Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Ver. 1. ANd there ſhall come forth a rod] i. e. Chriſt ſhall be born: whom our Prophet having called the annointing or Meſſiah, chap. 10.27. maketh him and his Kingdom hence forward the chief matter of his diſcourſe, to the end of his book. Here he beginneth with his Nativity, calling him a Rod or Twig ſpringing not out of the ſtock of David, but out of the ſtump of Jeſſe a mean man, and that then, when the Royal Family was ſunk ſo low as from David the King, to Joſeph the Carpenter. Well might Chryſoſtom ſay, that the foundation of our Philoſophy was humility: And another, that at Bethlehem brake forth that well of Salvation, Scultet.which in the type once David ſo thirſted after, 2 Sam. 23.15.
And a branch] Or the Nazaren born at Nazareth (ſaith Junius) which ſignifieth a branch; for ſo it was generally deemed: and our Saviour ſtileth himſelf Jeſus of Nazareth, Act. 22.8. and on his Croſs they wrote Jeſus of Nazareth King of the Jews: wherein that Prodigie (faith A Lapide) ſeemeth to have fallen out, concerning which the Poet enquireth,
Dic quibus in terris inſcripti nomine Regis
Naſcantur fl…res.—
For Nazareth, he interpreteth a Flower, or ſomething flowry; and for (ſhall grow) others render ſhall bud, or bear fruit.
Ver. 2. And the Spirit of the Lord ſhall reſt upon him] After ſuch a deſcription of Chriſts perſon, as ver. 1. followeth here a Declaration of his Kingdom, which is ſet forth to be Firſt, Spiritual, ver. 2. Secondly, Juſt, ver. 3 4.5. Thirdly, Peaceable, ver. 6.7, 8, 9. Fourthly, Ample, as made up of Gentiles and Jews, ver. 11, &c.
Shall reſt upon him] His Humanity ſhall be filled topful with the Gifts and Graces of the Holy Ghoſt,Diodat. Annot. to be as it were an Everlaſting Treaſure and Ciſtern full of them for the uſe of the Church, John 1.16. & 3.34. Acts 2.33. And this was typified by the Holy Ghoſts deſcending in the likeneſs of a Dove at the time of his Baptiſm, and reſting upon him. Matth. 3.16. John 1.32, 33.
The spirit of wiſdome and underſtanding] Theſe ſix Princely Vertues (for the Schoolmen, miſled by the vulgar Tranſlation, falſly found their ſeptiformem gratiam spiritus ſancti) were eminently and tranſcendently in Chriſt, they ſhould be alſo found in ſome meaſure in all Rulers, Deut. 1.16. Exod. 18.25. Lev. 19. 1 King. 3.12.
Ver. 3. And ſhall make him of quick undeſtanding] Heb. It ſhall make him ſcent or ſmell, ſc. by a ſingular ſagacity and ſharpneſs of judgement in ſmelling out an Hypocrite, as Simon Peter did Simon Magus, who had deceived Philip, even unto Baptiſm; but Peter ſoon found him out: how much more will Chriſt? His ſharp Noſe eaſily diſcerneth and is offended with the ſtinking breath of the Hypocrites rotten Lungs; though his words be never ſo ſcented and perfumed with ſhews of holineſs. So for the innocency of the godly, when being defamed they pray as Paul, apologize and cannot be heard as the Primitive Chriſtians;Pſal. 37.6. Chriſt will bring forth their Righteouſneſs as the Light, and their judgement as the noon day.
And he ſhall not judge after the ſight of his eyes] He cannot be cozened, as knowing all hearts, and as having all things naked and diſſected before his eyes, Heb. 4.1…. Matth. 9.12. John 2.24. Others judge by relation of others, and ſecundum allegata & probata, not ſo Jeſus Chriſt: but he ſhall alwayes proceed upon his own knowledge, and ſo paſs a moſt righteous Sentence. Oecolampadius thinks the Prophet here alludeth to Solomons ſentence paſſed on the two Harlots, 1 King. 3.
Ver. 4. But with righteouſneſs judge the poor] i.e. The poor in ſpirit, thoſe meek ones of the earth. So the Anabaptiſts of Germany called themſelves, and ſaid, that now the Promiſe muſt be fulfilled, The meek ſhall inherit the earth; when as they by blood, rapine, cruel wars, ſeized on the poſſeſſions of others. And have we not now amongſt us many loaves of the ſame Leven, brats of the ſame breed,This was written, May 1. 1657. bloody in their poſitions and diſpoſitions (the fifth Monarchy-men they call themſelves) Chriſt Jeſus (as he hath lately to his great praiſe, ſo ſtill) preſerve, and bleſs us out of their bloody fingers, and from their prodigious principles, and practices. He hath promiſed it here, and much more; Thou ſhalt give thy Judgement to the King (Chriſt) and he ſhall deliver the poor, Pſal. 72.2. viz. from all foes and perſecutors.
