Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 53
CHAP. LVIII.
Ne frigidè arguas, & in aenigmatibus ac obſcure. Oecol. Ne parcas gutturi & voci. A Lap.Ver. 1. CRy aloud] Heb. Cry with the throat, or with full throat, as Jer. 12.6. plenis faucibus, voce ſonora, & quaſi tubali; ſet up thy Note; not only ſay to the wicked it ſhall be ill with him, chap. 3.11. there is no peace to him, chap. 57.21. but cry it aloud.
Spare not] Singulae particulae habent emphaſin; uſe utmoſt intention of ſpirit, and contention of ſpeech: thou haſt to do with an hypocritical Nation, then which kind of people nothing is more ſtupid, more uncounſelable or impenitent; for how ſhould ſuch repent as have converted converſion it ſelf into a form, yea into ſin? Beſtir thee therefore againſt theſe deaf Sea-monſters; Sic clames ut Stentora vincere poſſis. If a mans houſe be on fire, we muſt not ſpeak ſoftly (as loth to awaken him) Sir your houſe is on fire.
Lift up thy voice like a trumpet] Non ut tibia, ſed ut tuba; Not as a pipe for delight, but as a trumpet alarm againſt ſin and Satan: as all the Country was filled with the ſound of that trumpet at the giving of the Law,Exod. 19.16. and as all the world ſhall hear the ſound of that trumpet of God, 1 Theſ. 4.16. when the Law ſhall be required: ſo let the Preachers voice be a ſummons to ſpeedy repentance, or elſe to unavidable judgement. There is one that deſcanteth thus upon the words: Divers things there are ſaith he,D. Play ſ. on Matth. 5.19 that ſound louder then a trumpet; the Sea, the Thunder, or ſuch like: Yet he ſaith not Lift up thy voice as the Sea, or as the Thunder, but as a trumpet: becauſe a Trumpeter, when he ſounds his trumpet, he winds it with his mouth, and holds it with his hands; and ſo a Preacher, which is a ſpiritual Trumpeter, muſt not only, by preaching well, ſound forth the word of Truth with his mouth, but alſo by doing well, he muſt ſupport and hold it up with his hands: and then doth he lift up his voice as a Trumpet.
And ſhew my people their tranſgreſſions] Let Gods watch-men caſt away the inverſe trumpets of Furius Fulvius which ſounded a retreat when they ſhould have ſounded an alarm; but deal freely and faithfully with men ſouls, taking the ſame liberty to cry down ſin, that men take to commit ſin.
Ver. 2. Yet they ſeek me daily] In pretence at leaſt: and this their diſſembled ſanctity, double iniquity, is one of thoſe great tranſgreſſions of theirs, againſt which thou muſt declaim, yea proclaim hell-fire, in caſe they amend it not.
And delight to know my wayes] They ſeem to do ſo, by frequenting mine Ordinances, and attending to my Prieſts, whoſe lips preſerve and preſent knowledge.
As a Nation that did righteouſneſs] But it is but as a Nation that did it: they had but a form of knowledge, Rom. 2.20. and a form of godlineſs, 2 Tim. 3.5. Ejuſdem farinae nobiſcum ſunt religioſu i quidam in ſpeciem, ſaith Oecolampadius: the Church is ſtill full of ſuch hypocrites, that only act religion, play devotion, wherein they may out do better men, for the external part of religion, and pretence of zeal, as the Pharriſees in the Goſpel, faſted more then the Diſciples, wanzing their viſages, and weakning their conſtitutions with much abſtinence. The Sorcerers of Egypt ſeemed to do as much as Moſes: ſo do theſe as much or more, then ſound Chriſtians. The Apoſtles were as deceivers and yet true, 2 Cor. 6.8. but theſe are as true and yet deceivers.
They ask of me the Ordinances of Juſtice] As not willing to deviate: but they are ever learning, yet never come to the knowledge of the Truth.
