &c. that is security to the faithful against the floods of temptations either by danger or suggestions, see Psal. 27. 5. Psal. 31. 21. for God's protecting of his. This benefit which cometh from Christ to the faithful, is further amplified by Ambrose, saying, If thou hast need of cure, he is a Physician, if thou fearest death, he is life, if thou fleest darkness, he is light, if thou desirest heaven, he is the way, if meal, he is nourishment.
CHAP. V.
I Will sing unto my Beloved a Song of my Beloved concerning his vineyard. Jerome, Canticum patruelis mei, and expounding it, he saith, The Prophet calleth Christ Patruelis, because he was of the same Country with him, yet in expounding it, he saith, that this is made to Christ by the name of his Beloved, as is the title of Psal. 45. and according to which God saith of him, This is my beloved Son. And the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used signifieth either patruelis or dilectus. What this vineyard is verse. 7. showeth, viz. the house of Israel. Wherefore Jerome will have that of Christ's weeping over Jerusalem, and the Parable of the Vineyard planted, and let out to Husbandmen the same with this. In an horn, the son of oil, Septuagint, in a fruitful place; and so Tremellius respecting rather the sense, then the Hebrew words. The Land of Canaan is hereby meant, called an Horn for the strength thereof, and the son of Oil for the fruitfulness even from the river of Egypt, saith Jerome, to Euphrates, and in the latitude of it to the Mountain Taurus: And he saith, the Hebrews expound it, in an Horn, that is, a strong place and lofty, the son of Oil, needing the mercy of God, and sustained by his help, or yielding the clear light of the knowledge of God to all Nations. Pagnin turneth, in an Horn, in an Hill, in the Syriac, in a corner of the Earth, because that Land was in fashion like an Horn, understand a strong Kingdom, for such had the Kingdom of Judah been. The son of Oil, especially because fruitful in Hebroei. Olive trees, and in regard of the King and Priest there anointed with oil, being therefore called two Olives, Zech. 4. but above all was Christ herein pointed at, before whose Birth a little Oil flowed out in Rome an whole day together, Euseb. Chron. Orosii l. 6. c. 10. This is, according to Jerome, the beginning of a second Vision, according to Tremellius this Chapter contains the sum of two Sermons going before, and it is set forth by way of Song after the manner of Moses, Deut. 32. One, because the word Patruelis signifying uncle, is here used, will have Amisiah Isaiah's fathers brother meant. But to pass this over as a conceit; the same word, which signifieth Uncle, and Beloved, or Friend, is used, because both come of one root, and he would set forth one most dear, as a most near Kinsman, which is Christ, and he calleth this his Song, because he in Parables sets forth Judoea, as a Vineyard planted and fenced, and let out to Husbandmen.
Which he fenced about, and gathered out the stones, and planted it with most fruitful Vines, &c. Hieron. He planted it with Sorech, that is a kind of most fruitful Vine that never ceaseth bearing, but Symmachus alone not so fitly, renders it vineam electam, fencing it with a ward of Angels, and gathering out Idols, or whatsoever might hinder God's worship, set forth by stones. And he built a tower therein and a wine-press, that is, a Temple and an Altar, which received the Sacrifices brought out of all Israel, as the wine-press grapes. For wild grapes, Aquila hath Pessimos fructus. The Septuagint Thorns, either wherewith they crowned Christ, or the thorns of worldly cares, but the first is to be preferred, see the like Psal. 80. 9. Theophilus and Euthymius, by the hedge understand the Law, whereby the people should have been kept within compass. But Origen saith, The custody of God was the hedge, the Tower the Temple, the Wine-press the place of drink-offerings, so Zech. 2. I will be a wall of fire round about her, saith the Lord. Touching wild grapes, they were so sour, that they could not be eaten, because they never come to full ripeness, whereas the grapes of a Vine planted are sweet, the meaning is, The Lord looked for godly living and good works, but ungodliness and evil came forth in the old Jewish Synagogue, before their destruction.
Now therefore (lo) inhabitant of Jerusalem, and man of Judah, judge, &c. The case being so plain that any man must needs condemn such a Church and people, the Lord puts it to them whom he accuseth, to judge, that out of their own mouths sentence coming against themselves they might be the more ashamed; so Nathan dealt by David, and Jesus by the wicked Jews. And he speaks in the singular number, as who would refuse no one of them to judge in this matter, it was so plain.
What was more to be done to my vine, which I have not done, &c. Even as a careful vine-planter can do no more, but plant in the best ground, the best kind of Vine, gather out the stones and fence it well, and build a Tower from whence thieves coming to rob the Vineyard might be espied and prevented, so have I done, and yet for sweet grapes I find sour grapes, which use to grow in the fields without any cost. Nothing therefore can be alleged, as an error in me, unless that I have long waited for fruit; so Jerome. But this makes more for your condemnation, because ye cannot deny, but that you have had time enough given you, as to a Vine time must be given to bring forth grapes to maturity. Calvin mentions this, as an expostulation of God with himself for waiting so long for fruit, and in the end to be frustrated, as a man is angry with himself, as having done simply in the like case, knowing the ill condition of a ground, to strive with it, and to bestow great cost upon it, in the end looking for fruit and being deceived, because he knew the bad condition of it before. But he prefers this as more genuine; What fault can be found in me after all this done and so long expectation, Sasbont takes it as an irony, unless I have faulted in this, that I have waited, which no wise man will affirm. If it be objected, God can make men's hearts anew. Answ. Whatsoever he can do, although he doth it not, yet it cannot be objected as a fault unto him, for if he doth all, which he ought to do, it sufficeth, as providing for the evident preaching of the Word, and the enlightening of the Understanding: for now he that brings not forth good fruit shall be condemned, not through any default in God, but only in himself; yet this satisfieth not, unless it be yielded, that man by virtue of the light shining to his heart hath his will, which was bound up before loosened; so that now he can will the good, which also is indeed implied Ezek. 18. and Matth. 23. 23. And so the fault is in rebellious man, since that although by nature, and of himself he be not able to will the good, yet when he hears outwardly, and the Spirit moveth his heart inwardly, he becomes able, and now because he will not bring forth better fruit, he is justly condemned. If it be said, But many hear not, amongst whom the Gospel cometh not. I answer, they that are under the Law shall be judged by the Law, but they without Law without it, for the evils which they have done against the light of nature; For this is the condemnation of the world, that light is come into it, but men love darkness: And to him that knoweth to do well, and doth it not, it is sin; And if I had not come amongst them, they had not had sin, but now they have no cloak for it; for this were not true, if when the Gospel is preached it were not a sufficient means to enlighten and incline the will, though naturally averse, in whomsoever, however few be inclined by it.
And now I will show you, what I will do, &c. God is so gracious and unwilling that any of his people should perish, that he shows them before by his Prophets, what evils he will bring upon them being wicked, I will take away thy hedge, and break down thy wall, that is, the hedge and wall of my protection, whereby thy enemies have hitherto been kept from making a prey of thee, and treading thee under their feet by contempt. Jerome by hedge understands the guard of Angels, according to Psal. 34. and some by wall, good men, for murus magnus vir bonus est, A good man is a great wall, according to the Proverb. So the great brazen gate of the Temple a little before the destruction of Jerusalem opened of itself, and a voice of Angels was heard, saying, Migremus hinc, Let us go hence: So that this Prophency was fulfilled, when the Romans destroyed it.
It shall not be pruned nor digged, and I will command the clouds not to rain upon it, &c. Here the taking away of all good means of grace to bring forth good fruit is threatened, as lesser chastisements and afflictions, which are as digging and pruning, the end whereof is to keep God's Commandments, as David saith, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep thy Commandments: and a with-holding of the influence of Heaven whereby famines come, as in the days of Ahab. And this, as Jerome saith, was not done, as some expound it, at the Babylonish Captivity, for Jeremiah was still amongst them, and afterwards Haggai and Zechariah, but when the Apostle being rejected by the Jews, said, Henceforth we turn to the Gentiles. For the Prophets and Apostles are the clouds here meant, for which it is said, Paul planteth and Apollo watereth; and Isa. 60. Who are these that flee as the clouds? Thus being destitute of means they should henceforth bring briars and thorns of evil works, to aggravate more their condemnation, as the ground accursed, the end whereof is to be burnt with fire.
Certainly the Vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, &c. Here the Parable is explained both for the meaning of the vineyard, and also for the meaning of the sweet and sower Grapes. Neither is it proper to Israel and Judah only, but common to us Joh. 15. Rom. 11. who shall likewise be judged for our evil fruits, by clamour or crying here spoken of is meant the crying of the oppressed by unjust dealing, or the crying out of unjust Judges against the innocent, as thieves and robbers upon the way against the traveler, as Christ was cried out against, Crucify him. So Jerome and Cyril. Or lastly, the crying out of any sin, which particularly is said to cry, as murder, Gen. 4. Sodometry, Gen. 18. Oppressing of the widow and fatherless, Exod. 22. and detaining the laborers wages, Jam. 5. 4. Heb. Elegans est Paranomasia Expectavi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & ecce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ecce 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .
Woe to them, that join house, to house, and field to field, &c. Here the Prophet enlargeth himself, taxing not only Judges, but all rich men who are insatiable in their desires by right and wrong to get into their possession all the Lands and Houses about them. But he is not to be understood, as condemning merely the possessing of many grounds and houses about them, but their covetous desires which are never satisfied with that which is enough, in regard whereof they care not what becomes of others, being by covetousness transported to that, which if they could attain to, they could have no comfort in it, since the rich cannot live without the poor, and man being a sociable creature, if he should have no neighbors inhabiting near him, could have little comfort of all his possessions. And in denouncing this woe he taxeth also unjust dealing and oppression to the devouring of other men's estates. A desire, saith Jerome, to have more houses and grounds, then he knoweth how to use, for ostentation, when others are harborless, and want grounds to husband for their sustenance, is here cried out against. Would ye dwell alone in the midst of the Earth? that is, would ye be all like Kings, ye rich men having all the Land in subjection to you, as they have. As proud Nero turned a great part of the City of Rome into an house for himself. Against such ambition and covetousness Ambrose inveighing, saith, The Gentiles have called the Judge of hell Ditem, because it shall be sedes divitum, the seat of the rich, who when they most abound are in greatest want, because they think all things which others possess.
These things are in mine ears, if many and fair houses be not without inhabitant. For their insatiable covetousness, here desolation is threatened to their houses made so great and fair by their rapine, which was fulfilled, when they were partly cut off by the sword of the Chaldeans, and partly carried away Captive. And he begins, These things are in the ears of the Lord of hosts] That is, the cries of the poor before spoken of for the manifold oppressions of the rich, he the Judge takes notice of them, and will be avenged upon such great and mighty men. The speech is Ecliptical, part being kept in by an Aposiopoesis and it is an oath for further confirmation and terror, being to be supplied with these or the like words, Let me not live. Sasbont Have not me for your God. And the like happens commonly to great rich men's houses, upon the building whereof no cost hath been spared, being within a few years left for Cadows and Jackdaws to dwell in; and so shall it be shortly, saith Musculus, with sumptuous Monasteries, to show the vanity of the founders thereof.
And ten acres shall make one bath of wine, and the seed of a chore an Ephah. A bath was seventy two Sextaries, that is fifty four quarts, a poor increase of so much ground; A chore was a measure of twelve bushels, an Eph • h according to some, a Bushel and a Peck; so Budoeus; but some others say, Medimnus Atticus, a Bushel wanting a pottle. However it was not above the tenth part of the seed sown. Here then great barrenness is also threatened, wherewith they should be punished for their ambition & covetousaes, they should sow much and reap little, as Hag. 1. 6. for what greater famine, then when the tenth part of the seed sown, and that upon a fruitful ground, is scarce reaped? The vulgar Latin hath it Lagunculam unam vini, which Sasbont saith, was but equal in wet things to an Ephah in dry, but Hebr. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and for a chore, it hath thirty measures, and for an Ephah three measures, wherein Jerome confesseth, that he followeth the Septuagint, whereas Hebr. it is a bath and a chore, but yet whereas my Author makes a bath and Epha so much different, as fifty four quarts and forty quarts, he saith, they were both equal, alleging Ezekiel, who puts them together, a just Epha, and a just bath.
Woe to them that rise in the morning to follow drunkenness. The Prophet having spoken of a vine doth here rebuke the vine-dressers, who when they should attend upon this work, give themselves wholly to riot and pleasure, from morning to night, for thus, saith Jerome, do many Princes: for which the viol also and harp are spoken of verse. 12. And he applieth this to such, as pass their time in pleasure from the morning of their youth to the night of their old-age. Rising in the morning to drink argueth the greatest intention to this sin, and continuing till night, such as are given over to do things tedious even to nature, being carried on by an evil custom; and they are said to continue at it till the wine inflames them, that is, makes them more dry and thirsty, so that the more they drink the more they desire it. The word rendered Drunkenness, is Sichar, signifying wine or strong drink, or any liquor causing drunkenness.
