Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 40 · Verse 9 – Verse 11
Verſ. 9. O Zion that bringeſt good tidings, get thee vp into the hie mountaine: O Ieruſalem, that bringeſt good tidings, lift vp thy voice with ſtrength: lift it vp, be not afraid: ſay vntounto the Cities of Iudah, Behold your God.
HE goes on ſtill with the ſame argument. The Lord promiſed before that he would ſend Prophets which ſhould publiſh the promiſes to comfort this deſolate and ſorrowfull people: now he commands that this conſolation be ſpread further, becauſe he meanes that his grace ſhall be ſhed forth vponupon the whole land of Iudeah. He gaue hope of theſe ioyfull tidings to Ieruſalem and Zion before: now his purpoſe is, that this voice ſhould ſound forth, and ring throughout all the reſt of the Cities, for which purpoſe he commands them to lift vp the voice, and to publiſh it in the high mountaine.
Now howſoeuer it be true that by the names of Zion and Ieruſalem, one and the ſame is to be vnderſtood, yet the repetition is diligentlie to be marked. For the meaning is, that this Citie was no way more excellent then the reſt, but in regard that God had choſen it aboue the reſt to be the ſeate of his Sanctuarie. In the next place he ſaith that they publiſh good tidings, becauſe the Prieſts and Leuites were there ordeined and inſtructed according to the rules conteined in the Law, that they might be fitted to be leaders of the people, and to publiſh the doctrine of ſaluation. In the meane while this title wherwith God adornes his Church is well to be obſerued, to the end ſhe may be knowne by ſome ſure and infallible marke.That aſſemblie is not to be reputed the Church, where the doctrine of ſaluation▪ ſounds. For that aſſemblie is not to be held for the Church where the heauenlie doctrine of glad tidings is not ſounded forth and preached: and in this ſenſe the Apoſtle ſaith, that ſhe is the pillar and ground of truth, 1. Tim. 3.15. For albeit God might gouerne vsus well enough without the miniſtrie of man, yet he hath impoſed this charge vponupon his Church, into whoſe hands he hath committed the ineſtimable treaſure of his word, & for this cauſe ſhe is called hereafter, The mother of all the faithfull, Chap. 66.10.11.12. Hence it followes, that nothing is more abſurd and vniuſt, then to ſee dumb Idols to boaſt of the name of the Church,The true Church the mother of the faithfull. Dumbe idols in the papacie, boaſt in vaine of the title of the Church. as they doe in the Papacie. We are alſo aduertiſed, that the Church is not taught of God that ſhe ſhould keepe her knowledge to her ſelfe, but that ſhe ſhould proclaime that to others which ſhe hath learned. Moreouer, ſhe is inioined to publiſh this grace freely without any feare, that the Prophets might know they were not to ſpeake timerouſlie, as of a thing doubtfull, but as thoſe that were well aſſured of that truth which they ſet forth, being fullie perſwaded that God which was the author of it could not lie; but his will was, that the witneſſes of his grace ſhould come out of Zion, to repleniſh the whole land of Iudeah with gladnes.
When he addes, Behold your God; In this ſentence he comprehends the ſumme of our happines, which conſiſts in enioying the only preſence of our God, which brings with it the fulnes of all good things; but if we be depriued of it, no greater miſerie can befall vsus. For if we be eſtranged from God, all things muſt of neceſſitie turne to our ruine, though wee ſhould inioy all the pleaſures in the world. From this circumſtance it is alſo to be noted, that nothing is more contrarie vntounto faith, then to tie the doctrine which the Prophets publiſh, to the ſight of our eies: for themſelues muſt needes hauehave been mute, if they had not lifted their mindes farre aboue the world; neither durſt they otherwiſe hauehave bin ſo bold and conſtant to draw on others with them, to hope for better things in the midſt of deſpaire. Surely when the wicked hauehave their ſwindge, and that iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand; when the poore Church trembles, and ſeemes of all other the moſt miſerable, then is the time to lift vp our heads,When it is the fitteſt time to proclaime comfort to the Church. and ſo much the more to faſten our eies vponupon the promiſes, and to preach and publiſh his comfortable preſence to ſuch as will behold it by faith.
