Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Ver. 1. TAke thee a great roll] Or volume, ſo called either becauſe it was rolled up together like the web upon the pinne: or (as others) becauſe it revealeth that unto us, which otherwiſe we knew not. Blaſphemous was that jear of the Jews who called the Evangel or Goſpel Aven gillaion a volume of vanity. And no better was that of B. Bonners Chaplain who called the Bible (that bleſſed Book) in ſcorn his little pretty Gods book. Chald. vertit Scripturamclaram. See Iſa. 30.8.This one ſmall piece of it is here ſtiled grande volumen, a great roll, for the fulneſs of the matter in fewneſs of words.
And write in it with a mans pen] that is, plainly and clearly: that when it ſhall be faſtened to the gate of the Temple, or ſome way elſe be expoſed to publike view, he that runneth may read it, Habac. 2.2. and he that readeth may underſtand it: and not be ſo written as that was, Dan. 5.5, 7. which none could read and unriddle,foreign. but the Prophet himſelf: nor be as Ariſtotles Acroamaticks, publiſhed and yet unpubliſhed.
Concerning Maher-ſhalal-haſh-baz] 1. Make ſpeed to the ſpoil, haſten the prey: words whereby God calleth the King of Aſſyria out of his countrey to take the ſpoil ſpeedily of Syria and Samaria; both which groaned for his coming, and hangd for his mowing. This was afterwards given for a name to Iſaiah's new-born babe, viz. at his circumciſion: and that before two ſufficient witneſſes who might atteſt both the childs name, and the reaſon of it, which the Prophet likely told them. Such another compound name was Shear-jaſhub, chap. 7. Zorobabel, Hagio-Chriſtophorites, &c. and amongſt us Keep-ſabbath, Hope-ſtill, &c.
Ver. 2. And I took unto me faithful witneſſes] So they might be, and yet not godly men: as Galba and our Rich. 3. were ſaid to be bad men, but yet good Princes. Some think that this Ʋriah was the ſame with him that brought in the Altar of Damaſcus. He had been better perhaps, but at laſt revolted: as did Demas (of whom Dorotheus ſaith that he became a Prieſt in an idol temple at Theſſalonica) and Damaſcen who turned Mahometan, as ſome write. Zechariah the other witneſs was a man of great eminency, as being grand-father (by the mothers ſide) to good Hezekiah.
Ver. 3. And I went unto the Propheteſs] Prophets wives were anciently called Propheteſſes; like as Biſhops wives (ſaith à Lapide the Jeſuit) were alſo called Biſhoppeſſes, Presbyters wives Presbytereſſes, Deacons wives Deaconeſſes: Jeſuits have ſtill their Jeſuiteſſes, as Majors their Majoreſſes, &c.
Maber-ſhalal-haſh-baz] q. d. Make haſte, come away to ſo rich a booty, to the rifling and ruinating of theſe two potent and opulent Kingdoms. God hereby ſeemeth to beſpeak the Aſſyrian as Cicero once did his friend, Si dormis, expergiſcere: ſi ſtas, ingredere: ſi ingrederis, curre: ſi curris, advola, &c. and at the calling of this child by his name, the prediction was remembred, and the thing aſcertained.
Ver. 4. For before the child, &c.] That is within a year or two: for it was an extraordinary thing that is reported of Maximilian the Emperour that he was eight year old at leaſt ere he ſpake any thing: but afterwards he became a fluent and elegant Speaker.
The riches of Damaſcus] Riches do many times change their maſters; and Kingdoms are oft turned upſide down, when they fall to perſecuting the people of God eſpecially, as did theſe Syrians and Iſraelites.
Before the King of Aſſyria] Spoils taken from the enemy were and are uſually carried in triumph before the Conqueror.
Ver. 5. The Lord ſpake alſo unto me again ſaying] Heb. And the Lord further added to ſpeak unto me. Here the Iſraelites, a part from the Syrians, are ſpecially threatned with deſtruction, becauſe they abandoned their brethren the two other tribes, and truſted to confederacies and aids of forrain Princes.
Ver. 6. Foraſmuch as this people] The ten revolted tribes not worth the naming: ſee ver. 5.
Refuſe the waters of Shiloah] Slight and contemn the ſmall means and ſtrength of the Church, humilem & obſcurum ſtatum regni Zionis.
