Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
YEt the darkness shall not be according to the streightning to it in the first time, Vers. 1.he lightly afflicted the land of Zabulon and land of Nephtali, and afterwards burthened the way of the sea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. Thus the Hebrew word for word, and it is annexed to chap. 8. but all Translatours make it the first verse of chap. 9. Here after darkness and streights threatned, ver. 22. the Prophet begins to adde something more comfortable, by comparing the darkness and streights wherein they should see themselves to be, with the miseries suffered by Tiglath Pilesar, when he took so many places in the land of Nephthali, 2 King. 15. 29. and more grievous miseries by Salmanasar, who subdued all the ten Tribes, 2 King. 17. Now for the comfort of the faithfull, lest they should be overwhelmed with despair, when they heard of nothing but miseries and streights, he saith, that it should not be, as at any of these two times, when they should suffer by the Romans, in the time of the Gospel, which is threatned chap. 8. 14. because a great light should rise unto them, as followeth here, v. 2. viz. the light of Jesus his preaching, which to the faithfull should be such a comfort, as that they should be able better to bear the destruction of their City and Temple then, a…ough it were the greatest blow that ever they had, then either of both those sufferings by the Assyrians, because then they wanted the comfort of this light, so full of joy to the beleeving soul. And the miseries suffered in Zabulon and Nephtali, and Galilee, are rather brought in by way of comparison then any other, to make way to the Prophecie of this comfortable light shining first in those parts, because Jesus began to preach here first, and to do his miracles, and called the twelve. It was the way of the sea, because near the sea, and through these parts lading was carried to be, by sea, transported to other places: so Adricomius, who saith, Adricomius.there was a way from Syria to the Lake of Genesareth, here called, the Sea; which went under this generall name, of the way to the sea, from the begining to the end. Galilee of the Gentiles was so called, because ever since Solomon gave twenty Towns therein to Hiram King of Tyrus, the Gentiles inhabited there. That this is a Prophecy of comfort through the light by Jesus brought first to these parts, see Matth. 4. 15. and also the exposition and the apt application of it made by the Evangelist. As those parts tasted first of misery, so they were first made partakers of the light of Evangelicall comfort; as they first came into the hands of their cruel enemies, so they were first by this Mahar-shalal-hashbaz, hastily taken out of the hands of the spoiler, especially some of them, whom he particularly called here to follow him. Some, saith Calvin, expound this, as if the Prophet meant, that the misery to come after Calvin.those afflictions in Tiglath Pilesars and Salmanasars times, should be greater then those, that the wicked might have no comfort by hoping that it would be but as a storm, which although it be violent for the time, yet after a while it is blown over again; thus Luther: But he contrariwise, as hath been already Luther.said, takes it as spoken for consolation to the faithfull, that they might with the better courage bear the greatest miseries that should befall them, in regard of the light of the Gospel then shining, which should make all outward sufferings to seem nothing: As a man suffering shipwrack at sea, if he hath a piece of the ship to swim upon, and keep him from sinking, till he comes at the shoar, is in a better condition then one in a pond, who seeth no help but he must needs be drowned, though the waters be farre less and less raging.