Verſ. 10. Behold, the Lord God will come with power, and his arme ſhall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his worke is before him.
HEe inricheth this ſhort and latter ſentence with many words, becauſe it needed ſome expoſition: and he vſeth the word behold againe, for the greater certentie, that hee might ſo much the more incourage the faithfull. He ſhewes more fully then, of how great vſe the preſence of God is vntounto vsus: and firſt he ſaith, he vvill come vvith power, which ſhall not be idle, but ſuch as we ſhall feele to be effectuall. Some tranſlate the word Lo, Of himſelfe, which alſo word for word may bee turned, He is mightie, or, reigning of himſelfe. Now his meaning is, that God is ſtrong enough, and needes no man to helpe him. The ſame is repeated vnderunder the words reward and vvorke: for it is vſuall among the Hebrewes to repeate one and the ſame thing two waies. By reward, we muſt not vnderſtand a recompence due by merit; but the righteouſneſſe of God, by which he proteſts he will recompence thoſe which call vponupon him in truth, and with vpright hearts: for thoſe that are but meanely read in the Prophets language, know that the word Secar imports ſo much.
The ſumme is, that God will not come to make ſhewes onelyonly, but will manifeſt his power, and make vsus to feele it indeed.
And thus it would not bee amiſſe, if the word Effect, were put in ſtead of vvork. Many expound this more wittily, and deſcant like children vponupon vvorke and reward, as if vvorke were the merit to which reward muſt bee giuen: but the Prophet had no ſuch meaning. In both words he repeates the ſame thing, as I hauehave ſaid, and ſets forth the fruit of the Lords comming, which the faithfull ſhall receiue to their exceeding benefit.
Verſ. 11. Hee ſhall feede his flocke like a Shepheard: hee ſhall gather the lambs with his arme, and carrie them in his boſome; and ſhall guide them with young.
BY this verſe he ſhewes what this vvorke of the Lord is: for in as much as he workes diuerſly, and infinite waies, the hearer might hauehave doubted with himſelfe what God meant to doe. And thus the generall doctrine could not of it ſelfe hauehave been ſufficient to hauehave raiſed vp their hope. Now howſoeuer hee ſtands not to reckon vp all the parts of Gods office, yet in theſe few words he ſignifies, that his determination was to vphold and keepe his Church. And therefore he compares him to a ſhepheard: by which word hee ſets forth Gods infinite louelove towards vsus, in that hee vouchſafeth to ſtoope ſo low as to bee our ſhepheard.Gods louelove in this verſe. Gods power in verſ. 10. to be ioined together. The Prophet hath in other places, yea and in the former verſe alſo, armed him with a terrible and inuincible power for the defence of his Church; which he will alſo repeat againe afterwards: but here he attributes to him a more gracious title, to the end the faithful might ſweetly repoſe themſelues vnderunder his protection.
Moreouer, although by the word flocke, he meanes the elect people whom he had taken into his cuſtodie, we are notwithſtanding admoniſhed, that hee will be no ſhepheard, but to ſuch as with the modeſtie and weakeneſſe of ſheepe and lambs, are content to follow him. The condition of a flocke therefore muſt bee conſidered: for he will not feede wild beaſts,God will be no ſheepheard to wolues▪ but to ſuch as ſhew the tractable and meeke nature of lambs. but lambs. Let vsus thererefore caſt off all ſtubbornneſſe, and let vsus ſuffer our ſelues to bee meekened, if wee meane to be gathered into this ſold, whereof God promiſeth to bee the ſhepheard.
He vvill beare them.] Theſe words expreſſe the ſingular goodneſſe of God, who ouer and beſides the vehement louelove which he beares to his flocke, hath reſpect to the vveake and feeble ſheepe; for then he ſhewes the care he hath in dealing gently with them, his humanitie in approching neere vntounto them, and his patience in bearing them in his armes. Wherein we ſee, he omits no office that appertaines to a good ſheepheard, whoſe dutie is to hauehave his eie vponupon all his ſheepe, that he may gouerne them according to their condition: and to comfort them; but eſpeciallie thoſe that are ſick and infirme. The ſumme is, That God will be gentle, louing, milde, & mercifull in gouerning his ſeruants; ſo as he will not require more of the weake then they are able to beare.