That run ſoftly] at the foot of mount Zion, creeping and crooking ſlowly and ſlily: called therefore,De Bell. Gall. lib. 1. as ſome think, the Dragons well, Neh. 2.13. Caeſar ſaith the like of the river Araris (probably Sone) and the Poet Claudian of Nilus,
Le…e fluit Nilus, ſed cunctis amnibus extat
Ʋtilior, nullas confeſſus murmure vires.
And rejoyce in Rezin and Remaliah's ſon] rejoyce in a thing of nought, as Amos his expreſſion is chap. 6.13. The Hebrew here hath it thus, And joy is to Rezin, &c. that is, the Syrians and Iſraelites both are much cheared up to ſee that Judah is at ſo great an under; and ſo eaſy to be overcome, as they think.
Ver. 7. Now therefore behold the Lord bringeth] They that ſlighted ſtill-running Shiloah, ſhall have the waters of Euphrates ſtrong and many to overwhelm and ſwallow them up. God loveth to retaliate.
Even the King of Aſſyria and all his glory] i. e. his armies and forces wherein he gloryeth. See chap. 10.8. and 36.9.
foreign.And he ſhall] Or, it ſhall, viz. the River Euphrates, whoſe exundation is here graphically deſcribed, and thereby depainted to the life the practice of tyrants in over-running whole countreys as by a deluge, as did the Aſſyrian of old, and as doth the great Turk at this day.
Ver. 8. And he ſhall paſs thorough Judah] After Iſrael ſubdued: but yet with a difference, as chap. 27.7, 8. for the Iſraelites and Syrians were utterly drowned with this proud flood, but the Jews were only drenched; it reached but to the neck, their head was ever above water: and that becauſe Emanuel (better that any Chriſtopher) bore them up.
And the ſtretching out of his wings] that is, of his immenſe forces: the Aſſyrian, by another Allegory, being here compared to an Eagle, which covereth her whole prey with her wings.
Shall fill the breadth of thy Land, O Immanuel] Shall ſurely, unleſs thou O Lord Chriſt, (who art King of this countrey by a ſpecialty) ſhalt pleaſe to prevent it. Learn we likewiſe in all our ſtraits or ailments to run to our Immanuel, and implore his help, remembring that he is God with us, he is a man amidſt us; cum Patre dator, inter nos petitor, as Auſtin hath it; he gives with the Father, he prays with the ſuitor; he will deliver and defend his ſubjects and ſuppliants.
Ver. 9. Aſſociate your ſelves O ye people] In confidence of her King Immanuels ſuccour and ſupport, the Church thus holily inſulteth over her moſt active enemies, foretelling their utter ſubverſion. The Virgin daughter of Zion doth the like, chap. 37.22. as binding upon her invincible Champion Immanuel, ver. 2.3. whoſe very name here putteth ſpirits into her, and maketh her take heart of grace, as they ſay. Baſil biddeth the Chriſtians in time of perſecution boldly beſpeak their adverſaries in theſe words, though ſomwhat otherwiſe rendred by the Septuagint, by miſtake of a letter: If again ye prevail, ye ſhall yet again be vanquiſhed. And truely of the Church it may be foretold better then of Troy,
Victa tamen vinces, everſaque Troja reſurges:Ovid. Faſt.
Obruet hoſtiles illa ruina domos.
Gird your ſelves and ye ſhall be broken in pieces] Ye ſhall, ye ſhall without fail, though ye little believe it. It ſhall be done (as is therefore here ſo often threatned) as ſure as the coat is on your back, or the heart in your belly.
Ver. 10. Take counſel together] Do ſo if you will: but when all's done, the counſel of the Lord ſhall ſtand: and you ſhall conſult nothing better then ſhame to your ſelves.
Speak a word] All theſe expreſſions ſerve to ſet forth the bitter hatred born by theſe wicked ones againſt Gods poor people, whom they ſought by all means to miſchieve, but could not.
For God is with us] Heb. Immanuel: that ſweet name was to the godly party mel in ore, melos in aure, jubilum in corde: and hence ſo oft recited: theſe heavenly birds, having got ſuch a note, record it over and over.
