Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 37 · Verse 10 – Verse 14
Verſ. 10. I ſaid in the cutting off of my dayes, I ſhall goe to the gates of the graue: I am depriued of the reſidue of my yeeres.
BEhold here a very mournefull ſong, for it conteines in it complaints rather then prayers. Whence it appeares, that this good King was ſo ſtraited with diſtreſſes, that being oppreſſed inwardlie, he forceth himſelfe to teares and lamentations, and dares not freelie open his mouth to frame a well ordered prayer. In mutterings by himſelfe then he layes forth the greatnes of his ſorrow: but this may ſeeme ſtrange if wee conſider the cauſe. Was it beſeeming ſo holie a perſonage for the deſire he had to prolong this tranſitorie life, ſo greatly to abhorre death? The firſt rudiments of the heauenly doctrine do teach vsus, that we are but wayfaring men here, and therefore ought ſwiftlie to runne the race that is ſet before vsus towards eternall life. Obiect. But Hezekias ſeemes to be ſo much giuen to the earth, as if he had neuer taſted ſo much as one dramme of true godlines. He flees and deteſts death, as if he had been vtterlie vnaquainted with ye word of God. What meanes he then to ſet downe his boiling paſſions in this maner? It ſeemes he meant rather to draw the faithfull by his example to a kind of intemperancie, rather then to keepe them within the liſts of Gods heſts. Are we not all of vsus too much inclined to rebellion of our ſelues, but we muſt alſo hauehave a Scholemaſter to inſtruct vsus?
But if we ſhall rightlie and aduiſedlie conſider of the matter, Anſ. we ſhall ſee it was moſt profitable for vsus, that the image of this man (in a maner ouerwhelmed with ſorrowes) page missing lie ſay, I made my account. From this verſe we may gather, that Hezekias was ſicke about two daies: for in the former verſe he ſaid the maladie was ſo vehement, that he looked for nothing but death. That day being paſt, he euen waits vntounto the dawning of the next day following; and from thence, till night: ſo as he expected death eueryevery minute of an houre. The ſenſe then is; that although hee came to the day breake, yet he ranne haſtily to death, by continuall turmoilings: for being ſmitten with the ſtroke of Gods fearfull iudgement, hee makes no account to liue.Man termed a daies bird by the Gre…kes. And as the Greekes when they will ſhew that nothing is ſo vaine a thing as man, do terme him a daies bird: ſo this good King puts the life of a day here for that tranſitorie life of a man, which is but of ſmall continuance.
Whereas he compares God to a lion, it is no new thing, albeit God of his owne nature be gentle, mercifull, and louing, and nothing ſutes better to his nature then theſe titles: but we cannot feele this ſweetneſſe when we hauehave prouoked him by our vices, and made him ſeuere by our rebellion. Nay, which is more, there is not the crueltie nor ſternneſſe of any, nor of all the bruit beaſts, that can ſo amaze or aſtoniſh vsus, as doth the bare mentioning of the very name of God in this caſe: but moſt iuſtly. For his ſtrokes muſt of neceſſitie hauehave that efficacie in them, as to bring downe all loftineſſe, and to humble vsus to the very gates of hell, that ſo being in a maner ſtripped of all comfort, wee may lie gaſping after it, and yet in the meane while apprehend nothing but dread and horror. And of ſuch terrors Dauid ſpeaks in Pſal. 22.17. where he ſaith; I may tell all my bones. Againe, Pſal. 6.6.Pſal. 38. I water my couch with teares. Alſo, My ſoule is ſore troubled: Pſal. 6.3. And the graue hath opened her mouth to ſwallow mee vp. Now it is needful that ye faithful ſhould ſometimes bee feared in this wiſe by the ſenſe of Gods iudgements, that they may be ſo much the rather prouoked to deſire his fauour.
Verſ. 14. Like a crane or a ſwallow, ſo did I chatter; I did mourne as a done: mine eies were lift vp on high: O Lord, it hath oppreſſed me, comfort me.
HEzekias cannot fit himſelfe with wordes ſufficient to ſet forth the greatneſſe of his miſerie, which brought him to that extremitie, that he was not able to ſpeake diſtinctly, but to mutter forth a confuſed ſound of words, euen as thoſe that lie at the point of death. Whence it appeares that he was wonderfully perplexed, ſeeing his griefe was ſo great, that hee wanted words to expreſſe it. His wordes ſtucke as it were in his throat: nothing could bee heard but whiſperings: whereunto appertaines theſe ſimilitudes of the crane and ſwallow, which the Prophet here vſeth.
Yet euen theſe confuſed voices doubtleſſe doe pierce the eares of God: and albeit al our ſenſes be ſurpriſed with heauineſſe, and that our ſorrowes hauehave ſhut vp our mouthes, yet he beholds our hearts ſtill, and heares the ſighes which be breathed from faith. Yea often times ſuch broken ſentences are ſent forth with more force & efficacie, then words rightly framed, prouided that they proceede from the ſpirit of God, who ſtirs vp in vsus ſuch gronings, as cannot be expreſſed: Rom. 8.25. There is no childe of God but in this caſe feeles by experience, when extreme ſorrow cauſeth his tongue to cleaue to the roofe of his mouth, and his heart to be cloſed vp, ſo as his praiers are but ſtutterings and ſtammerings. Some tranſlate that which followes in this ſenſe; Mine eies are ſunke in: but ſo the particle, on high, ſhould not agree. And therefore it is beſt to retaine the naturall ſenſe, which is; that his eies were waſted with often and much looking: or, that hee ceaſed not to lift vp his eies on high, albeit he was halfe dead; or was neuer ſo far out of heart, but he knew well that it was his dutie to wait for ſuccour from God.
Let vsus learne with Hezekias Hezekias his example ſet before vsus.to lift vp our eies to the heauens: and let vsus alſo know that our God requires no great rhetorique of vsus in our praiers.God requires no Art of Rhetorike in the praiers of his ſeruants. He confirmes this ſentence in turning his ſpeech by and by vntounto God, to deſire his helpe: for in regard the violence of the diſeaſe oppreſſed him, he intreats the Lord to comfort him. Some tranſlate, Anſwer for me; which we hauehave thought beſt to turne, comfort, or, glad mee: vnleſſe any had rather receiue their tranſlation who read it, Make mee to reſt. How euer it be, he demands ſuccour of God, to the end the weight of his afflictions might not ouerwhelme him: we alſo ought to aſſure our ſelues in this caſe, that God will be ſo much the more ready to comfort vsus, by how much the more wee ſhall be preſſed on euerie ſide with many calamities.