And the Lute and the Harp, &c. are in their feasts. That is, to make them the more mad upon pleasure, they use all manner of music. But they consider not God's work; that is, why man the work of God's hands was made, viz. to labor in some honest calling, and to glorify God, for they contrariwise like brute beasts are without this consideration. Some understand a double work, viz. of Creation and Redemption, neither of which drunkards consider, to praise him, and to love and fear him, as men ought to do. For did they but consider, how God provideth meat and drink for all, and that when we eat we are therefore bound to bless God, as Deut. 8. 10. they would not be so brutish, or if they considered the sufferings of Christ for our Redemption from sin, they would not so ungratefully sit quaffing wine and strong drink, when he tasted gall and vinegar for us, or exceed so in their mirth. Any of these ways it may be understood, but chiefly of the work of Judgment, which God was about to work amongst them for sin, of which it is spoken, verse. 19.
Therefore is my people gone into Captivity, because without Knowledge, &c. That is, so stupefied by gluttony and excess, that they know not him, who feeds them to serve him, but serve their own bellies. The Captivity and famine here threatened, is spoken of as past for the certainty thereof, but as Jerome saith was fulfilled in the time of Titus and Vespasian, since which the Jews have also suffered another famine, viz. of hearing the word. And it is said, Their Nobles die with famine, to aggravate the judgment, and that it might be the more remarkable. For these were they that are before complained of v. 12. to have used such excess, but now they are in want enough, and so shall all intemperate and voluptuous brutish people be one day.
Therefore hell hath enlarged itself. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifying hell or grave is here used, and she is said to have enlarged her soul by a Prosopopeia, by the soul her mouth being meant, the wide opening whereof is from the enlargement of the soul. But the grave is here commonly understood, and more particularly Tophet, otherwise called Gehenna, hell, which was the valley of the son of Hinnom, wherein they sacrificed their children to Molech; and therefore are threatened that it should be turned into a great burying place of an huge multitude of dead bodies, that should fall by the sword and famine for their sins. But here, as Ambrose noteth, Per legem talionis, they who like greedy beasts had devoured the substance of the poor, and of whose gluttony and drunkenness devouring excessively the best meats and drinks, there had been no end, are threatened, that they shall be devoured by the grave both of the greater and meaner sort. That if otherwise they would not be moved to repentance, yet for fear of so great a destruction to come upon the whole Nation they might.
And the mean man shall be bowed down, and the great man humbled, &c. For so homo and vir, the words here used are to be understood, as hath been shown Chap. 2. 9, 17. where the words both of this, and verse. 16. have been already expounded.
And the Lambs shall be fed after their manner, &c. These words are otherwise read by the Septuagint, their torn ones shall be eaten as Bulls, and the Lambs which are taken shall eat their desert places. But the Hebrew is, as hath been said, only the words following in this verse are diversely rendered by some, Gladii medullata ruminantia devorrbunt; The swords shall devour the fat chewing the cud, because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here used signifieth Swords as well as desert places, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ruminatours as well as Strangers. By others, The desolate places of the fat strangers shall eat. And this is to be preferred, and so by the Lambs the poor are to be understood, to such as remained of whom after the destruction before spoken of, it is here promised, that they should live plentifully of the possessions of the rich, who had oppressed them formerly, being now either destroyed or carried into Captivity, and the Chaldeans meant by strangers should enjoy the best things of the Land, as indeed the sacred History showeth that it came to pass. For there were left of the poor for vine-dressers and tillers of the Land, of whom the Chaldeans, Their Landlords took rent. Some turning this to an Allegory, by lambs and strangers understand the Gentiles converted to the faith; it is here prophesied, That they shall be fed after the manner of the Jews in former times with the Word and Sacraments, which is the fat of their desolations, and this was fulfilled in the time of Titus and Vespasian. For the exposition of the Septuagint, Jerome saith, he knows not why they render it so, unless by Bulls, to set forth the fat Bulls of Bashan, that is, the mighty men of Judea, and their destruction by the enemy, the poor as lambs after the subduing of the Country being let go to occupy the ground, and to feed upon the fruits thereof. For strangers devouring the best things of the Land; see before Chap. 1. 7. Calvin by lambs and strangers understandeth the same, viz. the poor faithful, who were put from their possessions, whilst unconscionable rich men oppressed them, and now these being cut off and carried away, returned again unto them as very strangers; and these possessions are called either desolate places of the fat, that is, of rich oppressors, who encroached upon so much Land, that they could not tell how to use it all, so that much of it lay desolate, or fat desolate places for the fruitfulness of that Country. And so here is a consolation for such as feared God, against the danger of being all pell mell destroyed in that common judgment. For though the wicked being as Goats should perish, yet the faithful as Lambs should be distinguished from them, and in the end reap benefit by this common calamity. Musculus mentioneth another Exposition of Lambs properly understood here, but rejects it, because God propounds not consolation for beasts, but men.
Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, &c. Cords or ropes here, saith Calvin, serve to set forth any means, whereby the wicked sooth up themselves in their sins, and so go on in them without end, either because they think God sees them not, or to excuse them, as little, or proceeding from their nature, and therefore to be born with; or because they contemn God's judgments, thinking that they shall never come: but because all this is vain, he calls them cords of vanity. Musculus by cart-ropes understands such sins, as they strengthened themselves in by unjust Laws, of which ch. 10. 1. Of sins called ropes or cords, see also Pro. 5. 22. Jerome likens these cords to those small threads, wherewith the Spider weaves her web, working it about herself till that she is all over enclosed herewith, but in vain. Funiculi, or cords, or cart-ropes may the sins of the wicked be well called, because as a rope consisteth of many small threads woven together, and so is drawn to a great length, and is strong and not to be broken, so sins being multiplied, and some woven into others, and long lived in, are long and strong enough to bind the sinner so that he cannot break them: but as Horses or Oxen yoked, and by ropes fastened to a loaden Cart, though at the first unwillingly, yet being used to it, they draw willingly, so the wicked draw willingly the heavy load of sin, being to sin accustomed until that coming to the bottomless pit their load pulls them down into it never to get out again. But the words rendered cart-ropes do properly signify thickness, or wood of a cart, and sin as the wood of a Cart, that is, a cart filled or thickened with a great weight of wood, for which the word signifying thickness is put in the plural number 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Here by iniquity and sin, Cyril understands the punishments of sin, which the wicked draw upon themselves, and indeed both may be understood, 1. Sin, which is heavy, but that by being accustomed to it, the sinner feels it not, for so it is set forth, Matth. 11. 28. Heb. 12. 1. Zech. 5. 7. Psal. 38. 5. At the first the conscience is against it, but having yielded and often done it, the sense of the weight goeth away, except the conscience by some means being awakened, it becomes again intollerably heavy, as in those that despair: and sin is drawn as with a rope, when either it being committed, more sins are added, as thread to thread in a cord, 1. Denying. 2. Refusing correction. 3. Apostatizing to a false religion to avoid it: Or to make way unto it, as to adultery, 1. Curiosity in apparel. 2. Wanton dalliance. 3. Wastefull expenses are premised; or it is drawn into a great length like a rope by continuance in it. For the punishment of sin, that is certainly most heavy, as being the wrath of God, and necessarily is drawn by sin, as a cart by a rope, since he will be avenged upon the wicked, although he be most merciful. Of sin drawn by cords S t Augustine before his conversion saith, I was bound, not with the chain of another, but with my own iron will. The enemy made a chain of my will, and therewith bound me: for of my perverse will was made lust, and whilst I served lust a custom was made, and whilst custom was not resisted, necessity was made, whereby as by links put one into another an hard servitude held me fast.
Which say, Let him hasten his work, let us see, &c. Here the wicked who draw on iniquity with cords, are described, viz. They are grown to that height of wickedness, that they mock at his threatenings of judgments by his Prophets, because that being threatened from time to time, they yet come not: As if they had said, we have heard thee enough threatening us in the name of the Lord, but know, that we lightly account of thy words, if he hath anything to bring upon us, let us see it done, and tell us no more what the counsel of the holy one, as you call him, is against us, but let us feel and so know it, if he can do anything. So that here is also intimated those Idolaters derision of the name, whereby the Prophets for more reverence commonly called the Lord, The holy One of Israel. And thus wicked men are brought in mocking, Jer. 17. 15. Ch. 20. 8. 2 Pet. 3. but the godly contrariwise believe and tremble at the hearing of God's judgments to come. Thus Calvin and Musculus. And some wicked there are, who contemn all God's threatenings because they think he careth not for things here below, but that herein his chief felicity lieth, that he is at continual ease▪ and is free from all businesses, as Epicureus; See Job 22. 14. Zeph. 1. 14.
Woe to you that call evil good, and good evil, &c. Aquila. Qui dicunt malo, bonus es, & contra: and the Hebrew is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the evil good. Tremellius, De bono malum. It may be taken, as it is by Jerome, both ways either of things or persons. Of things, Woe to you that say good of evil, that is, of your sins, that they are no sins but virtues, and that you are to be thought the better of therefore: for this is one thread, that comes into the cord of sin, as verse. 18. that the wicked is not only senseless of it, and the evil thereof through a custom of sinning, but also glories in it, as thinking himself the better. So Gregory saith, The enemy palliates himself with such arts, that he feigns our faults to be virtues, so that thence a man expects rewards from whence he is worthy to endure eternal torments, thus cruelty in taking revenge upon vice is thought justice, and the immoderate anger of just zeal merit, likewise profuseness is held mercy, tenacity frugality, pertinency constancy. And as Maximus hath it, Swearing is counted a grace to ones speech, and the angry courageous, darkness light, and sour sweet, that is, the darkness of error light of truth, and sour heresies sweet truths, because nothing is sweet but truth; or a life lead in sin, sweet and pleasant, but in the fear of God, and exactly, sour. And herein it is alluded to the sweet and sour grapes before spoken of, the wicked called the sweet sour, and the sour sweet, or bitter, as the Hebrew word here signifieth.
It may also be understood of persons, so they that justify the wicked and condemn the righteous are alike abominable, and Woe is to them also, verse. 23. This, saith Musculus, is the cunning of the devil, when the wicked cannot otherwise plead for their wickednesses, to confound good and evil together: and some say of evil that it is good through error and simple ignorance, which shall be pardoned, some that good is evil out of malice. Likewise of men, the Papists say, That a Priest is good who liveth single, although a fornicator, but the married evil and wicked, although keeping him to his own wife only, &c. and Calvin applieth this to men of dignity who account them good, that flatter with them, but them evil that reprove their vices. Who put darkness for light, so Hebr. by a word implying great men, by whose will as by a Law it is made so.
Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, &c. Here, saith Calvin, Isaiah inveigheth against them, that elude all the teaching of the Prophets by this, that they think themselves so wise, that they know what they have to do better then the Prophets can teach them, and therefore despise all their denunciations of judgments, and he with whom it is thus, goes on inevitably to destruction, because the way of becoming wise is to him dammed up, which is to become a fool, that he may be wise. Therefore a caveat is also given here-against, Prov. 3. 7. Here are two words used, wise and intelligent, or prudent before yourselves. Which according to Musculus, set forth one and the same thing, according to Jerome, who follows the Stoics herein, Wisdom is in respect of divine and human things, Prudence of human only. But by the first may better be understood Wisdom, as is opposed to foolishness in the Scripture phrase, that is righteousness, for they thought themselves righteous enough, and therefore his threatenings of them vain, and by the second, subtlety and wit not like children to be terrified by such scare-Crows as they counted them.
Woe to them that are mighty to drink wine and strong, &c. The sin of drunkenness was taxed before verse. 11. but because they were not moved against it, but lived still therein, it is again declaimed against in this verse, and likewise verse. 23. justifying the wicked, &c. which in other words is spoken against verse. 20. a ground for Preachers to inveigh against the same sins again and again, being yet unrepented of. But a new Argument is implicitly▪ brought against this sin, viz. in that he calls them mighty to drink wine, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 men of valor to mingle strong drink. For by thus saying he intimates to their shame, that they had no courage to fight against the enemy, but like brute beasts all their strength was put out in drinking and quaffing; whereas meat and drink is not given us by God to go as far as we are able in filling the belly herewith, but with such moderation to use them, as that our strength may not be impaired, but increased hereby. For the last words, by strong or valiant to mingle strong drink; that mingling, saith Musculus, is not to be understood, which is of water with wine, which was the usual manner of drinking, but by mingling, pouring in of strong and inebriating liquor, use causing, mingling to be put for pouring, only he thinketh them hereby taxed that give inebriating drink to others, & so indeed it is to be thought, because Hab. 2. 14. it is expressed. But by mingling may also be understood, mingling divers strong things together, the sooner to intoxicate others, as is the manner of some monsters, unless we take it for putting in somewhat to keep from drunkenness, although the drinking be excessive, and so a woe is to them that are not plainly drunken, yet drink to excess. For this see enough before v. 20. Only it may be added, That this is properly against Judges, who pervert Justice for bribes, giving sentence on the side of the wicked and against the good, for this is justifying the wicked here meant, and is a most damnable sin, because the Judge being lead by covetousness doth wittingly judge unjustly, neither can any bribe-taker be free from this corruption, Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. whatsoever some think. Yet to take the righteousness of the Just from him is more damnable, for this is to condemn the innocent sometimes to death, and so to be guilty of blood.