And he ſhall ſmite the earth] i. e. Earthly-minded men, who are of the earth, ſpeak of the earth, and the earth heareth them, John 3.31. As the earth is cold and dry: ſo are they. As the earth is heavy and beareth downward: ſo do they. As the earth keepeth down hot exhalations that naturally would aſcend: ſo is it with ſuch. And laſtly, as the earth ſtandeth ſtill in the midſt of Heaven, and taketh no notice of the whole circumference that is carryed round about it: ſo are earthly men ſtupid and inſenſible, &c. Howbeit, by the Rod of his mouth, that is, by the preaching of the Goſpel, Chriſt doth eftſoones ſecretly ſmite the earth, that is, the conſciences of carnal people, glued to the earth, making them ſound heavily as a ſhawlm.
And with the breath of his lips ſhall he ſtay the wicked] The Devil and his Deputies, Antichriſt eſpecially, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. and that with little ado, even with a blaſt of his lips only: as with his bare Word he laid on their backs, thoſe Souldiers that came to apprehend him.
Ver. 5. And righteouſneſs ſhall be the girdle of his Loyns] Symbelum Regis hoc eſt, The girdle is put for a Kingly Enſign, Job 12.18. Calvin.ſaith Scultetus. Kings and Princes have their ſcita in ſcutis, their Motto's on their Eſcucheons; ſo hath our King here, viz. Righteouſneſs and Faithfulneſs: and this is ſo manifeſt as if written on his girdle, or belt: See Rev. 19.16. where for like cauſe, Chriſts high Titles are written on his veſture, and on his thigh. Others, by this Expreſſion underſtand Chriſts alacrity and promptitude to vindicate his Elect, and to puniſh the wicked, according to his promiſe, Vaticinatur de Chriſti ſolertia in obeundis regni Dei negotiis, ac tribuit illi cincturam, ſeu induſtriam ſpiritualem pro qualitate obeundae diſpenſationis. Zeged.Let us alſo, Chriſt-like, gird up the loyns of our minds, he ſober, and hope perfectly, 1 Pet. 1.13. Gird our ſelves and ſerve him, Luke 17.8. readily, nimbly, handſomely and hardily: A looſe diſcinct and diffluent mind is unfit for Gods ſervice.
Ver. 6. The Wolf alſo ſhall dwell with the Lamb] Not worrying as he was wont, but made tame and tractable. Lo, ſuch a bleſſed change is wrought in all true Converts, as is to be ſeen in Paul, that Wolf of the Tribe of Benjamin propheſied of by Jacob, Sleidan. l. 21. pag. 650. Bucholc. Anno. 1548. Act. & Mon. 919. Fullers Church-Hiſt. Fol. 405.Gen. 49.27. as ſome hold. And the like may be ſaid of Petrus Paulus Vergerius, once the Popes Nuntio, but afterwards a great Preacher of the Goſpel. Hugh Latimer once as obſtinate a Papiſt as any was in England (they are his own words) but converted by bleſſed Bilney (as he called him uſually) he became a zealous promoter of the truth according to godlineſs, Confeſſor general to all Proteſtants troubled in mind, and the Treaſury into which reſtored ill-gotten goods were caſt, to be beſtowed on the poor acording to his diſcretior.
And the Leopard ſhall lie down with the Kid] As they did at the Creation, and afterward in Noahs Ark, all bloodineſs and rapine laid aſide. Thoſe that love not one another out of a pure heart fervently, but are filled with envy, malice, debate, deceit, malignity, are none of Chriſts ſubjects, nor fellow Citizens with the Saints.
And a little child ſhall lead them] That is, the child Jeſus (ſay ſome Interpreters) by the conduct of his Holy Spirit: or the Apoſtles and other godly Miniſters, who were counted but as little children to the Phariſees and Philoſophers, called the Grandees and Princes of this world, 1 Cor. 2.8. But they do beſt that underſtand it of ſuch a tractableneſs and teachableneſs in Chriſtians,Ʋt vel ex puero, h. e. ex inopi & ſimplici quovis. Sculter. that they can be content to learn of any one, though never ſo mean, that can better inform them. See this in Apollos, Act. 18.26. Auguſtine, as himſelf witneſſeth thus in one of his Epiſtles, En adſum ſenex à juvene cöepiſcopo, Epiſcopus tot annorum à collega nondum anniculo paratus ſum diſcere, I am here an old man ready to learn from a yong man my Coadjutor in the Miniſtery; and ſo old a Biſhop, from one who hath ſcarce been a year in the ſervice.foreign. Hippocrates adviſeth men not to ſlack or diſdain to learn even of thoſe who are counted Ideots.
