Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 62
CHAP. LXII.
Ver. 1. FOr Zions ſake I will not hold my peace] Habes hic orationem prophetae ſanctiſſimam, Pro Panegyrico Eccleſia dicto omnia quae hoc capite dicuntur rectè meo judicio accipientur. Hyper.ſaith Oecolampadius; Here we have the Prophets Oration; yea here we have the Prophets Panegyrick to the Church, ſaith Hyperius, by way of congratulation for her felicity and dignity in Chriſt her head and husband: as alſo his reſolution to be earneſt and importunate with God and men for her deliverance and reſtitution. Terentius that noble General under Valens the Emperour, a…ked nothing but that the Church might be freed from Arrians: and when the Emperour tore his Petition, he ſaid that he would never ask any thing for himſelf, if he might not prevail for the Church.
Ʋntil the righteouſneſſe thereof go forth as brightneſſe] Till Chriſt come in the fleſh, if I ſhould live ſo long; as long as I have any being howſoever (See the like 1 Tim. 6.14.) and after that, by my writings, which ſhall continue to the worlds end.
Ver. 2. And the Gentiles ſhall ſee thy righteouſneſſe] The Prophet here very artificially turneth his ſpeech to the Church her ſelf, as if he would pronounce his Panegyrick in her preſence: and preſently celebrateth her dignity and happineſs herein, that the Gentiles ſhould worſhip her, and be joyned unto her. Some read it, And the Gentiles ſhall ſee thy righteous one, i. e. Chriſt, who came of the Jews, was preached to the Gentiles, beleeved on in the world, received up to glory, 1 Tim. 3.16.
And thou ſhalt be called by a new name] Viz. Hephzibah, i. e. My darling: and Beulah, i. e. a married woman, ver. 4. There are that by this new name will have to be underſtood the name of ſons and daughters of the Almighty, Rev. 2.17. 2 Cor. 6. ult. Others the name of the Church Catholick. And others again the honourable name of Christians, which yet is at this day in Italy and at Rome a name of reproach,Fulk …h…m. Teſt. on Act. 11. and uſually abuſed to ſignifie a Fool or a Dolt, as Dr. Fulk proveth out of their own Authours.
Ver. 3. And thou ſhalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord] Or, a glorious crown by the hand (the good hand) of the Lord upon thee. The Saints are Gods glory, chap. 46.13. the houſe of his glory, ch. 60.7. a crown of glory and a royal diadem here: the throne of glory, Jer. 4.21. the ornament of God, Ezek. 7.20. the beauty of his ornament, and that alſo ſet in Majeſty, ib. Oh learn and labour to live up to ſuch high preferment.
Ver. 4. But thou ſhalt be called Hephzibah] i. e. My delight is in her: as if Chriſt ſhould ſay to his Church, as Judg. 14.3.—Tu mihi ſola places, Ovid. de Arte Am. Redameu…us ergo ſponſum.thou art mine only joy. The Lord taketh pleaſure in them that fear him, Pſal. 147.11. Let us reciprocate, love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in ſincerity, not only with a love of Deſire, as Pſal. 42.1, 3. but alſo of Delight and complacency, ſolacing our ſelves in the fruition of him, as Pſal. 16.5, 6. and of his people thoſe excellent ones of the earth who were Davids Hephzibam, ver. 3. in whom was all his delight.
Ver. 5. For as a young man marrieth a Virgin, ſo ſhall thy Sons marry thee] This tranſlation (ſaith one who preferreth the Vulgar, The young man ſhall dwell with the Virgins) marreth the ſenſe: ſith it is improper to ſay of ſons, that they ſhall marry their mother. But I ſay that the Church never flouriſheth more, than when the ſon marrieth the mother, and doth his utmoſt to beautifie and amplifie her. See 2 Cor. 11.2.
And as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over the Bride, ſo ſhall thy God rejoyce over thee] Communicating with our ſouls his ſweeteſt favours in his Ordinances, as in the Bridal-bed, and making us to be conceived with the fruits of righteouſneſſe to everlaſting life. It is therefore a moſt unworthy thing, that men ſhould go a whoring from under him, Hoſ. 4.12. and ſeek to themſelves among the creatures, alias delieias & amaſias other ſweet-hearts.
