Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
Ver. 1. COmfortye, comfort ye my people] Hitherto hath been the Comminatory part of this Prophecy: followeth now the Conſolatory: Here beginneth the Goſpel of the Prophet Iſaiah, and holdeth on to the end of the book. The good people of his time had been forewarned by the foregoing Chapter of the Babylonian Captivity. Thoſe in after-times, not only during the Captivity, but under Antiochus and other Tyrants, were ready to think themſelves utterly caſt off, becauſe heavily afflicted. See ver. 27. of this Chapter, with Lam. 5.22. Here therefore command is given for their comfort, and that Goſpel be preached to the penitent: the word here uſed ſignifieth, firſt to repent, then to comfort, 1 Sam. 5. 35. 1 Sam. 12.24. This our Prophet had been a Boanerges, a thundering Preacher all the fore-part of his life (ſee one inſtance for all chap. 24. where Pericles-like, fulgurat, intonat, totam terram permiſcet, &c.) Now toward his latter end, and when he had one foot in the grave, the other in Heaven, he grew more mellow and melleous, (as did likewiſe Mr. Lever, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Whately, and ſome other eminent and earneſt Preachers that might be named) ſetting himſelf wholly in a manner, to comfort the abject and feeble minded;Sunt eutem omnia plena magnis adfectibus. Hyp. which alſo he doth with ſingular dexterity and efficacy. This redoubled Comfort ye, is not without its Emphaſis: but that which followeth, ver. 2. is a very hive of heavenly honey.
Ver. 2. Speak ye comfortably] Speak to the heart, as Gen. 34.3. Hoſ. 2.14. Chear her up▪ ſpeak to her with utmoſt earneſtneſs, that your words may work upon her and ſtick by her: do it ſolidly, not frigidly.
That her warfare is accompliſhed] Militiam, not Malitiam, as the Vulgar hath it: The word ſignifieth alſo a ſet term of time, See Dan. 9.2. and Gal. 4.4. God hath limited the Saints ſufferings, Rev. 2.10. Some by warfare here underſtand that hard and troubleſome Pedagogy of Moſes Law; that yoke importable, Act. 15.10. taken away by Chriſt.
That her iniquity is pardoned] Heb. her iniquity is accepted: Perfectam eſſe paenam ejus, ſo Piſcator rendreth it. She might be under Gods hand, though her ſins were pardoned. The Palſy-man heard, Son, thy ſins are forgiven thee, ſome while before he heard, Take up thy bed and walk.
That ſhe hath received of the Lords hand double] i. e. Abundantly and in a large meaſure, ſatis ſuperque, ſo much as to her merciful Father ſeemeth over and above, more than enough. She hath received double for all her ſins: and yet death is the juſt hire of the leaſt ſin, Rom. 6.23. But this is the language of Gods compaſſions rolled together and kindled into repentings; Jeruſalem her ſelf was of another judgement, Ezra. 9.13. Our God hath puniſhed us leſſe than our ſins: and yet he reckoneth that we fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Chriſt, Col. 1.24.
Ver. 3. The voyce of him that cryeth] See Mat. 3.3. John 1.25. with the notes there: but Luke citeth this text more fully than the other Evangeliſts, applying it to the Baptiſt crying in the wilderneſſe, ſc. of Judea, where he firſt preached, or (as ſome ſenſe it) in the ears of a waſte and wild people. Hereby is meant the world, ſaith one, word of Gods grace, barren in all vertue, having no pleaſing abode,Diod. nor ſure direction of any good way in it, being full of horrour, and accurſed.
Ver. 4. Every valley ſhall be exalted] Termes taken from the cuſtome of Princes coming into a place; viz. to have their way cleared, and paſſages facilitated. See on Mat. 3.4.
Ver. 5. And the glory of the Lord ſhall be revealed] i. e. Jeſus Chriſt (the Lord of glory, Jam. 2.1.) ſhall appear in the fleſh. Some interpreters underſtand this whole Sermon ad literam concerning Chriſt and Redemption wrought by him: yet with an alluſion to the Jewes deliverance out of Babylon; for this was a type of that, like as Cyrus alſo was of Chriſt.