Ver. 7. And the Cow and the Bear ſhall feed] An Allegorical deſcription of greateſt confidence and innocence, ſaith Junius; Bears are angry and vindictive creatures; ſo are the beſt by nature, Tit. 3.3. till cicurated and manſuefied by Gods diſtinguiſhing Grace. As for thoſe ſemiperfectae vertutis homines (as an Ancient calleth them) Temporaries and Hypocrites, who do only the outward works of duty, without the inward principle, it may be ſaid of them as the civil Law doth of thoſe mixt beaſts, Elephants, Camels, &c. operam praeſtant, natura fera eſt, they do the work of tame beaſts, yet have the nature of wild ones.
Their yong ones ſhall lie down together] Heb. their children, i e. ſay ſome, children after Parents ſhall do thus, and their children after them from age to age:Arcularius. not revolting any more to barbariſm.
And the Lyon ſhall eat ſtraw] Not men, and other ſenſitive creatures, as now.C…nverſi non vivent ex rapto: ſed legitime partis reculis contenti erunt. This (ſay the Chiliaſts after ſome Rabbins) ſhall be literally fulfilled in that golden Age of Chriſts perſonal Reign upon earth: A meer fancy, firſt vented by Papias, a man of ſome holineſs, but ingenii pertenuis, of very little judgement, ſaith Euſebius.
Ver. 8. And the ſucking child ſhall play upon the hole of the aſp, &c.] There ſhall be no danger from calumniators and cruel-crafties, Aſps and Baſiliskes, quorum in labris venenum ſeſſitat, Pſalm 140.4. Theſe homines damnoſiſſimi ſhall have a new nature transfuſed into them; their malign…ties and miſchievous qualities ſhall ceaſe when once truly converted.
Ver. 9. None ſhall hurt] Here the foregoing Allegory is fully explained. In Gods Holy Mountain, that is, in the Church, there ſhall be an holy harmleſneſs, and a ſweet Harmony of hearts: The word amongſt them ſhall be this, Beloved, if God ſo loved us, we ought alſo to love one another, 1 John 4 11. Some differences and jarrs there may fall out among the beſt, as did betwixt Paul and Barnabas, Hierom and Auſtin, Luther and Zuinglius: but theſe laſt not long; at utmoſt but till they come to Heaven: and the ground of ſuch a diſtemper, is, that we know but in part, and therefore love but in part, 1 Cor. 13. O pray for that bleſſed ſight, Eph. 1.17, 18. and for a fuller comprehenſion of thoſe ſeveral dimenſions, Eph. 3.18. that the earth may be full of the Knowledge of the Lord.
As the waters cover the ſea] i e. The boſom and bottom of it, that Gods Word may dwell richly in us in all wiſdom, and that the knowledge we have of it may be a transforming knowledge, 2 Cor. 3.18. Two or three words of Gods mouth hid in the heart, and there mingled with faith, work ſuch an evident and entire change in a man (ſaith Lactantius) that you can hardly know him to be the ſame.Lactant. Inſtit. lib. 3. cap. 86. Da mihi virum qui ſit iracundus, maledicus, effraenatus, pauciſſimis Dei verbis tam placidum quam ovem reddam. Da cupidum, avarum, tenacem, &c. Give me a man that is angry, ill-ſpoken, unruly; with a few words of Almighty God, Ile make him as meek as a Lamb. Give me one that is covetous, an oppreſſive hold-faſt, a very Nabal, Ile make him a Nadib, of a covetous carle a liberal perſon, of a Viper a child, of a leacher a chaſt man, &c. Lo this is the fruit of the ſound and ſaving Knowledge of God, and of his Word, of our ſelves and of our duties.
Ver. 10. And in that day] In the day of Chriſts power (or Kingdom) the people ſhall be willing, Pſalm 110.3. The Iſles ſhall wait for Gods Law, Iſa. 42.8. Multitudes of Nations ſhall come crowding in to his greateſt glory, Prov. 14.2. and for the fulfilling of old Jacobs Propheſie, Gen. 49.10.
There ſhall be a root of Jeſſe] See on ver. 1.
Which ſhall ſtand for an Enſign] or Standard, whereto all the Elect muſt Aſſemble: and hereby is meant the preaching of the Goſpel.
