Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII.
Ver. 1. BEhold my ſervant] Cyrus partly, but Chriſt principally, Matth. 12.18. See the Notes there, with Philip. 2.7. A Servant he was, yet not Menial, but Magiſterial: that he was one or other, is admirable, and well deſerveth an Ecce.
Whom I uphold] That he faint not under the weight of his Mediatorſhip, and the importable burthen of my wrath, which he muſt ſuffer for a ſeaſon. Some render it whom I lean upon, ſee 2 King. 5.18. & 7.2, 13.
Mine elect] Or choice one.] Cyrus was ſo, chap. 44.28. & 45.3, 4. but Chriſt much more, chap. 43.10. Joh. 6.27, 29. & 10.36. See the Notes on Matth. 12.18. Cyrus was ſo ſingular a man, ſaith Herodotus, that no Perſian ever held himſelf worthy to be compared unto him.Herod. lib. 3. Xenoph. Cyrop. lib. 8. And of his Court Xenophon hath this merable ſaying, that though a man ſhould ſeek or chuſe blindfold, he could not miſs of a good man: How much more truly may this be ſpoken of the Lord Chriſt, and his people?
In whom my Soul delighteth] foreign. God affected Cyrus, chap. 45.3, 4. & 44.28. but nothing ſo well as Chriſt, Matth. 3.17. & 17.5. Once God repented him that he had made man: but now it is otherwiſe.
He ſhall bring forth Judgement to the Gentiles] Who ſhall all cry Grace, Grace unto it, to ſee mercy rejoycing againſt judgement. See on Matth. 12.18.
Lib. 3.Ver. 2. He ſhall not cry, nor lift up] See on Matth. 12.19. Cyrus was a very mild and gentle Prince, ſo that his Perſians called him their Father, but his Son Cambyſes their Lord, as Herodotus recordeth. Chriſts government is much more gentle; he will not, by a loud and terrible voice affright broken ſpirits, or rule them with rigour,Cyrus umbra, Chriſtus Sol ipſe. &c. Chriſtians muſt likewiſe put away all bitterneſs, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, And be kind one to another, tender-hearted, Eph. 4.31, 32. This is to be like unto Chriſt; all whoſe actions, whether Moral or Mediatory, were either for our Imitation or Inſtruction.
Ver. 3. A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break] i. e. A contrite heart Pſal. 51.17. in whom there ſhall appear to be any thing of Chriſt, Mar. 9.though never ſo little: that are faithful in weakneſs,Cruclger. though but weak in Faith, as He was who cried out Lord I believe, help mine unbelief: and Another, Invoco te fide quamvis languidâ, fide tamen. See on Matth. 12.20.
He ſhall bring forth judgement unto truth] Unto victory ſaith the Evangeliſt, after the Septuagint. Truth will prevail, ſincerity proceed to perfection. The righteous alſo ſhall hold on his way: and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger, Job 17.9. Where there is truth of grace, there will be victory. Bernard never went from God without God. And holy Bradford would never give over any good duty, till he found ſomething coming in: as in confeſſion, till his heart melted: in begging pardon, till it was quieted: in ſeeking grace, till it was quickened, &c.
Ver. 4. He ſhall not fail, nor be diſcouraged] Non erit triſtis nec turbulentus, ſo the Vulgar hath it: he ſhall be maſter of his paſſions, and keep an even ſtate of his looks and motions, whatever befall, as they report of Socrates. He ſhall not knit his brows, or chide (which was Eli's fault, 1 Sam. 3.13. but is Chriſts commendation) ſo Lud. de Dieu rendereth it. He ſhall not make to ſmoke (ſo Junius from ver. 3.) nor ſhall he bruiſe any one.
Ʋntil he have ſet Judgement] See on ver. 3.
And the Iles ſhall wait for his Law] Heb. ſhall with deſire expect his doctrine.
Ver. 5. Thus ſaith God the Lord, he that created the Heavens, and ſtreched them out] Heb. and they that ſtreched them out; noting the Trinity in Unity, as Deut. 6.4. See there. Some Pagans concluded the world muſt needs have had a beginning: otherwiſe we could not know whether the egge or the bird, the ſeed or the plant, the day or the night, the light or the darkneſs were firſt.
Ver. 6. I the Lord have called thee] To the Mediatorſhip.
And will hold thine hand] working wonders by thee, and with thee.