And take delight in approaching to God] Which yet no hypocrite can do from the heart, Job 27.10. for God is light, and holineſſe, and therefore hated by the blind and ſoul hypocrite, Joh. 3.20. all whoſe devotions are effects rather of Art and parts then of the heart and grace: hence God abhorreth them; for he loveth truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51.6.
Ver. 3. Wherefore have we faſted, ſay they, and thou ſeeſt not? Ecce non diu occultant ſe hypocriſis & ſuperbia. Oecol. Antonin. Philoſ. reference Vulgar. Gallic.] Here they begin to bluſter, and their hypocriſy to bliſter out at their lips. God, they held, was not a little beholden to them: and now alſo behind hand with them. For as that Heathen Emperour ſaid once of his Gods, Non ſic deos coluimus, ut iſte nos vinceret, We have not ſerved our gods, that they ſhould ſerve us no better then to ſuffer our enemies to get the better of us: ſo were theſe proud pretenders ready to ſay of God Almighty, We have better deſerved then to be ſo ſerved; rated by theſe Prophets, and evil intreated by our enemies; beaten on both ſides. A rich Chapman, that hath had a good ſtock and trading, is loth to be a journey-man again; hee'l be trading though it be but for pins: ſo we, bankrupt in Adam, yet will be doing, and think to be ſaved for a company of poor beggerly duties, dead prayers, formal faſtings, &c. and to ſet off with God by our good deeds for our bad, as the Papiſts do, and not a few Ignorants amongſt us.
Behold in the day of your faſt] which is called a day of Reſtraint, becauſe therein you ſhould amerce your ſelves and abridge your ſelves of all ſorts of delights.
Ye find pleaſure] Ye find your own deſire, pleaſure or will: ye gratify your fleſh, purſue your ſinful luſts and purpoſes. Grande malum propria voluntas (ſaith Bernard) qua fit ut bona tua tibi bona non ſint. Chephers ſignificas id quod libet.A mans own will or pleaſure proves a great evil to him many times, making his good duties (faſtings, prayers, and the like) no way good to him. In vain is the body macera…ed, if mens luſts be not mortified.
And exact all your labours] i. e. Your debts and dues with rigour and extremity; not conſidering that utmoſt righ is utmoſt wrong: and that howſoever, you ſhould take another time for ſuch work. Feriu jurgia amovento, brawl not on an holy-day, was one of the laws of the twelve Tables in Rome.
Ver. 4. Behold] Take notice whence it is, that ye ſo miſcarry in your ſervices: and leave muttering againſt me.
Ye faſt for ſtrife and debate] Or, unto ſtrife and debate, i. e. On your Faſt-dayes ye contend and quarrel; being hungry you are angry; as emptineſſe whetteth choler. Sed quid prodest pallor in ore, ſi ſit livor in corde? to what purpoſe is a pale face, and a ſpiteful ſpirit? and what is an humbling day without an humbled heart? not only an irreligious incongruity, but an high provocation: like Zimries act, when all the Congregation were weeping before the door of the Tabernacle. Get thee behind, ſaid Jehu to the meſſenger, what hast thou to do with peace? Confeſſions and prayers are our meſſengers; but if the heart be not broken, there is no peace to ſuch wicked.
And to ſmite with the fist with wickedneſſe] ſc. Your ſervants, or your debtours; as Matth. 18.28. They ſhould have had, on ſuch a day eſpecially, Pacem cum hominibus, cum vitiis bellum, (which was Otho 2. His Motto) peace with men, and war with their wickedneſſes.
Ye ſhall not fast as ye do this day] For ye faſt not to God, Zech. 7.5, 11, 12. but bear fruit to your ſelves, like that empty Vine Ephraim, Hoſ. 10.1. and ſo are not a button the better for all you doe, Jer. 14.1, 2. When they fast I will not hear their cry.
To make your voyces to be heard on high] Out of oſtentation of Devotion: but ſecrecy here were a better argument of ſincerity. Or, do ye think to be heard on high. i. e. in Heaven for ſuch outſide ſervices?
