Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 1 · Verse 21 – Verse 22
Verſ. 21. How is the faithfull citie become an harlot! It was full of iudgement and iuſtice lodged therin, but now they are murtherers.
TO the end the reprehenſion might be the more forcible, and that their wickednes might be ye more deteſtable, in that this people were thus reuolted from God and from all integritie and vprightnes, he cries out as if he ſaw ſome ſtrange and vnwonted thing. And ſurely it was an horrible change, that the people whom the Lord had choſen and ſet apart to bee a royall prieſthood to himſelfe, ſhould thus fal from ſo ſoueraigne pietie and godlines, into the gulfe and ſincke of all ſinne and wickednes. But he ſpeakes chieflie of the citie of Ieruſalem, which was the royall ſeate of the Sanctuarie of God: hee complaines that ſhe which heretofore was a faithfull gardian of iuſtice, is now become a denne of theeues: and that of an holy and chaſt virgin, ſhe is become an harlot. To the ende therefore hee might make the baſtard Iewes (who were farre from the integritie of the holy Patriarks) the more aſhamed, hee takes vntounto himſelfe the perſon of a man aſtoniſhed, who wondreth and reaſoneth with himſelfe how ſuch a thing could come to paſſe. Alſo in this word faithfull, hee alludes, as I thinke, to the faith in mariage which the wife ought to keepe to her husband. I grant that the ſignification of the word reacheth further: but waying the circumſtance narrowly, I thinke it not amiſſe to take the word faithfull, for chaſte. For a little after he oppoſeth the contrarie member; calling her harlot. So as being in times paſt a loyall wife keeping faith to her husband, ſhee is now become an harlot paſt ſhame, and bluſheth not at her villanie. Now it is an vſuall thing in the Scriptures to call the Church of God by the name of his wife: which degree of honour Ieruſalem kept whilſt ſhee retained her ſpirituall ſhamefaſtnes and perſeuered in the lawfull and pure worſhip of God: but as ſoone as ſhe gaue ouer that, then ſhe became an harlot.
Now it is not to be doubted but this aſtoniſhment of the Prophet was ioyned with great ſorrow. For it ought to make our haire to ſtand an end, to ſee men reuolt and ſlide backe from God; and forſake the faith and allegeance which once they promiſed him. Neither can it be but men of any good heart, will be deeply touched with extreame ſorrow at ye beholding of ſuch a wofull ſpectacle. We reade, Luk. 15.10. how the Angels reioyce at the conuerſion of a ſinner, and therefore they are much grieued at the perdition of any one of them. But how much more heauie and ſorrowfull are they when they behold the ruine and deſtruction of a whole citie and Church?
Now this admiration carries with it a complaint: as if the Prophet ſhould hauehave ſaid to Ieruſalem; From what an excellent and flouriſhing eſtate art thou fallen? into what miſerie haſt thou plunged thy ſelfe? What ſhame and diſhonour haſt thou laid thy ſelfe open vntounto? For in making mention of her former eſtate, in which ſhee had flouriſhed and had been honourablie accounted of, hee thereby prouokes her to bee ſo much the more moued; ſo as ſhe who in times paſt had been an honeſt mother of a family, ſhould hauehave much more care of her honour and reputation, then ſuch a one as hath paſſed her whole life in all kind of wicked and leude behauiour.
She was full of Iudegment.] He ſhewes what the fruites of this loyaltie was in times paſt. We may take iudgement for vprightnes only, or, if any will, he may take Iuſtice for giuing to eueryevery one that which to him belongeth: and Iudgement for taking the cauſe of the innocent in hand; and reuenging the poore and needie: For ſo the Scripture indeede vſeth them, when theſe two words are ioyned together. But becauſe they are not wholly ioyned together in this place, I take iudgement ſimplie for vprightnes; as being one, and the ſame thing twiſe ſpoken, to manifeſt it the more clearely.
But now they are murtherers] Here hee ſhewes how Ieruſalem is become an harlot. For whereas iuſtice and equitie were in times paſt highly in eſtimation in her eyes: now on the contrarie ſhee is full of murthers. Now he meanes not murtherers and theeues onelyonly, as hath been ſaid: but thoſe who vnderunder colour of iuſtice drew other mens goods to themſelues by deceit, and violence: and laſtly thoſe who walked not plainely and ſimplie with their neighbours, in what eſtimation ſoeuer they were: as ſometimes, nay very often it falles out, that the moſt wicked are the moſt praiſed. Now from this eſtate whereunto Ieruſalem was come, let vsus conſider after what manner Satan for the moſt part exerciſeth his tyrannie ouer the Church of God, euen as if the bridle were laid in his necke. For if euer there were a Church, it was in Ieruſalem; and yet notwithſtanding Iſaiah ſaith, that it was become a denne of theeues, or as a caue wherein men were deuoured and ſwallowed vp. But if Satan had his ſwinge ſo there; let vsus not meruaile if the caſe bee now alike with vsus; but let vsus rather giuegive order that we be not corrupted by ſo wicked examples.
Verſ. 22. Thy ſiluer is become droſſe: thy wine is mixt with water.
THe Prophet ſpeaks by a figure: and vnderunder two ſimilitudes, ſhewes here, how that although things were not wholly ouerturned in appearance, yet that their eſtate notwithſtanding was changed and corrupted in ſuch wiſe, as it was far from that which it was wont to be. For he ſaith, that droſſe ſhined in ſtead of Siluer: and that there was nothing in their wine but colour, without any ſauour: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Howſoeuer thou makeſt a faire ſhew of goodnes, yet there is nothing that is pure to bee found in thee. Thy wine which was wont to be of it ſelfe, is now mixed; and howſoeuer it deceiues them that looke vponupon it, yet by the taſte one may know it is corrupted. Now all this is to none other end, but that the Iewes, hauing once purged themſelues from all diſſimulation, ſhould begin to confeſſe their ſinnes, and not to pleaſe themſelues any longer in them, as hypocrites are wont to doe. To which purpoſe theſe Similitudes which he here vſeth, are very apt and fitting: for the droſſe of ſiluer hath ſome reſemblance with ſiluer; alſo the water that is mixed with the wine, hath ſome ſhew of the colour of the wine it ſelfe: and yet notwithſtanding they are farre off from the puritie of the things, which they reſemble. So the hypocrits paint themſelues with the colour of falſe ſiluer, although indeed they deſerue no more commendations then droſſe: yea they are more deteſtable therein, then if they were openly wicked. Yet notwithſtanding, they oppoſe themſelues againſt God and men, and no leſſe diſloyally then wickedlie paint ouer themſelues with vanitie and vaine ſhewes to couer their malice withall.