Thou hast multiplied the Nation, not made greater the joy, they rejoyce before Vers. 3.thee, &c. Because here seemeth to be a contradiction, saith Calvin: The Hebrews say, that foreign not, is put here for foreign ei to it. But this word is never any where thus used. Some therefore expound it by Sennecheribs Army, thus, Thou hast encreased the Nation, which came against Jerusalem in Hezekiahs time, for by Gods providence was that numerous Army brought together, not the joy, for he had no joy of his great multitudes brought into the field, for they perished to the number of one hundred eighty five thousand in one night, and then the Jews rejoyced as in harvest, or when souldiers are dividing the spoils of the enemies. Some either of the Church increased under the Gospel, but by reason of their calamities and miseries, not their joy, or of the Church encreased by the conversion of the Gentiles, but not the Jews joy, who envied it. But the true sense is, that the Prophet here comparing the state of the Church, whilst the Kingdom of Judah flourished and was most prosperous under some noble Kings, with that it was after their return from Captivity, meaneth, that even in those daies, when the people were so many and lived in greater outward glory by farre, their joy was not so great, as in the times after their return; although now they were but few and miserable in comparison of them in outward respects, for they were tributaries to the Persians, and at their dispose, and after, under the Romans. For the coming of Christ now brought more joy and glory to the state, then when in times past they had flourished most; for which it is said, Hag. 2. 2. that the glory of the second house should be greater then that of the house built by Solomon. But I cannot herein subscribe to Calvin, but rather to the exposition by him rejected, viz. the Nation of the faithfull, or Gods Church increasing in the time of the Gospel, by the accession of beleevers of all Countries and Nations to the beleeving amongst the Jews. There was yet no joy to the generality of that people, being hardened in unbelief to their destruction. So God increased his Church wonderfully, but not the Jews joy, who suffered by many miseries, and finally were rooted out by the Romans. Yet the faithfull, both Jews and Gentiles had exceeding great joy, as men have in harvest of a plentifull crop seasonably reaped and gathered in. For so our Lord compares the time of the Gospel, Joh. 4. saying, Behold the fields are already white unto the harvest, and he that soweth, and he that reapeth rejoyce together: or, as they that divide the spoils; another comparison being added, as if one were not sufficient to set it forth; and Jesus who brought this joyfull light, saith of himself, that he was the stronger man coming upon Luc. 11. 22.the strong man armed, and dividing the spoils. For why we should go from this so excellently agreeing to the Prophecie in all things, I see not; nor why so learned an Interpreter, leaving this, should expound it in part by things past, when as it is usuall with the Prophets to speak of things to come in the Perfect tense: and although there be a comparison with things formerly done, v. 1. yet here is none, neither note of any. And that which I follow agreeth with Jeroms, who speaks to the same effect, applying the joy not increased, to St Hieronym.Pauls sorrowing for his kinsmen according to the flesh: And to Christs, when he prayed, Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me; that is, If the Gentiles may be saved without the Jews destruction; but if not, Thy will be done: Let me drink it and suffer extremity of sorrow for my Jews ruine, so that a greater increase by all Nations may come in to thy Kingdom. So likewise Haimo, but they expound the not joying, but sorrowing, so as if Christ and his Apostles should be grieved for their infidelity and destruction following, not as if the wicked Jews lamentable case were here set forth; but we may well understand it of both.
For the yoak of his burthen, the rod of his shoulder, and scepter of his oppressour Vers. 4.thou hast broken, as in the day of Midian. This is again applied by some to Sennacheribs overthrow, expounding his yoak, of the servitude whereinto he Adam Sasbont.brought all Nations; the rod of his shoulder, of his sword, so terribly striking where he came; and the scepter of the oppressour of tributes, imposts by him. But Jerom better, by the oppressour, understands the devil, who laid a tribute Hieronym.of sins upon all the world, and swayed the scepter of government over them, and laid upon them the yoak of spiritual servitude, when he ruled in them; but by Christ, his power and strength is all broken to the faithfull, and they are delivered and brought into the liberty of serving God, which is the best freedom; and all this without material arms, as Gideon sometime sounding with Judg. 7. 18.trumpets, with his three hundred men, and breaking pitchers, overthrew the Midianites, who had before mightily oppressed Israel. Calvin and Musculus Calvin.expound it of the Jews deliverance out of their Babylonish Captivity, so many words being used to set forth the greatness of the benefit whereby they were freed from all these evils of Oppressours and Tyrants, being again set at liberty, that they might never forget it. But chiefly was this fulfilled in Christ, by whose death, the devil, who had the power of death, was destroyed; and Heb. 2. 15.the spiritual oppression is the greatest of all others, and therefore deliverance here-from, not unworthily by such variety set forth.