Ver. 5. Is it ſuch a fast that I have choſen] No: for God hates that mar-good formality: and diſpleaſing ſervice is double diſhonour.
A day for a man to afflict his ſoul] i. e. His body a whole day at leaſt, from evening till evening,Rous his Archaeol. Attica. Levit. 23.32. or from morning till evening, Judg. 20.26. 2 Sam. 3.35. Yet ſo as that nature be chaſtiſed, not diſabled for ſervice; and that we take not the more liberty afterwards to pamper the fleſh which we have pined, as thoſe dames of Athens did in their Theſmophoria, a feaſt of Ceres; to the which they prepared themſelves with faſting: but after that, took their liquor more freely then was fit. And as the Turks do at this day in their ſolemn Faſts: they will not ſo much as taſte a cup of water,Turk. hiſt. 777. Voyage into the Levant. or waſh their mouths with water all the day long, before the ſtars appear in the sky: but then they lay the reins in the neck, and run riot.
Is it to bow down the head as a bulruſh] Whiles the heart is unbowed, and ſtands bolt upright. Hypocrites, like bulruſhes, hang down their heads for a day, while ſome ſtorm of trouble is upon them. But when a fair ſun-ſhine day is come, to dry it up again, they lift up their heads as before. Fitly, ſaith a grave Divine, is formality compared to a bulruſh; the colour is freſh, the skin ſmooth; he is very exact that can find a knot in a bulruſh: but if you pill it, what is under, but a kind of ſpungious unſubſtantial ſubſtance, of no uſe in the world worth the ſpeaking of. Such are hypocrites; a fair outſide, ſpecious pretences of piety &c. all the reſt not worth a ruſh. Pictures ſaith another, are pretty things to look on: and thats all they are good for. Christ looked on, and loved the young Phariſee, &c.
And to ſpread ſack-cloth and aſhes under him] The Jews did ſo uſually in their ſolemn mournings, Eſth. 4, 3. Jer. 6.26. The Heathens alſo did the like, Jonah 3.5. Matth. 11.21.
Wilt thou call this a faſt?] Is it not a meer mock-faſt as was that of the Phariſees? and is that of the Papiſts, who pride themſelves that day with opinion of merit, for their meer outward abſtinence. Some Proteſtants alſo faſt, but they had need to ſend, as God ſpeaks, for mourning-women, that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn, Jer. 19.17. and for reformation (the main buſineſſe of a faſt) they mind it not.
And an acceptable day to the Lord] Heb. a day of good-will, or well-liking: therefore called elſewhere a day of Atonement, or Expiation; and hath moſt excellent promiſes made to it, Joel 2.12, 18. Only there muſt be withall a turning from wicked work…; without which, God ſeeth no work or worth in a Faſt, Jon. 3.10. nor can it be an acceptable day to the Lord.
Ver. 6. Is not this the Fast that I have choſen] There is a three-fold Faſt; from meat, mirth, ſin: this laſt crowns both the former: and yet we ſay not (as the Papiſts falſely ſay we hold) that faſting is no more but a moral temperance, a faſting from ſin, a matter of policy.
To loſe the bands of wickedneſſe] i. e. Juramentum, literariam cautionem, vincula, carceres, ſervitutem: the unjuſt bonds and obligations of Uſurers and oppeſſors, whereby poor non-ſolvents were impriſoned, or imbondaged. Theſe are alſo here further called heavy burdens, and yokes: as elſewhere nets, Pſal. 10.9. that is, ſaith Chriſoſtom, bonds, debts, morgages.
And to let the oppreſſed go free] Heb. the bruiſed or broken, ſc. in their eſtates.
And that ye break every yoke] Cancel every unjuſt writing, ſay the Septuagint. They took twelve in the hundred in Nehemia's time: this was a yoke intolerable:Specul. Europi I pray you let us leave off this uſury ſaith he, chap. 5.10. At this day the Jews are in all places permitted to ſtrain up their uſury to eighteen in the hundred upon the Chriſtians: but then they are uſed, as the Friars, to ſuck from the meaneſt, and to be ſucked by the greateſt.
