Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
In Pentat.Ver. 1. ANd it came to paſs] This is not a ſuperfluous Tranſition, as Auſtin maketh it: but importeth, that the following diſcourſe is no leſs to be regarded then the foregoing.
In the dayes of Ahaz] that ſturdy-ſtigmatick, under whom Iſaiah was, as Eliah under Ahab: and for the comfort of the godly, propheſied then moſt ſweetly concerning Chriſt and his Kingdom.
The ſon of Jotham, the ſon of Uzziah] for whoſe ſake, ſay the Rabbins, this wretch was thus relieved.
King of Judah] Titularis, ſed non Tutelaris (as it was once ſaid of Culperick King of France) utpote qui Reip. defuit, non praefuit.
That Rezin the King of Syria] He is firſt named, as being Generaliſſimo. See of him, 2 King. 15.37. He was King of Damaſcene, and Caeloſyria.
And Pekah King of Iſrael] Theſe two Kings had ſeverally invaded Judah before with great ſucceſs, 2 Chron. 28.5, 8. And heartened thereby, now they joyn their forces, thinking to make a full conqueſt: but were as much deceived and diſappointed, as were the Pope and Spaniard here in Eighty-eight: and more then once in Ireland, where D. Aquila with his Spaniards being beaten out, ſaid in open Treaty, that when the Devil upon the Mount ſhewed Chriſt all the Kingdoms of the Earth and the glory of them, he did not doubt but he left out Ireland, and kept it for himſelf.
Went up] but not in Gods Name, non Dei miſſu & nutu ut ante, ſed proprio motu & ambitione.
But could not prevail againſt it] Heb. could not war, ſc. with any good ſucceſs: They came into the Countrey like Thunder and Lightning, as duo fulmina belli, but went out like a ſnuffe.
Ver. 2. And it was told the houſe of David] i. e. the King and chief Officers of the Crown and Court. Ill news flyeth ſwift, and filleth all places.
Syria is confederate with Ephraim though theſe two were oft at deadly feud betwixt themſelves, yet they could combine for a miſchief to Gods people. So could Herodians and Phariſees, Herod and Pilate, &c. The Devil doubtleſs had a deſign by theſe two Champions of his to have utterly rooted out the Houſe of David (as he ſought alſo afterwards to do by Herod, Caligulae and others) and ſo to have prevented Chriſt his being made of the Seed of Abraham according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. but that could not be.
And his heart was moved] Concuſſum & conquaſſatum. Impiety triumpheth in proſperity: trembleth in adverſity. Tullus Hoſtilius, that godleſs King of Rome, ſet up Pavor and Pallor for Gods to himſelf. Saul and Achitophel in diſtreſs deſpaired, and diſpatcht themſelves: So did Demoſthenes, Cato, and other Heathen Sages, who were without God in the world, and therefore without comfort. Sin maketh men timorous, Lev. 26.36. but Righteouſneſs bold, Prov. 28.1. Pſalm 27.1. The Spirit of power and of a ſound mind are fitly ſet together, 2 Tim. 1.7.
Ver. 3. Then ſaid the Lord unto Iſaiah] Wicked Ahaz ſhall have a Prophet ſent him with a Promiſe, if it be but to leave him without excuſe: There was alſo a godly party in the Land, whoſe comfort was aimed at, and for whoſe ſake Shear jaſhub was alſo taken along, as carrying comfort in this very name: Portendit enim omnes pios qui divini verbi ſatu generandi ſunt ſalvos & incolumes fore, diviniſ que muneribus exornatos.
At the end of the Conduit of the upper pool] Where he is walking, and talking about ſending to Aſſyria for help. The place is pointed out for confirmation of the truth of the Propheſie. So in the Goſpel the Apoſtles are foretold where to fetch the Aſſe, where to prepare the Paſsover. This place was without the City, over againſt the Palace-Royal: the very ſame where afterwards Rabſhakah (the fugitive ſon of our Prophet Iſaiah, ſay the Rabbins; but without reaſon) railed upon the living God. This Propheſie here and now delivered,2 King. 18. might haply be ſome ſupport to good Hezekiah under that trial.