For every warre of the warriour is with noise, and garment rolled in bloud, but this in burning, food for the fire. Here the manner of Christs delivering us from Vers. 5.our spiritual enemies is shewed, viz. not as by battels fought amongst men, wherein there is great noise of trumpets, drums, and mens shouting and clattering of arms, and much bloudshed, staining the garments of those that fall by the sword: but to Christ, corruptions, which are as the devils strong holds in men, shall be but as fewel to the fire, being burnt and consumed by his Word and Spirit, as any combustible matter by fire, in all that are converted, there being no visible violence offered, as in every warre there is. And accordingly the Apostle comparing the preaching of the word to weapons of warre, saith, The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God, &c. And it is said of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 4. Luc. 3. 16. Act. 2. Act. 17. 16.He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire; and so it was fulfilled, when the Spirit came down like cloven tongues of fire; and St Paul having this fire in him, burnt in the Spirit; and faith which comes by this Spirit, purifieth the heart, Act. 15. 9. even as gold is purified from dross by the fire. Jerom upon this saith little to the purpose, for he speaks only of garments rolled Hieron.in blood, food for the fire, because the stein of blood cannot be washed out, but the garments so steined must be burnt; applying this to the devil, who shall burn in hell. But he reades not this as a comparison, but as one continued sentence, Every battel is with noise, and garments rolled in blood and burning, &c. but the particle foreign although most commonly it signifieth and, yet here it is adversative, saith Calvin, signifying but; or take the particle foreign here rendred for, for although, as some do; and then the sense will be the same: Although every battel be with noise, and garments rolled in blood, this shall be with fire, &c. But thus foreign will be redundant before foreign: but rendring it but, and foreign for, the sense is best: For to what end should Isaiah, after a victory promised like that in the day of Midian, which was not by any secular power, use such an expression, as if Christs over coming, and mens overcoming in battel were alike; but that the one sort should be with noise and outward violence, and the other as a fire burning within, without all noise; it stands with good reason that he should shew, according to the exposition before going.
For to us a Childe is born, to us a Son is given, and the principality shallbe upon Vers. 6.his shoulders, and his Name shall be called Wonderfull. Having spoken hitherto in general of the joyfull time to come to the faithfull; now he more particularly describes the Author of all this our happiness, viz. The Son of God born of a woman, as other children be. For by a Son, as Calvin well notes, the Calvin.Son of God is to be understood; because when any mans son is meant, the word son goeth not without an addition of the fathers name, as Ezr. 1. and Luc. 3. And if it be the issue of any other creature, as it is usual with the Hebrews, by the word foreign son, to set forth the young of any creature, beast or fowl, this word hath alwaies some other added to it, to shew whereof it is the issue. By Childe born, Oecolampadius understands not amiss the humane Oecolamp.nature of Jesus; by Son given, the Divine. And this giving intimates the free grace of God, and singular love herein shewed, not any merit of man, as is more fully expressed, Joh. 3. 16. And this is the same Son prophesied of, chap. 7. A Virgin shall bear a Son. And because this birth was in imagination represented soon after, as if the Prophecie had been fulfilled chap. 8. in the birth of Mahar-shalal-hashbaz. He speaks here in the Present tense, To us a Childe is born *To us is meant not only of the Jews, but of the faithfull of all Nations.&c. And because it should so certainly be done, as if it had been at that present. The principality shall be upon his shoulder. A phrase usual amongst the Hebrews to set forth sovereign power, chap. 22. 22. The key upon his shoulders. chap. 9. 4. The rod of his shoulder] Because a rod was of old born in some Kingdoms in token of Sovereignty: Amongst the Romans, fasces or faggots, since the sword, as Rom. 13. And this phrase is here in opposition to that, v. 4. where the rod of his shoulder, that is the devils power is said to be broken, it being here shewed who shall break it, even this Childe of the blessed Virgin, the Son of God, by the Sovereign power that he should have so soon as he was born, whereby he is declared to be born a King, subduing and bringing under all Kings and Potentates, and principalities in high places: And therefore the Magi, who came out of the East, enquired where he was that was born King of the Jews. And he shall call his Name Wonderfull. The word used is an impersonall, It