Therefore as fire devours the stubble, and the flame the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness. Heb. As the tongue of the fire eats the stubble by an Hebraism. By the root here Jerome will have evil thoughts meant, and by the Branch springing herefrom, the evil of speech and action, the one shall be as muck or rottenness, the other shall arise as the dust, that is, their thoughts of impunity and speeches of derision against the judgments threatened, and all their riches unjustly gotten. Their covetous thoughts, called by the Apostle, The root of all evil, shall be as rottenness within their bowels, and the fruits hereof as dust without, being ready to put out the eyes. Calvin takes it, as a Metaphor, wherein by the root of a tree rotten, all that whereupon they stood, and did bear themselves, is shown to be of no force, but the tree of their Commonwealth must needs fall, as that tree, the root whereof is all rotten. And he saith, the same is before set forth by similitudes of stubble devoured by the tongue of the free, &c. it being hereby meant, that they should have no more power to stand against God's judgments, then the stubble hath against the fire: and the tongue of the fire, saith Zwingli, is spoken of, because it licketh according to the Latin phrase as a tongue, and is like a tongue in appearance. Some by the root understand Fathers, and by branches Children. And all this is threatened, because they cast away the Law of the Lord, &c. that is, by not regarding it, this being of all abominations the greatest.
Therefore the fury of the Lord hath burnt against his people, and when he stretched out his hand the mountains trembled, &c. He speaks of his stupendous Judgments as past, they being yet to come, for the certainty thereof, and he nowhere speaks more terribly, then in this case of rejecting his Word, which showeth, that such sinners as do so, are of all others most desperate, that everyone may take heed of it. Jerome applieth this to those that rejected Christ and his teaching: and he saith, That fury is ascribed to God, not that he is subject to passions, as man is, but to terrify the wicked the more, who know how dangerous it is; if but a man great upon earth be full of fury against a poor man. Wherefore David saith, Correct me Lord, yet in judgment, not in fury. By the mountains trembling, he saith indeed, that some understand contrary powers, to whom the wicked are delivered to be punished, but he takes it as spoken hyperbolically to show the wonderful greatness of the judgments. And noteth that this threatening is not for Idolatry, but for rejecting the Gospel, the word of promise touching the new Covenant spoken of Jer. 31. and it was fulfilled in the time of Titus and Vespasian, when his judgments against them were most terrible, and yet his hand is stretched out by continuing the Jews miseries from age to age, even unto this day; and this desolation, as Daniel prophesieth, shall continue to the end. For their carcasses lying as dung in the streets, this was never more then at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.
And he shall lift up a sign to the Nations afar off, &c. This, saith Jerome, is expounded by some as spoken of the Gentiles conversion, the sign lifted up being expounded of the sign of the Cross: By the Rabbins, of the Babylonians brought against the Jews by Nebuchadnezzar. But he makes it to cohere with the former words, as showing how the Romans should be brought to work the great destruction before spoken of for their rejecting of the Gospel: God would as a Captain set up a Standard, to which they should flock to execute his Judgments upon this rebellious Nation, and instead of blowing with a Trumpet, he saith, he should hiss unto them, to denote his easy calling his Armies together for this execution. Because he speaks of them as Nations most remote that should come; so as the Assyrians and Babylonians were not but about six hundred miles off, and when they are spoken of, they are commonly described by the North. Yet Musculus, Calvin and others of our new Writers are for the Babylonians here meant; so likewise Lyranus. Cyril, Hissing is here taken from the Be, as also Chap. 7. 18. who going out of the Hive, calls all the Bees of his train after him, or from the master of a ship, who thus calls the Mariners about him to do what he commands. Whether the Babylonians or Romans be here meant, I leave to the judgment of the Reader, but because they are said to be called from the ends of the earth, I prefer that of the Roman forces out of Italy, France and Spain, and the rather, because these properly were brought against them to punish the contempt of God's Word without Idolatry, according to verse. 24. the Babylonians, their gross Idolatries, because after their return from the Babylonish Captivity, they never sinned by Idolatry more, but were most strict impugners of it.
And he shall come lightly and swiftly. Vers. 27. None shall be weary or stumble, &c. Here the Nation to be called by hissing from the extreme parts of the earth against the Jews, is described, so as might most terrify them. 1. From their swiftness, all impediments being away, either within them, as weariness or drouziness, or without them, as stumbling, loosning of the girdle or shoelatchet, to make them stay to tie them. 2. From their instruments of war and horses. Their Arrows sharp, their Bows bent, the heofs of their Horses as flint, &c. 3. From their irresistible strength. They shall roar like Lions, and take the prey, &c. 4. From their desperate condition, when their enemies should thus invade them. Their roaring shall be as of the sea, and a man shall look to the earth, and darkness, and the light in heaven shall be darkened; That is, calamity and misery without comfort or end, such is the case of those, whom God pursues in wrath. And here, according to Jerome, ends the second Vision, begun Chap. 2. Now follows the third.
CHAP. VI.
IN the year of the death of UVzziah, I saw the Lord sitting, &c. Some, saith Calvin, conjecture the Prophecy to begin here, because the Lord now first shown himself unto him, which in reason should be at the first to prepare the Prophet the better to the execution of his office, and because he now first begins to tremble at his Prophetical calling, being so unclean, and God so pure verse. 5. which he would doubtless have done before, had the Lord before employed him in this work. Therefore they think, that the Prophecies preceding are set out of order. But he answereth, that Isaiah might at the first be only spoken to, and not till afterwards have a Vision, as the Apostles did see more afterwards then at the first: and having no Vision before of such astonishing glory, no marvel, though he were now first stricken. And that the Prophecy began before appears, because Chap. 1. 1. he began to prophecy in the days of UVzziah, but this was after his death, a new King coming on, against the fear of whom he might he confirmed hereby to go on with courage. But how is he said to have seen the Lord, seeing he is invisible? Sol. He saw a sign of his divine Majesty, whereby he knew certainly, that God was in a special manner there: because he never showeth any fallacious signs, as Image-makers do: his sitting upon a Throne and on high, was to set forth his royal Dignity, excelling far that of earthly Kings. His hinder parts filled the Temple, to show him to be that God, to whose honor the Temple was built, to cause the more awful regard in the people to this Prophecy. Jerome here notes, that UVzziah was a Leper, and smitten with the leprosy in the Temple, whereby it was polluted. Therefore till was dead God appeared not there anymore, but now he shows [Note.] himself in such manner as best pleased him, to intimate, that a polluted King is so displeasing to God, that God's favor is not towards his Church where he reigneth, till that by death he hath taken him away. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fimbriae ejus, is by the LXX rendered, His glory; by Theodotion and Symmachus, Quae sub pedibus ejus erant; by Jerome, Quae sub ipso erant; he appeared then on high, and the skirts of his garments only in the Temple filling it. And this Lord was God the Son, for to him this is by John applied, saying, Isaiah spake of him, when he saw his glory. Thus most of the Ancients, holding that all times when God is said to appear, God the Son is meant, and those Apparitions were a Preludium of his Incarnation. Yet some understand God the Father, and some the whole Trinity, but the first is most probable. Touching the year wherein UVzziah died, some understand hereby the year, in which he was smitten with Leprosy, because then he was dead civilly; some granting his natural death to be meant, hold yet that he was not dead when Isaiah had this Vision, but that he died in that year; but the first is best for the reason before-going; the leprous King was dead, and so God's anger, whereunto he was stirred by him, as the head of that people, was over, and he began again to show some token of his favor. And he appears as need then required in kingly Majesty, that the wicked who contemned his judgments might hereby be stricken with the more terror, and so be reduced to obedience.
And Seraphims standing above, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from above; that is, somewhat lower as he appointed to minister to him. Those translations therefore, which have it, above him, or above it, as the vulgar Latin, give needlessly occasion to inquire how it can be so said, since the servant is not in station above his Lord or his Throne: for being rendered word for word according to the Hebrew, the sense is good and without all question, as it is here given. The Lord then appears not without his attendants standing before him ready at his beck to execute his will. And they are spoken of here only as many in the Plural, but Dan. 7. and 10. they are said to be thousand thousands that minister to him, yet not Seraphims, but Angels. The Seraphims have their name from burning, 1. Because they burn with the love of God. 2. Are swift as fire to do his will. 3. Shine as fire, so Oecolampadius: And the same are sometime called Angels, that is, Messengers, sometime Seraphims, that is, burning ones, although Dionysius distinguisheth them from other Angels, as being more inflamed through their nearness to the throne of God. Some think that these Seraphims were only two, and will have the Son and holy Ghost set forth hereby, as in the Sanctum Sanctorum were two Cherubims: but this is a vain conjecture, and because it puts an inequality betwixt the persons of the Trinity, to be abhorred, Ezek. 1. 5. Four Animals or living creatures appear, to represent the Angels attending upon God, and these are held to be the Cherubims, another order of heavenly Angels, and Ezek. 10. 1, 2. they are so called. And it is to be noted, That the Seraphims stand, God sitting, whereupon Bernard censures Lucifer, noting it to be the cause of his ejectment out of Heaven, that he would set his throne besides the throne of God, telling him, that he had only one property of the Seraphims, viz. to shine, but not that of burning with the love of God, and therefore now he burns in hell, and is foul and ugly, and without all shining. Six wings had one, the wings of the Angels serve to show their swiftness in executing God's will. But yet they have each one two only for this end, and two to cover their face, to show the brightness of God's glory to be such, that they cannot with open face behold it: yet it is not to be conceived that they cover the whole face with their wings, but so much as that the dazzling luster of that excessive brightness might not confound them, but yet they may see their Lord, and be ready at his beck. A notable Emblem of a right Minister of God, who must be prompt and ready, and fly as with wings about the work of his Ministry, burning always with holy zeal through the love of God. Yet his carriage must be reverent towards the Lord, and he must be content to acknowledge his ignorance of many things, and that they are covered from him, meddling only with those that are revealed. The two wings to cover the Seraphs, are from such as are under them, viz. mortal men, and serve to show, That we are as unable to behold the brightness of an Angel, as an Angel that infinite glory of the Lord. Wherefore both Daniel and John were so stricken at such an appearance, that they fell down as dead, all their strength being dissolved through fear. Wherefore the best amongst men ought to think themselves poor, infirm creatures, and behave themselves accordingly towards God, who is so glorious: thus almost Calvin. But in a far different manner Jerome, Illi sex alae, & sex alae alteri, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 not being expounded with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but to the six wings, as in the translation mentioned; wherefore I marvel why Jerome hath it super illud, when as the word signifieth nothing but desuper, and the Septuagint, in circuitu ejus; if the particle signifying illi be left to go with six wings, as it must, or else the sense will be imperfect. Jerome, I say, expounds the Seraphs covering his face with two of his wings, and with two his feet, as spoken of his covering God's face and feet, because the Hebrew particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may as well have reference to God, as to the Cherub. And hereof he makes an excellent Allegory thus, The face of God setteth forth things past before the beginning of the world, his feet things to come after this world ended: both these covered then serve to show the concealing of such things from us, those only being set forth for us to know, which shall, or have come to pass within the compass of the time of this world, which was made in six days, to signify which either of them hath six wings, the two to fly with do not only serve to set forth their readiness, but their abode in Heaven above, as the proper place of their residence. Cyril agreeing with Jerome in their covering of God's face and feet, expounds it as showing God's eternity both à parte ante, and à parte post, to be incomprehensible. Rupertus the conjunction or union of Christ's Divinity and humanity to be a most hidden Mystery. Chrysostom differs not from Calvin, saving that, whereas Calvin by their covering their feet, understands the inability of men upon earth to endure the sight of their glory, he, their being ashamed, that God should see the imperfection of their affections, (set forth by their feet) towards him. And to me this of Chrysostom seems to be best, because if there were many Seraphim about God's throne, as doubtless there were thousands, it cannot be conceived, how each one with his two wings should cover his face alike, and with two his feet, unless by covering their own faces, his face being hid from them, and his feet also not being open to theirs, because theirs were covered. And if covering be referred to both this way, none of these Allegories are impertinent, but may well stand together. By covering their feet the Hebrews use to set forth not properly or particularly the feet, but the nether parts, which we are ashamed should be seen, being for this called Pudenda, this therefore showeth, That the very Angels, which are so glorious, are not without all blemish before the most High, or at the least in humility acknowledge it, how much more then should the holiest amongst men? Moses by God's direction made two Cherubims in the most holy place, the sign of God's presence, extending their wings over his Mercy-seat, for which it is said, God dwells between the Cherubims; here the Seraphim, which may be conceived to be an higher order of Angels, and those many, appear, not with two wings, as they were figured, but with six, which plainly intimates a distinction according to Dionysius, who makes nine orders of holy Angels. Some following this reading, Six and six wings were to one, think that each one had twelve, but it is illi sex, & sex alteri, as was said before. Six wings might set forth a six-fold motion upward, downward, backward, forward, to the right hand and to the left, any way were they ready to fly, when God would. If it be demanded, How did they fly, and yet are said to stand? Sol. It is said with two he did fly, because he was always ready so to do. But it is to be understood, that this was but a representation, the Angels have no wings indeed, but are spirits swifter then anything that hath wing, sent out for the good of those that are chosen to life at the good pleasure of God.
