Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII.
Ver. 1. BƲt now thus ſaith the Lord] Here the Prophet comforteth thoſe with the Goſpel, whom he had frighted with the Law, ſaith Oecolampadius.
That created thee O Jacob] By a new creation,Aug. eſpecially Iſa. 9.23. Eph. 2.10. 2 Cor. 5.17. Magna ſunt opera Dei Creatoris, Dei Recreatoris longe maxima: The work of Redemption is far beyond that of Creation.
And he that formed thee O Iſrael] As the Potter formeth to himſelf a veſſel of honour, and diſtinguiſheth it from other vile and ſordid veſſels: ſo have I dealt by thee.
I have redeemed thee] A mercy much celebrated in this book; and for very great reaſon.
I have called thee by thy Name] Which was no ſmall favour; See Exod. 33.17. Pſal. 147.4. Some think he alludeth to his giving Jacob the name of Iſrael, when he had wreſtled with God and prevailed.
Thou art mine] I have adopted thee, which is no ſmall honour, 1 Joh. 3.1. Meus es tu, may very well be the new name ſpoken of, Rev. 2.17. with Hoſ. 2.23. better than that of ſons and of daughers, Iſa. 56.5. See it diſplayed, 1 Pet. 2.9.
Ver. 2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters] Fire and water, we ſay, have no mercy, when once they get above us: extream calamities are hereby denoted, Pſal. 66.12. But Gods gracious preſence kept the buſh from burning (burn it did, but was not conſumed, through the good will of him that dwelt in it, ſaith Moſes, Deut. 33.16.) the Iſraelites in the red ſea from drowning, Exod. 14. His preſence made the fiery furnace a gallery of pleaſure, the Lyons den an houſe of defence, the Leonine priſon a delectable Orchard, as that Italian Martyr phraſed it; the fiery tryal a bed of roſes, as another, Tua praeſentia, Domine, Laurentio ipſam craticulam dulcem fecit. Hierom of Prague and other Martyrs ſang in the very flames. Bleſſed Bilney being condemned to be burnt for the Teſtimony of Jeſus, when he was comforted by ſome againſt the extremity of the fire: he put his hand toward the flame of the candle burning before them: and feeling the heat thereof, Oh ſaid he, I feel by experience, and have learned by Philoſophy, that fire by Gods Ordinance, is naturally hot; But yet I am perſwaded by Gods holy Word, and by the experience of ſome ſpoken of in the ſame, that in the flame they felt no heat, and in the fire no conſumption. I conſtantly believe, that howſoever the ſtubble of this my body ſhall be waſted by it, yet my ſoul and ſpirit ſhall be purged thereby: a pain for the time, wherein notwithſtanding followeth joy unſpeakable; and here he much treated on this text, Fear not when thou paſſeſt through the waters, &c. So that ſome of his friends there preſent took ſuch ſweet benefit therein,Act. & Mon. fol. 923. that they cauſed the whole ſaid ſentence to be fair written in Tables, and ſome in their books: the comfort whereof in divers of them was never taken from them to their dying day.
Ver. 3. I gave Egypt for thy ranſom] quaſi victimam piacularem à Sennacheribo mactandam loco Judaeae, in exchange for thee; ſo the Septuagint render it: This was done when Tirhakah King of Egypt and Ethiopia was beaten by Sennacherib, who was then making toward Jeruſalem, which he had already devoured in his hopes, chap. 37.9. Thus the righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his ſtead, Prov. 11.8. Saul and his people were afflicted by the Philiſtins that David might eſcape, 1 Sam. 23. The Canaanites were rooted out, to make room for the Iſraelites. Charles the fifth, and Francis the French King, after a mutual agreement to root out Lutheraniſme, fall together by the eares, and the Church the while hath her Halcyons. So the Turks and Perſians are at deadly feud, to the great ſafeguard of Chriſtendom: and the Popiſh party are as a bulwark betwixt thoſe Mahometans, and the Proteſtants.
Ver. 4. Since thou haſt been precious in my ſight] Nothing ſo ennobleth as Gods grace, and being in the Covenant, Gen. 17.20, 21. I have bleſſed Iſmael; twelve Princes ſhall he beget: but my Covenant will I eſtabliſh with Iſaac. Some read the text thus, Becauſe thou waſt precious in my ſight thou waſt honourable, and I loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Ver. 5. I will bring thy ſeed from the Eaſt] From all coaſts and quarters. This was a Type of the Church in the New Teſtament, ſee Mat. 8.11. Joh. 11.52. Joh. 10.16. Gal. 3.28. this was alſo a type of the laſt Reſurrection. See Revel. 20.13.
Ver. 6. I will ſay to the North, Give up] I will do it with a word of my mouth: Ipſe dixit, Oecola. p.& facta ſunt.
Bring my ſons from far, and my daughters] That is, ſay ſome, my ſtronger and alſo weaker children, of what ſize or ſex ſoever. Souls have no ſexes.
Ver. 7. Even every one that is called by my Name] i. e. My ſons and my daughters, ver. 6. with 2 Cor. 6. ult. ſuch as have Chriſtian for their name, and Catholick for their Sirname.