shall call, for it is in Cal and therefore according to our manner of speaking best rendred, His Name shall be called. He had two Names before, Emanuel, and Mahar-shalal-hashbaz, but here six more, that by this variety of Names we may know him. It makes not then against the blessed Virgins sons, being the Son promised, because his Name is said to be Emanuel, the Name of her Son, Jesus, for he hath many Names for the manifold virtues and excellencies in him: As his Father is sometime called El, Adonai, Jehovah, Gnelion, Jah, &c. Wonderfull he is called for his two natures in one person, and for the wonders which he wrought aOecolamp. For his wonderfull uniting together of God & man by the pacification made in him.God, this is another Name by it self, and not The mighty God, as it is commonly rendred, the next word foreign. Mighty or strong, being another of his Names, as the two pricks upon the top for a note of distinction shew. The word foreign signifying God, doth also signifie strong; but because it is most commonly used when God is spoken of, it is every where rendred God: He is so strong, that he is Almighty, one to whom nothing is impossible. Christs Name is God, for he is the same Essence with God the Father. Kings and Judges have also the name of Gods, for their Sovereign power; therefore much more he, the naturall Son of God, as he sometime reasoned. Yet from this we cannot firmly prove him to be God no more then other men, who have this name: Moses was Aarons god, and there is so much proof besides even in this place, that we need not to argue from hence, for he that is the Everlasting Father, and of whose government there is no end, is God indeed, without beginning or end bCalvin, Strong is added to God, because the strong man armed keeps the houses, therefore he must be strong above him, and all other enemies, and death it self.. Counsellour he is called for his incomparable wisdom, happy are they to whom he is Counsellour, they shall be sure alwaies to do for the best cCalvin, Because he hath revealed unto us the counsel of God, which all must follow that will be saved. Calvin, Father here is as much as author of all good unto us. Musc. He is not called the Father, as if he were that person, as the Patripassiani hold, but of God the Father he is made to us a Father for all good, though to God the Father he be the Son.. The everlasting Father. Hebr. foreign The Father forth on, that is, without end, therefore well rendred Everlasting: He is a Father providing for and governing his for everd. The Prince of peace: That is, Making peace betwixt God and man; our sins, which cause enmity, being expiated by the sacrifice of his death: So Rom. 5. 1. We have peace with God. He was also the true antitype of Solomon for external peace or cessation from warres, in that at his birth there was peace all over the world; Augustus Caesar reigning over all in peace. The Jews, as Calvin noteth, labour two waies to obscure this Prophecie: 1. By expounding it of Hezekiah, but, as hath been before shewed, Hezekiah was born eleven or twelve years before this, for he was twenty five when he began to reign, 2 King. 18. 2. therefore nine when Ahaz began reign; two or three years after which, this Prophecie was uttered; and this hath plainly reference to the son of the Prophetess, said to be born, chap. 8. Neither do these Names agree to him, or to any meer man, nor the everduring Kingdom spoken of, v. 7. 2. By applying these Names to God; but this is without all sense or reason, because the Prophet is speaking here of the childe born, and no reason can be yielded, why he should immediatly from his Prophecie touching him, go to enumerating of the Names of God.
Vers. 7. Of the increase of his Kingdom and peace there shall be no end, &c. The word signifying of the increase, is foreign with the letter Mem shut, which is never so written in the beginning or midst, but only at the end of a word, and therefore not without a mystery: But what the mystery is, divers conjecture diversly. Galatinus, that hereby is intimated the 600 year after this Prophecy, when it should be fulfilled, this childe being then born: But because this was about Anno mundi 3210, his birth Anno 3960, that cannot stand. Some that the perpertual Virginity of Mary his mother was set forth: Some that his Kingdom should be spread into four quarters of the earth, according to the figure of a final Mem: And Calvin, the close and secret way, whereby he Calvin.should come to reign and set up his Kingdom, viz. by his Spirit in mens hearts, in the midst of many pressures, that none might expect of it a Kingdom outwardly glorious, but obscure. He also mentioneth the conjectures of others, either Jews being in servitude till this birth, or their exclusion out of this Kingdom for their infidelity. I see nothing against any of these, and therefore leave them all in medio to be considered by the judicious Reader. Of this Kingdom there shall be no limits, and therefore it is said, Of the increase thereof no end; for it shall be from sea to sea, and to the worlds end, as also Ps. Dan. 7. 