Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 50
CHAP. L.
Ver. 1. WHere is the bill of your mothers divorcement, Heb. abſciſſion: this bill was called by the Greeces, foreign: but none ſuch could here be produced or proved, as given by God to the Jewiſh State: but that the diſloyalty was theirs, and their dereliction on their part: God had neither rejected them though innocent (as ſome husbands did their wives out of a peeviſh and ſelfiſh humour) nor ſold them though obedient, as ſome fathers did their children for payment of their debts: for he is neither debter to any, nor non-ſolvent, Rom. 11.35, 36.
Behold for your iniquities ye have ſold your ſelves] O duram ſervitutem! O miſeram neceſſitatem! You have ſold your ſelves, as Ahab did, to work wickedneſs, 1 King. 25.29. and therefore I have juſtly ſold and abandoned you into the hands of your enemies, Judg. 2.13, 14. & 3.7, 8. Pſal. 44.11, 12.
Is your mother] i. e. The Synagogue, whereunto the Jews do yet ſtill adhere as to their mother: and the Lord did then acknowledge himſelf to be her husband, but now he hath worthily caſt her off.
Ver. 2. Wherefore when I came was there no man?] Chriſt came unto his own, but his own received him not, Joh. 1. This was condemnation, Joh. 3. their rebelling againſt the light of the Goſpel; this was the great offence, the damning ſin, the very cauſe of their utter rejection.
Is my hand ſhortned at all?] Or rather have not you by your obſtinacy and incredulity transfuſed as it were a dead Palſy into the hand of Omnipotency? Mar. 6.5. He could do there no mighty work becauſe of their unbelief; of ſo venemous a nature is that curſed ſin.
Behold at my rebuke I dry up the Sea] I have done it (you know) Pſam. 106.9. and can do it again. Be not therefore faithleſs but believing, as Joh. 20, 27.
Ver. 3. I clothe the heavens with blackneſſe] I did ſo in that three-daie darkneſs in Egypt, Exod. 10.21, 22. and ſhall do ſo again at the time of my Paſſion: I can therefore, doubtleſs deliver you not only from Babylon, but from ſin, death, and hell, by giving you an entrance into Heaven by the waters of Baptiſm, and by bringing you out of darkneſs into my marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2.9.
And make ſack-cloth their covering] Ita ut coelum pullata veſte obtenſum fuiſſe dixeris. So Rev 6.12.
Ver. 4. The Lord God] Heb. the Soveraign ſelf-being.
Hath given me] Me Iſaiah, but much more Jeſus Chriſt the Arch-Prophet of his Church, who ſpake as never man ſpoke, Joh. 7.46. See Matth. 7, 28, 29. Luke 4.22. Grace was poured into his lips, Pſal. 45.2. and it was no leſs poured out of his lips, whilſt together with his words there went forth a power, and he could perſwade as he pleaſed; for why? God had bleſſed him: ib.
The toung of the learned] A learned and elaborate ſpeech it had need to be that ſhall affect the heart. Matth. 13.52. Not every dolt can do it; but he who is an Interpreter, one amongſt a thouſand, 1 Theſ. 5.14.Job 33.23. who can ſpeak as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. ſell oyle to the wiſer Virgins, Matth. 25.9. comfort the feeble-minded, ſupport the weak, be patient or for bearant toward all men, O quam hoc non eſt omnium! Such a choice man, thus taught of God, is worth his weight in gold. Such an one was Luther, ſuch was Latimer, (who was Confeſſour general to all Proteſtants troubled in mind) Bradford, Greenham, Dod, Sibbs, &c.
That I might know how to ſpeak a word in ſeaſon] Tempeſtivare, to time or ſeaſon a word, to ſet it on the Wheels, as Solomon phraſeth it, Prov. 25.11. that it may be as apples of gold in pictures of ſilver, not only precious for matter, but delectable for order, Eccleſ. 12.10. Surely ſuch a ſpeaker hath joy by the anſwer of his mouth: and a word ſpoken in his ſeaſon how good is it? Prov. 15.23. This is the right Phyſick for the ſoul (as Heathens alſo hammered at) far beyond all Philoſophical diſcourſes, or any other conſolatiunculae creaturulae, as Luther fitly expreſſeth it.