And they cried one to another holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts, &c. After their description here followeth their Hymn sung unto God, their crying to one another was their exciting of one another, and they praise God by his holiness, one first beginning, and then the second to the third, and he to the fourth, &c. The thrice iterating of the word holy, both intimates the Trinity, and that the Lord only is holy, the author of all holiness, and most excellent for holiness; and lastly with what intention and perseverance the Angels praise him hereby, that we may imitate them herein, and be enamored with holiness, as the most excellent of all the Divine Attributes, as without which none shall see God, and abhor from profaneness and all filthiness of sin, as most debasing and vilifying. The earth is full of thy glory, that is, the glory of thy wisdom and power shineth all over it, in the making, ordering and governing thereof and all things therein. Or the earth is spoken of as full of his glory, according to some in admiration of the sons incarnation; so Jerome, who also saith, that the earth in general is spoken of, as full of his glory, in opposition to the Jews brags, who confined all his glory to the Temple. It is spoken also to show, that all Nations should be converted, which should be to God's great Glory. Thus also Calvin, wherefore when a Nation embraceth the true Faith, it is full of Glory divine, so as none besides is. Whereas this cry is referred by some, as Jerome hath it, to two only Cherubims setting forth the Old and New Testament, because therein the holiness and Glory of God is continually set forth, I leave it to the judicious Reader. There is a like saying to this Numb. 14. 21. All the earth shall be filled with my Glory; so likewise Psal. 70. This angelical Hymm hath been wonderful in the use of it amongst men, if it be true, which is related by Baronius an. 1055. Victor 2. understanding, that simony was grown very common in the world, sent an Arch-deacon to assemble a Council at Lions, called Heldebrand. He therefore understanding that the Arch-bishop was Simoniacal, required him to say, Gloria Patri, Filio, & Spiritu Sancto: then he said the two first, but the third he could by no means bring forth, assaying to do it again and again, whereupon he was so confounded, that he fell at the Arch-deacons feet, and confessed his simony, and being for this degraded and deposed he could say all most freely, which other simoniacal Prelates seeing, they came and confessed theirs also, and voluntarily left their dignities: this and more like it which savor of fabulous legendar hath Cornel. a Lapide.
And the posts of the superliminaries were moved when they cried, and the whole house was filled with smoke. Jerome understands this as a figure of the destruction of the Temple, when once the earth should be filled with Christ's Glory, that is, the faith of him suffering, incarnate rising, and ascending into heaven with his body, and of the burning of the Temple, and blinding the Jews eyes, whereof the smoke filling the Temple was a sign. The Jews will have the fume to be that of incense, and a sign of the presence of the divine Majesty. Cyril and Thomas Aquinas follow Jerome; Calvin will have the moving of the door-posts to show, that this was not the voice of man, but of a greater power, which should always much more, when he speaketh, move our hearts, if the senseless creature were hereby moved and shook. The smoke filling the Temple, an usual sign of God's presence; here he saith sets forth both, that man should not pry too far into God's secrets, and his wrath against the Jews being ready to burn like fire, for in this sense smoking is ascribed to him, Psal. 18. 9. 1 Sam. 11. 9. Apoc. 15. 8. The Septuagint say, The door-posts were lifted up, as if to make more room for the Lord to go out and depart from the Temple. That of Jerome seemeth to me to agree best, neither do I exclude that of Calvin, intimating a curbing of man's curiosity about things not revealed, because filling the house with fume when God appeared, was a thing often used.
And I said, Woe is me, because I am cut off, since I am a man of polluted lips, &c. Jerome renders it, Quia tacui, because I held my peace, as being of polluted lips, and so unworthy with the holy Seraphims to praise God, and he speaks of this as the cause thereof, that he dwelt amongst a people of polluted lips, to show, how dangerous it is to contract pollution to converse amongst corrupt speakers, and yet well did Isaiah acquit himself, that contracted hereby none other corruption but of his lips. The Hebrew word signifieth either to be silent, or to be cut off; but it may rather be taken thus here, because the word is in Niphal 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which cannot agree to being silent, and it is plainly the voice of one lamenting his death, as seeing it at hand, because he had seen the Lord, as Manoah sometime did; so Calvin and Musculus. He makes this moan, to show, that when God appears, the most pure are impure, and therefore cannot stand, but must needs be consumed and brought to nothing. But why doth he complain of the pollution of his lips only, was he free from all other pollution? Sol. No, but being a Prophet his lips were of special use to declare God's holy will to the people; and therefore this smote him most, that they were polluted, whereby God might be most provoked. This troubled him not before, but when the Lord approached; to show, that when he comes [Note.] near to any heart, he straightway seeth all vileness in himself, who before thought himself somebody, and his righteousness now seems to him to be nothing. For his dwelling amongst a people of polluted lips, he hereby intimates, that he was no better then one of the common sort; Because I have seen God, that is, the sight of God, who is life, hath shown me that which before I saw not, viz. myself to be a dead man, so I was before, but was not sensible of it, now I am. So Calvin. Or it may be rendered, I was smitten and made dumb through astonishment at this glorious apparition. How his lips were polluted, Jerome, Cyril and Haimo conjecture, viz. by his taciturnity at the sin of UVzziah, when he presumed to go to the Temple to offer incense: but of this pollution enough before, his dwelling amongst such is spoken of, to intimate corruption thus more contracted, and as that which is excellent, and that which is vile being placed near one another, the vile showeth more vile, so fared it with the Prophet, when the Lord appeared; he then seemed to himself more polluted then before, and this made him so lamentably to cry out.
Then one of the Seraphims slew unto me, and had in his hand a burning Coal, &c.
And applying it to my mouth, said, Behold this hath touched thy lips, thou art purged from thy uncleanness. In the house of God, where Isaiah saw this Vision, was an Altar, and thereupon fire, which first came down from Heaven, a coal of this fire therefore is taken, to show, that the purging away of sinful pollution is from God in Heaven, and that nothing is to be found upon earth that can do it. But seeing Isaiah prophesied before, why was he not prepared to this holy work, by purging at the first, or did the former part of his Prophecy come out of his lips being polluted? Sol. He was doubtless sanctified at the first to this office, but because no sanctification of man here is perfect, hereby is shown only, that he was now more sanctified, to purchase unto him yet more authority amongst the people, and to encourage him the more from thence forward; so Calvin. And whereas a fire-coal is used, he saith, this was but for a sign, as something outward is taken in the Sacrament, but the virtue is wholly in God, which hereby worketh good to us. And the outward thing is used only for man's confirmation, who is not a mere spirit, but a body also, and therefore must receive sanctification from God, not immediately as the Angels, but by corporeal means. And a fire coal is used to show, that corruption is so grounded in man, that there needs burning fire to purge it out, for which the Lord puts his into the fiery furnace of adversity to purge out all their dross as from silver and gold. And to the sign words are used to make a perfect Sacrament, as be the Sacraments of the New Testament: under the Old indeed no words were used, or at the least no form prescribed, as we may see in Circumcision and the Passover, only there was a word requiring them to be done, and the words of institution were doubtless recited every time, according to Gen. 17. and Exod. 13. But to the signs in Baptism and the Lord's Supper, words are annexed, without which it is no Sacrament. So here for Isaiah his assurance, it is said, Behold this Coal hath touched thy lips, &c. wherein the cautelousnesse of the Angel is to be noted, to speak so as that nothing in this work of cleansing might be ascribed to him, but all to God. He saith not therefore, I have touched, but this Coal, brought by me only, as God's Minister, and yet as the Coal was fiery or burning, so he had his name Seraphim from burning, much less then is there any virtue sanctificative in any man minister, when he gives the bread, or washeth with water, but in God only. He makes the sign effectual to that end for which he gives it, and eludes no faithful person with an empty sign, neither shall the wicked find it such, when they shall another day be judged for not discerning the Lord's body. Jerome instead of carbo, a burning coal, hath it lapillum, a stone, a carbuncle, which shows like a burning Coal, with many of which the Altar was beset about. But the word here used doth not signify any precious stone, but carbo, and why else should he take it with tongs? Yet some stand for a Carbuncle, which is the most precious of all stones, yet not an earthly but heavenly, because things in Heaven were here represented, and so although an earthly Carbuncle is without heat, although it be put into a most hot burning fire, yet the heavenly may be the burning Coals of the Altar there. If it had been a burning Coal made of wood, it would have burnt the Prophets lips, and so made him instead of speaking better, to lisp. But who knoweth not that here was nothing really done, but in a figure? Isaiah was thus made a Preacher of the Gospel, because inaugurated to his office by a fire-coal, as the Apostles to theirs by Cloven Tongues of fire. And as they before timorous, after this grew courageous and free to speak without all fear, so he, as the next words declare, where he saith, Send me] The Seraphims taking of the Coal with tongs, shown timerousness in God's Ministers at the first, in going about the preaching of the Word, which hath a purging quality, as fire, but when this fiery coal of the Word hath once touched their lips, that is, they have by the spirit been made to enter upon the work, all fearfulness vanisheth, and courage not troubled at any presence of Kings and councils, is put on. Jer. 1. 9. The lips of Jeremy are otherwise touched by God's finger, the Lord proceeds not always alike, but sometime one way, then another, as he pleaseth.
Afterwards I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who shall go for us, &c. Hebr. And I heard, and so the vulgar Latin without the word (postea) in Marlorat. The Lord makes not this enquiry, as if he knew not, but to show that he is not a vulgar, but choice man, whom he sendeth, a very sanctified and special instrument of the spirit, so that if any of the vulgar sort takes upon him this office, or any having a blemish contrary to Levite. 21. 18. he is censured as running before he is sent, Jer. 23. 21. He that is sent hath his lips touched to speak wisely as the word of God, which the illiterate nowadays cannot, because they cannot interpret it for want of skill in the tongues. Who shall go for us? this is spoken in the Plural to intimate more persons in the Deity, and it is said [for us] to show that a Prophet must not go for himself, or seek his own ends, but for God. This enquiry also intimates it to be an hard task in regard of the hatred and enmity of men, which the Prophet incurs. Yet Isaiah being now purged from his sins, is nothing afraid to set upon it, and the assurance of this makes any man courageous, For the righteous is bold as a Lion, but such as are still in their sins timorous and fearful, for which it is necessary that a Preacher should live clear from sin.
Jerome notes, That he saith, Whom shall I send, and commands not Isaiah to go, so that, will he, nill he, he must go, because he loves a willing mind, if he doth but intimate his pleasure a preparing to do it with all readiness. The Jesuit draws this to the Praefectus of any religious order, but absurdly, unless he will make a god of him. Neither was it arrogancy in him to offer, but confidence that he was purged. Moses being bidden refused, yet not out of obstinacy, but because he was not yet confirmed, neither heard he, This coal hath touched thy lips, for they were not touched thus by all the learning of Egypt which he had. The Hebrews say, that Isaiah thought he should go to speak comfort to the people, and therefore he was so forward, and when he saw the contrary being bidden afterwards to cry, he did not forthwith cry, but said first, What shall I cry? and Jeremy being bidden to offer the cup of God's wrath to all adversary Nations to drink and be drunken and fall, doth it willingly, but when he was bidden to offer it to Jerusalem, being displeased hereat, he cried out, Lord, thou hast deceived me. But this is over-curious, and too derogatory to the holy Prophets, yet they were men, and as Elias subject to like passions.