Of the Fullers field] Fullers muſt have ſtore of water, and room enough for the dreſſing and drying of their clothes, Miniſters are by an Ancient called Fullones animarum, Fullers of mens ſouls.
Ver. 4. Take heed and be quiet] Cave & quieſce: Or as others render it, Vide ut ſileas, See that thou ſay nothing: fret not, faint not, ſend no meſſage to the Aſſyrian, reſt by Faith upon the Lord of Hoſts, get a bleſſed Sabbath of Spirit, a well compoſed frame of Soul: for in quietneſs and confidence conſiſteth thy ſafety, as Chap. 30.15.
Fear not, neither be faint-hearted] See on ver. 2.
For the two tails of theſe ſmoaking fire-brands] By a moſt elegant Metaphor; he nameth not one of theſe two Potentates as not worth naming: but calleth them in contemp a couple of firebrands, ſuch as would do miſchief but cannot, becauſe but ſmoaking, and not burning; and but the tails of ſmoaking firebrands neither, ſuch as are ſmoaking their laſt, and ſhall ſhortly be utterly extinct. In a word, they have more pride then power, being a meer flaſh.
Ver. 5. Becauſe Syria, Ephraim, &c.] This was the fruit of their fury fuming out at their Noſes, ver. 4. and proving like ſmoak, which the higher it riſeth, the ſooner it vaniſheth: or like the bubbles blown up into the ayr by children, into whoſe eyes they ſoon fall back again. There is no wiſdom, nor underſtanding, nor counſel againſt the Lord, Prov. 21.30. See the Note there.
Ver. 6. Let us go up againſt Judah and vex it] So they had done ſeverally, and ſo they think much more to do joyntly. Sed aliter Deo viſum eſt. There is a Council in Heaven that daſheth the mould of all contrary Counſels upon earth, as Pſalm 2.4.
And let us make a breach therein for us] Or, let us divide it, and ſhare it betwixt us, or ſet a King over it that may be a vaſſal to us both. Thus the Pope gave away England Primo occupaturo, to him that ſhould firſt take it in Henry the eighths dayes: but he reckoned without his Hoſt, as they ſay.
Even the ſon of Tabeel] A Syrian, likely, as Tabrimmon, 1 King. 15.18. a good Rimmonite, 2 King 5.18. So Tabeel a good God. Rimmon was the Syrians God. The Chaldee expoundeth it Good or Right for us.
Ver. 7. It ſhall not ſtand] The Counſel of the Lord, that ſhall ſtand, Pſal. 33.11. when the worlds Wizzards ſhall be taken in their own craftineſs, 1 Cor. 3.19.
It ſhall not be] All their projects are daſhed by a word. Video, Rideo, ſaith He that ſitteth in Heaven, Pſalm 2. I look and laugh: and wherein they dealt proudly, I am above them, Exod. 18.11.
Ver. 8. For the head of Syria is Damaſcus] Not Jeruſalem, as they haply had contrived it: looking upon Jeruſalem as a City fatally founded to bear Rule, as One ſaith of Conſtantinople.
And the head of Damaſcus is Rezin] Let him ſet his heart at reſt, and not reach after the Dominion of Judah: leſt falling from his high hopes, he loſe that he hath already, and cry out with that Ambitioniſt, Sic mea fata ſequor.
And within threeſcore and five years] ſc. from the time that Amos foretold it, Chap. 5.27. & 7.8. that is, from the twenty fourth year of Ʋzziah to the ſixth of Hezekiah, when as the ten Tribes were carried away by Salmaneſer, 2 King. 17. Thus Hierom out of Seder-Olam. But I like better Piſcators computation, which is thus within 65. years, that is, from the fourth year of Ahaz now current to the 23. of Manaſſeh, when Ephraim ceaſed indeed to be a people by the command of Eſarhaddon Son of Senacherib: whereof ſee Ezra 4.2.