Indeſinenter me informat ſpiritu, non autem per momenta, ut omnes Prophetas alios. Jun.He awakeneth morning by morning] He conſtaintly calleth me up betime, as a Maſter doth his ſcholar to his book and buſineſs, for the which the morn is fitteſt. Chriſts indefatigable aſſiduity in teaching his perverſe Country-men, left them without all excuſe, Joh. 15.22.
To hear as the learned] i. e. Attentively, as thoſe that would be learned, and are therefore foreign deſirous to hear. Ariſtotle calleth hearing the learned ſenſe.
Ver. 5. The Lord God hath opened mine ear] Removing all lets, and making the bore bigger, as it were thereby ſpeaking home to my heart, and making me morigerous and obedient, againſt all affronts and miſuſages. For here our Saviour ſetteth forth his active obedience, as in the next verſe his Paſſive.
De Temp. ſer. 114.Ver. 6. I gave my back to the ſmiters] Ecce pro impio Pietas flagellatur, &c. ſaith Ambroſe Behold the man (as Pilat once ſaid) the juſt man ſcourged for the unjuſt, (1 Pet. 3.18.) wiſdom derided for the fools ſake; truth denied for the lyars ſake; mercy afflicted for the cruel mans ſake, life dying for the dead mans ſake. What are all our ſufferings to his? how oft have we been whipped, depiled, deſpitefully ſpit upon, &c. for his ſake? Oh that I might have the maiden-head of that kind of ſuffering, ſaid One of the Martyrs in the Marian times! for I have not heard that you have yet whipped any: Biſhop Bonner, afterwards, with his own hands whipped ſome, and pulled a great part of their beards off.
I hid not my face from ſhame and spitting] That is, from ſhameful ſpitting: See Matth. 26, 47. & 27.3…. with the Notes. Diſcamus etiam hoc loco, ſaith Oecolampadius, Learn here alſo what is the character of a true Chriſtian Miniſter, namely to expreſs Chriſt to the world as much as may be, viz, by apt utterance, ſeaſonable comforts, divine learning, ready obedience, conſtant patience, exemplary innocence, diſcreet zeal, &c.
Ver. 7. For the Lord God will help me] And again, ver. 9. Behold the Lord God will help me. This lively hope held head above water. Hope we alſo perfectly (or, to the end) for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.13.
Therefore ſhall I not be confounded] Heb. aſhamed, notwithſtanding the ſhame they ſeek to caſt upon me, ver. 6. I am as marble to which no dirt will ſtick.
Therefore I have ſet my face as a flint] Or, as ſteel (which is medulla ſive nucleus ferri, ſaith Pliny:) I have ſteeled my countenance, as Luke 9.51. See Ezek. 3.8, 9. So did Luther when he reſolved to appear at Wormes before the Emperour, though he were ſure to encounter as many devils there as were tiles upon the houſes.Act. & Mon. 776. See Acts 21.13.
Ver. 8. He is near that juſtifieth me] i. e. God the Father will ſhortly clear up mine innocency, and declare me to be the Son of God (my only crime now) with power by the reſurrection from the dead. Rom. 1.4.
Who will contend with me] So Joh. 8.46. & Rom. 8.33.34. where the Apoſtle Paul, as a ſtout ſouldier and imitatour of Chriſt, the Captain of his ſalvation, uſeth the ſame argument, and teacketh us to do likewiſe.
foreign.Ver. 9. Behold the Lord God will help me] See ver. 7.
Who is he that ſhall condemn me] If Libanius could ſay of his friend Baſil (though of a different Religion) Let but him praiſe me, and I care not who diſpraiſeth me: how much better might Chriſt and may every good Chriſtian ſay the ſame of God!
Lo, they ſhall all wax old as a garment] The Scribes and Phariſees (thoſe old cankered carles) ſhall: for of them Hierom, Cyril and others underſtand it: The Romans (according as they feared, and therefore crucified Chriſt, Joh. 11.48.) came upon them and toke away both them and their Nation.