Go and say to this people, hearing ye shall hear, but not understand, &c. The Prophet having offered himself, is now bidden to go about a most unpleasant and harsh service, so that he had need to be so prepared to it as he was: for what more grievous to a Prophet, then to prophesy to make his hearers worse, not only in regard of the hurt thus done to them, but of the scandal to others, enemies of all goodness, who are hereupon ready to disgrace prophesying as being the cause of making a people worse, as the wicked have lately objected against often preaching in our reformed Churches. No servant of God must therefore be dismayed or discouraged at this, that his labors in the work of God succeed no better, but looking at his sovereign who implies him, go on constantly and declare his will, exhort and rebuke with all freeness. But if this be the effect of prophesying or preaching, because he saith,
Make the heart of this people fat or obstinate, lest they should be converted, Doth the Lord well in sending out Prophets amongst those, in whom such dreadful effects are wrought? Ans. He doth well because it is not through any default in his sending, but their own corruption; prophesying is as the giving of the Law, which is good and holy, a light and direction, better then the sweetest meat or greatest treasure, yet through the corruption of man's heart causing all manner of sin and death, as good meat to an evil stomach, and treasure to a rioter. 2. Amongst the wicked, whose hearts are made obstinate, some few are hereby stricken and made penitent. 3. In God's sending mercy, shineth to aggravate the damnation of the wicked, seeing he vouchsafes them means, and so they are without excuse. 4. He thus judgeth them spiritually with stupidity and blindness, and incapability of light, as they are well worthy for the abuse of that, which they formerly had, being bred and brought up always where the light was, and peculiarly chosen to walk in it, and obliged by singular blessings above other people's. Jerome renders it, Blind the heart of this people, taking it as a prayer of the Prophet, and the former words, By hearing hear but understand not, &c. As if God had given it in charge to Isaiah to say thus, whereupon he makes a great Question, How this can be justified, to forbid that, for want of doing which they shall be destroyed, or for the Prophet to pray for it? And he answers, That thus God would have it come for a time to the Jews for a greater good to the Gentiles, who were very many Nations, but the Nation of the Jews only one, and accordingly Isaiah prayeth, because the conversion and salvation of innumerable people's, which could not without this judgment falling upon the Jews have been, is brought to pass to God's greater glory, one people only being but for a time suspended from this benefit, and yet not all neither, for a remnant of Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel were enlightened and made lights to the rest of the world, and the time shall come, when a deliverer shall come out of Zion, to turn away iniquity from Jacob, and so all Israel shall be saved. And thus he also understands the prayer of David, cited Rom. 11. 10. Let their eyes be darkened, and bow down their backs always. And that in John, They could not believe, because the holy Ghost spake thus by the Prophet Isaiah, and whom he will he hath mercy upon, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thus he, following the Hebrew letter, wherein the word is imperative, but the Septuagint render it according to the true meaning, Hearing ye shall hear but not understand, taking the imperative for the future, an Enallage usual amongst the Hebrews, and this is also confirmed Act. 28. 26. where the Septuagint's translation is followed. And thus here is no cause of such a Question, it being not here commanded unto them not to understand or perceive, but prophesied, that they should do thus through their own corruption, as one that willfully shuts his eyes against the light, and through God's just judgment following hereupon, so that they could now do no otherwise, being denied the grace whereby to be made capable of the light to be enlightened hereby. And whereas he makes this a prayer of the Prophet against them, Make blind their eyes, or their heart fat, it is plainly the saying of the Lord to the Prophet; and it is likewise nothing but a command to Isaiah to prophecy, that their heart should be made fat by means of him, and such as he was in those times, and afterwards by Christ and his Apostles, they first winking with their eyes through their own malice against them, and so being blinded, then left by God, as was said before, and so becoming irrecoverably blind to their destruction. In all which no fault can be laid upon God, although sometime he be spoken of as blinding and hardening, for it is not so spoken properly, but because he enlighteneth not, neither mollisieth the hearts of such, who harden themselves, and then they cannot but persist in blindness, see upon Rom. 9.
And I said, how long (Lord) and he said, whilst the Cities are wasted without inhabitant, &c. That is, saith Jerome, how long shall they be thus blinded? for Isaiah was solicitous for his people, although he were set to denounce this heavy Judgment against them, and therefore enquires anxiously, How long? But the Lord tells him, till the Cities of Judah be wasted by Titus and Vespasian, so that no inhabitants be left, but the country be made desolate, if any houses remain, there being none left to dwell in them. Because the Lord knew that as long as any were left living in that whole Land, they would not cease from their wickedness.
Untill there be a tithe, and a returning, and it be cut down as an Holm-tree, and an Oak; in the removal whereof there is a subsistence, so in this there shall be an holy seed, a subsistence. Jerome, Yet there shall be in it a decimation, and again it shall become a prey as a terebinth or an Oak, which hath cast her fruits, there shall be an holy seed, which shall stand in her; That is, when the people shall be carried far off into Captivity, and they shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth, as was said verse. 12. all this multiplication shall not reach to above the tenth part of that which they were before; and again, fifty years after, when Adrian the Emperor shall come, he shall make the Land utterly desolate, forbidding all Jews to inhabit there anymore, but such as shall believe in Christ, that is, the Apostles and others lead by them shall be an holy seed established to continue and multiply. Calvin by the tithe understands ten Kings to come after this Prophecy before that Judea should go into desolation, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Ammon, Josiah, Joachaz, Jehoiachim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, in whose time it was made desolate; yet it may be understood, saith he, of the tenth part of the people remaining, ten of a hundred, or a hundred of a thousand. But what comfort is in this, after returning to speak of cutting down again? Vatablus and Calvin answer, the cutting down shall be but as of a Tree, which when it casts the fruits and leaves in Autumn, yet it springs again in the rising of the year; which declares, that although it looked as a a dead Tree, yet it had substance and life in it all the while, how ever it appeared not. And in the Nation of the Jews this subsistence was an holy seed, a little company of faithful persons in all ages, till the conversion of the Nation shall be to the faith of Christ. But before they suffered not only by destruction and desolation, but were carried afar off, viz. to Babylon, according to v. 12. Besides the two expositions before-going touching the tithe, that shall be, another is brought by some thus, there shall be a carrying away of the ten Tribes. 4. The tenth part of the Jews shall be converted to Christ, which shall be an holy seed, as the tithe of the Land of old was holy to the Lord. 5. Destruction shall come ten times upon them. 1. By Shalmaneser. 2. By Sennacherib. 3. By Esar-haddon. 4. By Pharaoh Necho. 5. By Nebuchadnezzar. 6. By Nebuzaradan. 7. By Antiochus Epiphanes. 8. By Pompey. 9. By Titus. 10. By Adrian. And the holy seed is by some understood not only of the Apostles and other believers, but primarily of Christ, who is, as it were, their foundation or stock in whom they stand; so Theodot. Erit semen sanctum columna fundationis ejus.
CHAP. VII.
ANd it came to pass in the days of Ahaz, that Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah King of Israel came up to fight against Jerusalem, &c. Ahaz the son of Jotham (who reigned when Isaiah had the vision of chap. 6.) was a most wicked idolater, 2 Chron. 28. 2 King. 16. although his father Jotham did right; and therefore God vouchsafed in his time to show himself in royal Majesty, Uzziah who was smitten with leposie for his pride being dead. But Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah reigning was for his abominable wickedness diversely judged: First, By the Syrians and their King Rezin, then by Pekah King of Israel, and by the Edomites and Philistines, 2 Chron. 28. whereof no mention is made here, although the blow given him by Pekah and his Ephraimites were exceeding great, a hundred and twenty thousand being slain in one day, and two hundred thousand women and children carried away captive. And upon the next coming of those two Kings against him only, Isaiah toucheth, because of the Prophecy upon occasion of deliverance from them, touching our deliverance by Jesus the son of a Virgin here following, v. 14. And of this their coming up only it is spoken, 2 King. 16. and that they could not prevail, the reason being left to be shown here, viz. God's mercy to Judah and to David moving him yet to preserve that Kingdom to his seed, to promise which in his name Isaiah is here sent. The circumstances of this expedition, saith Calvin, are to be considered, that the miraculous deliverance of Judah may be the more magnified. The King of Syria had before prevailed against Judah, and the King of Israel more; thus weakening the state of Judah so much, that they made account now joining together without doubt to take Jerusalem, and to dispose of the whole Kingdom at their pleasure, making such a King over it as they pleased, v. 6. the seed of David, of which Christ was to come, being extinct, and the hearts of the house of David also fainted, being moved, as leaves shaken with the wind, v. 2. that is, the heart of Ahaz and all of the blood royal, counting their case now desperate, as of men for whom there was no help; and not without cause, for so much as sin makes timerousness, and righteousness boldness and courage: Levite. 26. 36. They shall flee at the shaking of a leaf, and contrariwise, Prov. 28. 1. The righteous is bold as a lion. And all this is thus set forth, that the deliverance following might be ascribed wholly to God, and in no part to man, which the hard-hearted unbelieving Jews were unwilling to do, being rather ready to impute it to themselves or to fortune, and thus to rob God of his glory.
But they could not prevail. This is spoken by a Prolepsis, this thing remaining to be declared in the verses next following. They prevailed before, Judah being in the full strength, but now the strength thereof being so much broken by the slaughter of so many men, they could not prevail; see the marvelous [Note.] works of God, that we may seek to him, and having his word, trust to it, in how desperate a condition soever we may seem to be, for all things are possible to him.
Then said the Lord to Isaiah, Go out to meet Ahaz, &c. He must go out to him into the field, for when the wicked King should have gone to the Temple to seek to the Lord, he went into the field to study with himself what to do in this extremity, or as men that are troubled, go sometime into one place, sometime into another, or he was fleeing away to some other City for fear, thinking to be safer there. The Prophet is bidden to go out to meet him; to show the goodness of God even towards the wicked, who seek not to him, to their more just condemnation, because their hearts are hardened against all his goodness. He is bidden to go and take with him his son Shear-jashub: Vulgar Lat. and Septuagint, him that was left Jashub, respecting rather the signification of Shear, Left, as Jashub signifies, shall return. But we take altogether, as his sons name, which doubtless had been given him by a prophetical spirit, as Mahar-shalal-hashabaz, ch. 8. By this very name Shear-jashub, the remnant shall return, God would set forth the return of some of the captivity to Jerusalem again, although but a remnant in comparison. The Rabbins following the Septuagint, say that one son of Isaiah called Rabshakeh, was fled now to the Assyrians, and came again in Hezekiah's time, to persuade them to turn to the Assyrians: Therefore this son Jashub is said to be left: But to pass this over as an invention; his son must go with him, who carried a prophecy in his name, that though the two Kings, that now came against Jerusalem had slain very many before, yet the people now remaining should be converted and saved, so that by taking this son with him, he made a demonstration in the name of that in part, which he promised by the spirit of Prophecy. Some doubt, whether the Prophets natural son, or a disciple of his so called, be here meant; because young men trained up by Prophets, were called then, Sons of the Prophets: But surely, as most hold, he was his natural son, and therefore Isaiah was a married man, contrary to the tenet of some Popish Expositors, who seek everywhere to press out what they can for the magnifying of a vowed single life: But neither was Elishah called the son of Elijah, although his son most notably in that sense, nor Gehazi his son, but his servant. To the end of the Conduit of the upper pool, &c. Of this and the nether pool, see before, upon 2 King. 18. 17.
And thou shalt say to him, Be quiet and fear not, &c. The Prophet is sent to him, though a most wicked King, with words of comfort, telling him what consultations the two Kings had, viz. to take the City, and putting him down, to set up the son of Tabeal for King; concerning whom Jerome saith, either they meant a good God, viz. their own God, so called according to the signification of the word, or some man so called, who was both fit for his valor to make a King of, and for his complying with them such an one as they might have to rule there according to their own hearts desire, as acknowledging to have received his Kingdom from them. Others follow, someone of these, and some another; but most probably a man is meant, who was called by this name, and not an Heathen god or idol, because it is said, the son of Tabeal. Neither doth all, the last syllable, signify a God, but el: It was therefore some great man of that Kingdom, unknown to us, because no more is elsewhere spoken of him, known to them to be an enemy to the house of David, and a friend to them, and therefore good for them, as the first syllable of the word may signify: Thus also almost Musculus, who mentioneth his Tribe in particular, Benjamin. But Sasbont saith, some take him to be the son of the King of Syria, and some again will have him the son of Remaliah otherwise thus called. But all are conjectures, and so to be left for everyone to judge of. Whereas it is said [In the midst of it] the meaning is, over the whole in full power, so that they had no purpose to destroy this Kingdom, but the seed of David; another King being set up, and the Kingdom so remaining still as a confederate of theirs, but this is all soon dashed in a word, It shall not stand, it shall not be saith the Lord; that is, this counsel shall not stand now, neither shall it be hereafter thus brought about, but shall be in vain, as if nothing had ever been consulted or attempted to this purpose.
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus Rezin; and yet sixty five years and Ephraim shall cease to be a people, &c. This is added to confirm the premises; Rezin reigns and shall reign over Damascus only, the Metropolitan City of Syria, and never over the Metrapolitan City of Judah, Jerusalem; and likewise is that of Pekah, verse 9. to be understood: therefore their counsel to take Jerusalem, and as Lord's thereof to set up a new King there, shall vanish. Ephraim is here put for the Kingdom of the ten Tribes under Pekah, and the utter destruction of it is here prophesied of. This destruction was Anno 9. of Hoshea King of Israel, as appears 2 King. 17. 6. but this Prophecy in the time of Ahaz King of Judah, in whose 12 th year Hoshea began to reign, chap. 11. 6. and chap. 17. 1. therefore not above 21 years passed betwixt this and Israel's destruction; How then saith he, Yet sixty five years? The common answer of Jerome, following the Hebrews in their Seder Olam, and of others after him is, that this time is to be computed from Amos his first threatening of Israel that they should be carried away; and he prophesied in the days of Uzziah, two years before the Earthquake,] So that unto this time we must add 16 of Jotham’s reign, so we shall attain to 37 years; if then that Earthquake were in the 24 th or 25 th year of Uzziah, as the Hebrews commonly hold, his whole reign being 52 years, there will be 28 more to be added, which together will make 65. If ye will not believe, neither shall ye be established,] Hebr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 it is spoken by a Paranomasy, the same word in Cal signifying to believe, in Niphal to be established: The sense is, that they of the Kingdom of Judah should be destroyed and captivated also, as they of the Kingdom of Israel.