Ver. 9. And the head of Samariah, Remaliah's ſon] In contempt he hath neither his Name nor Title of a King given him, but is fairly warned to keep within his bounds: he is not like to hold long that he hath. It is dangerous medling with Jeruſalem, Zech. 12.2, 3, 6.
Valde brevis ſententia eſt, ſed gravis admodum. Oecolamp.If ye will not believe, ſurely ye ſhall not be eſtabliſhed] Jehoſaphat ſaid as much, 2 Chron. 20.20. and our Saviour ſomewhat like, John 8.20. Iſaiah ſaw the King and people ſtill fluctuating and trembling, notwithſtanding the divine Promiſe: and telleth them what to truſt to; unleſs they will truſt in God, they will never be ſoundly ſettled: Faith quelleth and killeth diſtruſtful fear, and maketh a man walk about the world like a Conquerour. There is an Elegancy here in the Original that cannot be Engliſhed.
Ver. 10. Moreover the Lord ſpake again unto Ahaz] Wicked though he were, and under the power of unbelief, yet he ſhall ſee that he hath to do with a very gracious and long-ſuffering God, who, by a wonderful condeſcenſion, will needs give him a ſign; Inauditum vero, dari ſignum incredulo. Chriſt would not ſo far gratifie the unbelieving Phariſees, but calleth them an evil and baſtardly brood for ſeeking a ſign from Heaven, Mat. 12.39.
Ver. 11. Ask the ſign of the Lord] not of any other God, to whom thou art addicted.
Thy God] From whom thou haſt deeply revolted: but of whom thou mighteſt upon thy return be graciouſly re-accepted.
Ask it either in the depth] This was a fair offer to ſo foul a ſinner: but all would not do; no though he ſhould have had a ſight of Heaven or of Hell for a ſign; And yet Bellarmine thinketh, that one glimpſe of Hell were enough to work upon the moſt hard-hearted ſinner in the world, and to make him yield to any thing.
Ver. 12. I will not ask] Ah lewd loſel! I will not ask; what a baſe anſwer was this of a Bedlam Belialiſt? what a wretched entertainment of ſuch an over-bounding Mercy? He doth upon the matter ſay, Ile ask no Asks, Ile try no ſigns, I know a trick worth two of that: God ſhall for me, keep his ſigns to himſelf: I crave no ſuch curteſie at his hands: I can otherwiſe help my ſelf, viz. by ſending to the Aſſyrian. If the Lord could and would have helped, how happeth it that ſo lately no leſs then an hundred and twenty thouſand of my Subjects were cut off in one day by this Remaliah's ſon, as you contemptuouſly call him?
Neither will I tempt the Lord] Or, neither w…ll I make tryal of the Lord, as in the former Note. Ambroſe was miſtaken who thought that Ahaz refuſed to ask or try the Lord, out of modeſty and humility: rather it was out of pervicacy, or (at beſt) Hypocriſie. Hic deſcendamus in noſtras conſcientias, ſaith good Oecolampadius. Here let us each deſcend and dive into his own conſcience, to ſee whether we alſo have not matched Ahaz in his madneſs, or at leaſt wiſe, coaſted too near upon his unkind uſage of the Lord, by rejecting his ſweet offers of Grace and motions of Mercy: by ſlighting his holy Sacraments, thoſe Signs and Seals of the Righteouſneſs that is by Faith. Adſit fides, & aberit periculum.
Ver. 13. Hear ye now ye Houſe of David] But ſhamefully degenerate from your thrice-worthy Progenitours; and ſtrangely forgetful of Gods Promiſes for a perpetual Succeſſion: which if ye remembred and believed, ye would not be ſo cauſleſly terrified.
Is it a ſmall thing for you] How heartily angry is the Prophet, how bleſſedly blown up in this caſe of ſo great diſhonour done to God? we ſhould be ſo too.