The moth ſhall eat them up] i. e. They ſhall be irrecoverably ruined, being once laid aſide by God as an old ore-worn garment, which is made thereby meat for mothes. Thus it befel Pilat (ſaith Lyra here) baniſhed by Tiberius; and thus it beſel the Prieſts, who were burnt by Titus in the Temple: who alſo added, that it was fit that thoſe which ſerved in the Temple ſhould periſh together with it.
Ver. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord] This Queſtion implyeth that there were not many ſuch among them: See the like, Hoſ. 14. ult.
That obeyeth] The fear of God frameth the heart to the obedience of faith, Eccleſ. 12.13.
That walketh in darkneſs and hath no light] That being for the time deſerted, are in a miſt: ſo as that ye cannot read your own graces, ſee your own comforts, but walk in darkneſs though children of light, and are in ſuch a ſtate as Paul and his company was, Acts 27.20. when they ſaw neither Sun nor Stars for many daies together, but were almoſt paſt hope.
Let him truſt in the name of the Lord] Let him do as thoſe above-mentioned did, caſt anchor, even in the darkeſt night of temptation, and pray ſtill for day, and it will dawn at length: before day-break the darkneſs is greateſt; ſo is it oft in this caſe. Here then as a child in the dark claſps about his father: ſo let the poor deſerted ſoul about God. Diſtruſt is worſe then diſtreſs: and although the liquour of faith is never pure in theſe veſſels of clay, without the ſees of diſtruſt, yet true faith will truſt in God where it cannot trace him, and by an aſſurance, of adherence at leaſt, get to Heaven through mourning: as Chriſt was taken up in a cloud, or as the kine that carried the Ark went right, but they lowed as they went.
And ſtay upon this God] As the vine doth upon ſome ſupport. Faith hath a catching quality at whatoever is near to lay hold on: like the branches of the Vine, it windeth about that which is next and ſtayes it ſelf upon it, ſpreading further and further ſtill. Fides eſt quae te pullaſtrum, Chriſtum gallinam facit, ſaith Luther.
Ver. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire] That inſtead of relying upon God, would relieve your ſelves by carnal ſhifts and fetches, a fire of your own kindling, or rather ſparkes of your own tinder-boxes, ſtrange fire, and not that of Gods Sanctuary: Or ſay they be your own good works you truſt to; like as the Phoenix gathereth ſweet odoriferous ſticks in Arabia together, and then blows them with her wings, and burns her ſelf with them.
That compaſs your ſelves about with ſparks] Away with thoſe tinder-boxes of yours; what are your ſparkles but ſuch as are ſmitten out of a flint, which 1. Yields no warmth or good light. 2. Are ſoon extinct. 3. Nevertheleſſe, you are ſure to lie down in ſorrow, to be caſt into utter darkneſſe, where you ſhall never ſee the light again till you ſee the whole world all on a light fire at the laſt day.
Walk in the light of your fire] Do ſo, if ye thing it good: but your light ſhall be put out into darkneſſe and worſe: like as lightning is followed by rending and roaring Thunder.
This ſhall ye have of my hand] This I will aſſure of: and having ſpoken it with my mouth, I will fulfil it with my hand.
Ye ſhall lie down in ſorrow] As ſick folk, who being in grievous pain and teen, would fain dye, but cannot: Cubatum ibitis, adignes, ad dolores & cruciatus. You ſhall make your beds in the bottom of Hell, as it is ſaid of the King of Babylon, chap. 14.11. and as of Pope Clement the fifth it was reported, that upon the death of a Nephew of his whom he had ſenſually abuſed,Jacob. Revius hiſt. Pont. p. 199. he ſent to a certain Magician to know how it went with his ſoul in the other world? The Magician ſhewed him to the meſſenger as lying in Hell in a bed of fire: Whereupon the Pope was ſo ſtruck with horrour, that he never held up his head more, but ſoon after dyed alſo.