17. And as it shall extend into all parts, so it shall endure for ever, and not like other Kingdoms of this world in time come to ruine; which shews that this Kingdom should be spiritual; and likewise the peace here spoken of, peace of conscience, by reason of the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, to whom sin makes us as enemies. Ʋpon the Throne of David, &c. Here is shewed, where and over what Kingdom this Son of God should reign, viz. the Kingdom of David, that is, the Kingdom whereof Davids was a figure, and wherein this was begun, but much more inlarged and perfected in his Sonne Christ Jesus, who adds to that of the Jews all other Kingdoms and Nations, wehrein the Gospel is propagated. Now it is called the Kingdom of David, because it was promised to him, that his Throne should endure for ever, and that his Kingdom should be everlasting, 1 Sam. 7. Psal. 89. And this is not fulfilled but in Jesus; for the Lord spake of this everlasting Kingdom, as his Kingdom; and by the name of David, sets forth the eternal King, who should sway this Scepter; see also Ezek. 37. 24. The zeal of the Lord will do this. He saith not, his power or wisdom, but that which includes both, a most earnest Musculus.affection of the Almighty towards his chosen: So that although it may seem to us impossible, yet he to whom all things are possible, hath most earnestly set his minde to do it, and therefore it shall be done against all the world, relucting and endeavouring the contrary. Chrysostom saith, that this peace is Chrysost.four-fold; 1. With God, 2. In our selves, the flesh being subdued to the spirit: 3. Betwixt Jews and Gentiles at the last: 4. That peace, which is everlasting in heaven, no warre at all being any more; whereas in this world there be alwaies warres and troubles. The zeal, saith Cyrill, is his indignation against his enemies, and exceeding great love to his Church will make him do as hath been said, against the one and for the other.
The Lord sent a word unto Jacob, and it fell upon Israel. Vers. 9. And all the Vers. 8.people of Ephraim shall know, &c. The Prophet having from chap. 7. 7. hitherto, spoken much of the birth of Emanuel, whereunto he was carried by a Prophetical rapture, when he was speaking, as the present occasion required, of the deliverance of Judah from the conspiracy of Israel and Syria, and the judgements to come upon them both: Now he returneth to threaten Syria and Israel again, by a new Prophecy. The Septuagint, for A word fell upon Israel,] have, death or plague, as the word foreign with other Pricks signifieth, so saith Hieron.Jerom: But with better reason he renders it word, seeing it is a Prophecy or Prophetical word, as Prophecies be often called. It was now sent to Jacob, and fell soon after upon Israel, that is, the Kingdom of the ten Tribes, when it was done accordingly, for Jacob and Israel here are two words to expresse one and the some thing. But whereas he expounds it thus, The word or command to make a King of the Tribe of Judah, came to the twelve Tribes, set forth by the word Jacob; according to the Prophecy of Jacob, The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, till Shiloh comes, fell upon Israel; that is, the wicked of the ten Tribes, when they made themselves a King; of whom the Lord saith, They have made them a King, but not by me: This agreeth not here, because he doth not here set himself to repeat what had been done, as if that were the cause of the judgements, which he now proceeds to threaten. For there was a more propinque cause mentioned, chap. 7. 1, 2. viz. Israels joyning with the heathen Syrians, to overthrow the Counsel of God touching Davids house, by putting down the King which came of him, and setting up another: For this and not for casting off Rehoboam to follow Jeroboam, came this judgement, because that was by the Lords own appointment for a punishment of Solomons Idolatry. Greg. Mor. 3o By Jacob understands the Jewish Nation, by Israel the Church of the Gentiles; for the Word, that is, the Gospel came to them, but fell to the Gentiles lot, when they imbraced it, being by the Jews rejected.
And all the people shall know Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, &c. Those Vers. 9.whom he called Jacob and Israel before, he now calleth Ephraim, because that was the most populous Tribe of the ten, and therefore that Kingdom went often under the name of Ephraim; and Samaria, because it was the chief City of that Kingdom. Now they are first set forth as deriding and setting light by Gods judgements through their pride, when as they said, The buildings made with Bricks which were fallen they would turn into square Stones, and the Sycomores a soft corruptible wood, into Cedars, which were most durable, and their pride was alwaies great in respect of Judah, because they were the farre greater Kingdom.
