Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 40 · Verse 6
Verſ. 6. A voice ſaid, Crie. And he ſaid; What ſhall I crie? All fleſh is graſſe, and all the grace thereof is as the flower of the field.
HE ſpeakes heere of another voice, then that which he mentioned verſ. 3. For hitherunto he hath ſpoken of the voice of the Prophets: now comes in the voice of God; The voice of the Prophets the voice of God, yet it is neceſſarie to diſtinguiſh them.who commands the Prophet to cry. I denie not but the voice of the Prophets is alſo the voice of God, whoſe inſtruments they are, (for they ſpeake not of themſelues:) yet this diſtinction, is neceſſarie, to the end wee may know when the Lord commands, and when it is that the Prophets and Miniſters doe execute his commandements. There is a fit compariſon betweene the two voices then, that we might learne to receiue the meſſage which the Prophets bring in the name of the Lord, with as much reuerence as if himſelfe ſpake vntounto vsus from heauen: for they ſpeake as from his mouth, and as his Ambaſſadors vtter nothing but that which his Spirit ſuggeſts vntounto them.
Moreouer, by this prefaceWhy the Prophet vſeth this preface. we are admoniſhed, that the Prophet meanes to ſpeake of ſome great matter: for howſoeuer he alwaies proteſts faithfully to deliuer that to others, which himſelfe receiued from the Lord; yet here to ſtir vp the more attention, hee telles vsus that the words which hee pronounceth, were put into his mouth by the expreſſe voice of God.
Hereunto appertaines the verbe To cry: The interrogation hath an emphaſis here.as if he ſhould ſay; Thou muſt publiſh this meſſage with a loud voice, that it may indeed go to the quicke. But the interrogation which is added, imports much: for the Prophets meaning therein is, that hee ranne not of his own head, nor bragged of things he vnderſtood not; but that they were taught him at leaſure, and diſtinctly; he being well aduiſed, and very attentiue.
From the matter it ſelfe we may gather,What is to be gathered from the matter it ſelfe. that here is nothing ſuperfluous, in regard that two principall points of the heauenly doctrine are here to be handled ſummarilie. Firſt, that howſoeuer man bee nothing in himſelfe but ſmoke and vanitie, and that all his excellencie vades and periſheth as the ſhadow, or like the flower; yet the faithfull hauehave good cauſe notwithſtanding to reioice, becauſe they ſeeke their ſaluation out of themſelues. Secondly, albeit they be ſtrangers vpō earth, yet they are inriched with heauenly glorie, becauſe the Lord vnites himſelfe vntounto them by his word; for our abaſement ought to inflame vsus with a deſire to partake of Gods grace.
The Prophet knew well enough what he was to teach,What ſhall I cry? but he meant to rouze vp their ſpirits by this interrogation; thereby to ſhew, that himſelfe and all his fellow ſeruants were conſtrained by this neceſſitie to vtter this ſentence, and that they could not otherwiſe diſcharge their duties well, though they ſhuld intreat and admoniſh neuer ſo much: for the truth is, nothing ſhall bee gained by ſpeaking, if they hold any other tenure then this.
The word cry, may ſignifie a libertie and euidence in the words: for the Prophets were not to whiſper betweene the teeth, but in the hearing of all to pronounce that which they had to ſay roundly, and to their vnderſtandings; yea freely and plainly to open the meaning of whatſoeuer meſſage they had receiued. Is any man called to the office of teachingWhat ſuch are to doe as are called to the office of teaching. then? Let him alwaies thinke and remember that he muſt vſe an inuincible freedome of ſpeech againſt all difficulties that are oppoſed to his miniſtery, as the Prophets and Apoſtles hauehave done, without ſhrinking their neckes out of the coller. Woe bee to mee, ſaith the Apoſtle, if I preach not, for neceſſitie is laid vponupon mee: 1. Corinth. 9.16.
All fleſh is graſſe.] Firſt it is to be noted, that he ſpeakes not here of the fragilitie of mans life onelyonly, for the words hauehave a larger ſenſe; that is, to bring to nothing all the excellencie which men may ſeeme to hauehave in them. Dauid indeede compares this life to graſſe, Pſal. 103.15. becauſe it is corruptible and tranſitorie: but the ſcope of the text ſhewes, that Iſaiah ſpeakes not of the outward man onelyonly, How farre this phraſe, All fleſh is graſſe, extēds it ſelfe.but alſo comprehends the gifts of the minde, wherewith men are vſually puffed vp; as wiſdome, valour, industrie, iudgement, dexteritie, in diſpatching buſineſſes, by meanes whereof they thinke themſelues more excellent then all the reſt of the creatures.
This is better expreſſed by the word Chaſd…, which is by and by added; which ſome tranſlate Glory: others, Well doing: but I had rather expound it grace: The meaning of this word, Grace.by which word I vnderſtand, vvhatſoeuer gift it is whereby men purchaſe praiſe and honour vntounto them from others. Notwithſtanding, the paſſiue ſignification may hauehave place: as if the Prophet ſhould ſay; Whatſoeuer is excellent and worthy commendation among men, proceedes from the meere liberalitie of God. And in this ſenſe, Dauid calles the Lord, the God of his ſauour: Pſal. 59.10. by whoſe grace hee had receiued ſo many benefits as he inioied. It is alſo very certaine that all that which is praiſe worthie in men, is heere called by this word grace: and is by the Prophet condemned eueryevery whit of vanitie: for there is a cloſe oppoſition between the common gifts of nature, and the grace of regeneration.
Many expound this of the Aſſyrians, and refer it to them, as if Iſaiah meant to diſcharge the hearts of the Iewes from all feare, by leſſening, or indeed by taking cleane away the power, riches, wit, and ſubtile plots of their aduerſaries. Thus they expound it then; If the force of your enemies feare you, remember they are but fleſh, which by its own debilitie conſumes it ſelfe away. But theſe mens errors ſhall be ſufficētly cōuinced anon by the very ſcope of the text, where the Prophet applies his ſpeech directly to the Iewes. Wee are diligently to obſerue then, that whole man with all his faculties wherein he pleaſeth himſelfe, is heere compared to a flower.
Men are eaſilie brought to confeſſe they are mortall, but the difficultie is to make thē diſclaime their owne carnall reaſon: 1. Cor. 2.14.All men are eaſilie perſwaded of their mortalitie touching this life; and the prophane writers hauehave diſputed that queſtion at large: but there is much more difficultie to plucke vp that confidence which men conceiue through a falſe opinion of their owne wiſdome: for they thinke they hauehave more ſharpneſſe of wit & induſtrie in them then others, and therefore alſo thinke they hauehave good occaſiō to glory in themſelues aboue others. But our Prophet ſhewes, that the rareſt gift in man, fades and periſheth forthwith, Notwithſtanding, he ſeemes to adde a kinde of correction by way of mockage, in ſpeaking of the flower of the field: for there is more beautie in a flower, then in graſſe. It is therefore a yeelding or granting: as if he ſhould ſay; Though men hauehave ſome outward appearance of beautie, ſuch as is in the flowers of the field, yet, all is but a flower … for the beautie and grace thereof wholly vaniſheth away; ſo as their glorying and flattering of themſelues in this vaine and deceitfull glittering ſhew, is to no purpoſe at all.