Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 54
CHAP. LIV.
Ver. 1. SIng O barren, thou that didſt not bear] O Church Chriſtian, O Jeruſalem that art above, the mother of us all, the purchaſe of Chriſts paſſion, chap. 53. to whom thou haſt been a bloody ſpouſe, Acts 20.28. an Acheldama or field of blood, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. he hath paid dear for thy fruitfulneſſe. As the blood of beaſts applied to the roots of trees maketh them ſprout and bear more fruit: ſo doth the blood of Chriſt, ſprinckled on the roots of mens hearts, make them more fruitful Chriſtians: as it did the Gentiles whoſe hearts were purified by Faith, Acts 15.9. See Gal. 4.27. The corn of wheat that fell into the ground and died there, abode not alone, but brought forth much fruit, Joh. 12.44.
For more are the children of the deſolate] The Chriſtian Church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, ſhall have a more numerous and glorious off-ſpring then ever the Synagogue had: Sarah ſhall have more iſſue then Hagar, Hannah then Peninnah.
Ver. 2. Enlarge the place of thy tent] Thus he ſpeaketh after the cuſtom of thoſe Countries, wherein was frequent uſe of tents: neither is it without a myſtery, fith we are all ſtrangers in this world,Epiſt. ad Diog. neither have we here any continuing City. Juſtin Martyr ſaith of the Chriſtians of his time, that every ſtrange Land was to them a Country, and every Country a ſtrange Land: they looked upon themſelves as Citizens of the new Jeruſalem.
M. Fuller hiſt. of Cambridge. p. 28.Ver. 3. For thou ſhalt break forth] i. e. Bring forth abundantly, and beyond belief. Margaret Counteſſe of Henneberg, brough forth at a birth in Holland 365 children, one skul whereof I have ſeen, ſaith mine Author, no bigger then a bead or bean. The Church brought forth three thouſand at one birth, Acts 2.41. and ſome whole Nations at another, Iſa. 66.8. Rom. 10.18.
And thy ſeed ſhall inherit the Gentiles] Shall ſpiritually become Lords of the world, peopling it with a new and holy generation of ſuch as ſeek Gods Face: this is Jacob, Pſal. 24.6. This text the Jews and Millenaries carnally conſtrue.
Ver. 4. Fear not, for thou ſhalt not be aſhamed] As widdows and barren women wont to be. Thou haſt been without God and without Chriſt in the world: but henceforth thou ſhalt be married to him who is raiſed from the dead, that thou maiſt bring forth fruit unto God, Rom. 7.4. Ipſe enim quod vult jubet, Act. & M…n. 1490.& dat quod jubet. When you would and ſhould be certain and quiet in Conſcience (ſaith Mr. Bradford Martyr, in a ſweet letter of his to a woman troubled in mind) then ſhould your faith burſt through all things, until it come to Chriſt crucified, and the eternal ſweet mercies and goodneſſe of God in Chriſt. Here, here is the bridal-bed, here is you Spouſes reſting-place: creep into it, and in your armes of faith embrace him. Bewail your weakneſſe, your unworthineſſe, your diffidence, &c. and you ſhall ſee he will turn to you: what ſaid I you ſhall ſee? nay I ſhould have ſaid you ſhall feel he will turn to you.
Ver. 5. For thy Maker is thine husband] Heb. thy Makers, as Job 35.10. See the Note there. De ſancta Trinitate dictum, ſaith Junius. Mariti tui factores tui.Iſaac hath the name of the moſt loving husband we read of in holy Writ: but his love to Rebecca was not comparable to this of Chriſt to his Church, Epheſ. 5.25, 26. where I doubt not but the Apoſtle Paul had reſpect to this paſſage in Iſaiah.
The Lord of Hoſts is his name] Therefore thou his wife art ſure of Protection and proviſion, of all things neceſſary to life and godlineſſe: for he hateth putting away, Mal. 2.16. and will bear with more then any husband elſe would, Jer. 3.1. Joh. 13.1. Surely as the heaven is high above the earth, ſo great is his mercy toward them that fear him, Pſal. 103.11.
The God of the whole earth] Of the Church univerſal.
Ver. 6. For the Lord hath called thee] Or, recalled thee.
As a woman foſaken, grieved in spirit] Becauſe forſaken. This, the Lord, out of his conjugal affection, cannot endure.
And a wife of youth] Which can leaſt of all bear ſuch a rejection, as being in her prime, and likely to be longtime deſolate and diſconſolate. If the Church in this condition can but ſay (as that Dutcheſſe Douager of Millain once did) Sola facta ſolum Deum ſequor, he will ſay as Jer. 2.2. I remember thee, the kindneſſe of thy youth, the love of thine eſpouſals.
Ver. 7. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee] I have made thee believe ſo at leaſt, by ſuffering thee to fall into manifold temptations, Jam. 1.2. but for thy greateſt good, Heb. 12.11. as 1. For Probation. 2. For Prevention. 3. For Purgation. 4. For Preparation to mercy. And although it ſhould laſt as long as life, yet that were but for a moment: for what is life but a ſpot of time betwixt two eternities? And God therefore taketh liberty to do it, becauſe he hath ſuch an eternity of time to reveale his kindneſſe in; time enough for kiſſes and embraces. But uſually God taketh off the ſmarting plaiſter, as ſoon as it hath eaten away the proud fleſh.
But with great mercies] Heb. with great tender mercies, ſuch as the mother beareth towards the babe of her own body, 1 King. 3.16. Gods Mercies are more then maternal.
Will I gather thee] Or, take thee up, as Pſal. 27.10. See the Note there.
Ver. 8. In a little wrath] God can let forth his wrath in minnums, in little bubbles, as the word here rendered wrath properly ſignifieth. This wrath to the Saints, is but love displeaſed, and ſoon pacified again.