I have created him for my glory] See on ver. 1.
Feci i. e. magnum effeci Piſc.Yea I have made him] i. e. Advanced him, as 1 Sam. 12.6.
Ver. 8. Bring forth the blind people] Such as were blind and ignorant, but now are illightened.
And the deaf] Such as were croſſe and rebellious, but now are tractable and obſequious, chap. 42.7, 16.
Ver. 9. Let all the Nations] See chap. 41.1.
And ſhew us former things] Much leſs can they ſhew us things future. Varro calleth all the time before the flood foreign Obſcure, becauſe the Heathens had no certain relation of any thing then done. And Diod. Siculus acknowledgeth, that all that was written amongſt them before the Theban and Trojan wars, was little better than fabulous. The gods of the Gentiles had not ſo much as any ſolid knowledge of things paſt; neither could they orderly and perfectly ſet them forth by their Secretaries.
It is truth] ſc. That there is but one true God; Phocyllides did ſay ſo, foreign, &c. Socrates ſuffered for holding this truth at Athens: Plato held the ſame: but durſt not ſpeak out; theſe are his words, It is neither eaſie to find out the Maker of all things, nor ſafe to communicate to the Vulgar what we have found out of him. Here, for fear of the people, he detained the truth in unrighteouſneſſe. And the like did Seneca, De civi. Dei lib. b. cap. 10.whom Auſtin accuſeth, quod colebat quod reprehendebat; agebat quod arguebat; quod culpabat, adorabat: that he worſhipped thoſe gods, whom he diſliked and decryed.
Ver. 10. Ye are my witneſſes] He taketh to witneſs of this great Truth in queſtion, not heaven, earth, ſea, &c. but his people, among whom he had given in all ages ſo many clear arguments and experiments of his Divinity; his Oracles and Miracles for inſtance.
And my ſervant whom I have choſen] i. e. Chriſt, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſt: the Prophet Iſaiah, ſay others; or (which is more likely) Cyrus, who is called Gods Elect ſervant, chap. 42.1. and his Teſtimony concerning God, is to be read, Ezra 1.3. The Lord God of Iſrael he is God. Every true beleever doth as much, if not more: for, He that beleeveth, hath ſet to his ſeal that God is true, Joh. 3.33. hath given him a Teſtimonial, ſuch as is that, Deut. 32.4. A God of truth, and without iniquity, juſt and right is He. Such a ſealer was Abraham, Rom. 4.20. and ſuch honour have all his Saints.
That ye may know and beleeve and underſtand] That ye may have a full aſſurance of knowledge, as Luk. 1.4. and a full aſſurance of Faith, Heb. 10.22.
Ver. 11. I even I am the Lord] This redoubled I is Emphatical, and Excluſive.
And beſide me there is no Saviour] They are groſs idolaters therefore, that ſet up for Saviours the Saints departed.
Ver. 12. I have ſhewed, when there was no ſtrange God amongſt you] See Deut. 32.12. See alſo the Note on Exod. 34.14.
Therefore ye are my witneſſes] See on ver. 10.
Ver. 13. Yea before the day was I am He] The Ancient of dayes, yea the Eternal. The God of Iſrael was long before Iſrael was in being.
And there is none that can deliver out of my hand] So Nebuchadnezzar vainly vaunted, but was ſoon confuted, Dan. 3.15, 17, 29.
I will work and who ſhall let it?] Angels may be hindered: God can come between their Eſſence and their executive power, and ſo keep them from doing what they would. In fire there is the ſubſtance, and the quality of heat: between theſe God can ſeparate: as he did in the Babyloniſh fire, Dan. 2. But who ſhall hinder the moſt High?
Ver. 14. Thus ſaith the Lord your Redeemer] For their greater comfort and confirmation, the Prophet purpoſely premiſeth, to the promiſe of deliverance from Babylon, theſe ſweet Attributes of God: Each of them dropping Myrrh, and Mercy.
For your ſakes I have ſent to Babylon and have brought down] Or, I will ſend— and I will bring down.
All their Nobles] Heb. bars, Pſal. 147.13. Bars Noble men ſhould be, to keep out evils, and to ſecure Saints: Eut theſe were croſſe-bars, &c.
Whoſe cry is in the ſhips] Or, whoſe out-cry is to the ſhips: whereby they thought to ſave themſelves but could not, becauſe Cyrus had drained and dried up their river Euphrates. Tremellius rendereth it The Chaldees with their moſt famous ſhips.
Ver. 15. I am their Lord] More of Gods holy Attributes are her heaped up for like reaſon as ver. 14.
Ver. 16. Which maketh a way in the Sea] Or, that made a way in the Sea, &c. ſc. when your Fathers came out of Egypt. Why then ſhould you doubt of deliverance?
Ver. 17. Which bringeth forth the Chariot and horſe] Or, who brough forth the Chariot and horſe, the army and the power, viz. Pharao's forces, Exod. 14.4.9.23.Ʋt ellychnium extinguentur.
They are quenched as tow] Heb. as a candle-weik made of flax quickly quenched with water poured on it: See how eaſily God can confound his foes.
