Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 45
CHAP. XLV.
Ver. 1. TO his anointed] i. e. To his appointed and enabled one, to ſubdue many Nations. Xenophon in his firſt book de Cyropaed. gives us a lift of them, Cyrus ſubdued, ſaith he, the Syrians, Aſſyrians, Arabians, Cappadocians, Phrygians, the Lydians, Carians, Phenicians, Babylonians: the Bactrians, Indians, Cilicians, Lib. 1.Sacians, Paphlagonians, Maryandines, and many other Nations. He alſo had dominion over the Aſiatikes, Greekes, Cyprians, Egyptians, &c. He vanquiſhed, ſaith Herodotus what Country ſoever he invaded. And what wonder when God himſelf, as here, held or ſtrengthened his right hand, and looſed the loyns of Kings that were his adverſaries; that is, diſarmed and diſabled them: for it is he alone who ſtrengtheneth and weakeneth the arm of either party,De nat. deor. lib. 2. Ezek. 30.24. Et nemo vir magnus ſine afflatu divino unquam fuit, ſaith Cicero. God transferreth Kingdomes, and ſetteth up Kings, Dan. 2.21.
To open unto him the two-leaved gates] Or doores: whether doores of houſes or gates of Cities, all ſhall fly open before him, as Act. 12.10.
Ver. 2. And make the crooked places even] Or the hilly places level.
I will break in peices the gates of braſſe] This God would do, that his Temple might be built; confer chap. 44.28. but in the New Teſtament, Chriſt throweth the gates of hell off their hinges (like another Sampſon) that he may build his Church, Mat. 10.18. And it is this Aedificabo Eccleſiam meam that hath made all the ſtir in the world.
Ver. 3. And I will give thee the treaſures of darkneſſe] All that Craeſus (that rich King) had amaſſed, and other Princes, but eſpecially Babylon, Jer. 50.37. and 51.1…. See Strabo lib. 15. Plin. 33. c. 3. Dan 5.3. Pliny ſaith that Cyrus brought out of Aſi…, Juſtin. lib. 1.which he had ſubdued, as much treaſure as amounteth in our money to three hundred millions. And yet this ſame Cyrus was within few years after, made as poor as Irus: for being in Scythia, and there making ſhew of his great riches at a feaſt, he was on the ſudden ſlain and ſpoiled of all by Tomyris Queen of that Coun…rey.
Ver. 4. For Jacob my ſervants ſake] That the enemies of my people being ſubdued, they may have ſome breath…ng-while, and liberty to live quietly in their own Country. For which purpoſe alſo, it was the will of God, that this Prophecy of Iſaiah ſhould be made known to Cyrus for the good of the Jews, that he might favour them: and ſo it was, as appeareth by Ezra 1.2. and by Joſephus, Antiq. lib. 11. cap. 1.
H. Stephan.I have even called thee by thy Name] Thy name of honour: for Cyrus ſignifieth the Sun, ſaith Plutarch: Lord, ſay others, in the Perſian: as in Hebrew it ſeemeth to ſignifie an heir, or poſſeſſour. Some derive our word Sir from it. Cyrus was at firſt called Achzadat and Space, being the ſon of Cambyſes a noble Perſian, and Mandane the daughter of Aſtyages King of Medes. De Cyro fluvio ſcricit trabo l. 15.The name of Cyrus he took when he entred upon the Kingdom; and that from Cyrus a river of Perſia, as ſome hold.
I have ſirnamed thee] Or, I have entitled thee, ſc. My Shepherd, mine annointed, &c.
Though thou haſt not known me] ſc. Savingly. For albeit he knew the true God in part, and acknowledged him to be great above other gods; yet he forſook not his Idols, ſaith Hierom: Scultet.and therefore periſhed miſerably by the hands of the Scythian…. Nevertheleſs others are of opinion, that he was inſtructed by Daniel, and brought to a true belief: as was alſo Darius.
Ver. 5. I am the Lord and none elſe] None of thy Perſian gods to whom thou didſt offer ſolemn ſacrifice,Xenoph. Cyr. lib. 1. & 8. both at the beginning of thy raigne, and likewiſe at thy death (if Xenophon may be beleeved) ſaying, Jupiter patriae & Sol, &c. magnas ago vobis gratias, quod veſtram de me curam intellexi, &c.