Ver. 7. Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry] Thine own bread it muſt be, and that eſpecially whereof thou haſt on the faſt-day abbridged thy ſelf: for what the rich spare on ſuch a day, the poor ſhould spend. Hereby 1. Mens prayers ſhall ſpeed the better, Acts 10.4. 2. They ſhall make God their debtor, Prov. 19.17.3. That is beſt and moſt pleaſing alms to God, that is given in Church aſſemblies: for 1. It is an Ordinance of God, and a Sabbath-duty, 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. 2. Chriſt there ſitteth, and ſeeth the gift and mind of every alms-giver, Luke 21.1, 2. ſetting it down in his book of remembrance, Mal. 3.16.
And that thou bring the poor that are caſt out] Scilicet tanquam rebelles, as thoſe poor Albigenſes were in France, and their poſterity lately in Piedmont: Scultet. Annal.the Proteſtant Lorainers proſcribed for religion by their Duke, and entertained by the State of Strasborough, at the earneſt ſuit of the Miniſters there, till they could be conveniently provided for elſewhere: there being ſome thouſands of them, which, till then, were forced to feed upon hips, haws, leaves of trees, and graſſe of the field.
That thou cover him] Duties of the ſecond Table only are here enjoyned, becauſe they are excellent evidences of true piety, and pure religion, Jam. 1. ult.
And that thou hide not thy ſelf from thine own fleſh] Thy poor brother, who is of the ſame nature with thee, and is as capable of grace and glory as thy ſelf. Learn to ſee Chriſt in thy poor P…titioner; and thou wilt the ſooner yield, Matth. 25. Conſider alſo what is ſaid of him that ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from his neceſſitous brother, 1 Joh. 3.17.
Ver. 8. Then ſhall thy light break forth as the morning] He ſaith not ſhall appear, but ſhall break forth, ut velocitatem & copiam dantis exprimeret, ſaith Chryſoſtom: that he might expreſſe the ſwiftneſſe and bountifulneſſe of God the giver of it.
And thy health ſhall ſpring forth ſpeedily] The Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe unto thee with healing under his wings, Mal. 4.2. See the Note.
And thy righteouſneſſe ſhall go before thee] Thou ſhalt have the comfort and credit of thy bounty and charity, which is oft called righteouſneſſe, as Pſal. 112.9. Dan. 4.24. Acts 10.35.
And the glory of the Lord ſhall be thy rereward] i. e. The glorious Jehovah ſhall ſee to thy ſafety. See Pſal. 27.10. with the Note. See alſo Iſa. 52.12.
Ver. 9. Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwer] Thou ſhalt have the royalty of his ear, eaſy acceſſe to, and all beſt ſucceſſe at the throne of grace: no ſuch cauſe to complain, as thou didſt, ver. 3. that thy prayers were loſt.
If thou take away from the midſt of thee] E meditullio tui, from thy very heart,Jun. by an inward reformation: ſi animo, opere, & ſermone averſaberis inhumanitatem, if thou heartily hate cruelty, and act accordingly.
The yoke] As ver. 6.
The putting forth of the finger] The finger of that wicked fiſt, ver. 4. or that finger wherewith thou threateneſt thy ſervants, or pointeſt at others in ſcorn or diſdain; as the proud Phariſee ſeemeth to have done at the poor Publican, when he ſaid I am not as that fellow, Luke. 18.11.
And speaking vanity] Or, violence (as the Chaldee here) talk concerning the wringing and wronging of others. All this muſt be done, or elſe no hope that God will hear prayers: look to it. See Pſal. 66.18. with Notes.
Ver. 10. And if thou draw out thy ſoul to the hungry] Not thy ſheaf only: relieving the neceſſitous out of deep commiſeration:Ex animo liberaliter, bilariterque. and couldeſt part with thy very life alſo for them, if duely called thereunto. Compaſſion excelleth alms and outward works of mercy: for when one giveth an alms, he giveth ſomething without himſelf: but by compaſſion, we relieve another by ſomewhat within, and from our ſelves.