Ver. 11. For the Lord ſpake thus to me with a ſtrong hand] that is, with his ſpirit accompanying his word, and ſetting it home to my heart, that ſo I might ſpeak from the heart to the heart. Some render it, Taking me by the hand, fidelis paedagogi inſtar, Sicut apprehenſione manus.like a loving and faithful ſchoolmaſter: and thereby pulling me back that I ſhould not walk in the common road.
That I ſhould not walk in the way of this people] not howle with thoſe wolves, not tune my fiddle to the baſe of the times, not follow a multitude to do evil: but rather to keep a conſtant countermotion to the Many; and rather to go right alone then not at all. Caſſianus gives very good Counſel, Vive ut pauci, In Epiſt.ut cum paucis inveniri merearis in regno Dei, Live thou as but few elſe do, that with thoſe few thou maiſt be found in Gods Kingdom. Now none can do thus, but onelyonly they to whom the Lord both ſpeaketh, and layeth hold alſo upon their hand that they be not led away with the errour of the wicked, 2 Pet. 3.17.
Ver. 12. Say ye not a Confederacy] A Confederacy, a Confederacy, ſc. between Syria and Samaria, is made againſt us; this was vox populi, all the talk in thoſe dayes, and every bodies mouth was full of it, and heart afraid of it: But ſay ye not ſo, comply not, concent not, chime not in with the ſpirits and ſpeeches of other men. Away with all ſuch deſpairing language. For help againſt which
Ver. 13. Sanctify the Lord of hoſtes himſelf] Even your ſweeteſt Immanuel: non ſanctificatur autem niſi in eum credatur; ſanctify him, I ſay, by believing in your hearts and confeſſing with your mouths, Rom. 10.9. and walking as becommeth the Goſpel,—in nothing terrified by your adverſaries, Phil. 1.27, 28.
And let him be your fear] That is, the Object of your fear, as Gen. 31.53. Pſal. 76.11. where God is called Fear by an Appellative Proper. So the Chaldee Paraphraſe frequently calleth God Dechilah, 1. Fear. The Greeks call him foreign of foreign Fear. Bernard ſaith well, God is to be feared as a Lord, honoured as a Father, loved as a Spouſe. This fear of God is a ſoveraign remedy againſt the fear of the creature; and is therefore here and elſwhere oppoſed to it. Surely as one fire driveth out another: and as Moſes his Serpent ſwallowed up the Sorcerers Serpents: ſo here.
Ver. 14. And he ſhall be for a ſanctuary] In quo ſerventur, & in lapidem, in quo firmiter ſtent pii: impii vero impingant, ruant & conterantur, a Sanctuary of ſafety, a ſtone of ſtability, though to the wicked he prove otherwiſe: even a ſtone of offence to ſtumble them, and a ſnare to take them in for their hurt. Chriſt as he is Piorum rupes, a Rock of Refuge to the godly; ſo he is reorum ſcopulus, a Rock of Revenge to daſh in pieces the impenitent, as Val. Max. once ſaid, the Tribunal of L. Coſſius was. This was chiefly fulfilled in the time of the Goſpel. See Rom. 9.23. 1 Pet. 2.6. Matth. 21.42. Act. 4.11.
But for a ſtone of ſtumbling] Petra perditionis, to all that refuſe to be Ruled by him, and to relie upon him: with theſe froward ones he will ſhew himſelf froward, Pſalm 18.27.
Ver. 15. And many among them ſhall ſtumble and fall] So may Gods Elect, but not ſo as to be broken: becauſe they cannot fall below a ſupporting hand of God, Pſalm 37.24. Utter prolapſion cannot befall them poſſibly.
And be broken, and ſnared, and taken] The Septuagint here add of their own; and men ſhall be taken, that are in a ſuppoſed ſafety: living as if they were out of the reach of Gods Rod.