I hid my face from thee] God ſometimes concealeth his love out of increaſement of love: he departeth from us, but then turneth again and looketh through the chinkers (as that Martyr phraſed it) to ſee how we take it. Fathers leave their children (ſaith One) the other ſide the ſtile, and help them over when they cry: they ſeem to leave them ſometimes in a throng, and then reach them the hand again upon their complaint: So is it here. To ſay God hath caſt me off becauſe he hath hid his Face, is a fallacy fetcht out of the devils Topicks. When the Sun is eclipſed, fooliſh people may think it will never recover light: but wiſe men know it will. As, during the Eclipſe,Dr. Goodwin. though the earth wanteth the light of the Sun for a time, yet not the influence thereof: for the mettals that are ingendred in the bowels of the earth are concocted by the Sun at the ſame time: ſo doth Gods favour viſit mens hearts in the power, heat, and vigorous influence of his grace, when the light and comfort of it is intercluded.
But with everlaſting kindneſſe] See a like elegant Antitheſis with a double Hyperbole to boot, 2 Cor. 4.17.
Ver. 9. For this is as the waters of Noah] Gen. 9.9, 11,
For as I have ſworn] i. e. I have ſaid it: Gods Word is as good as his oath. See the like Exod. 32.13. with Gen. 12.7.
So have I ſworn] And given thee the Sacraments for thy confirmation, like as I gave him the Rainbow.
Ver. 10. For the mountains ſhall depart] See Mat. 24.35. Pſal. 46.2. with the Notes.
But my kindneſſe ſhall not depart from thee] This ſweet Promiſe comforted Olevian at the point of death; Although ſight, hearing, ſpeech depart from me, ſaid he, yet Gods loving-kindneſſe ſhall never depart. This was ſomewhat like that of David, Pſal. 73.26. my fleſh and my heart faileth: but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
Neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace] God is in a league with his people, offenſive and defenſive, ſuch as was that of Jehoſophat with Ahab: and this Covenant is an hive of heavenly honey.
Ver. 11. O thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſt, and not comforted] This is the Churches ſtile and ſtate in this preſent life: Eccleſia eſt haeres crucis. Luth. None out of hell have ſuffered more than Saints.
Behold I will lay thy ſtones with fair colours] So that thou ſhalt be a City of pearl, having for thy foundation the Lord Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.11. for thy windows, the holy Prophets,Dan. 12.3. Apoſtles and other faithful Preachers, by whoſe miniſtry thou ſhalt receive the light of true knowledge; and for thy walls and gates the divine protection. See Rev. 21.11.—21. All this is to be underſtood of the ſpiritual excellency of the Church, which is begun in this life, and to be perfected in the life to come.
And lay thy foundations with Saphirs] Confer Exod. 24.10. where Moſes and the Elders are ſaid to have ſeen the God of Iſrael; and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a Saphir-ſtone, and as it were the body of heaven in its clearneſſe: To ſhew that God had now changed their condition, their brickes made in their bondage to Saphir, their lying and ſooting among the pots into the wings of a Dove covered with ſilver, and her feathers of pure gold, as Pſal. 68.13.
Ver. 12. And I will make thy windows of Agates] Or of Cryſtal, which is purus & durus.
And thy gates of Carbuncles] Which are of a flame-colour.
And all thy borders] That is, all thy bordering Cities, ſay the Rabbines: As Plutarch ſaith of the neighbour-villages of Rome, in Numa's time, that ſucking in the aire of that City they breathed righteouſneſſe, may be much better affirmed of the Church.
Ver. 13. And all thy children ſhall be taught of the Lord] Outwardly by his Word, inwardly by his Spirit: and here he explaineth that which he had ſpoken before concerning gemmes and jewels. The glory of the Church conſiſteth not in outward ſplendour, but in inward virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, which are found only in Gods Diſciples.
Ver. 14. In righteouſneſſe ſhalt thou be eſtabliſhed] Righteouſneſſe is here oppoſed to oppreſſion. Regiment without righteouſneſſe, is but robbery with authority.
For thou ſhalt not fear] Or, that thou mayſt not fear.
And from terrour] Tyranny is terrible.
For it ſhall not come near thee] See Pſal. 32.6. with the Note.
Ver. 15. Behold they ſhall ſurely (or ſedulouſly) gather together] Heb. He ſhall gathering gather together, …mmo…abun….i. e. the enemies as one man. Some underſtand it of hereticks and hypocrites, who ſhall dwell together with the Church (ſo they render it) but ſhall be evil-affected toward it, but to their own ruine.
Whoſoever ſhall gather together againſt thee] Qui accolit tecum contra te. Such are thoſe Renegado Jeſuites, that run over to the Lutherans, pretending to be Converts, when it is only to keep up the bitter contention that is between them and us.
Ver. 16. Behold I have created the Smith that bloweth the Coales] i. e. The devil ſay ſome; rather his impes, and inſtruments, thoſe kindle-coales, and tooles of his.
And I have created the waſter to deſtroy] Thoſe brats of Abaddon: I have determined their evil-doings, over ruling the ſame, and directing them to a good end.
Ver. 17. No weapon that is formed againſt thee ſhall proſper] But ſhall be as the Poets fain of Aiax his ſword, which ſo long as he uſed againſt men, his enemies, ſerved for help and defence: but after he began to abuſe it to the hurt of hurtleſs beaſts, it turned into his own bowels.
And every tongue—thou ſhalt condemn] As the eclipſed Moon by keeping her motion, wades out of the ſhadow, and recovers her ſplendour, ſo ſhalt thou when ſlandered. See Pſal. 37.6. with the Note.
This is the heritage] Given them freely, and for perpetuity.
And their righteouſneſſe] The clearing up of their wronged innocency.