Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 63
CHAP. LXIII.
Ver. 1. WHo is this that cometh from Edom] It had been ſaid, chap. 62.11. Behold thy ſalvation (thy Saviour) cometh. Here therefore by an elegant Hypotypoſis, the Sionidae or Saints are brought in wondring at his coming in ſuch a garb, and asking Who's this? what gallant Conquerour have we here? Edom or Idumaea ſignifieth Red, Bozrah (the chief City of Idumaea) a vintage; confer ver. 2. It may very well be alſo, that this Prophecy was uttered in vintage-time, and therehence haply might grow the compariſon here uſed. John the Divine, repreſenting to us Chriſts coming to Judgement, uſeth the ſame Simile, Rev. 19.13. Some alſo of good note do underſtand this Prophecy of Chriſts triumphing over all his and our enemies (the Romiſh Edomites eſpecially) at the laſt day.
Metaph. à maſſa conſperſa.With dyed garments] Heb. leavened, i. e. drenched, beſmeared.
This that is glorious in his apparel] Which is the more glorious, becauſe laced or embroidered with the blood of his enemies.
Walking in the greatneſſe of his ſtrength] Fortiter graſſans, walking and stalking, going in ſtate,Plutarch. in Epam. greſſu grallatorio, Emperour like, ſo as Epaminondas marched before his army; which when Ageſilaus King of Spartans beheld, he cryed out, O virum magnificum! O that's a gallant man! Ye ſhall ſee the Son of man coming with great power, ſaith Chriſt.
I that ſpeak in righteouſneſſe] Chriſts anſwer, q. d. Fear not little flock: this ſtrange garb and gate of mine portendeth no hurt but good to you, to whom whatſoever I have faithfully promiſed, I will powerfully perform. As King of Zion I will Parcere ſubjectis & debellare ſuperbos. At the laſt day alſo I will come to be glorified in my Saints, and to be admired in all them that beleeve, 2 Theſ. 1.10. See Rev. 19.11.
Mighty to ſave] Sufficiens ad ſalvandum, ſive Magister ad ſalvandum, a Maſter to ſave. This thoſe Lepers had learned, and therefore cryed, Jeſus Maſter, have mercy on us, Luk. 17.13.
Ver. 2. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel?] The wondring Church had propoſed two queſtions, ver. 1. viz. who that was? and why ſo bloodyed? To the firſt ſhe had an anſwer in few,Aug. but very full, ver. 1. To the ſecond ſhe here again preſſeth for an anſwer: and the rather becauſe candor magis quam cruor, clemency would better he ſeem a Saviour, than cruelty.
Ver. 3. I have troden the wine-preſſe alone] I the Sole and All ſufficient Saviour of my Church have executed Gods juſt vengeance upon all her enemies, ſpiritual and corporal: (confer Lam. 1.15. Rev. 14.19, 20. and 19.15.) and this with as much eaſe as men tread grapes in a wine-preſs.
And of the people there was none with me] Chriſt maketh uſe of men for the beating down of Satans ſtrong-holds: but the power whereby it is done, is from Chriſt alone, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. and 4.7. Papiſts who will needs ſhare with Chriſt and make him but an half-Saviour, have no ſhare in his ſalvation.
For I will tread them in mine anger] I have already done it: and I will much more at that great day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Rom. 2.5. See Rev. 19.20, 21.
And their blood ſhall be sprinkled] Or, was ſprinkled. Their blood, not his own. The Fathers therefore and others who interpret this text of Chriſts paſſion, were miſtaken. There is one among the reſt who thus deſcants upon this verſe, but not ſo well. The wild bull ſaith he, of all things cannot abide any red colour. Therefore the Hunter for the nonce ſtanding before a tree, puts on a red garment: whom when the Bull ſeeth, he runs hard at him as hard as he can drive: But the hunter ſlipping aſide, the bulls horns ſtick faſt in the tree: as when David ſlipt aſide, Sauls ſpear ſtuck faſt into the wall: ſuch an hunter is Chriſt. Chriſt ſtanding before the tree of his Croſſe, putteth on a red garment dipt and dyed in his own blood, as one that cometh with red garments from Bozrah: therefore the devil and his Angels, like wild bulls of Baſan run at him: but he ſaving himſelf, their hornes ſtick faſt in the Croſs; as Abrahams ram by his horns ſtuck faſt in the briars. Thus he.