And ſatisfy] Not ſave him alive only, by a ſcant allowance, priſoners pittance.
Then ſhall thy light ariſe in obſcurity] Thou ſhalt abound with bleſſings of all ſorts: See my common place of Alms.
And thy darkneſſe be as the noon-day] In agone & horrore mortis erit tibi conſolatio & ſpes ſalut… ac lucis. God will make thy bed in all thy ſickneſs: and comfort thee at the hour of death.
Ver. 11. And the Lord ſhall guide thee] Or, lead thee: as thou leadeſt the harbourleſs outcaſt into thine houſe, ver. 7,
And ſatisfy thy ſoul in drough] As thou didſt ſatisfy the poor hungry mans ſoul, ver. 10. See Pſal. 33.19. and Prov. 28.27. with the Notes.
And make fat thy bones] i. e. Chear up thy heart: for a ſorrowful ſpirit drieth up the bones, Prov. 17.22. The Vulgar Tranſlation hath it, he will deliver or ſet free thy bones, ſc. from bands and fetters; as thou hadſt looſed or ſet free thy poor brethren from their bands and yokes, ver. 6.
And thou ſhalt be like a watered garden] Filled with the fruits of righteouſneſs, and with ſpiritual conſolations, unspeakable and glorious joyes.
And like a ſpring of water, whoſe waters fail not] Similitudines & Allegoriae, magnam habent gratiam. Who would not now turn ſpiritual purchaſer?
Ver. 12. And they that ſhall be of thee] Thy poſterity that have taken their being and beginning from thee.
Shall build the old waſte places] Heb. the waſtes of antiquity, i. e. The ruinous places of Jeruſalem. The Apoſtles alſo, as maſter-builders, and others as builders together with them, have an happy hand in rearing the fair fabrick of the new man, that hidden man of the heart, See Epheſ. 2.20, 21, 22.
And thou ſhalt be called the Repairer of the breach] The Father of thy Country, the repairer of peace, the reſtorer of loſt liberty, &c. Such honour had Nehemiah of old; Hunniades alate, who having overthrown Meſites the Turks General, at his return into the Camp, a wonderful number of the poor Captives came, and falling at his feet and kiſſing them, gave God thanks for their deliverance by him: ſome called him the Father, ſome the Defender of his Country: the Souldiers their invincible General: the Captives their Deliverer: the women their Protectour: the young men and children their moſt loving Father. He again, with tears ſtanding in his eyes, courteouſly embraced them; rejoycing at the publick good: and himſelf, giving moſt hearty thanks to God, commanded the like to be done in all the Churches of that Province,Turk. …ſt. 269. &c. On the contrary, our Henry the third, for his ill managing of matters, was called Regni dilapidator; and Richard the third, The Calamity of his Country.
Ver. 13. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabboth] If thou abſtain from Journies and all ſecular buſineſſes, as much as may be, Ezek. 22.26. Otherwiſe God will ſue thee upon an action of waſte: and the ſuperſtitious Jew will riſe up and condemn thee; who if in his journy he be overtaken by the Sabbath, he muſt ſtay, though in the midſt of a field or wood; though in danger of theeves, ſtorms, or hunger, he may not budge.
From doing thy pleaſure on mine holy day] Plutarch thought Sabbath was from Sabbos, a name of Bacchus, that ſignifieth to live jocundly and jovially. The Sabbath that many pleaſure mongers keep, may well have ſuch a derivation, and their Dies Dominicus be called dies Daemoniacus: for they make it as Bacchus his Orgies rather then Gods holy ſolemnity; as doing thereon things no day lawful, but then moſt abominable.