And the Lord shall lift up the enemies of Rezin against him, and shall mingle his Vers. 11.enemies. Vers. 12. Syria before, and the Philistims behinde, and they shall devour Israel, &c. The judgement first began at Rezin the King of Syria, for him the Lord first cut off by the King of Ashur; and this was a great blow to Israel. when their confederate, in whose forces, united with their own, they so much trusted, was taken away; and this was fulfilled, 2 King. 16. 9. Then many enemies, and some amongst them, who before had been their friends, viz. the Syrians, joyning together, overthrew the Kingdom of Israel. For Rezin being dead, and Syria coming to be under the King of Ashur, he imployed them in his warres against Israel, together with the Philistims and other peoples under his dominion, till he had destroyed that Kingdom and depopulated it, 2 King. 17. 6. Therefore in saying, He shall mingle his enemies, he meaneth not Rezins, whose judgement went before, but Israels to his destruction. For Syria before] The Hebrew is, Syria from the East, and the Philistims West, or behinde; and so Jerom renders it, and they shall eat up Israel with every month; a Metaphor to set forth Israels destruction by them together, all helping it forward. For all this his anger is not turned away, &c. After the judgement threatned in general, from hence to the end of the Chapter it is aggravated, these words being thrice repeated, and their intollerable miseries variously deciphered, the cause being first shewed, vers. 13. that is, This people turns not to him that smiteth Vers. 13.them, neither have sought the Lord of hoasts. For God smiteth to make us by repentance to turn to him from our sins, and of prophane contemners of duties of piety, to become devout seekers to him by prayer, but when mens hearts are hardened so in sin, as that neither threatnings nor judgements will make will them cease from sinning, but they still go on herein even in the midst of many grievous miseries, there is no expectation that there should be a cessation from judgement but a fearfull aggravation thereof.
For the Lord will cut off the head and the tail, the bough and the rush in one day. Vers. 14.Here they are distinguisht into certain sorts, who shall suffer. The first distinction is explained, vers. 15. The ancient and the honourable is the head, the false Vers. 15.prophet the tail: So called, because as a dog fauneth with his tail, so the false prophet upon the people, speaking nothing but pleasing things. 2. Because, as the tail hides the filthiest part of the body, so the false prophet, both his own and the filthiness of the people sins. 3. As the tail is the basest part, placed behinde all others; so many false prophets do arise from amongst the most infim sort of men, Weavers, Taylors, Coblers, &c. teaching falsly because they Dr Fcatly's observations touching Anabaptists.know not how to teach truly through their ignorance; and feigning many things to purchase to themselves credit, as some Anabaptist teachers have done; as John Leydon and Cocke, &c. Touching the rush, some render it the reed, but this is the principal signification of the word; neither doth the Prophet so expresly shew who the bough and rush are: But vers. 17. he saith, that The Lord will take no pleasure in their young men, nor pity the fatherless and widows. Vers. 17.Whereby he sheweth, that by the bough is meant lusty youth, by rush these feebler persons. Jerom for bough and rush, hath it incurvantem & depravantem, Hieronym. Adam Sasbont.which Sasbont expounds, making crooked right things, and perverting true, as if these two belonged to Princes and false prophets also. But Calvin better, and more near to that which hath been said, the strong and the Calvin.weak: And Cornel. a Lapide herein going from the Vulgar Latine, saith the same: They are two phrases to express the same things, Head and tail, borrowed from beasts, Bough and rush, from plants. The Septuagint have it, Great and small: But because others were to be cut off besides the Ancient, Honourable and false prophets, no age or sex being spared, I take the Prophets own expression, vers. 17. to be the best exposition of the last Metaphor. The word rendred bough indeed cometh of foreign Chaphaph to bow or bend, but it is commonly put for a bough, which because it is stronger then a rush by far, may well signifie young men; the rush a weak thing, fatherless, widows, little children, and such as be of weak and poor estate.