And the Lord added, Ask for thee a sign, either in the depth or above on high. Jerome, when Ahaz was not moved by the speech of the Prophet, the Lord vouchsafed to speak himself unto him, if haply he would be moved, hearing the voice of his Majesty. And he biddeth him ask a sign of the Lord, not of any idol or false god, to which he was addicted, and that either from hell, to have the earth cleaved asunder to see into that place of torment, or from heaven to see a way opened for the Son of man to ascend, for so in due time he both descended and ascended, as it is said Eph. 4. 10. From the earth by Moses a sign was shown in Egypt, when lice and frogs were brought forth out of the earth; and from heaven, when hail and lightening came from thence: But here he is permitted to ask a sign further stretching, that he might be confirmed touching the deliverance promised and the destruction of their enemies threatened. And to this of places deeper and more low then the earth, Calvin seemeth to assent; although Musculus and some others, by the depth, understand the earth: But though the earth be beneath, yet because this word is not used to set forth the earth, but the sea or hell, it is best understood of hell; in opening a way to which, that it might be seen, God could as easily show a sign, as in the earth. And whereas Jerome understands these words, The Lord added, of the speaking of the Lord himself, Musculus, Oecolampadius, &c. take it for the Prophets speaking in his Name; as if it had been said, The Lord hath further given me in charge to say unto thee, &c. which is rather to be held, because the next words after Ahaz his answer, are certainly the words of the Prophet in the Lord's Name. And it was a wonderful favor to a wicked man, that God should condescend so far as to give him what sign soever he would ask, seeing God is to be believed without signs; and sometimes they that ask signs, who were of Ahaz his condition, are upbraided hereby and denied, as the Pharisees.
And Ahaz said, I will not ask sign, neither will I tempt the Lord. He seemeth to give such credit to the Word of God, that he would believe without a sign; the asking of a sign being in some case judged a tempting of the Lord, as appears by that saying, Matth. 4. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. But this was feigned piety in Ahaz, and manifest disobedience, when he was bidden to ask a sign, to deny so to do. And so it is, saith Calvin, in a Christian now to neglect the holy Sacraments, Baptism or the Supper of the Lord, because he believes without these signs, and accounts them but superfluous to salvation; but this they cannot do without rejecting also the whole Gospel. And Luther speaks also to the same effect. For God knows better then ourselves, what we stand in need of; and therefore, as it is a point of impiety not to believe without signs, when God will give none, as Dives and his brethren, or without new signs according to their own will, when there be signs enough shown without asking, as the Pharisees; so it is to refuse signs offered, as is the case of non-Communicants. Yet sometime a sign in particular hath been asked without offense, as by Gideon; yet, as Calvin hath it, not without the instinct of the Spirit. Jerome and other Ancients think, that Ahaz spake thus, as meaning to consult with his gods, not regarding what the Prophet said to him in the Lord's Name: And some, that he would provide for his deliverance by his gifts to the King of Assyria, and needed no help or sign from the Lord in his present strait. Therefore Ambrose was mistaken, who thought, that in modesty and humility he asked a sign; for both his condition being an Idolater, and the Prophets reply declare the contrary.
And he said, Hear ye house of David, is it a small matter for you to be troublesome to men, but ye will be troublesome to my God? The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendered by troubling, signifieth wearying; and it is as if he had said (O Ahaz, and ye his kinsmen and Counselors) Is it not enough for you to weary and vex me, by giving so little heed to my words, and other Prophets of God, but ye will so manifestly sleight God also, when he so graciously offers, to confirm by sign, deliverance unto you out of your great danger, as desperately incredulous and not believing him to be able to do this? Certainly this obstinacy in you is intolerable, and ye shall one day suffer for it at the hands of God, whom ye thus incense and provoke. Ye house of David.] He calls them, not for honor in this place, but to their greater reproach, saith Calvin; it being more heinous for the seed of so worthy a King or man, to be desperately wicked, then for other men. In saying, Weary men, he speaks according to their conceit, because they thought the Prophets but men like themselves, and so contemned their threatenings, as many also nowadays do: For they are indeed God's instruments, by whom he worketh, and therefore to despise them, is to despise God. But granting that they were but men, and so in other offices they might be slighted, yet when they come to offer so great a favor from God, and extraordinary, of giving a sign, to be slighted, is a most intolerable wearying of God of all others, yet such weariers do the Prophets meet withal even in the family of David, in the holy Church of God. And it is to be noted, that he changeth the Pronoun here, saying [My God] whereas before he bad him, Ask a sign of the Lord thy God] Intimating, that the wicked have nothing to do with God, he is not theirs, but the God of the righteous only; they are [Note.] therefore said to be without God in the world; and of the god of this world we read, 2 Cor. 4. 4. Jerome supposing, that the offer of a sign came immediately from God, understands a change of the person speaking in this verse, viz. from God to the Prophet: And for trouble or wearying, he saith, the Septuagint and Theodotion have it agonem, striving, as a Physician is made to strive with an unruly patient, and finally to lose his labor, the disease not being cured, but continuing to his destruction. And by the house of David, he will have his Tribe, the Tribe of Judah meant. Ahaz and others of the royal Family like minded to him being reproved thus, but the rest of that Tribe spoken to so many as believed to their exceeding great comfort, v. 14.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign, a Virgin shall conceive, &c. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendered a Virgin, is by all Expositors, except the Septuagint, of old, rendered a young woman (saith Jerome) But it signifieth a young one hidden or kept close from the view of men, by the care of her parents; neither is the word used in any place, to set forth a young woman, without this addition, hidden. Moreover it is absurd so to render it, since it is no sign or wonder for a young woman to bring forth a son, but for a Virgin: And in the Punic tongue, which comes from the Hebrew, Alma doth always signify a Virgin. The blessed Virgin Mary's bringing forth then, is here prophesied of, although it may seem impertinent to the present purpose, as happening many hundreds of years after, and the destruction of those two Kingdoms, Syria and Israel, was then at hand. But it is inserted per raptum Propheticum, as is usual amongst the Prophets, to bring in sometimes a spiritual rapture, to which the Spirit carries them upon a sudden, and then to return to that, of which they were speaking before. But how is it pertinent to the thing in hand, to foretell of the birth of Jesus, when a sign should be given of their deliverance from those two Kings? Sasbont answers well, that this sign is not unaptly now given, because of the similitude betwixt the deliverance by Jesus, and that presently promised. For as they were unworthy to be saved from those two Kings, and yet God out of his mere mercy promised it; so both they and all men are most unworthy of salvation by Jesus, yet God out of his grace and mercy promiseth this also. Calvin will have this the sense, Because ye (O house of David) and thou (O Ahaz) in particular dost reject my offer of a sign, which might, if anything in the world, make me break my Covenant with Abraham and his posterity, viz. the greatest and most blessed-making Covenant, that in his seed all the Nations of the earth shall be blessed: yet I will not hereupon take occasion so to do, but will in due time give a sign, that I am mindful of keeping it, for that a Virgin ever carefully kept from man, shall by the power of the most high bring forth a Son: For such a Virgin, and not an old, but a young one, and a very young one doth the word Almah always signify. And thus Matthew, guided by the Spirit, applieth this Prophecy, when Jesus was born. Either of these ways this doubt is fully cleared, and whereas it is said, Will give you a sign, It is not to be understood, as restrained to the house of David, as if Jesus were given to none but the Jewish Nation; but to those of David's house he saith he will give it, because it should be wrought upon one of his house, that is, the Virgin Mary, the benefit redounding to the faithful of all Countries and Nations to the worlds end. Or by the sign, which the Prophet saith, the Lord will give, understand a wonder that he would work, a new thing, as it is called, Jer. 31. 22. For Ahaz being offered a sign of deliverance at this time refused it: therefore the Lord will give a sign, not of the deliverance then at hand, so much as of a deliverance far exceeding it, viz. that by Christ from all spiritual enemies; a Virgins conception shall be the sign hereof, the like unto which was never before done in any age; so that when this shall come to pass, it shall assuredly be known, that the Messiah, our Redeemer is come. Of this Virgins bringing forth a Son, the Sybils also prophesied. The Phrygian, Virginis in corpus voluit dimittere coelo, Deus prolem, cùm nuntiat Angelus almae Matri, quae miseros contracta sorde levabit. God would send an offspring from heaven into the body of the Virgin, when the Angel tells the Virgin Mother, which shall case miserable men of their contracted filthiness. Of other Sybils see August. de Civit. l. 10. c. 27. Euseb. lib. 4. de Vita Constantini. The Jews, saith Jerome, by this Son understand Hezekiah the son of Ahaz; and by a Virgin a young woman, the wife of Ahaz, who bare him, being before barren: But herein they are too gross, because Hezekiah his birth was past nine years before, although this Prophecy were uttered in the beginning of Ahaz his reign, as he must needs yield that considers the age of Hezekiah, when he began to reign, for he was twenty five, and the time of Ahaz his fathers reign, which was sixteen. One therefore, saith he, holdeth that Immanuel here spoken of, was another son of Isaiah, which his wife bare him, in a figure of Jesus, as she had before born him Shear-jashub, in a figure of the Jews returning from Captivity: But how then is it said, not a woman, but a Virgin, &c. The Son here prophesied of, without all doubt, is the seed of the woman, which should break the serpents head, prophesied of, Gen. 3. But instead of this name Immanuel, the Virgin Mary's Son was called Jesus. To reconcile this, it is to be understood, that these two names are all one, because who so is Jesus, which saves from sin, is Immanuel, that is, God with us, or in one nature, God and man in one person, none other being ever able to work this great work; not God, because he cannot suffer; nor man, because his suffering cannot be of extent sufficient to reach to all men, neither can he by any power in himself rise from death to life again. 2. Chap. 9. It is said, He shall be called Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, &c. yet none of these were his proper Names, but his Elogies or Epithets, further to set forth the virtues in him. 3. Immanuel is his Name which the Latins call agnomen, added to his proper Name to set him forth by something most remarkable and peculiar to him. As Trajan the Emperor having subdued Dacia, was called Dacius. Scipio, who overcame Africa, Aphricanus; for none else can be called Immanuel but our Lord Jesus. Lastly it is to be noted, that the word rendered, Shall call, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the feminine gender, to intimate a woman bringing forth this son without generation by man; because, as appears in the example of Zacharias, the father hath the power to name his child; therefore hereby is shown, that this Son should have no father, but a mother only, a pure Virgin.
Butter and honey shall he eat, till he knoweth to refuse the evil and to choose the good. This is spoken, saith Jerome, to show, that however he be called Emmanuel, yet he shall have a true human body, for he shall be fed in his infancy as other children, with butter and honey, for that land flowed with milk and honey. He shall not therefore be a man-child in appearance only, as Marcion and the Valentinians have held, having an aerean or heavenly body, but like unto ours, only pure and free from sin. And after the manner of other children he shall be ignorant at the first, as man new-born, but grow, as in age and stature, in wisdom, as Luke saith that he did. Cornel. a lapide reasons diversely against this being Calvin's and Bucer's, both from Scriptures and fathers, holding that he was full of wisdom being an infant, by reason of his hypostatical. Union with the Deity, which I spare to insert here because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 until he knows, is so express against this fullness of knowledge in the child Jesus as he was man at the first.
For before the child shall have knowledge to refuse the evil, &c. that is, before he be grown up past the age of a child, the Land which thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her Kings. Here Ephraim and Samaria are spoken of together as one Land, because the Kings of both Pekah and Rezin, were so nearly united together with both their people's by a confederacy, that they were all as one Nation, and this Nation is described thus, The Land which thou abhorrest, because Ahaz his hatred was exceeding great against them, for their combining against him, and the great destructions which they had made in his country. And this began soon to be fulfilled in Rezin, the King of Syria, by the Assyrians coming at Ahaz his request, and slaying him, and then in Pekah slain by Hoshea, who reigned in his stead. But how this agrees with the sign here given, whenas the sign was not till five hundred years after, is a doubt not so easily resolved. Some say, that it is no unusual thing amongst the Prophets to give that for a sign which is not fulfilled till after the thing, whereof it is a sign, as the eating of those things which should grow of themselves the first and second year, and sowing and reaping the third year, was given for a sign to Hezekiah, and Samuel gave Saul signs to come of his being chosen king by God, and Christ gave his being in the grave to the third day, as Jonah in the Whales belly for a sign, and Exod. 3. 12 is another like sign: But what is a delaying for a year or two to five hundred years? Some say, that it is meant, this son shall save you and destroy the two kings your enemies, which declares him to be to be God with us, that is, God and man, and consequently of all power, although like another in appearance at the first: but this is nothing to the purpose, since this child must be in his minority, at the time of these two kings perishing. The best reselution is, that the prophecy touching Jesus is fully ended verse. 15. and verse. 16. another child is spoken of, as Calvin well observes, and therefore it is not said before, this son shall have knowledge, but this child 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , meaning (as Junius hath it) Shearjashub, his son whom he brought with him ver. 3. for if he were then an Infant, or two or three years old, yet he attained not to years of discretion, till the destruction both of Pekah and Rezin. For Ahaz beg • n to reign anno 17. of Pekah, and if he and the king of Syria had come immediately after that he was settled in his kingdom: Pekah lived but to the third year after, at what time if this child were but five or six years old, he had not attained to years of discretion, much less if he were not now a year old. But if we consider 2 Chron. 28. 5, 6, the wars made by these two kings severally against Ahaz before this, which could not be done in less then two years: Pekah his destruction was within one year after this Prophecy, and so it was a very short time before it was accomplished. If the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because, seems to make against this exposition, because or for before the child shall have knowledge, seeing it connects this verse as a reason to the former, it is to be understood▪ that it hath also other significations, as &, etiam, followed by Marlorat, and also, ut, according to Pagnin, that before the child shall have knowledge, &c. yet Calvin stands against expounding it of any particular child, because the particle 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 would have been added, if it had meant so, that it might have gone thus, this child: wherefore by a child he understands collectively all children of that time: but I prefer the former, the child which I have here brought with me, that is, within a year or two at the most: or if Chi be rendered by ut, that we may join this to verse. 14. the Lord himself shall give you a sign of Israel's ceasing to be a Kingdom, of which he had spoken before, that before the child shall have knowledge, both these kings shall perish, and then the intervening prophecy of the Virgins conceiving, &c. was a sudden rapture of the Spirit to another most wonderful thing, a more universal deliverance from a far greater danger, when a like thing should happen to two kings that then should be in the same Lands, before that Virgins sons coming to years of discretion, or soon after his birth. For as one notes it out of Josephus, Herod was then king of the Jews, and was commonly called by them King of Samaria, because he was a stranger and not of the Jewish stock, and Obodas king of Damascus, the chief city of Syria, and Herod died miserably 15 months after the birth of Emmanuel, and Obodas a few months before him. And these two; especially Herod, endeavored quite to extirp the stock of David, as these two had done touching his kingdom.