Ver. 6. The voyce] Or a voyce, ſc. in viſion.
What ſhall I cry? All fleſh is graſſe] This is taught by every Philoſopher, ſaith Saſbors…: but never is it taught effectually, till cryed to the heart by Gods Word and Spirit: for which reaſon alſo it is not uttered here without a Preparative, by way of Dialogue, to ſtir up to attention.
All fleſh is graſſe] Not only as graſſe, but is graſſe: we are all but dying men; death hath already taken hold of us, and doth every day feed upon us inſenſibly. To live is but to lye a dying. The Jews at this day, when they return from burying a corps, caſt graſſe over their heads; either to ſignifie that all fleſh is graſſe; or elſe, their hope of a Reſurrection.
And all the goodlineſſe thereof] Any thing eximious or excellent in man muſt needs vaniſh, when the glory of the Lord is revealed, ver. 5. The ſight of God makes all elſe little.
As the flower of the field] Which is more apt to be blaſted, cropt, or trodden down, then the flower of the garden.
Eſſe, fuiſſe, fore, tria florida ſunt ſine flore:
Nam ſimul omne perit, quod fuit, eſt, & erit.
Ver. 7. Becauſe the ſpirit of the Lord bloweth upon it] Or, when the breath of the Lord bloweth upon it. God can eaſily blow men to deſtruction, diſſipate them as ſo many vile duſtheaps, Job 4.9. and 34.14, 15. Pſal. 104.29. Dan. 2.34, 35. Zach. 4.6.
Surely the people is graſſe] Have we not heard? have we not ſeen from the beginning? doth not every dayes experience ſeal to it, that all fleſh is graſſe? yea hath not God oft heard our atteſtations? We ſhake our heads, we confeſſe it is true, &c. and yet we lay it not rightly to heart, though ſo deeply aſſevered and aſſured us.
Ver, 8. But the Word of our God ſhall ſtand for ever] q. d. Though the Elect alſo as well as others are graſs, fraile and fading creatures, yet the grace of God wrought in their hearts by the Goſpel, is ſtable and laſting, See 1 Pet. 1.23. with the Note. And ſo neceſſary is this whole doctrine here delivered, that the Miniſters of the Goſpel are commanded here not to write it only, but to ſpeak it: nor that only, but to cry it alſo, with all poſſible both affection and power of inforcement.
Ver. 9. O Zion that bringeſt good tydings] That Evangeliſt: The Goſpel is the ſumme of all the good news in the world. Chriſts Incarnation (Biſher the word here uſed, cometh of Baſhar, which ſignifieth Fleſh) was glad tydings of great joy to all people, Luk. 2.10.
Get thee up into the high mountain] Zion was it ſelf an high mountain: yet is bidden to aſcend into an higher, for the better promulgation of the Goſpel.
Lift it up, be not afraid] Viz. for perſecution which is Evangelii genius, the evil Angel that doggeth the Goſpel at the heeles, as Calvin wrote to the French King.
Behold your God] Behold the Meſſias, who hath been ſo long expected, is now exhibited.
Ver. 10. Behold the Lord God will come with ſtrong hand] Or, The Lord God will come againſt the mighty: i. e. Chriſt againſt the Devil and his Agents; whom he ſhall vanquiſh,Piſcat. Diod. and give them their due. See 1 Joh. 3.6. Mat. 12.29. Joh. 12.31. Coloſ. 2.15. Heb. 2.14.
And his arm ſhall rule for him] Or, his arm ſhall rule over him: i. e. over Satan.
Ver. 11. He ſhall feed his flock like a Shepherd] That good Shepherd ſhall, the Lord Jeſus, Joh. 10.11. See Pſal. 23.1. with the Notes.
He ſhall gather the Lambs with his arms] The Lord hath a great care of his little ones: like as he had of the weaker tribes: In their march thorough the wilderneſſe (in their ſeveral companies or brigades) he put a ſtrong Tribe to two weak Tribes; as Judah to Iſſachar and Zebulon: leſt they ſhould faint, or fail.
