Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 1 · Verse 29 – Verse 31
Verſ. 29. *Or, to wit.For they ſhall be confounded for the Oakes which yee hauehave deſired, and yee ſhall bee aſhamed of the gardens that yee hauehave choſen.
THe particle, Ci, is put in the Hebrew, which ſhewes the cauſe: but it is often alſo vſed for an expoſition. Now becauſe the P…ophet addes no new matter here, but only manifeſts vntounto them the cauſe of the ruine, which hung ouer the heads of the wicked, the Hebrew word, which wee hauehave tranſlated, to wit, hath ſeemed to agree very well; as if the Prophet ſhould hauehave ſaid, There was no plague more hurtfull to them then ſuperſtition; the idols, ſaith hee, which you doe ſo heape together to procure your welfare, ſhall rather turne to your ruine. Now whereas ſome hauehave heretofore tranſlated gods, for the word trees, is refuted by the text it ſelfe: for he by and by makes mention of gardens. Moreouer he reprooues all falſe, and new found ſeruices vnderunder the names of trees and gardens, by a figure called Synecdoche, when a part is taken for the whole. For howſoeuer there were all ſorts of Idolatrie among the Iewes, yet this particular kind, namely, to chuſe woods and forreſts, to offer ſacrifices, was ſpecially the moſt vſuall amongſt others. Now be it that one would reade woods, or gardens in the ſecond place, yet no doubt, but he meant to point at their Altars, and Chapels, where they performed their diuelliſh worſhips: and although it was not their meaning, wholly to reuolt from the true God, yet notwithſtanding they forged new ſeruices: and as if one place had been more acceptable to God then another, they conſecrated and dedicated them to their deuotions, as wee ſee it is come to paſſe in the Papacie. But by and by there followes a change of the perſon: for to the ende the reproofe might bee the more ſharpe, he ſpeakes euen to the wicked themſelues, of whom he ſpake before in the third perſon.
Afterward by the word, to couet, he taxeth the furious affection wherewith the wicked are ſet on fire in their ſuperſtitions. God requires that the whole heart be dedicated vntounto him: but they violently plunged themſelues in a blind purſuing of their new deuiſed ſeruices, as if they were carried away with a beaſtly and brutiſh affection And to ſay the trueth,Note. this ſicknes is rooted almoſt in the vnderſtandings of all men, that hauing once forſaken the true God, they runne a madding after their Idols. Therefore it is, that the Scripture often compares this fury to ye loues of harlots, who not only caſt off al reaſon, but likewiſe all ſhame. Although it further appeares by the ſecond member, that hee not onelyonly taxeth their intemperancie, but alſo their boldnes to violate the ſeruice of God, when he ſaith they choſe gardens: which word is oppoſed to that which was commanded in the law. For with what flouriſhes ſoeuer the vnbeleeuers ſeeke to ſhadow their ſuperſtitions withal, yet notwithſtanding this ſentence remaines ſure, that obedience is better then ſacrifice, 1. Sam. 15.22. And therefore S. Paul Col. 2.23. vnderunder the word ſuperſtition, comprehends all thoſe corrupt worſhips, which men forge to themſelues without the commandement of God. God then complaines, that the Iewes hauing deſpiſed his word, pleaſed themſelues in their owne inuentions: as if he ſhould ſay, It was your duties to hauehave obeyed me, but you hauehave liked better to follow your owne fantaſie, or rather a franticke libertie.
And this is ſufficient to condemne all the inuentions of men, to wit, that it is not lawfull in any ſort, to chuſe a way how to ſerue God, becauſe the right of preſcribing that appertaines vntounto himſelfe. God had then commanded that no ſacrifices ſhould be offe- vntounto him but in Ieruſalem; Deut. 12.13the Iewes thought to pleaſe him in other places: which falſe imagination alſo deceiued the prophane nations. And I would to God that it had onelyonly reſted there; but we ſee how the Papiſts are wrapped euen in the ſame error. Laſtly, experience it ſelfe teacheth, that this diſeaſe is common to eueryevery age.