Shall the Gentiles ſeek] Ferventi ſtudio, magno deſiderio, non coacti: they ſhall flye thereto as the Clouds, and as Doves ſcour to their windows, chap. 60.8.
And his reſt] that is, His Church, with whom he reſteth and reſideth, Pſal. 132.8. He reſteth alſo in his Love to his people, and rejoyceth over them with ſinging, Zeph. 3.17. See the Notes there.
Shall be glorious] Heb. glory, ſc. per ſanctitutem, chap. 4.5.
Ver. 11. The Lord ſhall ſet his hand again the ſecond time] Not to bring them back to the promiſed Land, to Paleſtina, as once he did out of Aegypt: thats but a Rabbinical dream, not unlike that other, viz. that all Jews, in what Countrey ſoever they are buried, do travel thorow certain under-ground-paſſages till they come to their own Countrey of Jury. But with a ſtretcht-out hand he ſhall recover the remnant of his people that ſhall be left: So the Poet, —relliquias Danaum at que immitis Achillei.
He ſhall recover] Or get, buy, purchaſe, that poor diſſected Nation,Elevatio ſigni eſt praedicatio Crucifix Oecolamp. out of all places of their diſperſion; uniting their minds, and ſubduing their enemies.
Ver. 12. And he ſhall ſet up an Enſign] See on ver. 10.
Diſperſas oves Judae. Piſcat.The diſperſed of Judah] See John 7.35. Jam. 1.1. The word diſperſed in the Hebrew is Feminine, to ſhew that no ſort or ſex ſhall be excluded, Col. 3.11.
Diſcimus ſub Chriſto finem ſore ſimultatum & odiorum. Oecol. Dan. hiſt. 249.Ver. 13. The envy alſo of Ephraim ſhall depart] The fierce wrath or deadly feud that was betwixt the ten revolted Tribes of Judah, the like whereunto was between England and Scotland, and in England between the Houſes of York and Lancaſter: in which laſt-mentioned diſſention were ſlain fourſcore Princes of the blood Royal, and twice as many Natives of England as were loſt in the two Conqueſts of France. This emulation and hatred of Ephraim againſt Judah was to be aboliſhed by Chriſt, Ezek. 37.17. The Diſciples, being of ſeveral Tribes, were all of one heart, and of one ſoul,Peza ex Beda. Act. 4.32. Neither was there any controverſie at all amongſt them, as one ancient Greek Coppy addeth to that forecited Text.
Ver. 14. But they ſhall flee upon the ſhoulders] A Metaphor from Conquerers who purſue their enemies, and fall upon the bones of them, as we ſay. The meaning is, The Gentiles ſhall be converted to the Chriſtian faith by the Jews, See Gen. 49.8.viz. by the Apoſtles and other Preachers of the Goſpel. Thus Philip was found at Azotus, or Aſhdod, Act. 8. Peter at Joppe, Act. 10. At Gaza and Askelon were many flouriſhing Churches in the times of Athanaſius and Chryſoſtom, Tertul.ſaith Adrichomius. Brittannorum inacceſſa Romanis loca, Chriſto patuerunt.
Ver. 15. And the Lord ſhall utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Aegyptian ſea] that is, by drying up, or driving away the waters, He ſhall open a way through the red Sea, which repreſenteth the form and faſhion of a Tongue. He alludeth to Exod. 14. for Chriſt being our Conduct we do enter by Baptiſm (as by the red Sea) into the Church: and after this life preſent, into the Kingdom of Heaven.
He ſhall ſhake his hand over the River] The River Nilus. The ſenſe is, he ſhall remove all obſtacles and impediments. This was fulfilled, Acts 2.
With his mighty wind] The Chaldee paraphraſeth in eloquio prophetarum ſuorum, by the word of his Prophets: quod Apoſtolis non parum congruit, (ſaith Oecolampadius) which very well agreeth to the Apoſtles, converting the Elect, whom neither heighth, nor depth could keep from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, Rom. 8.39. The Jews expect (but in vain) that all theſe things ſhould be fulfilled unto them in the letter by their Meſſias, as once they were by Moſes at the red Sea.
And make men go over dry-ſhod] without boat, or boot.
Ver. 16. And there ſhall be an high-way] Agger, via ſtrata, a Cauſey,chap. 7.3.
In the day that he came up out of the Land of Aegypt] This ſignal deliverance was a clear Type of our Redemption by Chriſt. And this Propheſie was fulfilled when thouſands of the Aegyptians were converted by Mark the Evangeliſt and other Preachers: as alſo when other Nations forſook Spiritual Aegypt, Rev. 11.8. and embraced the Truth.