Stain my raiment] Heb. pollute it: for other blood polluteth, Chap. 59.3. Lam. 4.14. but the blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin, 1 Joh. 1.7.
Ver. 4. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart] Or, was in mine heart: hence I made ſuch havock. Chriſt is the Lord God of Recompences, Jer. 51.56. and the Lord God of revenges, Pſal. 94.1. he is jealous and furious, Nah. 1.2. (See the Note there) his feet wherewith he treadeth down his enemies, are like unto fine braſs as if they burned in a furnace, Rev. 1.15. Oh it is a fearful thing to fall into the puniſhing hands of this living God, Heb. 10.31.
And the year of my Redeemed is come] Their joyful Jubilee. It is hail with the Saints when ill with the wicked. The deliverance of thoſe is oft the deſtruction of theſe.
Ver. 5. And I looked and there was none to help] See on chap. 59.16.
Ver. 6. Make them drunk in my fury] I will give them large draughts of my diſpleaſure, as Pſal. 75.9. I will infatuate and utterly diſable them to rebel and reſiſt: yea I will make them drunk with their own blood, as with new wine, chap. 49.26. See Rev. 16.6. with the Note. The perverſe Jews, as the laſt deſtruction of their Citie, became a famous inſtance, being buried as it were in a bog of blood.
And I will bring down their ſtrength] Or, their blood, as it is rendred,Oecolam. ver. 3. eo quod vita & virtus hominis in ſanguine, becauſe life and ſtrength is in the blood.
Ver. 7. I will mention the loving kindneſſes of the Lord] ſc. As an aggravation of Iſraels great unkindneſs and unthankfulneſs to ſo liberal a Lord,Summam Cantici ſui paucis complectitur. ſo bountiful a Benefactour. Good turnes exaggerate unkindneſſes: and mens offences are increaſed by their obligations. See Deut. 32.7, 14.
According to his mercies, &c.] Which are ſuch, as words are too weak to utter: hence this Copia verborum, and all too little: See the like, Epheſ. 2.5, 7.
Ver. 8. For he ſaid, Surely they are my people, children that will not lye] q. d. I preſume they will not, it were a foul ſhame for them if they ſhould deceive my expectation, deale diſloyally, ſhew themſelves deceitful in the Covenant. The Officers of Merindol in France anſwered the Popiſh Biſhop that moved them to abjure, that they marvelled much that he would offer to perſwade them to lye to God and the world. And albeit that all men by nature are lyars, yet they had learned by the Word of God, that they ought diligently to take heed of lying in any matter, be it never ſo ſmall; Alſo that they ought diligently to take heed that their children did not accuſtome or uſe themſelves to lye, and therefore puniſh them very ſharply when they took them with any lye,Act. & Mon. 866. even as if they had committed a robbery; for the devil is a lyar, &c. Here the Biſhop roſe up in a great anger, and ſo departed.
Ver. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted] See Exod. 3.7, 9. Judg. 10.16. Zach. 2.8. Act. 9.4. Jer. 31.20. Of God we may better ſay, than the Poet did of Auguſtus,
2. de Ponto. Eleg. 2.Eſt placidus, faciliſque parens, veniaeque paratus:
Et qui fulmineo ſaepe ſine igne tonat.
Qui cum triſte aliquid ſtatuit, ſit triſtis & ipſe:
Cuique fere poenam ſumere poena ſua eſt.
And the Angel of his preſence ſaved them] i. e. Jeſus Chriſt, who is called the face of God, Exod. 33.14, 15. the image of the inviſible God, Coloſ. 1.15. whom who ſo hath ſeen, hath ſeen the Father alſo, Joh. 14.9. He who is in the boſom of the Father, Joh. 1.18. and as an everlaſting Prieſt mediateth and miniſtreth in the preſence of his Father, making requeſt for us, Heb. 9.24. Rev. 8.3. that Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1.
And he bare them] As Parents do their young children.
And carryed them] As Eagles do their young. See Exod. 19.4. Deut. 32.11. with the Note.
Ver. 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit] By ſinning againſt light, checks of conſcience, motions of the Spirit, mercyes without meaſure, &c. Junius thinketh this a clear place for proof of the Trinity in Unity.
So he was turned to be their enemy] This was an ill turn for them: abuſed mercy turneth into fury: with the froward God will wreſtle, Pſal. 18.