Obiect. If any obiect that the matter is not ſo great in reſpect of the place, that God ſhould therefore abhorre the ſacrifices which were eueryevery where offered him. Anſ. Firſt we muſt note the cauſe why God as then would hauehave but one onelyonly altar, namely, to the end it might be a band of holy vnitie to this rude people, and that by this meanes Religion might continue ſound and immutable. Now although that this ſpeciall cauſe ceaſeth, yet muſt we holde this principle, that commaundements were giuen of God, euen touching the leaſt things; to the end the Iewes might inure themſelues the better to obedience. For in regard that ſuperſtition paints her face with the colour of deuotion, it is impoſſible, but men ſhould flatter themſelues in their inuentions.Obedience the mother of true religion. Mens fancies, the fountaines of ſuperſtition. Notwithſtanding ſeeing that obedience is the mother of true religion, it followes thereupon, that the fantaſies of men, on the contrarie, are euen fountaines of ſuperſtition.
This alſo muſt be added, that euen as Iſaiah did a little before reprooue the wickednes of the people, which raigned amongſt them againſt the breach of the ſecond Table of the law, which is louelove; now alſo he makes his complaint, that they hauehave tranſgreſſed the firſt table. For in as much as all perfection of righteouſnes conſiſts in the obedience of the law, the Prophets when they would reprooue the ſinnes of men, one while they ſpeake of the firſt, and then of the ſecond ta-Table. We muſt alſo alwaies obſerue this figuratiue manner of ſpeech, when vnderunder one kind the Prophets do comprehend the whole in generall.
Verſ. 30. For yee ſhall be as an Oke, whoſe leafe fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water.
THe Hebrew particle may bee taken affi… matiuely, as I hauehave turned it: and it ſeemes that the Prophet alludes to thoſe gardens vntounto which they had falſely tied the ſeruice of God; for becauſe he had made mention of theſe gardens, he threatens them with drought, caſting in their teeth the confidence, which they repoſed in them. You pleaſe your ſelues very much, in yoour gardens, and in your trees (ſaith he) but you ſhall be as trees dried, and ſubiect to fall. The Lord then ſcornes the fooliſh bragging of the idolaters who pleaſe themſelues maruelouſlie in their inuentions: and thinke that heauen muſt needs be opened to them, when they are in the midſt of their ceremonies. As at this day when the Papiſts hauehave lighted vp their lampes, and decked their temples; when they ſhine with gold and pretious ſtones; when they heare, the melodie of their Organes, and the ſound of their bels, they thinke themſelues the moſt happie people vnderunder the ſunne, as if God being infinitelie beholding vntounto them, and ſatisfied with ſuch baggage, they were freed from feare of any danger.
Verſ. 31. And the ſtrong ſhall bee as tow, and the maker thereof as a ſparke: and they ſhall burne both together, and none ſhall quench them.
THe Hebrew word Chaſon ſignifies ſtrong; now it is here attributed to God: and yet notwithſtanding it retaines ſtill his ſignification, as if hee ſhould hauehave ſaid, That god whom you made your ſtrength, ſhal be turned into tow. And the maker thereof: hee meanes the caruer: but becauſe mention is made of the idole, it muſt bee referred to the thing in queſtion. Some thinke that the Prophet doth here note out the repentance of the idolaters, who ſhould acknowledge their follie, and with ſhame ſhould burne their idols: but me thinkes, the Prophets meaning is otherwiſe. For euen as fire is made of drie ſtuffe, as tow and ſuch like: ſo ſaith the Prophet, God ſhall gather you and your idols together vponupon an heape (as when one pileth vp a ſtacke of wood) to the end you may bee conſumed together. So as the idols ſhall be as tow, and the men as the fire; to the end the flame may conſume them both together.
And there ſhall be none to quench them.] Wee muſt note that when the Prophets ſpeake of the wrath of God, they repreſent it by externall ſignes, becauſe it cannot be perceiued by our eyes, or other ſenſes. Thus the wrath of the Lord, by which the wicked are deſtroyed, is compared to fire, that conſumes all things. Now it ſufficiently appeares by this, what the Prophet meant to ſay namely, that al the wicked ſhall periſh, let their confidence be what it will; yea which more is, their ruine ſhall be ſo much the greater, by how much they ſhall hauehave placed their truſt in falſe and deceitfull things: and that in the place from whence they hoped and looked for ſaluation, euen there ſhall perdition fall vponupon them. For the idols and puppets are but matches to kindle the wrath of God withall; and that in ſuch wiſe, as it can neuer be quenched.