Ver. 16. Bind up the Teſtimony, ſeal the Law, &c.] Et lateat, & luceat: Let thy Doctrine (ſaith God here to the Prophet) contained in that great Roul, ver. 1. or otherwiſe publiſhed (concerning Immanuel eſpecially) be concealed from theſe prophane ſcoffers: but imparted to my Diſciples that ſit down at my feet to receive my words, Deut. 33.3. Thoſe Jews in Chriſts time had the Teſtimony, that is the Goſpel preached to them: but they were wofully blinded; ſo that when the Meſſias, to whom all their owd ſigns ſo well agreed, was among them, they could by no means own him and receive him, Matth. 2.5. with John 1.11. That Italian Tranſlation of the New Teſtament which the Jews lately had, is, for their abuſe of it, called in and taken from them. Pope Gregory the ninth cauſed their Talmud, wherein Chriſtian Religion is ſo much blaſted, to be burned: and the like did Julius the third, about the Year 1553.
Seal the Law among my Diſciples] Such as have been foreign, taught of God, taught as the Truth is in Jeſus, Eph. 4.20, 21. Seal the Law, that perfect Law of liberty, the Goſpel for ſuch: for their behoof and ſupport in theſe calamitous times.
Ver. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord] I will patiently and peaceably ſubmit to his Holy Will in the exerciſe of mine office, hoping that I ſhall be acknowledged and approved of him, though men reject me, and are for their obſtinacy deſervedly rejected of God.
And I will look for him] as it were with ſtretcht-out neck. Difficile opus & arduum! Good men find it more eaſie to bear evil, then to wait till the promiſed good be enjoyed, Heb. 10.36.
Ver. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord] that is, my Diſciples and Converts, who have the ſame conflict with me, Phil. 1.30.
Are for ſigns and for wonders] Hiſſed and hooted at as ſo many Monſters by the mad world, ever beſide it ſelf in point of Salvation: and accounting the Saints (as the Spaniards were wont to ſay of the Portingals) Pocos & focos, few and fooliſh: and as the Turks count all fools to be Saints: ſo the moſt count all Saints to be fools. Theſe ſhall one day cry, Nos inſenſati.
Ver. 19 And when they ſhall ſay unto you] The Prophets wholſome advice to his Diſciples. God had hid his face, and withdrawn his favour from this people; therefore they would help themſelves as they could, by doing as Saul did when forſaken of God, by running to witches and wizzards, reſolving with her in the Poet, Flectere ſi nequo ſuperos, Acheronta movebo.
That peep and that mutter] Utter their predictions in broken and low Language, grunting or grumbling them out in dark and doubtful expreſſions, as diſtruſting their own art.
Should not a people ſeek unto their God?] See Jer. 2.11. Mic. 4.5. Our God is a rewarder of all that diligently ſeek him, or that ſeek him out, Heb. 11.6. viz. when he hath withdrawn himſelf, and hid his face, as ver. 17.
For the living to the dead] q. d. Is that handſome? is it agreeable to right reaſon? O ſtultam commutationem! vocat nos Deus vivus, & nos recurrimus ad mortuos.Oecolamp.
Ver. 20. To the Law and to the Teſtimonies] Lo this is the way, walk in it, for. the Commandement is a Lamp, and the Law is Light, Prov. 6.23. They have Moſes and the Prophets, Luke 16.29. theſe muſt be the men of our Counſel, Pſal. 119.24. even theſe lively and Life-giving Oracles, Act. 7.38. not dead Idols, or damned Necromancers.
There is no light in them] either of truth or of comfort. Good expreſſions ſuch kind of creatures may uſe, it may be: but Si magicae, Deus non vult tales: ſi piae, non per tales: their falſe lights ſerve but to light them into utter darkneſs. Happy was Oecolampadius (an excellent Commentatour upon this Prophet) who made good the ſplendour of his own Name, when (beſide the light he lent to the Law and Teſtimonies) he could lay his hand on his breaſt when he lay a dying of the plague, and ſay, Here's plenty of light got from the Scripture.
Ver. 21. And they ſhall paſs through it] to and again as uncertain of their way: and even at their wits end.
When they ſhall be hungry] cum eſurierit & efferbuerit, as a Pot boyling caſteth up ſcum.
And curſe their King] Ahaz, ſay ſome; Zedekiah, ſay others.
And their God] As thoſe Antichriſtians, Rev. 16.10. The Chinois whip their Gods, when they pleaſe them not.
And look upward] as the hungerbit-Wolf howls againſt Heaven.
Ver. 22. Trouble and darkneſs, &c.] A huge heap of words all to one ſence: to ſet forth their deepeſt diſtreſs without all hope of help.