And the Lord will bring upon thee &c. the days that have not come since the falling of Ephraim from Judah, even the king of Ashur. The Lord who promised deliverance from the two kings, at this time knew that Ahaz would send for help against them to the king of Ashur, and that by this means he should for the present be out of their danger. Therefore he here threateneth a greater, because he trusted to an arm of flesh, and not in God, viz, that the king of Ashur should prove a greater plague to him then these two kings, or any enemies which David's house whereof he was, had had since the division of the kingdom into two in the time of Rehoboam. How this was fulfilled in part, see 2 Chron. 28, 20, 21. in the days of Ahaz by Tiglath pileser, and afterwards against his people, and David's house by Nebuchadnezzar, chap. 36. See here the danger of trusting in [Note.] an arm of flesh, and not in God, it is turned to the destruction of those that trust therein, when they think to have help hereby, especially the help of Idolaters.
If the things done by Nebuchadnezzar shall seem not to agree to this prophecy, because he was king of Babylon, he was also king of Ashur now joined by him to Babylon. Jerome rendering it with the king of Ashur, making this the sense, I will bring judgments upon thee, and afterwards upon the king of Ashur, whose people shall also be overcome and destroyed, and then thou shalt be delivered by the help of this Emmanuel. But the first is most genuine, and therefore he next showing the Septuagint translation, concludes with the sense before brought.
And in that day the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost parts of the river of Egypt, and for the Be of Assyria. The metaphor of hissing was also used before chap. 5. 26. where the reason thereof hath been shown. The forces that should come out of Egypt, saith Jerome, are set forth by flies, because of the sordes or filth of their idolatrous sacrifices, and the imbecility of that people, those of Assyria to Bees, because they and the Persians went to war with bow and arrows represented by the bees strings, and this was fulfilled as touching the Egyptians when Josiah being slain by Pharaoh Necho, he placed a king over Judah as he pleased, and as touching the Assyrians when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed their city. Calvin will have the Egyptians set forth by flies, because Egypt by reason of the great moisture of the place, abounded greatly with flies, and the Assyrians by bees, because in Ashur bees abounded. Musculus will neither have the Egyptians meant by the flies, because it is said in the uttermost parts of the river: nor Ethiopians who are beyond Egypt, as some, but the Lybians at one end of Nile the Egyptian river, viz, where it begins: Enemies are also compared to Bees, Psa. 118. I prefer that of Jerome, because the event so aptly answered the prophecy, the Egyptians subduing Judah first, and then the Assyrians; and this doth better agree to the words of the Text, which are not beyond the river, as the Ethiopians and Lybians were, but from the uttermost parts, that is, one end of Egypt to the other, for it extended all along by the river Nile, and was all watered by it, so that the inhabitants at the times of overflowing were forced to keep in higher rooms, till the ground was dry again. The reasons of the allegories brought by Jerome and Calvin may well stand both. But I cannot think with Jerome that the imbecility of the Egyptians is set forth by flies, but their numerosity making them formidable, though imbecill.
And they shall come all and rest in the desert valleys, &c. and upon all bushels, &c. here he prosecutes the allegory, meaning that these flies and bees should continue in the land when they were come, the Jews being expelled, as we read that they were, being carried to Babylon; and not like the flies once sent in judgment to Egypt, suddenly come and suddenly gone: but these with their multitudes filling all places should eat up and consume all the good in every corner of the Land. Desert valleys are mentioned, saith Calvin, and bushy places, to show, that in no lurking place any of the Jews shall be safe from these enemies, but that they shall range about and rage everywhere throughout the whole Land, And because this is at an hiss, that these heathens come so readily to execute God's [Note.] judgments, the backwardness of Christians is condemned, who cannot by most earnest preaching of long continuance be brought to do as God requires them.
In that day the Lord shall shave with a razor that is hired, by those that are beyond the river, by the king of Ashur, the head, the hairs of the feet, and the beard. Here by another metaphor from a razor, the greatness of the judgment to come is set forth: for even as a razor takes all the hairs away to the very skin, no stumps being left, as in cutting with scissers, so all wherein the comeliness of that Nation lay, he threatens should be quite taken away, the hairs of the head in the captivity of the Princes and Nobles, of the feet in the captivity of the artificers, and the beard is all taken away when the wise and the counselors are destroyed or captived. For the beard amongst the Jews was so highly esteemed of, that it was never so much as cut, and when David's Ambassadors had their beards half cut off, they were greatly ashamed, but now it should be all taken away by shaving with a razor, when no counselor or wise man should be left in the Land, so Calvin and Musculus: who also as Vatablus upon the word hired say, either a most sharp razor, because when a man hires for his money, he will have of the best; or a razor that he will not spare, but make use enough of it, as paying well for it: and to an hired razor is the king of Ashur compared, because God paid him for his hire, the Land of Syria and of Israel, and the spoils of Judah. And hereby is implied, that this king in his expedition against the Jews did but serve [Note.] God as an instrument wherewith a man worketh his own will. The godly are his instruments also, but they know for what end God useth them, and aim in their endeavors hereat, viz. God's glory: but the wicked know not, and therefore work for their ambition and malice, and in the end it shall come to them accordingly. The Septuagint for a razor that is hired, have novacula inebriata, because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fignifyeth to make drunken, but it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with Sin not Shin, and this signifieth hired. According to the word hired here used, Nebuchadnezzar is said to have been paid with the land of Egypt for destroying Tyrus, Isa. 29. 18, 19. and God's judging them by a razor hired, implies the work of judgment to be the work of another, and not his work, Isa. 28. 23. because God delights not in destroying, but in his mercy is most a verse herefrom, being desirous that the wicked should turn and not die. Lastly, By shaving with a razor, the servitude of the Jews in a strange Land is set forth, because shaving was anciently of servants and slaves, so Pomponius Laetus saith of Dioclesians triumph, that the custom was for such as had been slaves to enemies, but delivered, to follow the chariot of the triumpher with their heads shaven: so two thousands Romans brought out of servitude by F. Flamininus, when he triumphed for Macedonia subdued, followed his chariot. Icrom saith, that some think, that the Assyrian was he whom the Lord threatens to shave, that is, to spoil by Persians a long time after, but this he rejects and that worthily, because it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by the king of Ashur, he is this sharp razor: and as absurd is that of the Rabbins applying it to Sennacherib, who, they say, was shaven by the Angel to his ignominy in the night that his men were killed. It is meant, that all the decorum and virility of the Jewish Nation, should be taken away, for the beard is a sign of a man, and none but women and other poor weak effeminate creatures should be left by those beyond the river, the Assyrians are set forth because beyond Euphrates.
In that day a man shall nourish a Cow and two sheep, and for the plenty of milk he shall eat Butter. Here is shown in what desolation the whole Land of Judea should be, there should be but here and there a man left, and he that was left should not keep herds of cattle and flocks of sheep as in times past many men had done, but be so poor as that he should keep a cow and two sheep only, this being all his substance, and then by reason of the few cattle to eat the pasture, it should so abound, that a cow should give plenty of milk, so that thereof he might have therewith to make butter for his eating, for indeed he should have nothing else to eat but butter and honey. Besides some went to make a little bread, as is intimated, ver. 25. for to what end else should mountainous places be filled by digging, but to sow corn there?
And in that day where a thousand vines were at a thousand pieces of silver, it shall be to briars and thorns: That is, such a desolation shall be in all the Land, that Gardens, Vineyards, and Olive-yards for want of pruning and husbanding shall be overgrown with briats and thorns, and so there shall be no vines or other delightful things for the comfort of man's life as in times past, for the most fruitful places formerly most frequented shall be forsaken, the few that remain, not daring to keep there for fear of the enemy, but betaking themselves to desolate places formerly incult, as thinking in them to be more out of danger, because men used to come little into them, as being hitherto void of inhabitants, and so without prey to be gotten in them, so that their life now should be most miserable, changing their habitations for incult and horrid deserts, where wild beasts only were wont to live.
With arrow and bow they shall come thither, because briars and thorns shall be in all the Land. That is, to these places thus for fear forsaken and overgrown with briars, if any will come they shall come armed for the danger that now will be by wild beasts, lurking and breeding there instead of living in the mountainous places and deserts, to which they were confined before. And it is said briars and thorns shall be in all the Land, meaning all the parts before inhabited, and tilled, and dressed to bear fruits. For verse. 25. the mountainous places digged with the spade and mattock, shall not be so, the fear of briars and thorns shall not come thither: for men making those now the only places of their habitation, shall clear them from thorns and briars, by stubbing them up and making some of the ground fit to bear corn: and it shall be for the sending out of the Ox, and the conculcating of the sheep or smaller cattle, that is, the other part of the ground thus cleansed, shall be to feed their beasts upon for their necessary sustenance, the cow being here set forth by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 before by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a word of the same signification: and in this exposition almost all expositors agree.
CHAP. VIII.