Though thou haſt not known me] Or, when as yet thou waſt altogether ignorant of me. That he afterwards beleeved the immortality of the ſoul, Tully teſtifieth in his Cato Major; and that he beleeved in Chriſt for the ſalvation of his ſoul, Scultetus thinketh, becauſe he was a type of Chriſt; as was alſo Solomon, ſaith he; which to me is one good argument, that he was ſaved.
Ver. 6. That they may know from the riſing of the Sun] i. e. All the world over, by thy Proclamation, Ezra 1.1, 2.
That there is none beſides me] Quia nihilum praeter me: ego Dominus & nihil …iltra; ſo Oecolampaedius rendreth it; and ſaith further, that it is oppido profunda ſententia, a very profound ſentence, teaching us that where God is not, there is nothing: for in him we are, move and live: and it is he who worketh all in all things.
Ver. 7. I form the light and create darkneſſe] ſc. By withdrawing the light, whence darkneſs ſucceedeth; ſo doth miſery when God withholdeth mercy. But what an odd or rather mad conceit was that of the Manichees, that there were two beginnings of things, a good one, and an evil! that the latter was the God of the Old Teſtament, and the former of the New! that the God of the Old Teſtament did good by accident and occaſionally, but created evil of himſelf, even evil of ſin! for ſo they miſtook this text, which is to be underſtood of evil of puniſhment only, (ſee Am. 3.6. Lam. 3.38) which he inflicteth on evil-doers for the manifeſtation of his juſtice and power, ac propterea recte, Vide Aug. contra Julian. l. 3. c. 8.& non male eo pacto quo per nos mala male fiunt.
I make peace and create evil] Evil, that is, war, by a ſpecialty, and foreign. O mega noſtrorum Mors eſt, Mars Alpha malorum. Sin, Satan and War have all one name: evil is the beſt of them. The beſt of ſin is deformity, of Satan enmity, of War miſery.
Ver. 8. Drop down ye heavens from above] A prayer of the poor captives in Babylon, ſay ſome, for a ſpeedy performance of their promiſed deliverance: and this the rather, becauſe elſe Chriſt could not come of them, teach in their Country, work miracles, and fulfill the office of a Mediatour, as the Prophets had foretold. Whereunto God immediately anſwereth: I the Lord have created him, or will create him; that is, ſend him in due time, doubt ye not. Others make it a deſcription of Cyrus his juſt and happy raign; ſee the like of Solomon, Pſal. 72.6, 7. And indeed Cyrus is famous in Heathen Hiſtories for his wiſdom, juſtice, temperance, magnanimity and liberality; It is not the cuſtome of Cyrus to hoard up money,Cyrop. l. 8. ſaith Xenophon; for he taketh more delight in giving than in getting or poſſeſſing. But it ſeemeth rather to be a command from God of plenty and proſperity, oppoſite to that countermand, chap. 5.6. The Papiſts apply it to Chriſt, and his Mother: and hence their roaring out of Rorate, in their ſolemn ſervice, a monethmonth before the feaſt of the Nativity, and then they call for their carouſing cups.
Ver. 9. Woe unto him that ſtriveth with his Maker] That chats againſt him, Rom. 9.20. or preſumes to preſcribe to him, as ſome impatient ſpirits among the Captives may ſeem to have done. We may not meaſure Gods dealings by our Models, nor murmur againſt his counſels; ſith his holy will is the moſt perfect rule of right.
Let the potſherd ſtrive with the potſherds of the earth] And not daſh againſt the Rock of ages: Let him meddle with his match, and not contend with a mightier than he, Eccleſ. 6.10. What though God create him darkneſſe and evil, as ver. 7. let him wait upon God for better times; and not think to mend himſelf by murmuring againſt his Maker as too ſevere.
Shall the clay ſay, &c.] q. d. This were an intolerable petulancy.
Or thy work, it hath no hands?] Or, he hath no hands, ſc. to faſhion me aright. Thus the work ſeemeth to make anſwer to the clay: for as the clay ſaid to the Potter Quid feciſti, what haſt thou made? So the work ſaith, by way of jear, He had no hands, ſc. to make me as he ſhould have done.