To weary men] to vex and moleſt: the Septuagint have it, to ſtrive, Agoneus redditis.or wreſtle a fall with men; By men he meaneth himſelf and his fellow-Prophets, whom Ahaz and his Courtiers ſlighted and miſuſed. Let this comfort Gods faithful Miniſters under the worlds indignities and injuries. See Matth. 5.11, 12.
But will ye weary my God] whom I ſerve in my spirit; and now no more thy God, as ver. 11. ſith thou haſt refuſed to be Ruled by him,Non autem tuum, ô rex Ahaſe. Piſcat. and that after manifeſt conviction, and greateſt importunity to bring thee to a better temper.
Ver. 14. Therefore the Lord himſelf ſhall give you a ſign] Give it you, ingratiis veſtris, without your leave, of his own proffer. If we believe not, yet God remaineth faithful, 2 Tim. 2.13. Rom. 3.3. The Houſe of David was as it were great with child with Chriſt, and with Gods promiſes in him; therefore (to be ſure) it could not be rooted out (as theſe two Kings deſigned) before Chriſt were come into the world. Hence his wonderfull Conception and Birth is made here a Sign of his peoples Safety here, and Salvation hereafter. And had Ahaz and his people believed this latter, they would not have much doubted of the former; but rather argued with St. Paul, Having given us his Son, Rom. 8.32.how ſhall he not with him give us all things alſo?
A ſign] A ſingular ſign, a ſign both from above and from beneath: for he joyned lumen ſuae aeternitatis limo tuae mortalitatis, Bern.the light of his Eternity to the mud of thy mortality, as a Father hath it, Joh. 1.14. Phil. 2.6.7.
Behold] A Note of attention and admiration. One compareth it to the ſounding of a Trumpet before ſome notable Proclamation: Another to a hand in the Margent, pointing to ſome remarkable matter: ſo doth this Ecce to Chriſts incarnation as a thing in Gods Decree, and to his peoples Faith already preſent.
A Virgin] Hagnalmah that famous Virgin, ſo long ſince ſpoken of,Haec ſimul eſt genitrix, filia, ſponſa Dei. Tot tibi ſunt dotes Virgo, quot ſidera caelo. Gen. 3.15. that female glory, the Virgin Mary, with whom the Angel ſpake concerning mans ſalvation, Matth. 1.18, 23. Luke 1.27, 35. as the Devil before had done with the firſt woman, concerning the means of his deſtruction. Of this Virgin-Mother the Sibulls are ſaid thus to have propheſied alſo,
Virginis in corpus voluit dimittere caelo
Ipſe Deus prolem, cum nuntiat Angelus almae
Matri, quae miſeros contractâ ſorde levabit.
See more in Virgils 4th. Eclog. and Aug. de civ. Dei, lib. 10. cap. 27. Some tell us that when this bleſſed Virgin brought forth, there was ſeen at Rome about the Sun, the likeneſs of a woman carrying a child in her arms, and a voyce heard, ſaying, Pan the great God is born into the world.
Shall conceive and bear a ſen] Shiloh, the ſon of her ſecundine, Gen. 49.10. the true Melchiſedeck; as man without father, and as God without mother, Heb. 7.5. See Luke 1.35. But how blank were the Jews when they ſaw the iſſue of their late Jewiſh Virgin turned to a Daughter? and how ſilly is that ſaying of theirs in their Talmud, For our ſins which are many, the coming of the Meſſiah is deferred?Sanhed. cap. 11. Jachiades upon thoſe words, Dan. 12.4. would have us believe that God ſealed up the time of Chriſts coming, revealing it to Daniel only. But why take they not notice that the very time of Meſſiah the Prince his coming is ſet down by Daniel, chap. 9. and ſith that time is long ſince paſt, let them either condemn the Prophet of vanity, or elſe confeſs with us that Chriſt is come already.
And ſhall call] Or, Thou (Virgin) ſhalt call; as having the right of nomination.