ANd the Lord said unto me, Take to thee a great roll, and write therein with the style of a man, Make haste to the prey, hasten to the spoil, &c. This chapter tends by the consent of all Expositors to the same with the former, viz. to show that destruction was at hand to the kings of Syria and Samaria, and after that to Judah by the king of Ashur, and yet here is comfort propounded in Christ to all the faithful. But because here a son is said to be brought forth by the prophetess, in whose tender age it is said, that Damascus and Samaria shall be spoiled, as Chap. 7, a promise was made that a virgin should conceived and bring forth a Son, a Question ariseth, Whether this be not the son before prophesied of? and if so, that before-going touching the land of Syria and Israel forsaken in the infancy of that child, and the like spoken here, will excellently agree to the judgment threatened, without any new invention to make out the sense of those words, Chap. 7. 15, 16. Only Matthew may be to this interpretation opposed, because he applieth the prophecy Chap. 7. 14. to Jesus the Son of the Virgin Mary, as being then only fulfilled. But his words do not imply so much, but that it was then fulfilled, which no Christian will deny, but consent unto, as most firmly believing it. Now that his words imply not the fulfilling of it solely at that time, appears by other the like applications made by him in other cases, as Mat. 2. 15, 27. Ob. It is said, a Virgin shall conceive, &c. here the Prophet went in to the Prophetess, and she conceived, who was no Virgin, but a Wife, for so Junius renders it, me congresso cum prophetissa, i. Uxore mea, neither doth Calvin deny but that it may so be taken. Sol. This being granted (although not the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chereb to draw nigh, but the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to go in, is used Ge. 26. 3, 4. to set forth the carnal knowledge which a man hath of his wife, it makes not against this Exposition, because not only single persons are set forth in the language of the h. G. by the name of virgins, but also all that are carnally undefiled: therefore although it were no wonder for Isaiah's wife to bring forth a son, and so may seemimpertinent to the prophecy afore-going, yet it is not, for so much as this was a sign of Israel's destruction shortly to come, that she not being at that time haply with child, yet now conceived and brought forth as soon as might be, and before that child so brought forth, and grown up to be able to speak, the kings of Syria and Israel were both slain. And then this puerpery was but a figure of that to come principally aimed at, as wherein our greatest comfort lies about the destruction of the devils kingdom figured out in the kingdom of Ephraim, which kingdom that the Virgins son by his incarnation destroyed, see Heb. 2. 15. It was then fulfilled in a figure here, which was sufficient to confirm the faithful for the present, touching a temporal deliverance, and it was the second time, and chiefly fulfilled in the Virgin Mary. And if it be thus taken, ver. 18. the children that thou hast given me are set for signs: that is, Shear-jashub, and Mahar-shalal-hash-baz will well answer to the relations preceding, chap. 7. 3. and here ver. 4. whereas I have before followed Junius applying this word the child to Shear-jashub, I have not so done, but being ready upon new light discovered to be guided by it: whereas the word Alma never signifies but a young woman hidden from man, this is controverted by the Hebrews, and therefore here by more rendered, adolescentula then virgo: but for the principal thing in this prophecy intended, the Septuagint rendering of it virgo is to be preferred, admitting the double sense before-going, and this may be without prejudice to our cause, seeing Jesus born of the Virgin Mary, who knew no man, was the wonderful accomplishing of the prophecy so as it never was before, but only in some sort precursory: and the prophecy of the seed of the woman, Gen. 3. and of a woman's compassing a man, Jer. 31. 22. make it plain that such a puerpery was to be expected. Ob. But he is not called Emmanuel, but Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, neither can any son be called so, but the son of the Virgin Mary only. Sol. The son of the blessed Virgin was not expressly called by this name neither, when he was born, yet this argueth not, but that he was meant, as hath been shown before: again although it cannot be said of any but Jesus being born Emmanuel in that sense, God and man in one person, yet now it might also be said so in this sense, God is with us in performing of his promise of delivering us from these two kings so earnestly without his help bent to destroy us especially which be of the house of David, Jerome who saith that the child here spoken of is the same with that Cha. 7 14. only he hath another name, Make haste to the spoil, &c. to show that he should take away the spoils before taken by the devil, according to that saying of his, When a strong man armed keeps the house, all is quiet, but when a stronger then he cometh, he disarms him and divides the spoils. But he will not have a thing really done set forth here, but only in imagination and vision: for in vision only the prophetess brings forth a son, a sign of the hasty destruction of Syria and Samaria, and this was really after fulfilled, when the blessed Virgin conceived and brought forth her son Jesus, And he saith, he must write in a roll, and take witnesses to it, because it not suddenly be done according to this vision, but many hundred years after, for which it had need to be written in a great roll that might last long: and whereas before Chap. 7. he spake the same to the honse of David, now he must speak no more to the people in general, but write it in a roll, to intimate that it should be as a mystery or thing hidden, the Virgins conception, for a long time from the generality of the people. And indeed, because the circumstances of taking a roll to write in, and witnesses to it, imply a matter of great moment, not only touching the present or things near at hand, but also things of greatest concernment to come long after, or else what need was there of providing thus for the durability of it throughout many ages, it must needs be yielded, that as Chap. 7. the birth of Jesus was prophesied of, so it was here further represented and figured out together with the sudden destruction of the devils kingdom ensuing hereupon, of his spoiling whereof, see also Heb. 2. 15. Col. 2. 14. And if this be taken as done in a vision, then the meaning must be this, Isaiah having a roll presented unto him, wherein it seemed to him that he wrote these words, Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, he went in the spirit to the Virgin Mary, in vision presented unto him, and saw her bringing forth this son, and then spake as if he had been born indeed at that time, that before he should have knowledge to cry My father or mother, the riches of Damascus, &c. should be carried away. And to this agree Cyril, Basil, Caldaeus, Procopius, Rupert. August. de civitat. 17. c. ult. Epiphan. haeres. 78. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 2. Demonstr. Evang. Ambrose. &c. wherefore to show that this son is the same, ver. 8. he is also called Emmanuel. And for the other are many grave authors also, as the Rabbins, Chrysost. Richardus Victor, Tho. Aquinas, Vatablus, Calvin, Junius, &c. But it is excepted against this, that if a son about this time really born had been meant, that which followeth cannot be approved for truth, verse. 4. because the spoils of Samaria were not carried away by the King of Ashur, till the 9. of Hoshea, and this was but the 4. or 5. of Ahaz, in whose 12. year he began to reign, so that a child then born might be at that time 16. years old. Answ. The riches of Damascus were carried away within 2. or 3. years, and then the thing spoken of began to be fulfilled, the other following soon after in part, when in the beginning of the reign of Hoshea some 7. years after this, he became Shalmaneser 's servant, and he gave him gifts: Moreover, the same exception may be made, if it be understood the other way also. Only I grant taking it that way, we shall be forced to flee to the understanding of a Virgin in conditions, and therefore both being weighed well together, that of understanding it done in a vision will prove the most solid. But whereas Jerome by the prophetess another while understands the holy Ghost, because the holy Ghost in Hebrew Ruah is of the feminine gender: I cannot see how it should stand, because not the holy Ghost but the Virgin Mary by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost, brought forth her son. And she may well according to Jerome be understood by the prophetess, because she prophesied when she said, all generations shall call me blessed, for she is called so to this day. For the name Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, it is not meant that he should be called by this as a proper name, no more then by the name Emmanuel, but that he should be such an one that he might well be thus called for spoiling principalities and powers, as was partly touched before. The main thing here being thus cleared, I come to the particulars. To write in the style of of a man is by the consent of all, so as any may read it, and that in great letters, as Hab. 2. 2. because God would have all the people know it, and that he would accomplish that which he promised touching Damascus and Samaria very speedily, to be confirmed against their present fears, and the rather, for that it was so improbable, that so great forces now joined together should not prevail agianst Jerusalem, whenas either of them severally was unresistible before. And that this being written in a roll might be obvious to every ones sight, it is not improbably thought by some, that it was fastened upon the door of the Temple, as that of Habbakkuk, that a man running might read it. The words are but few, Lemahar to hasten, Shalal the spoil, Chash chaff or husk, Baz the prey: thus the words signify, but I cannot find them so expounded by any expositour, but either passed over as a name, as Junius pro Mahar-shalal-hash-bazo, or as he also in his notes explains it, accelera ad spolia, festina praedam, whereas of Chash there is none other signification, but as hath been said, and so no second word to signify hasten. Wherefore this name may rather be resolved thus, he hath hastened the spoil, the huskie or chaffie prey; so lightly flying from Damascus and Samaria, as the chaff before the wind, when the Assyrian comes, and his coming will not be long deferred, for he hastens to this, as the end whereat he aimeth.
And I took to me faithful witnesses, Uriah the Priest, and Zechariah. This was done for more confirmation of the Prophecy, because by the testimony of two witnesses all things are confirmed: and witnesses of great note especially as these two men were; Uriah the high-Priest at that time, for to him it is said, that Ahaz sent a pattern of the Altar at Damascus, to have one made like it at Jerusalem, which was a thing indeed, that made against his credit, but that was after this, and his credit held good hitherto. Zechariah was a man of great eminency, as being father to the mother of King Hezekiah. These two were taken for witnesses of these words written by the Prophet in a roll, as importing the spoiling of Damascus and Samaria with all speed.
And I went to the Prophetess, who conceived and bare a son, &c. This was done in the spirit, wherein the incarnation of Christ to come long after, was now represented to the Prophet, as things to come were represented to John in the Revelation. But whether these two men were also present in the spirit with Isaiah to see this son, is uncertain: it seems that they were to be witnesses of the thing, that the more credit and heed might be given unto it by all men. And this is by some brought for a ground of witnesses used of old, when names were given at the time of Circumcision; but I must needs confess, that although I have sometime followed this, yet it is no good ground for it. For witnesses or rather sureties are used in Baptism for more assurance to the Church, these only to testify this wonderful Vision and prophetical writing and name, that all might be assured of the thing here prophesied of.
Before the child shall know to cry, my father and my mother, the riches of Damascus and spoils of Samaria shall be taken away before the King of Ashur. That is, counting from this time, before an Infant new born now shall be able to speak, the pride of the two enemies of the house of David, Damascus and Samaria shall be taken down, they that have spoiled Judah, and had thought to have spoiled her more, being spoiled by the Assyrian King. The phrase is, Shall be taken away before the King of Ashur, haply because, as amongst the Romans, so amongst the Assyrians the spoils taken from the enemy were carried before the Conqueror in triumph.
Because this people despiseth the waters of Siloam, which run softly, and there is joy to Rezin, and the son of Remaliah. Vers. 7. Therefore the Lord brings upon them the waters of the river, &c. Vers. 8. And passing into Judah, he shall over flow, &c. The Lord having hitherto comforted the faithful by exhibiting after a sort his Son unto them, and promising speedy deliverance from their two great enemies, now threateneth the common sort, or multitude of unbelievers in Judea for their slighting and contempt of his help thus offered, and amongst them Ahaz, as the chief; for he, as it is likely with their consent, not relying upon God's Promises, but sending for help to Ashur, against these two Kings, thus shown, that he despised the waters of Siloam, that ran softly, the promise of deliverance being called so in opposition to the Assyrian Army expected, which came with the sound of Drum and Trumpet, neighing of horses, clattering of Armor, shouting and a great noise: but the Promise of God made by the Prophet was without all external show of vigor or force to help, a very poor thing to trust to, even as the little creeping river of Siloam, so called Nehem. 2. 13. Fons serpentis. It is also mentioned Joh. 9. for it ran slowly, and so was without force to gull and wash down the soil where it ran, or to carry any burden thereof before it. And this is that which God had against the unbelieving in Judah: now against the two Kings, Rezin and Remaliahs son, not vouchsafing to call them Kings, he lays to their charge, that they had joy, that is, in the spoils by them already taken, and which they made account to take at their pleasure in Ierusulem, and to domineer there. And upon this expedition they put themselves, merely out of a delight which they took in wasting and taking spoils, and destroying the Jews, they giving them no just cause so to do.
Therefore the Lord will make the mightiest and most abounding waters of a sloud to come up against them, even the King of Ashur and all his glory. Here after the sin of the Syrian and Israelitish King laid open verse. 7. followeth their panishment, the King of Ashur, as an overflowing and irresistible flood with his Army, that is, his glory shall come and destroy their lands, as by a deluge.
And he shall ascend above all his strong waters, and above all his banks, and shall pass through Judah, and overflow till he passeth to the neck, and the stretching out of his wings shall be the breadth of thy Land, O Emmanuel. Here the judgment to come after the other upon the Kingdom of Judah by the same King of Ashur is set forth; as their sin was also shown before, yet their punishment is put in order after Rezins and Pekahs, as indeed it followed. And because he had begun with an Allegory of a river, he continues by the like to set forth these judgments. He shall pass over all his strong waters and banks, that is, the strong ties of his oaths and covenant with Ahaz for his great gifts, and notwithstanding these shall come against Judah even to the head City, as he did in Hezekiah's time, for which he saith, Till he comes to the neck, which is next the head, for he was not permitted to come close up to Jerusalem, but near it, and he stretched his wings over all the Land, when in the time of Manasseh, and afterwards of Zedekiah he destroyed and wasted all; and he saith, Of thy Land, O Emmanuel, alluding to the name Emmanuel, Chap. 7. 14. setting forth Christ Jesus to come, as at whom he looked by the eye of faith, expecting that he should take vengeance for this upon the proud King of Ashur, when he had made him first an instrument to execute his judgments upon his own Land or Church, which Mount Zion was allegorically. For so indeed the Lord did to the King of Babylon and Ashur finally, when he gave him and his Land into the hands of Cyrus and Darius.
Thus for the most part Junius and Tremellius. Jerome, who saw the brook of Siloam, for he lived sometime there, saith, That it begins at a fountain at the foot of Mount Zion, and runneth not continually, but at certain times through most hard passages of rocks with a great noise. And by their despising the waters of Siloam, is allegorically shown the ten Tribes rejecting of the posterity of David, which God had set up, and their preferring to be under other Kings: but for this he showeth, that they shall be subdued and brought under the King they would not, even the Assyrian. But because this is nowhere laid to the charge of Israel, yea contrariwise it is said to have come of God for a punishment upon Solomon, That they revolted from Rehoboam, I cannot subscribe to this. And as far wide is Musculus, who will have the Kingdoms of Judah compared to these waters, because it was now in a poor condition; as if he had said, because Judah sets light by her own condition, and preferreth that of Israel and Syria, being now far more potent and opulent; for neither had it been so heinous a fault to be thus dejected in the sense of their own misery; and the last clause is, joy to Rezin and Remaliahs son, not in them. Calvin comes nearest to that which hath been already said, despising their own weak estate, they desired greater forces for their defense; but neither doth this agree to joy in any relation to Rezin or Remaliahs son, because the forces desired by them were not theirs, but the King of Ashurs, neither was it so great a sin, or a sin at all to be cast down for their own tenuity, unless with a conceit, that being so weak, God could not, or would not help them, whatsoever he promised by his Prophet. Cyril and Procopius, because they being so low, believed not that God could help them, and thought of revolting from Ahaz to Rezin and Pekah, and submitting themselves to the King, whom they would set over them, even the son of Tabeal, they are thus threatened. But this is a conjecture without ground, because we read nothing of any intention in them to revolt; but it is certain, that in diffidence of aid from God they sought for aid to the King of Ashur. Now whereas Jerome saith, That the waters of Siloam run with a noise thorough hollow places of the Rocks, whereby this Allegory may seem not to agree; it is to be understood, that although they run with a noise at the first, yet passing further they run without all noise in silence, and easily, till they come into the Kings Gardens. Siloam for this might well set forth the King of David's line, and the Lord Jesus, who was to come of David, and was missus or sent, according to the interpretation of the word Siloc, because these were the waters, which watered his Gardens, and he was mild and cried not, nor lifted up his voice. For when his help promised was despised, he was despised, and afterwards when he came, being of the Jews rejected, saying, We will have no King but Caesar. For the spreading of his wings over the whole Land, this is spoken by another Allegory comparing the Assyrian King to an Eagle, spreading his immense forces as wings.
Associate yourselves together (O people's) and ye shall be broken, give ear ye that dwell in the farthest parts of the earth, Gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken, &c.
Take counsel together, it shall be in vain,