Ver. 10. Wo unto him that ſaith to his Father] Are theſe fit words to a Father? Is it not an impious moroſity to talk unto him in this ſort, Why haſt thou begotten me at all? or if at all, why not rich, fair, wiſe, &c.
And to the woman] i. e. To his Mother, as chap. 49.15. but ſuch as he can hardly find in his heart to call Mother.
Ver. 11. Thus ſaith the Lord, &c.] q. d. Leave off ſuch inſolent and unbecoming language; and learn of me about what ye ſhould rather buſie your ſelves.
Ask me of things to come] Me, and not your Wizzards. Have recourſe to my Prophets, beleeve them and ye ſhall prosper. Let your patient mind be known to all men, the Lord is at hand for your deliverance.
Command ye me] This is a wonderful expreſſion, and doth notably ſet forth the power of prayer.Mr. Burr. Luther, it ſeemeth, well underſtood the latitude of this royal Charter, ſaith One, when praying for the recovery of a godly uſeful Preacher who was far gone in a conſumption, amongſt other paſſages he let fall this tranſcendent rapture of a daring faith, Let my will be done: but then he falls off ſweetly, My will, Lord, becauſe thy will.
Ver. 12. I have made the earth] q. d. I am the mighty Maker and Monarch of the world; therefore pray on, and patiently wait for a gracious anſwer: he that beleeveth, maketh not haſte.
Ver. 13. I have raiſed him up] i. e. Cyrus, Ezra 1.1.
And I will direct all his wayes] ſc. When he cometh againſt the Babylonians, Lydians, &c. on mine errand. But when moved by his ambition, he invaded Scythia, and cruelly waſted the Country, God took no further charge of him, as I may ſay: He that is out of Gods precincts, is out of his protection.
Ver. 14. Thus ſaith the Lord, the labour of Egypt] Here he turneth his ſpeech to Cyrus, promiſing him that he ſhould be no loſer by his generous carriage toward the poor people of God, his captives, whom he freely diſmiſſed without ranſom, ver. 13. Gods retributions are more than bountiful.
Agatharch. lib. 5. cap. 20. vel proceri, i. e. potentiſſimi agro & mercib. Trem. In Pſal. 37.Men of ſtature] The Arabians are reported to have been goodly perſonable men by Agatharchides an ancient writer, from whom Plutarch and Pliny borrowed much.
They ſhall come over unto thee] Commodiſſime dicemus promiſſionem hanc referendam ad tempus revelati Evangelii. This was fulfilled chiefly when the Goſpel was preached, and Nations thereby converted. See Pſal. 45.5. and 149.6.—8. The bonds of the holy Spirit are ſtronger than Adamant, ſaith Ambroſe.
Surely God is in thee] Or, with thee: and hence thou (O Cyrus) ſo prevaileſt, and proſpereſt. Thus theſe conquered Kings ſhall ſupplicate and ſay to Cyrus.
And there is none elſe, there is no God] Hence Mahometans ſeem to have taken that, which out of their Alchoran, they dayly proclaim in their Moſchies or meeting-houſes, There is no god but God, and Mahomet his Counſellour. Thus thoſe Kings: but what ſaith the Prophet?
Hac approbatio eſt Prophetae. Scultet.Ver. 15. Verily thou art a God that hideſt thy ſelf] As thou art inviſible and dwelleſt in light inacceſſible: ſo in thy diſpenſations thou goeſt a way by thy ſelf, and thy judgements are unſearchable. Thou hideſt thy ſelf, and ſtandeſt off a while ſometimes from the help of thy poor people, but wilt appear to them and for them in due time. The Septuagint here tranſlate Tues Deus & neſcitbamus. Thou art God, and we knew thee not: And this the Fathers interpret concerning Chriſt: and hence the Jews ſeem to have drawn that ſpeech of theirs, Chriſt when he cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
Ver. 16, That are makers of Idols] The Word rendred Idols, ſignifieth properly Tormina, cruciatus, paines and throws, and ſtraits: Idolaters heap up ſorrows to themſelves and terrours of conſcience. See Pſal. 16.4. with the Note.