Ver. 11. Thou he remembred] i. e. Iſrael remembred the dayes of old, Heb. of antiquity, the dayes of yore, as ſome old Tranſlations have it. See Pſal. 89.50, &c.
Saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the ſea?] q. d. How is it that he is not now to be found, as then he was for the ſuccour of his poor people? They had vexed his holy Spirit, and therefore he withdrew himſelf. See Hoſ. 5.6.
With the ſhepherd of his flock] Or ſhepherds (as ſome ancient copies had it) viz. Moſes and Aaron, Pſal. 77.20.
Where is he that put his holy ſpirit within him?] But this holy Spirit they had vexed, ver. 10. and now they ſorrowfully enquire after. Delicata res eſt ſpiritus ſanctus: ita nos tractat, ſicut tractatur, ſaith a Father, i. e. The Spirit of God is a delicate thing: he deals with us, as we deal by him.
Ver. 12. That led them by the right hand of Moſes with his glorious arm] Or, that ma…e his gallant arm to go at Moſes his right hand.
Fun…cius.Dividing the water before them] So that Pſeudo-Moſes (the devill likely) made many over credulous Jews of Creet believe, that he would do for them whom he cozened into the midſt of the ſea, to their deſtruction, Anno Chriſti 434. Some are of opinion, that this affectionate prayer was purpoſely penned by the Prophet, for the uſe of thoſe poor Jews, who after the coming of Chriſt, and manifeſtation of the Goſpel, ſhould ſee themſelves to be rejected by God and his Church, and ſhould now beg to be owned again: cui ſanc inſtituto omnia, magis quam dici queat, conveniunt, ſaith Hyperius; the enſuing petitions ſuit very much.
Ver. 13. That led them through the deep] Which threatened to ſwallow them, but indeed preſerved them: ſo doth every main affliction.
As a horſe in the wilderneſſe] Or, as an horſe goeth in the plain, (when led by his rider) in qua non eſt lutum vel lapis, where there is neither mire to ſtick in, nor ſtone to ſtumble at. See Pſal. 106.
Leniter & commode.Ver. 14. As a beaſt goeth down into the valley] i. e. Gently and leiſurely, according to that known Diſtich,
Aſcendente tuo, vel deſcendente caballo,
Vox ait iſta, Fave; vox ait illa, Cave.
The Spirit of the Lord cauſed him to reſt] Or, led them until he brought them to reſt, ſc. in the promiſed land.
To make thy ſelf a glorious name] q. d. So thou maiſt do again, if thou pleaſe to ſhew mercy unto us: Name is here put for fame or renown.
Ver. 15. Look down from heaven] Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium ſcite exprimuntur: a pathetical and pithy prayer.
And behold from the habitation of thy holineſs, &c.] They pray otherwiſe now, then when the Temple ſtood, Pſal. 121.1. now they look higher: and Oh that they would do ſo! The modern Jews pray thus daily; but becauſe not from a right principle, they are not heard.
Where is thy zeal?] Thine ancient fervour, and forwardneſs in vindicating thy people, and being avenged of their enemies.
The ſounding (rumbling or yerning) of thy bowels, &c.] Sometimes God ſeemeth to looſe his mercy, and then we muſt find it for him, as here: ſometimes to ſleep or delay, and then we muſt waken quicken him, Pſal. 40.17. Iſa. 62.7.
Are they reſtrained?] Chryſoſtom exhorteth people, whether God grant or not, to pray ſtill; for when God denies, it is as good as if he grants: And if we pray for any temporal mercy, the very ability to pray,Hom. 30. in Gen ſ. is better then the thing we pray for; for Whoſoever calleth upon the name of the Lord, ſhall be ſaved.
Ver. 16. Doubtleſt thou art our Father] Though thou frowneſt and withdraweſt: The people of God ſaw that He was angry, that their hearts alſo were hard: yet they thought they ſhould know him amidſt all his auſterities, and they make to him for help. And, doubtleſs, help the Jews might yet have, could they ſeriouſly ſay as here, Certainly thou art our Father, and would no longer reſt upon carnal things, boaſting of Abraham their Father, Circumciſion, and other external priviledges.
