Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Ver. 1. ANd in that day] ſc. that day of deſolation, chap. 3.26.
Seven women] i. e. many women: See the like Zach. 8.23. The women had been grievouſly threatened, chap. 3. the men alſo for their ſakes, ver. 25.26. and yet the Prophet hath not done with them; ſo hainous is ſin in either ſex.
Shall take hold of one man] who themſelves were wont to be ſued unto by many men: and perhaps were not content with their own Husbands when they had them alive, but were ſick of a Pluriſie.
We will eat our own bread, &c.] whereas the husband giveth to his wife food, rayment and due benevolence: theſe would crave the laſt only, which yet they could not do neither in this ſort, but by laying aſide womanlike modeſty.
Only let us be called by thy name] As wives uſed to be by their husbands names, both among the Jews and other Nations, as Mary Cleophas, Mary Zebedee, &c. Solomons wife was after his name called Shulamite, Cant. 6.13. and the Roman Ladies were wont to ſay to their husbands, Ʋbi tu Cajus, ibi ego Caja.
To take away our reproach] of want of husbands and children. See Pſalm 78.63. Judg. 11.36, 37. Jer. 30.17.
Ver. 2. In that day the branch of the Lord] Here the Prophet draweth to a cloſe of this excellent Sermon, and he concludeth it as he began, with a gracious promiſe of the coming and Kingdom of Chriſt, and of the felicity of his Subjects, which conſiſteth, firſt, in their ſanctity, ver. 3.4. Secondly, in their ſecurity, ver. 5.6. This is more amply ſet forth, chap. 11.
The branch of the Lord] The Lord Chriſt the Conſolation and Expectation of Iſrael, called elſwhere the Bud or Branch, Chap. 11.1. Zech. 3.8. & 6.12. (See the Notes there, Luke 1.78. The Day-ſpring from on high is by Beza rendred the Branch from on high) and the Branch of Righteouſneſs, Jer. 23.5. & 33.15. The Jew Doctors alſo underſtand it of the Meſſiah, Iſtud germen quod de virga Jeſſe virore virgineo pullulavit, ſaith Bernard. The Branch of the Lord he is called, ſaith Oecolampadius, becauſe being true God, he hath God to his Father in Heaven: and the Fruit of the earth, becauſe being alſo true man, he had the Virgin to his mother in earth. Ecce habet incarnationis myſterium. Lo here we have, ſaith he, the great Myſterie of God manifeſted in the fleſh. Others by the Fruit of the earth here do underſtand the body of the Church, which is as the Plant that groweth out of that Branch.
Shall be beautiful and glorious — excellent and comly] Heb. Beauty and glory, excellency and comlineſs, or gayneſs and goodlineſs, all in the abſtract, and yet all too little. All this Chriſt is and more to his Elect,Evaſores …rd. elis. who are here ſet forth by many Titles, as the eſcaped of Iſrael, the reſidue in Zion, the remnant in Jeruſalem, the written among the living there, &c. Saepe autem ad paupertatem aut pancitatem redigitur Eccleſia. Howbeit known to the Lord are all his, as well as if He had their Names ſet down in a book,
Ver. 3. He that is left in Zion] See on ver. 2.
Shall be called holy] Heb. holy ſhall be ſaid to him or of him: he ſhall have the Name and Note of a Saint, the comfort and the credit of it. Chriſts holineſs ſhall be both imputed and imparted unto them: He ſhall both expiate their ſins, and heal their Natures, pay their Debts, and give them a ſtock of grace and holineſs; ſo that men ſhall call them an holy people, chap. 62.12.
Even every one that is written among the Living] written in Gods book of Life, which is matter of greater joy then to have the Devils ſubdued unto us, Luk. 10.26. for a man may caſt out Devils, and yet be himſelf caſt to the Devil, Mat. 7.22, 23. but in Gods book of Life, there is no blots, no croſſings out: but as many as are ordain-to eternal Life believe,1 Pet. 1.4. See Ezek. 13. and the ſame are kept (as in a Gariſon) by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. The Prophet ſeemeth her to allude to that cuſtom in Jeruſalem, of enrolling the names of all the Citizens, Pſalm 48.3. Chriſt Jeſus is the Maſter of the Rolls in Heaven, Rev. 13. wherein none are recorded but ſuch as are deſigned to glory and vertue, 1 Pet. 1.2. 2 Theſſ. 2.13. All others are ſaid to be dead in treſpaſſes and ſins,Ezra 2.63. Eph. 2.1. and to be written in the earth, Jer. 17.13. Thoſe Prieſts that could not produce their genealogy, were caſhiered by the Tirſhata: ſo ſhall thoſe one day be by Chriſt, whoſe names are not found written among the Living in Jeruſalem.