And call the Sabbath a delight] Counting it ſo, and making it ſo. The Jews call it Deſiderium dierum, the deſireable day: they meet it with theſe words, Veni sponſa mea, come my Spouſe. Of old, they bleſſed God for it, Neh. 9.14. and gave the whole week the denomination from it, Luk. 18.12. they ſtrictly and ſpiritually kept it: but now they think the Sabbath is not ſufficiently obſerved,Buxt. Synag. except they eat and drink largely, and give themſelves to other ſenſual delights. After dinner, the moſt of their diſcourſe is about their uſe-money, and other worldly buſineſſes, &c. They pray indeed, but it is that Elias would haſten his coming, even the next Sabbath if he pleaſe: that he might give them notice of the Meſſiah's his coming, &c. Let us take heed of being weary of the Sabbath and wiſhing it over, as they did, Am. 8.5. Mal. 1.12, 13. walk into Gods garden, taſte how good the Lord is in his Ordinances, feel a continual encreaſe of ſweetneſſe, in the pleaſure and dainties of holy duties, whereof we have ſuch variety that we cannot eaſily be ſated: ſo little need is there that we ſhould, with the R…bbines, expound this delight in the text, of dainty and delightful meats to be eaten on this day.
The holy of the Lord, honourable] And therefore honourable becauſe holy: as it is ſaid alſo of the Lord of the Sabbath Holy and reverend is his name, Pſal, 111.9. A holy convocation the Sabbath is called, Levit. 23.3. See Levit. 19.30. and 26.2. Let us ſanctifie this holy Reſt; elſe it will degenerate into idleneſſe, which is a ſin any day (one of Sodoms ſins) but on the Lords day a double ſin. Better not do our own work any day, than not Gods work on his day. Deb…t totus dies feſtivus à Chriſtiano expendi operibus ſanctis, ſaith Rob. Groſthead Biſhop of Lincoln. In decalog. praec. 3.The whole Sabbath ſhould be ſpent in holy duties. Debemus die Dominico ſolummodo ſpiritualibus gandiis repleri, we ſhould be in the ſpirit on the Lords day, and be filled with ſpiritual delights only, ſaith the Council of Paris held Anno Dom. 829. Chriſt hath for this purpoſe made us an holy Nation, and a Kingdom of Prieſts, Exod. 19.9. that is, holy and honourable: and God hath ſanctified it for a day of bleſſing to thoſe that ſanctifie it, Exod. 20.11. Ezek. 20.12. He hath called it an everlaſting Covenant by way of eminency, Exod. 31.16. as if nothing of Gods Covenant were kept, if this were not kept holy.
Not doing thine own wayes] Ea tantum facias quae ad anima ſalutem pertinent, ſaith Hierom. Thoſe things only are then to be done, that pertain to thy ſouls health, works of piety, of charity, and of neceſſity, none elſe. Tantum divinis cultibus ſerviamus, ſaith Auſtin. What meant then that good King Edward 6. (and where were thoſe that ſhould have better inſtructed him, Cranmer, Ridley &c.) to deliver to his Council theſe Articles following;Life of Ed. 6. by Sr. J. Heyn. that upon Sundayes they intend publick affaires of the Realme, diſpatch anſwers to letters for good order of the State, and make full diſpatches of all things concluded in the week before; Provided that they be preſent at Common-Prayer▪ &c?
Nor speaking thine own words] Thoſe words of vanity or vexation, ver. 9. but words of wiſdom and ſobriety ſuitable to the holineſſe of the day.
Ver. 14. Then ſhalt thou delight thy ſelf in the Lord] Find ſuch inexplicable ſweetneſſe in communion with God uſe of his heart-raviſhing ordinances, meditation on his word and works, eſpecially that of our Redemption, as far far exceedeth all the dirty delights of profane Senſualiſts and Sabbath-breakers, Job 27.10. Prov. 14.10.
And I will cauſe thee to ride upon the high places of the earth] foreign.Yea upon the heights of heaven; where thou ſhalt keep an everlaſting Sabbath;in which all Sabbaths meet, and whereof there is no evening.
And feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy Father] i. e. With heavenly Manna, ſuch food as eye hath not ſeen, ear heard, or mouth of natural man ever taſted.
For the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it] The Lord, cujus ego ſum os & organon, will certainly do all this: you may build upon it.