And will keep thee] That thou be not crucified till thine hour be come, and that thou deſpair not when thou ſuffereſt.
And give thee for a Covenant of the people] i. e. For that Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. and that thou mayeſt reconcile all the Elect in one body to me by thy croſſe, &c. Eph. 2.16.
For a light to the Gentiles] See chap. 9.2.
Ver. 7. To open the blind eyes] By the preaching of the Goſpel, Acts 26.18. 2 Cor. 4.4, 5, 6. Rev. 3.18.
To bring out the priſoners from the priſon] To free poor ſouls from the Tyranny of ſin and terrour of hell. This ſhould make us ſay to Chriſt, as one did once to Auguſtus for a deliverance nothing ſo great, Effeciſti Caeſar, ut viverem & morerer ingratus, let me do mine utmoſt I muſt live and dye in thy debt.
Ver. 8. I am the Lord] I and no Heathen petty god, as I have plainly and plentifully proved, nemine contradicente.
That is my Name] God, though he be above all name (when Manoah enquired after his name, the anſwer was 'Tis wounderful, i. e. far above thy conception) yet here we have his proper name Jehovah; which is alſo called his glory, becauſe incommunicable to any creature.
And my glory will I not give to another] To his Son Chriſt he hath given it, Joh. 17.2. who although he is Alius, yet he is not Aliud from the Father, but of the ſame nature and eſſence. God hath given being to all things, life to many, ſenſe to others, reaſon to men and Angels, his glory he will not give to any. Excellently hereupon Bernard, My glory I will not, &c. what then wilt thou give us Lord?Ser. 13. in Cant what wilt thou give us? My peace, ſaith he, I give you, my peace I leave unto you. It's enough for me Lord; I thankfully take what thou leaveſt, and leave what thou keepeſt to thy ſelf, &c.
Ver. 9. Behold the former things are come to paſſe] The Prophecies are fulfilled.
Before they spring forth, I tell you of them] Therefore I am the true God undoubtedly, and the doctrine of my Prophets is true aſſuredly, veriora quam qua ex tripode. Siquidem Satan etſi ſemel videatur verax, millies eſt mendax, & ſemper fallax.
Ver. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new ſong] The diſputation being ended, and God having clearly got the better, the Prophet ſingeth this Gratulatory ſong, and calleth upon others to bear a part with him therein, and eſpecially for Chriſt and his benefits aforementioned.
Ye that go down to the ſea] i. e. That dwell toward the Weſt of Judea.
Ver. 11. Let the wilderneſs] Ye that dwell Eaſtward: It was called the wilderneſs, becauſe but thinly inhabited.
The Villages that Kedar doth inhabit] The moſt fierce and ſavage people cicurated and civilized by the Goſpel preached among them, as it is with us at this day,De nat. deor. whoſe Anceſtours were moſt barbarous and brutiſh, as Tully teſtifieth.
Let the inhabitants of the rock] Or of Petra, the chief City of Arabia Petraea.
Ver. 12. Let them give glory] See ver. 10.
Ver. 13. The Lord ſhall go forth as a mighty man] Or, as a Gyant. And here by an elegant Hypotypoſis, the fierce wrath of God againſt his foes is ſet forth to the life: and appointed alſo to be ſung for a ſecond part of the ditty; viz. Chriſts conqueſt over ſin, death and hell; whereby we are made more than Conquerours.
He ſhall cry, yea roar] Jubilabit atque etiam barriet, he ſhall make an hideous and horrible noiſe: ſuch as the Roman ſouldiers did of old when they began the battle;Vegerius. and as the Turks do at this day, on purpoſe to affright their enemies.
Ver. 14. I have long time holden my peace] As a travelling woman biteth in her pain as long as ſhe is able: So had God, for cauſes beſt known to himſelf, forborn a long while to appear for his people, and to avenge them of their enemies: But now Patientia laeſa fit furor: Deique patientia quo diuturnior, eo minacior: now down goeth Dagon and the devils whole Kingdom, before this jealous Gyant.
Now will I cry like a traevelling woman] Which when ſhe can bear no longer, ſets up her note and is heard all the houſe over. This is very comfortable: God is pained as it were for his people; in all their afflictions he is afflicted: he longs for their deliverance, which therefore ſhall not be long ere it come.