Though Abram be ignorant of us] Ipſi nunc ſua quiete fruuntur, they are at reſt, and know nothing of our affaires. The Monks tell us that the Saints departed ſee things done here in the face of God, as in a glaſs. But this is a meer fiction of theirs: See Pſal. 27.10. 2 King. 22.20. Auguſtine ſaith of his mother Monica deceaſed,Lib de curae pro mortuis agenda, cap. 13. Eccius in locis. that ſhe did now no longer yeeld him comfort, becauſe ſhe knew not what befel him. The greateſt Popiſh Clerkes themſelves confeſs, that the invocation of Saints departed hath neither precept, promiſe, nor precedent in the Book of God. Moreover they cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and prayers; whether by hearing, or ſeeing, or preſence everywhere, or by Gods relating, or revealing mens prayers and needs unto them. All which wayes ſome of them hold as poſſible, or probable: and others deny and confute them as untrue.Mortons Appeale lib. 2. cap. 12. ſect. 5. The Syriack and Arabick render the text thus, Thou art our Father, we are ignorant of Abraham, and we acknowledge not Iſrael. Thou O Lord art our Father, &c. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Heathen, Contemno minutos iſtos Deos, moao Jovem mihi propitium habeam, I care not for thoſe petty-gods, ſo that Jupiter will ſtand my friend. And that better ſaying of a devout Chriſtian,
Ʋna eſt in trepida mihi re medicina, Jehova
Cor patrium, os ver ax, omnipotenſque manus.Nathan. Chytraeus.
It hath been well obſerved, that the defeat given to the Spaniſh Fleet Anno 1588. fell out to be on St. James his day, whom the Spaniards pray to as their Patrone, or St. Tutelar.
Thy name is from eternity] i. e. This name of thine our Redeemer. Some read the text thus, Our Redeemer is from of old thy Name. Our Redemption was not of yeſterday, but verily fore ordained before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1.20.
Ver. 17. O Lord, why haſt thou made us to erre from thy waies? &c.] i. e. Given us up to errour and obſtinacy? Why doſt thou thus puniſh ſin with ſin, for the illuſtration of thy Juſtice and jealouſy againſt us, who have rebelled and vexed thine holy Spirit? ver. 10. Oh be pleaſed to deal with us rather according to thy mercy, Return for thy ſervants ſake, the good people that are yet left amongſt us: give us hearts of fleſh, and lead us in the way everlaſting. Here obſerve that Gods beſt children may find in themſelves hardneſs of heart, Hoſ. 4.16. yet not total, but mixt with ſoftneſs and tenderneſs in every part, ſo that though they reſiſt, neglect, profit not as they might do (through pride, worldlineſs, voluptuouſneſs, Mat, 13.22. Luke 21.34. hypocritical hiding of any ſin, Pſal. 32.3, 4. Prov. 28.14. letting fall the watch of the Lord, 2 Chron. 32.25.) yet it is not done with full conſent, but with reluctance now, and repentance afterwards.
The tribes of thine inheritance] q. d. Wilt thou abhor thy people in covenant with thee, and abandon thine own inheritance? How few are there that thus urge the ſeale, and enter a ſuit with the Lord?
Ver. 18. The people of thine holineſs have poſſeſſed it but a little while] viz. In reſpect of that perpetuity promiſed them by Thee, Gen. 17.8. & 26.3. & 28.13. Exod. 32.13. Beſides the many calamities that have befaln us whereby we have had ſmall enjoyment of this thine inheritance. All the daies of the afflicted are evil, Prov. 15.15. their life lifeleſs, and not to be reckoned on.
Our adverſaries have trodden down thy Sanctuary] This they did in the daies of Antiochus, but eſpecially about the time of our Saviours incarnation: when the ſcepter departed from Judah, Pompey with his Army entered into the Sanctuary, Herod got the governement, the Romans ſat up their Enſignes and Statues in the holy of holies, &c. This deſolation of the ſecond Temple the Jews do here bewail: but we have cauſe to rejoyce, for that by Chriſt the whole world is now become a Temple, and every place a goodly Oratory, 1 Tim. 2.8.
Ver. 19. We are thine] And ſhouldeſt thou then deal with us as ſome profane idolatrous Nation? See here the holy boldneſs of Faith, ſtanding upon interrogatories, 1 Pet. 3.21. and filling her mouth with arguments of all ſorts.
Thou never bareſt rule over them] No ſuch reaſon or relation is there of children, ſervants, ſubjects, wherefore they ſhould thus be favoured, and we diſowned, Amos 3.2. See on ver. 17.