His Name Immanuel] That is, God with us, as Matth. 1.23. See the Note there. Cujus nomen illius numen facile declarabit. Chriſt indeed was not called by this name Immanuel, that we anywhere read of (as neither was Solomon by the name of Jedediah, 2 Sam. 12.25, 26.) unleſs it be chap. 8.8. but the import of this name is moſt truly affirmed and acknowledged to be fully made good in him.
Ver. 15. Butter and Honey ſhall he eat] i. e. He ſhall be fed with Childrens meat, after the manner of other Infants; for as he ſhall take upon him our nature,Noematica periphraſis. ſo ſhall he alſo partake with us in our natural infirmities: feeding as other Children there did, on butter and honey, not able to diſcern good from evil through want of judgement, till he came to be of diſcretion, Luke 2.52. with Deut. 1.39. that he might be in all things like unto us, and that we might once come unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, Eph. 4.13. that we might become ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, able to do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth us, Phil. 4. Stumble not at his weakneſs, but gather aſſurance of his Love, who ſo ſweetly joyned his Majeſty to our meanneſs, his might to our weakneſs: abaſing himſelf to the ſhape and ſtate of a feeble weak and helpleſs child.
Ver. 16. For before the child] Hannagnar, this child Shear Jaſhub here preſent, ver. 3. the proper ſign of this preſent deliverance, as Iſa. 8.4. made ſo by occaſion of the mention of Immanuel that was to be born many years after, of a Virgin.
The land that thou abhorreſt] Or, by which thou art vexed, as ver 6. Confer Exod. 1.12. Num. 22.3. So the Danes were abhorred by the Engliſh, the French by the Sicilians, as appeared by thoſe bloody Veſpers.
Shall be left of both her Kings] Who ſhall be cut off by a ſeaſonable vengeance: See this fulfilled, 2 King. 15.30. and 16.9. within a year or two of this prophecy.
Ver. 17. The Lord ſhall bring upon thee, &c.] ſc. in caſe thou believe not. Thou and thine ſhall periſh, notwithſtanding this preſent deliverance; the Lord will deſtroy thee after that he hath done thee good, as Joſh. 24.20. Et cujus verbis credere noluiſti, ejus verberibus fidem habebis. Thou ſhalt ſoon have enough of the Aſſyrian, in whom thou wilt needs truſt, and not in Me. Him thou ſhalt call in for help againſt others: but he, having taken a taſte of ſo fertile a ſoil and wealthy a ſtate, ſhall at length over-run all: Like as afterwards alſo the old Gawls did Italy, and the Saracens the Greek Empire.
Ver. 18. The Lord will hiſs for the flye, &c.] Out of Egypt and the confines. The people of which parts are fitly called flyes, ſay Expoſitors, for their numeroſity, ſwiftneſs, ſtench, impudency, harſh language, ob vocis abſonae ſtridorem. The countrey being hot, and lying low aboundeth with flyes and gnats, ſuch as proud Pharaoh was vexed with.
And for the bee that is in Aſſyria] That countrey is full of woods, and ſo of bees: to which alſo the Aſſyrians are fitly compared, as for their numerouſneſs, their military skill and comely marſhalling of their forces, their golden armour, their induſtry and conſtancy in battle; ſo for their force and fury eſpecially. Virgil ſpeaking of bees ſaith,
Illis ira modum ſuperat, laefaeque venenum
Inſpirant ſtimulis, & vitam in vulnere linquunt.
See the Babylonical fierceneſs and cruelty graphically deſcribed, Jer. 51.34. It was ſo much the greater, becauſe ſent for and ſet on they were by Gods hiſs or whiſtle.
Ver. 19. And they ſhall come and ſhall reſt all of them] As flyes do upon fleſh, and as bees upon trees: they ſhall ſeiſe all.