Sordes quae excunt & excer nuntur è corpore hominis per vari…s meatus.Ver. 4, When the Lord ſhall have waſhed away the filth] the ordure or excrement; ſin is the excrement of the ſoul, the ſuperfluity or garbage of naughtineſs, the Devils vomit. From this abominable filth Chriſt hath loved and waſhed his with his own blood, that he may make them Kings and Prieſts unto God and his Father, Rev. 1.5. He not only waſheth his people from their ſins, but taketh away their ſwiniſh Natures, whereby they would elſe return to their former wallowing in the mire, as ſo many Borboritae.
Of the Daughters of Zion] Whoſe pride in apparel, wantonneſs, luxury, &c. thoſe Peccadillo's as they are commonly counted, are here rightly called filth and blood by theſe Penitentiaries, whoſe property is to aggravate and lay load upon their former evil practices, which now ſwell like Toads in their eyes; neither can they find words had enough to call them by.
By the ſpirit of judgement] By pouring upon them the clean water of the Holy Spirit, whereby alſo they are enabled to make a right judgement of things that are excellent (or that differ) and to judge themſelves worthy to be deſtroyed for their many and mighty ſins.
And by the ſpirit of burning] ſo called becauſe it burneth up our corruptions; carnis vitia & carcinomata: and ſecondly, becauſe it enflameth our hearts with a zeal of Gods glory, making us all on a light fire, as Chryſoſtom ſaith that Peter was like a man made all of fire walking amongſt ſtubble. And of one that deſired to know what kind of man Baſil was, it is ſaid, there was preſented in a dream a Pillar of fire with this Motto, Talis eſt Baſilius, ſuch an one is Baſil.
Ver. 5. And the Lord will create] for the ſafeguard and ſecurity of his peculiar people, thus purified unto himſelf, Tit. 2.14. and that they may ſerve him without fear in holineſs and righteouſneſs before him all and every day of their lives, Luke 1. 74, 75. God (rather then fail) will create (as he did of old in Aegypt and the Wilderneſs) a cloud by day, a flaming fire by night; againſt heat, a Tabernacle; againſt ſtorm and rain, a Covert; any thing, every thing that heart can wiſh, or need require; dux erit & defenſor, lux erit & conſolator, He will be to all his a Sun and a ſhield; He will give grace and glory, &c. Pſalm 84.11. See Cant. 2.3.
Ʋpon every dwelling-place] upon every private houſe, and place of his peoples abode: their walls are continually before him, chap. 49.16. He loveth to look upon their Habitations, and will hedge them about, Job 1.10.
And upon her aſſemblies] or meeting-places for Gods ſervice. Howbeit this is to be taken cum exceptione crucis; the poor Proteſtants in France have not only been diſturbed but deſtroyed, at their Church-aſſemblies, by the Duke of Guiſe and other Popiſh Perſecutors. But the godly in ſuch a caſe glorifie God in the very fire, and bear fruit in ſuch a tempeſt, by Gods defence and benediction.
A cloud and ſmoake] Or a ſmoaky cloud, alluding to that cloudy Pillar, Exod. 13.21. & 14.19. which was a cloud by day, and a fire by night to Iſrael: ſo is Chriſt a cooling Refreſhment to his own in the ſcorching day of Temptation or trouble; and a comfortable Lamp of Light to direct and protect them through the Wilderneſs of this world. The Cloud was ſpread over them for a covering, Pſalm 105.39. and ſomtimes came betwixt them and their enemies behind them, Exod. 14.19. And this was done in Aegypt, where was no rain: how then was there a cloud? God created it.
For upon all the glory] Iſrael is called Gods glory, chap. 46.13. the houſe of his glory, chap. 6.7. a crown of glory, chap. 62.3. A Throne of glory, Jer. 4.21. Gods Ornament. Ezek 7.20. the beauty of his Ornament, and that ſet in Majeſty, ib. His Royal Diadem, Iſa. 62.3. His Jewels, Mal. 3.17. which he wears (as great men do their Jewels) to make him glorious in the eyes of men: they are the Signet on his right hand, Iſa. 49.
Shall be a covering] As the Cloud covered the Tabernacle, and as the Rams-skins covered the Ark from the violence of wind and weather: ſo will Chriſt the Church.
Ver. 6. And there ſhall be a Tabernacle for a ſhadow] Or, He ſhall be. Chriſt is a ſhelter and a ſhadow to his, when as all worldly comforts are but as ſo many Burning-glaſſes, to ſcorch the ſoul more.