For the Governours of this people are seducers, &c. Here is a reason why the Vers. 16.Princes and false prophets should be cut off: But for Governours, Hebr. is Blessers, and so the Vulgar Latine hath it, and for the governed, the blessed ones of it, because they spake good words to the people, tending to security, and to put away all fear of danger, and to make them hope for victory over Judah, whereby they should be more inriched: They are thus called, therefore in rendring it Governours, the sense is more respected then the meaning of the Hebrew words: The word also rendred seducers, signifieth makers of them to erre, that is, whilst by promising them all good they animated them to go on in their idolatry and other abominable sins, but he saith, that they of that people thus led into a fools paradise, are destroyed.
Whereas ver. 17. in setting forth the destruction of their voung men, he saith, Vers. 17.the Lord will not rejoyce in them, it is so spoken by way of opposition to his rejoycing in his people elsewhere spoken of, when their prosperous condition is here spoken of, when their prosperous condition is set forth, contrariwise he will now do as one grieved with them, as Psa. 95. Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation, viz. execute his judgements upon them, because all are hypocrites and wicked, &c. here is the cause why bough and rush shall be cut off also by the same judgement, though some made a shew of religion, yet there was no true fear of God in them, and in speaking otherwise, forsomuch as they did it not from the heart, this was a wickednesse in them, for which he saith, every mouth speaks wickednesse. Calvin indeed understands their boasting in speech Calvin.of their wickednesse, as the height of sinning, but because all are said before to be hypocrites, the sense given doth better agree. Now the cause of so great judgements is set down that none might exclaim against God as tyrannicall for being so severe.
Because iniquity is kindled as fire, it shall devour the briars and thorns, &c. That Vers. 18.is, the wicked by their sins kindle the fire of Gods wrath, and being kindled as a fire with straw or some other light matter at the first, the briars and thorns growing in the fields are afterwards taken by it, and then the thick places of the wood, the trees which are great and tall not escaping the fury hereof, and this not without a great smoak overspreading the air on high, to the darkning of all the earth about, as ver. 19 speaketh, and sheweth who shall be the fuell of this Vers. 19.fire, even the people, helping to destroy one another, Manasseh Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh, and they both Judah, as followeth, ver. 20, 21. Thus by other 20. 21.metaphors the prophet both setteth forth the cause of these grievous judgements in generall, viz. their sinnes, as being of the nature of fire, which at the first kindling is little, but soon after it rageth and rangeth far and wide, that the thickest and greatest woods are burnt down hereby, that is, the most populous places of the kingdom, and such as are of greatest wealth and power, whereas this fire at the first took but the briars and thorns, that is, some of the meaner sort of people, and dwelling in villages scattered here and there. Then more particularly shewing by what means this judgement was first brought upon them, he saith, that brother should be against brother, they should by intestine wars one bite at and devour another, and one tribe another, as the hungry wilde beasts catching on every side at his prey being never satisfied, but still going on to devour, as if he had yet eaten nothing. And he doth instance in Manasseh and Ephraim, because they came of two brothers, sons to one father Joseph, and should therefore have been most loving together, as if all one tribe, and when they had by civill stirs and tumults wasted one another, they should joyn against Judah, but in the end the common enemy should come upon them by this means weakned, and be their utter ruine. When this was fullfilled we finde not plainly set forth, but because in the kingdom of Israel, the servant rose against his Master, Hosheah against Pekah and shew him and reigned in his stead, and Pekah 2 Kin. 15.before that against Pekahiah (which certainly could not be without part-takings, some tribes being for one and some for the other, and so not without bloudshed, although it be only briefly commemorated, that these things were thus done) it may well be gathered that these dissentions are here by the Prophet pointed at, and Pekah his arming of Ephraim, and all the rest of the tribes under him against Judah. in these words, and they both against Judah, whence Note. note, that it is a dreadfull forerunner of the destruction of a kingdom at hand, when the mutuall hatred of the members thereof is so great against one another, that they fall to bloudy wars amongst themselves, and will not be pacified, but brother fights against brother, son against father, and one of the same religion against another. Some take this as implying that when God will destroy a people, Calvin.if there be no other enemies he can in his just judgement set them one against another to work mutually for their own countreys destruction, which yet God for his mercies sake avert from this our kingdom of England, at this day imbroyled in such bloudy wars, by turning the Kings heart to the Parliament, and their to him, and so this unhappy dissention into a blessed union never more to be broken.