Ver. 12. Who hath meaſured the waters] Who but God alone? Totus eſt in hoc libro, ut confirmet nos in fide. God made Heaven, Earth and Sea, in number, weight and meaſure, as an Architect; therefore he wanteth neither power nor wiſdom to work in, and for his people.
And comprehended the duſt of the earth in a meaſure] In a teirce or in three fingers: for he ſpoke before of the hollow and ſpan of Gods hand.
Ver. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord] Who was then of his Counſel, when he made the Ʋniverſe? None but his own Eſſential wiſdom, Prov. 8.30. See Rom. 11.34.35. with the Notes.
Ver. 14. With whom took he Counſel?] See ver. 13.
Ver. 15. Behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket] Quota igitur es tu iſtius guttae particula? what a ſmall parcel art thou then of that ſmall drop? ſaith an Ancient.
As the ſmall duſt of the balance] That weigheth nothing:Mira igitur ſuperbiae …n ſtraeſtultitia. Oecolamp. yea all men together laid in the balance with vanity it ſelf, will aſcend or tilt up, Pſal. 62.9.
He taketh up the Iſles as a very little thing] Or, he taketh up and throweth away the Iſles as powder.
Ver. 16. And Lebanon is not ſufficient to burn] So infinitely great is God: ſo abſolutely inſufficient is man to give God ſatisfaction. Let thoſe think on this, who talk of ſetting off with God, and of making amends, by their good deeds, for their bad.
Ver. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing] Agnoſce ergo virium tuarum foreign. See therefore thine own nothingneſs; and learn to vilifie, yea to nullifie thy ſelf before God, as Agur, Prov. 30.2. and as David, who was a worm and no man, Tertul.Pſal. 22.6. Rejectamentum hominis & nullificamen populi.
Ver. 18. To whom then will ye liken God?] A ſin which the Jews were exceeding prone unto, and would be tempted to, when in Captivity at Babylon; here therefore they have an Antidote provided aforehand. The voyce of the Goſpel is, Little Children, keep your ſelves from Idols, 1 Joh. 5.21. See the Notes.
Ver. 19. The workman melteth a graven Image] That may be afterward graved and gilded over.
And caſteth ſilver chaines] To faſten it to the place; Or, he raileth it in. Et niſi homini Deus placuerit, Deus non erit, ſaith Tertullian. Numa, ſecond King of Romans, ſaw this great vanity, and therefore forbad Images of the gods in Temples:Plut. in Numa. So do the Turkes at this day, to the ſhame of Papiſts Idolomania.
Ver. 20. He that is ſo impoveriſhed —chooſeth a tree] Which therehence may well ſay,
Olim truneus eram ficulnus, inutile lignum,
Cum faber incertus ſcamnum, faceretne Priapum,
Maluit eſſe Deum; Deus inde ego:—
He chooſeth a tree that will not rot] Which yet is hard to do; the Cypreſs tree is moſt likely. But what goodly Gods were thoſe that could not keep themſelves from rotting.
A cunning workman] Somewhat better than he who made the ugly Rood of Cockram, whereof when they complained to the Mayor of Doncaſter, he adviſed them to clap a pair of hornes on the head of it, and then inſtead of a god, it would make an excellent devil.
Ver. 21. Have ye not known? have ye not heard?] Both Jews and Gentiles went againſt the light; the former of the Word, the latter of their own conſciences; in thus changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the ſimilitude of a corruptible creature, Rom. 1.23. Their ignorance was wilful and affected: ſome render this text, Will ye not know? will ye not hear? Idolaters are brutiſh and blockiſh; they that make them, are like unto them.