Ver. 17. But Iſrael — with an evelaſting ſalvation] By Cyrus they were not ſo: for not long after, Antiochus afflicted them, Herod gat the Scepter from them, the Romans came and took away both them and their Nation: But the Iſrael of God were, and are ſtill, ſaved by Jeſus, with an everlaſting ſalvation.
Ver. 18. He created it not in vain] Therefore never think that he will forſake it, or not take care of his Church therein, for whoſe ſake he made it at firſt and ſtill upholdeth it by the word of his power, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23. Now if God created not the earth in vain, much leſs the heavens (wherein he hath ſhewed his greater skill, Heb. 11.10. See the Note there) but that his people might there inhabit for ever. And here it is that they ſhall be ſaved in the Lord with an everlaſting ſalvation: Yea they ſhall not be aſhamed or confounded world without end. ver. 17.
Ver. 19. I have not ſpoken in ſecret] As the Sibylls did out of their dens; as the Idol-prieſts did out of their holes, and under-ground vaults; as hereticks and ſeducers, who creep into corners and there vent their falſe wares, as Vincentius Lirinenſis long ſince obſerved: (Epiphanius fitly compareth them to Mouls, who do all their miſchief by working under ground:) But God as he delivered his Law openly on Mount Sina: ſo his Goſpel he commanded to be preached on the houſe-top, and in Mount Zion. Chriſt ſpoke openly to the world, Joh. 18.20. Truth ſeeketh no corners: I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chriſt, Rom. 1.16. But what was this word that was delivered ſo plainly and peſpicuouſly?
Seek ye me] And for your encouragement, ye ſhall not do it in vain: for I am a rewarder of all thoſe that diligently ſeek me, Heb. 11.6. Let Heathen deities diſappoint and delude thoſe that ſeek to them; Jacobs God ſcorneth the motion: he is better to his people then their prayers, better then their hopes: and when with Gehezi they ask but one talent, he, like Naaman, forceth them to take two.
I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſſe, I declare the things that are right] Or, even: ſo doth not the Devil, but things ſinful and obſcene; as humane ſacrifices, promiſcuous uncleanneſſes, ut in nefariis Priapi & Veneris ſacris. Contrariwiſe, all the words of Gods mouth are in righteouſneſſe; ther is nothing froward or perverſe in them, Prov. 8.8.
Ver. 20. Ye that are eſcaped of the Nations] That have eſcaped the ſword of Cyrus: and well proved how little your gods can do for you.
That ſet up the wood of their graven Image] Qui levant lignum, carrying them in pomp and proceſſion upon their ſhoulders, as Papiſts now do their pictures, their breaden god eſpecially, and crying to it Holy, holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth.
Ver. 21. Who hath declared this] ſc. that the people of God ſhould be ſet at lilerty by Cyrus.
Ver. 22. Look unto me and be ye ſaved] Whiles the Moon looketh directly upon the Sun, ſhe is bright and beautiful: but if ſhe once turn aſide and be left to her ſelf, ſhe looſeth all her glory, and enjoyes but only a ſhadow of light, which is her own: ſo while men look to Chriſt the Sun of righteouſneſſe, and toward the ſtars in his right-hand, &c.
For I am God and none elſe] This, Judas Maccabeus acknowledged in his Enſigne wherein this Motto was written Mi Camoca Belohim Jehovah, Godw. Heb. Antiqu.i. e. Who is like unto thee among the Gods O Lord? from the capital letters of which Motto he took his name Maccabi.
Ver. 23. That unto me every knee] I will be known and obeyed all the world over, ſc. by Chriſtians. Of the Jews Hierom noteth, quod mentis ſuperbiam demonſtrantes genu non flectunt, that they bow not the knee in Gods ſervice, but only ſtand up at times.
Ver. 24. Surely ſhall one ſay] This ſhall be the Chriſtian Confeſſion, In the Lord have I righteouſneſſe, &c. righteouſneſſe. i. e. Mercy to thoſe that come over to him, and ſtrength to enable them to come; as the Sea ſendeth out waters to fetch us to it, &c.
Ver. 25. Shall be juſtified] by faith in Chriſt, Rom. 5.1.
And ſhall glory] Having peace of Conſcience they ſhall glory in tribulation, Rom. 5.1, 3. Note this againſt Meritmongers.