Ver. 18. Remember ye not the former things] ſc. in compariſon of thoſe things I ſhall now do for you by Cyrus, but eſpecially by Chriſt: who is that way in the Wilderneſs, and that running Rock (1 Cor. 10.4.) ver. 14.
Ver. 19. Shall ye not know it?] Or, Do ye not perceive it? He ſpeaketh of it as preſent and under view.
And rivers in a deſart] As once when I ſet the flint abroach, Exod. 17.6. Num. 20.8, 11. Pſal. 105.41. By this way in the Wilderneſſe, and rivers in the deſart, underſtand the doctrine of the Goſpel, and the comforts of the Spirit, Joh. 7.38, 39.
Vet. 20. The beaſts of the feild ſhall honour me] i. e. In their kind they ſhall: ſo ſhall brutiſh and ſavage perſons,Lib. 3. de Rep. Lib. 31. Mor. c. 5. when tamed and turned by the word of Gods Grace. The malignities of all creatures are in man (as Plato alſo obſerved) in doloſo enim eſt vul…es, in crudeli leo, in libidinoſo amica luto ſus, &c. Gregory by Dragons here underſtands profane and carnal people: by Owls or Oſtriches, hypocrites. Theſe being converted ſhall ſing Halleluja's to God: but let them take heed that they turn not, with the dog, to their own vomit again, &c. 2 Pet. 2.22. For
Ver. 21. This people I have formed for my ſelf] Even the Gentiles now, as well as the Jews.
They ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe] They ſhall preach forth the virtues (or praiſes) of him who hath called them out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light. 1 Pet. 2.9.
Ver. 22. But thou haſt not called upon me, O Jacob] During the captivity, they prayed not to any purpoſe: as Daniel alſo acknowledgeth, chap. 9.13. All this evil is come upon us; yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and underſtand thy truth. Nevertheleſs, of his free Grace, God brought them back again.
But thou haſt been weary of me, O Iſrael] Accounting my ſervice a burthen,Non Mihi ſed Deo fictitio. and not a benefit. See on Mal. 1.13.
Ver. 23. Thou haſt not brough me, &c,] Not Me, but a God of thine own framing: ſuch a one as would take up with external heartleſs ſervices, formal courtings, and complements.
Ver. 24. Thou haſt bought me no ſweet cane] or calamus, whereof ſee Plin. lib. 12. cap. 22.
Neither haſt thou filled me with the fat] The Heathens had a groſs conceit, that their Gods fed on the ſteam that aſcended from their fat ſacrifices. And ſome Jews might haply hold the ſame thing. See Deut. 32.38. Pſal. 50.13.
But thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins] With thine hypocriſy, and oppreſſions eſpecially, Iſai 1. The Seventy render it, Thou haſt ſtood before me in thy ſins, as outbraving me. Thou haſt tried my long patience, in ſeeing and ſuffering thy ſins, to my great annoyance: ſo Diodate paraphraſeth.
And haſt wearied me] Exprimit rei-indignitatem cum iniquitate conjunctam. God had not wearied them, but they had wearied him ſufficiently. Some make theſe to to be the words of Chriſt to his ungratefull Country-men.
Ver. 25. I even I am he] Gratuitam miſericordiam diligentiſſime exprimit. God diligently ſetteth forth his own free grace, and greatly glorieth in it: ſhewing how it is that He freeth himſelf from trouble, and them from deſtruction; viz. for his own ſake alone.
That blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions] Heb. am blotting out, conſtantly and continually I am doing it. As thou multiplyeſt ſins, ſo do I multiply pardons, chap. 55.7. So Joh. 1.27. he taketh away the ſins of the world;Dulcis Metaph. One may with a pen croſs a great ſumme as well as a little. its a perpetual act, like as the Sun ſhineth, the Spring runneth, Zech. 13.1. Men gladly blot out that which they cannot look upon without grief. Malunt enim ſemel delere quam perpetuo dolere: ſo here we are run deep in Gods debt book: but his diſcharge is free and full.
For mine own ſake] Gratis & propter me.] Let us thankfully reciprocate, and ſay as he once did, Propter te Domine, Propter te, For thy ſake, Lord, do I all.
Peccata non redeunt.And will not remember thy ſins] Diſcharges in Juſtification are not repealed, or called in again. Pardon proceedeth from ſpecial love and mercy, which alter not their conſigned acts.
Ver. 26. Put me in remembrance] ſc. of thy merits, if thou haſt any to plead. Juſtitiaries are here called into Judgement, becauſe they ſlighted the Throne of Grace.
Ver. 27. Thy firſt Father] Adam, or Abraham, ſay ſome.
And thy Teachers] Heb. thine Interpreters, Oratours, Embaſſadours, that is, thy Prieſts and Prophets.
Ver. 28. Therefore I have profaned the Princes of the Sanctuary] Or, of holineſſe: that is, thoſe that under a pretence of Religion, affected a kind of Hierarchy, as did the Scribes and Phariſees, who with the whole Jewiſh Politie were taken away by the Romans, both their place and their Nation, as they had feared, Joh. 11.48.