In the deſolate vallies, &c.] Hereby is ſet forth, ſaith Calvin, that in no lurking place any of the Jews ſhould be ſecreted or ſecured from their enemies, but that they ſhall range about and rage everywhere thoroughout the whole land. And becauſe all this is done at an hiſs, the backwardneſs of Chriſtians is condemned, ſaith Muſculus, who cannot by moſt earneſt preaching of long continuance be brought to do as God requireth them.
Ver. 20. In the ſame day ſhall the Lord ſhave] Not ſhear but ſhave, with a razor, to ſet forth the calamity of war which waſteth and taketh away all, and maketh clean work, as we uſe to ſay: nihil in toto regno intactum reliquit, ſed omnia à ſummo ad imum expilavit Aſſyrius. The Aſſyrian is here called Gods razor, becauſe his inſtrument to ſhave as he pleaſeth: though haply by exceeding his commiſſion, as Zach. 1.15. he might prove a deceitful razor, as Pſal. 52.2. that inſtead of ſhaving the hair, lanceth the fleſh.
That is hired] Whether by Ahaz himſelf, but for a better purpoſe, 2 King. 16.7, 8. not to hurt but to help, though it fell out otherwiſe: or by God, who paid the Aſſyrian for his hire the Lands of Iſrael and of Syria: ſee the like Ezek. 29.18, 19. Barbers uſe not their razors but for reward.
Beyond the river] Euphrates that ran between Syria and Aſſyria, but could not keep off the Aſſyrian Deſtroyer.
The head, and the hair of the feet] Elſewhere called head and tail, that is, high and low, Prince and Peſant.
And it ſhall alſo conſume the beard] 1. the Prieſts, Pſal. 133.2. as ſome ſenſe it: or, as others, all the comelineſs and virility of the Jewiſh nation.
Ver. 21. A man ſhall nouriſh two ſheep] He that was wont to ſay,Virg. eclog. Mille meae Siculis errant in montibus agnae, ſhall now be reduced to ſo great penury as to be glad of two ſheep, and have ſcarce a yong Heifer left for his neceſſary ſubſiſtence, who was wont to have many ploughs going. They ſhall not now, as heretofore, joyn houſe to houſe, and land to land: they ſhall not keep race-horſes, or hunting dogs, &c.
Ver. 22. For the abundance of milk] yielded him by his two Cows, through the paucity of people and plenty of graſs.
He ſhall eat butter] eat his fill, ſith there are none to buy it of him; none to pull it out of his mouth.
For butter and honey ſhall every one eat] not cates and dainties, as chap. 5.12. but mean fare, ſuch as he can get: as wild-honey, ſuch as the Baptiſt fed on.
Ver. 23. Where there were a thouſand vines] Which once were to the ſenſual Jews an occaſion of drunkenneſs and forgetfulneſs of God, chap. 5.11, 12. A Lapide on chap. 5.2. telleth us that at Herbipolis in Germany there are abundance of vineyards, ſo that they have more wine there then water: and ſuch huge wine-veſſels that the vintners have doors in the ſides of them whereby they enter (as Diogenes did into his tub) to make them clean and fit for their uſe.
Shall be briars and thorns] Agri quondam vitibus conſiti, erunt obſiti vepribus, & dumetis denſiſſimis hirſuti.
Ver. 24. With arrows and with bows ſhall they come] for their neceſſary defence againſt the wild beaſts that haunt thoſe deſert places, propter denſa ferarum luſtra hominibus infeſta: This was threatened, Lev. 26.22.
Ver. 25. And on all the hills that ſhall be digged, Aſſemb. Annot.&c.] A good Tranſlation of a text is inſtead of a good Commentary: Some very learned render the words thus, And on the hills that had wont to be digged with mattock or ſpade, that no fear of bryar or thorn might come thither, ſhall a place alſo be for ſending in of oxen, and the treading of leſſer cattle: Which ſhall range and graze freely (ſay they by way of gloſs) after their wonted manner in thoſe places, from whence they and their owners had formerly been ejected and excluded by the violent oppreſſions and undue encloſures of the richer and greater ſort, chap. 5.17.