Ver. 15. I will make waſte mountains and hills] I will rather invert the order of nature, and mingle heaven and earth together, than my Church ſhall want ſeaſonable help. I will alſo remove all obſtacles by ſending fire upon the earth, Luk. 12.49. and bring every high thought into an holy obedience, 2 Cor. 10.5.
Ver. 16. And I will bring the blind by a way] This was fulfilled in the letter to the Jews brought back from Babylon, where they had been cloſe priſoners: and in the myſtery, to all Chriſts converts; more eſpecially to that blind boy preſented to Biſhop Hooper Martyr (the day before his death) at Gloceſter, Act. & Mon.where the boy alſo had not long before ſuffered impriſonment for confeſſing the truth.
I will make darkneſs light before] By bringing them out of darkneſſe into my marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
Ver. 17. They ſhall be greatly aſhamed] Heb. be aſhamed with ſhame, becauſe diſappointed and defeated: as the Papiſts oft have been when they have fought againſt Proreſtants; in that Bellum Huſſiticum in Germany eſpecially: And yet Bellarmine hath the face to ſay, that the Catholicks were never yet worſted by the Hereticks (as they call us) in a ſet battle.
Ver. 18. Hear ye deaf, and look ye blind] Ye, who as ſo many ſea monſters or deaf Adders, will not hear; and as ſo many blind moles will not ſee, by a perulant blindneſſe, and of obſtinate malice: ſuch were the Scribes and Phariſees who winked hard with their eyes, and wilfully ſhut the windows, leſt the light ſhould come in unto them. See more of this in the Notes on chap. 6. and 29.
That ye may ſee] In nature, Caecorum mens oculatiſſima eſt. We read of Didymus Alexandrinus, that though blind, yet he wrote Commentaries: and of two of Archb. Ʋſhers Aunts, that being blind from their cradles, they taught him firſt to read; ſuch was their readineſſe in the Scriptures: But this was rare; and in ſpirituals it is otherwiſe, till God enlighten both Organ and Object.
Ver. 19. Who is blind but my ſervant?] Who ſo blind as he that will not ſee? Iſrael was Gods peculiar, and had the light of his Law; yet were blind as beetles.
Or deaf as my meſſenger?] The Prieſts and Levites, Mal. 3.7. Such were the Papiſts dolts, till awakened by the Reformation.
Buxtorf. Tiber. p. 5.Who is blind as he that is perfect?] The Elders of the people, who arrogated to themſelves perfection, chap. 65.5. Rom. 2.17, 18, 19, 20. as likewiſe the Popiſh Perfectiſts, the Jewiſh Doctours with their pretended Maſhlamnutha's, and the Turkiſh Muſſalmans, i. e. Perfectionaries.
Ver. 20. But obſerveſt not] Viz. for holy practice.
But he heareth not] Viz. for any good purpoſe, he heareth not what the Spirit ſaith to the Churches.
Ver. 21. The Lord is well pleaſed—he will magnifie his Law, &c.] Or, to magnifie his Law and make it honourable, ſc. by recompenſing ſo highly thoſe that obſerved it; this he did for his righteouſneſſe ſake, i. e. of his free grace and fidelity: but theſe are none ſuch; they are practical Antinomians; and to me, direct Antipodes.
Ver. 22. But this is a people robbed and spoiled] And all too little, unleſs they were better. Hierom expoundeth this of the deſtruction of the Jews by the Romans, after their voluntary blindneſs and malice ſhewed againſt Chriſt: at what time they were pulled out of holes and privies, ſpoiled, ſlaved, ſold thirty a penny.
Ver. 23. Who among you will give ear to this] Magna nimirum haec ſunt, ſed paucis perſuaſa. We ſhall have much adoe to make you believe theſe things; though your liberties, lives and ſouls lie upon it.
Hyper.Ver. 24. Who gave Jacob for a ſpoile?] Omnia magno adfectu ſunt pronuncianda, debentque ſingula membra hujus orationis expendi; This is a very remarkable paſſage. Let us cry out O the ſeverity, and beware. Cavebimus autem ſi pavebimus.
Ver. 25. And it hath ſet him on fire] When the Country was waſted, the City and Temple burnt and ruined. Read Joſephus; Lege inquam, & luge.
And he laid is not to heart] This was worſe than all the reſt: Like a ſleepy man (fire burning in his bed-ſtraw) he cryeth not out, when others haply lament his caſe, that ſee a far off, but cannot help him.