Ver. 6. I have ſet watchmen upon thy walls] i. e. Angels, ſay ſome (who are called watchers, Dan. 4.13, 33. See the Note there) Prophets and Paſtors, ſay others, who are as watchmen upon the walls to admoniſh thee by their preaching, and to preſerve thee by their prayers to God, Chap. 21.11. Ezek. 13.17. and 31.7.
Which ſhall never hold their peace] Never but be either praying or preaching, as Act. 6.4. Deut. 33.10. Auſtin deſired that death might find him aut precantem aut praedicantem. Of Pauls unceſſancy, ſee Act. 20.31. 1 Theſ. 3.10.
Ye that make mention of the Lord] Or, ye that are the Lords rememberancers, that jogge him as it were, and mind him of his peoples neceſſities and miſeries. The Kings of Iſrael, Perſia, and of other Nations, had their Mazkirim, or Remembrancers, to mind them of thoſe matters that concerned the weale publick, and to theſe he here alludeth: All the Saints are ſuch-like Officers and muſt be active.
Keep not ſilence] Be ſtill ſuing and ſoliciting.
Ver. 7. And give him no rest] Heb. no ſilence, the ſame word as before, to quicken their diligence and to ſet forth the neceſſity of the work. Continue inſtant in prayer, Rom. 12.12. give not in, but perſevere, without remiſſion or intermiſſion.
Till he eſtabliſh, till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe] Till he ſend the Meſſiah, who may reſtore Zion, ſet up and illuſtrate his Church, &c. Such lawful petitions from honeſt hearts have unmiſcarrying returnes.
Ver. 8. The Lord hath ſworn by his right hand] i. e. By his Almighty power, or as Oecolampadius holdeth, by his Son by whom he made the worlds, and upholdeth all things, Heb. 1.2, 3.
Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies] Or if I do, yet I will give you to ſuffer with joy the ſpoyling of your goods, as knowing in your ſelves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring ſubſtance, Heb. 10 34. Spiritual ſecurity and ſafety from the devil and all the enemies of our ſouls, is alſo ſignified by this ſimilitude of protection againſt corporal enemies and plunderers, ſaith Piſcator.
Ver. 9. But they that have gathered it ſhall eat it] A ſufficiency of outward comforts they ſhall be ſure of, together with righteouſneſſe and peace and joy in the holy Ghoſt; ſo much at leaſt as ſhall ſupport their ſpirits. Mr. Paul Bain ſaith thus of himſelf, I thank God in Chriſt, Suſtentation I have, Baines letters.but ſuavities ſpiritual I taſte not any.
Shall drink it in the courts of my holineſſe] He alludeth to their manner of feaſting before the Lord, when they brought thank offerings: and the like is ſtill done by us at the Eucharist, or Lords ſupper eſpecially.
Ver. 10. Go thorow, go thorow the gates] Thus the Prophet beſpeaketh the Teachers and Keepers of the Church, with great alacrity of Spirit, and moſt ardent affection; being as it were in a ſpiritual rapture. That which he exhorteth them to do, is, rightly and faithfully to teach the people: and next, to take out of the way ſtumbling-blocks, as chap. 57.14. ſuch as are hereſies, foul offences, &c. to the ſcandal of the weak, and ſcorn of the wicked.
Lift up a standard for the people] q. d. Certa & ſolida omnia constituite, ſettle all things faſt and firm, that all men may be ſure of their way, and what they ought to follow. It was a ſad complaint of holy Melanchton, Quos fugiamus habemus: quos ſequamur, non intelligimus: but this laſted not long with thoſe firſt famous Reformers whom the Lord ſoon ſet in a courſe.
Ver. 11. Behold thy ſalvation cometh] i. e. Chriſt thy Saviour, as Luk. 2.30.
Behold his reward is with him] See on chap. 40.10. The three Beholds in this verſe, ſhould be well weighed.
And his work before him] i. e. That which he worketh for us and in us, rewarding the work of his own free grace.
Ver. 12. And they ſhall call them the holy people] Profane perſons therefore, and perſecutors of holineſſe are not to be reckoned among the people of the Lord: Are not all the Lords people holy? ſaid thoſe rebels: but that helped them not.
And thou ſhalt be called ſought out] Or much ſet by, contrary to that, Jer. 30.17. This is Zion that none ſeeketh after.