Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 1 · Verse 16 – Verse 17
Verſ. 16. Waſh you, make you cleane: take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies: ceaſe to doe euill.
NOw hee exhortes the Iewes to repentance, and ſhewes the true way to come thereto, if ſo be they meant yt their ſeruices ſhould be allowed of God. Whence wee gather, that nothing can pleaſe God, vnleſſe it come from a pure conſcience. For God is not like a man, that he ſhould eſteeme our works by the outſide of them. Men do many times praiſe the worke which a wicked man hath done, but in God his ſight (who chiefly reſpects the heart) the polluted conſcience defiles all the reſt of the vertues. And that is it which the Prophet Haggie teacheth, ſetting an example of the ancient ceremonie before them:Hag. 1.14.15 namely, that whatſoeuer a polluted man had touched was vncleane: whence he concludes, that no cleane thing can proceed from the wicked. Our Prophet hath alreadie affirmed, that it is in vaine to offer ſacrifices vntounto God, in vaine to make vowes, in vaine to cal vponupon him, if the integritie of the heart do not ſanctifie the outward ſeruice. Wherefore to the ende the Iewes ſhould not labour any longer for nothing, he requires this cleannes: and begins with a generall reformation, to the end they ſhould not think they had bleared the eies of God by doing their duties in ſome one or two things only. And thus muſt they be handled who hauehave eſtranged themſelues from God. Wee muſt not touch a diſeaſe or two of a ſicke infected body: but if care be had to heale it truely and ſoundly, we muſt de forced to call them backe, and to begin all anew: yea the contagion of the diſeaſe muſt be purged wholly from within; that ſo they may begin to pleaſe God, whereas before they were deteſtable and abominable in his ſight. And no doubt alſo by this Similitude of waſhing, hee exhortes them to purge themſelues from their inward vncleanneſſes. But vntounto this hee will by and by ad outward workes.
Now in that he commands them to waſh themſelues, it is not becauſe men come to repentance by their owne proper mouing, and free will; but he ſhewes that no other remedie will ſerue the turne, vnleſſe they appeare pure and cleane before God. Now we know that the Spirit of God is wont to attribute that to men, which himſelfe workes in them, who therefore is called cleane water, Ezech. 36.25. becauſe repentance is a worke proceeding from him.
Take away.] Now the Prophet deſcends to the fruites of repentance. For he not onelie declares in plaine termes that they ought to be cleanſed and waſhed; but he commands them to ſhew a teſtimonie of their change in their whole life, and in all their actions. Notwithſtanding hee confirmes the former ſentence; namely, that the filthines of the people is before the Lord, which defiling and ſtayning all their works takes away all the goodnes which might ſeeme to be in them. He makes expreſſe mention of the eies of God, to the end that whilſt he beholds them, they ſhould not thinke to depriue him of ſeeing, and ſo make him a companion with them of their blindnes. Caſe from euill. He goes on ſtill to blame their life. Some expound this place, as if by euill doing, the Prophet ſhould vnderſtand euill liuing: But it ought properly to be vnderſtood of thoſe miſdoings wherby a mans neighbour is offended. Seeing in the next verſe following, it is ſaid, Learne to doe well: where the clauſe, To your neighbour, ſhould be ſupplied. For he ſpeakes of the iniuries, and good turnes which our neighbour receiues of vsus. Now becauſe repentance hath his ſeate in the heart, therfore he ſets it forth by theſe kinds, whereby men may come ſome what neere to the knowledge of it. For eueryevery man would bee taken for a good man: but the outward works ſhew what eueryevery man is within. He brings them then to externall workes, that by them they ſhould ſhew forth the truth of their repentance. Now hee comprehends the fruits of repentance vnderunder two members, to wit, a ceaſing to doe euill; and a learning to doe well. For firſt wee muſt abſtaine from doing all wrong: yet ſo, as wee deale not like thoſe prodigall ones who would be eſteemed liberall, when they take from one to giuegive to another: neither yet like thoſe pinchpennies who thinke they hauehave quit themſelues well when they are carefull in keeping their own, doing others no harme; and yet in the meane while will doe good to none at all. His meaning is then, to comprehend both the one and the other: for the obſeruation of the ſecond table conſiſteth in theſe two points.
Verſ. 17. Learne to doe well: ſeeke iudgement, relieue the oppreſſed*Or, him who is trampled vnderfoote.: iudge the fatherleſſe, and defend the widdowes.
EVen a… immediatly before, where he commanded them to abſtaine from euill, hee therein comprehended a continuall exerciſe thereof: as if hee ſhould ſay, Hitherto your whole life hath been nothing but a committing of euill: now on the otherſide he teacheth them to bee meeke and curteous; and drawes them to learne what it is: euen as if he had had to doe with new apprentiſes, and raw ſchollers. And firſt he commands them to ſeeke iudgement: others tranſlate, Examine your ſelues; which I approue not. For by the word ſeeke, hee ſignifies a further thing, namely, an actuall ſtudie, as they call it. Alſo by the word iudgement he comprehends whatſoeuer is good and right, as if he ſhould ſay, Study to be vpright.
Relieue the oppreſſed.] The Prophet after his accuſtomed manner comes to particulars, after he hath ſpoken of things in general: and howſoeuer he had alreadie exhorted them to weldoing and equitie in ſpeciall manner; yet now willing to preſſe them more neerely, he reckons vp ſome particular kindes thereof in plaine words, by which hee comes to a more ample and full declaration of the generall. For otherwiſe men would alwaies goe for iuſt and vpright; and hardly ſhould you ſtirre or mooue them with generall doctrine. But when one comes once to particulars, euen as if one ſhould bring them out by the polles into open view, then they are conſtrained to ſubmit themſelues; or at the leaſt to become more tractable: whereof we hauehave daily experience.
Iudge.] The Prophet makes choice here of two particulars, which do beſt of all lay open and diſcouer the wickednes of men. For they very ſeldom take the cauſes of the widow and fatherleſſe in hand, becauſe they looke not for the reward. And hence it is then that poore creatures are expoſed to infinite ſorts of iniuries; namely, becauſe no man is haſtie to ſuccour them: for who will ſerue in the place of iuſtice for nothing? nay are there not many who giuegive themſelues to poll and pill the poore and needie? And doth not this manifeſtly ſhew, how few make conſcience of executing iudgement? Indeed it is no wonder if the rich and mightie hauehave friends to maintain and vphold their cauſes, ſeeing they are drawne and allured thereunto, not of conſcience, but for hope of gaine. But the Lord here ſhewes that he takes care for the fatherleſſe and widowes; and that he will iudge and reuenge their cauſe, if any hauehave offered them violence. And as much he ſaith of all other diſtreſſed, who being held down by violence and tyrannicall cruelty, do ſigh and grone vnderunder the oppreſſion of them who are more mightie then they.
This ought to miniſter a ſoueraigne conſolation to all the children of God: whoſe condition it is to poſſeſſe their ſoules by patience. For how proudly ſoeuer the wicked aduance themſelues, yet ſhall not that hinder the faithfull to triumph in their anguiſhes. Let this ſentence therefore bee alwaies ingrauen vponupon their hearts, The Lord will ſuccour vsus: and, Although men deſpiſe vsus, yet will he care for vsus: He will helpe the helpleſſe, and will defend their cauſe.