Ver. 22. It is he that ſitteth upon the circle of the earth] As Soveraign, and is he fit to be pourtrayed? In Thebe a town of Egypt, Plutarch de Iſid & Oſir.they painted God in the likeneſs of a man blowing an egge out of his mouth: to ſignifie, that he made the round world by his Word. Others ſet him forth as an Emperour with a Globe in one hand, and a Light-Bolt in the other. Pencer and others tell us, that if there were a path made round the circle of the earth, an able footman might eaſily go it in nine hundred dayes.
Ver. 23. That bringeth Princes to nothing] After their part acted here a while, they go off the ſtage of life, and are ſeen no more. Auguſtus Caeſar ſaid, that his life was nothing elſe but a kind of a Comedy: and that he had acted his part, as became him; and therefore, at his death, he called for a Plaudite.
Ver. 24. Yea they ſhall not be planted] They are like graſs, that is neither planted nor well rooted: but as weeds that grow on the top of the water, vel tanquam podii folium, Hieron.quod mane candidum, meridie purpureum, vespere caeruleum aſpicitur.
And he ſhall blow upon them] Two fits of an ague ſhook to death great Tamerlan, in the midſt of his preparations for the conqueſt of Turkey.
Ver. 25. To whom then will ye liken me?] See ver. 18, 19.
Cicero.Ver. 26. Lift up your eyes on high] Who is there ſaith an Heathen, that looketh up toward Heaven, and preſently perceiveth not that there is a God? we may well add, and an Almighty God? Why then ſhould the vanities of the Heathen come in competition with Him? or why ſhould Jacob ſay, My way is hid from the Lord, &c. as ver. 27. as if God neglected them, or were weary of helping them, ver. 28.
And behold who hath created theſe things] Without toole or toile, ver. 28. And ſhall the creature be worſhipped rather than the Creatour God bleſſed for ever?
That bringeth out their hoſt by number] As if he had them ſet down in his muſter-roles. Aſtronomers take upon them to number and name the chiefeſt of the ſtarres: reliquas nomenclationi Dei permittere coguntur. Abraham could not number them, Gen. 15.5. and yet Aratus and Eudoxus vainly vaunted, that they had done it.
Ver. 27. How ſaiſt thou, O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt, &c.] q. d. Fy for ſhame; what unbecoming language is this for ſuch! Doth God know and order the ſtarres, and hath he caſt away the care of his people? never think it: let it be enough and too much for an Heathen to ſay,
Saepe mihi dubiam traxit ſententia mentem,
Claudian.Curarent ſuperi terras, an nullus ineſſet
Rector, & incerto fluerent mortalia caſu.
And my judgement is paſſed over] q. d. I thought I ſhould have had a day of hearing ere this: ſed comperendinor.
Ver. 28. He fainteth not, nor is weary] Or, he is neither tired nor toiled: viz. as earthly Judges may be. And his own people, for thinking otherwiſe of Him, are here taken up as tartly, as thoſe Idolaters before, ver. 21. with, Haſt thou not known? haſt thou not heard?
There is no ſearching of his underſtanding] Submit to Him therefore, as to the only wiſe God.De ſera Num. vindic. This, the very Heathens taught men to do; as Plutarch.
Ver. 29. He giveth power to the faint] How then ſhould he himſelf faint? or why ſhould any good mans heart faile him? The Jews among their Benedictions (whereof they are bound to ſay an hundred every day) have this for one, Bleſſed be God who giveth power to the faint:
Ver. 30. Even the youths ſhall faint] All that truſt to their own ſtrength, ſhall tire out: like as the Hare that truſteth to the ſwiftneſs of her legs, is at length overtaken, and torn in pieces: when the coney that flieth to the holes in the rockes, doth eaſily avoid the dogs that purſue her.
Ver. 31. Shall renew their ſtrength] Heb. ſhall change, quotidie ſeipſis fortiores prodeuntes, by the new ſupplies of the ſpirit, Phil. 1.19. they ſhall paſſe from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſal. 84. They ſhall mount as Eagles. See Pſal. 103.5. R. Saadias ſaith, that every tenth year the Eagle mounteth up to the Orb of the Sun, cingeth her wings there, and ſo reneweth her age, till ſhe be an hundred.