Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 59
CHAP. LIX.
THe Lords hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, &c. Having made so excellent Vers. 1.a promise chap. 58. to the mercifull and righteous, now he cometh to shew what was the cause of theirs, and the Nations so great miseries before the fulfilling of this, viz. sinne so greatly abounding, and not any want of power in God to hear and to help the miserable calling upon him. But sinne, as Jerom saith, makes a partition wall betwixt God and us, that keeps the Hieronym.reaching of his hand to us away, and likewise his hearing, for he heareth not sinners. Then vers. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. be capitulateth their sins, 1. Plainly, Cruelty acted with their hands, lying and other wicked speaking with their tongues, Vers. 3. Vers. 4.vers. 4. their sins of omission, none stood for justice or truth, thus seeking shelter from God against the storms of adversity that were coming, but they vainly trusted in their wealth and worldly power, conceiving that by reason thereof they should be safe, whatsoever the Prophets threatned against them, for this he meaneth by saying, They trust to vain things, &c. 2. Allegorically by a similitude taken from a Basilisk, the most poisonous of all serpents, and Vers. 5.of a Spider which is also full of deadly poison; so that it hath been observed by some that a Spider hath poisoned and made a Toad to swell, and a Basilisk kils by seeing. Now to shew how dangerous to bring death in stead of help, the devices of the wicked were to those that follow them, he saith, They hatch the cockatrices or basilisks egge, and weave the spiders web: he that eats of their eggs shall die. Vers. 6. And their webs shall not be a garment, &c. as he had said, Vers. 6.vers. 4. They conceive trouble and bring forth iniquity] That is, which tends to more trouble in stead of delivering out of trouble, and makes both them and others that trust to such conceptions fuller of trouble and misery, which are the fruit of iniquity, and therefore are here so called. For as he that eats the Basilisks egge dieth as by poison, and he that trusteth to a Spiders-web for a covering, if a storm cometh shall finde it to be none; so he that animates himself to go on in sin, bearing himself upon such vain imaginations, that by some worldly means he shall be preserved, friends being made hereby, or such defensible towers, as that the enemy shall not be able to break into, shall contrary to his expectation be suddenly destroyed, as one that lieth open to a dart without any cover that is able to retort it. The word rendred, They hatch, signifieth properly to break, and because in hatching the egge breaks, it is rendred to hatch, the Vulgar retains the word break; but they that follow it do some of them expound it by hatching, some by breaking to eat thereof, as if it were an hens egge, as Jerom; because some by being deceived receive such Hieron.evil imaginations of others into their minds, and are poisoned to death hereby. And this is best, as for which the words following make, He that eats their eggs shall die, because eggs are not hatched to be eaten, but broken. And whereas this hath been before applied to the imaginations of worldly great men, and danger by enemies, he applieth it to them that are still in expectation of Christs coming, saying, These are they that talk vanity, conceive trouble and bring forth iniquity, as indeed they do, for a world of troubles have come upon the Jews by this means, and great is the iniquity upon this conception acted by them in crucifying the Lord of life. And they that have and do take this conceit into their minds at this day, as if they had broken and eaten the Cockatrices egge, die and perish for ever in great numbers; and their arguments whereupon they harden their hearts in infidelity, though they seem to them a goodly contexture or well-woven web, yet it is but a Spiders web, and insufficient to cover them from misery. And thus I think it not amisse to apply these things in the second place, as mystically implied here, and so in every passage some touch is given touching Christ and his Kingdom, in prophesying of whom he began to speak Chap. 40. and continueth to the end of his Prophecy, as hath been already said. But whereas the same Jerom following the Seventy expounds breaking this egge, of their breaking it, that having thus done presently perceive by the stinch what it is, and abhorre from it, I see not how it can agree, because the same who are said to conceive trouble and to bring forth iniquity, or the like unto them, are said to break the Cockatrice▪egge, and are threatned with death, and are further set forth, as most abominably wicked, vers. 6, 7, 8. The Vulgar Lat. for Cockatrice hath Viper, some the Asp most like unto a Cockatrice for incurably poisoning, for against all other Serpents to tast of a Frog, saith Elianus, is a present remedy, but none against the biting of an Asp. Hitherto allegorically of their sins, next he returns again plainly to inveigh against them, making a long catalogue both in this sixth verse, and 7, 8. Their works are works of iniquity, &c. Their feet runne to evil, they hasten to shed innocent bloud, destruction and calamity is in their way, Vers. 7.&c. Whereby their sinne in crucifying Christ and persecuting the Prophets are chiefly meant, for these works were indeed works of violence in their hands, as it followeth here, vers. 6. and then more particularly, saying, They hasten to shed innocent bloud, as is also objected to them, Matth. 23. 23. and by Stephan, Act. 7. Destruction is in their way, and the way of peace they have not Vers. 8.known, for in rejecting him that came and preached peace unto them, yea the prince of peace, they overthrew their own peace, and ran headlong the way to destruction and calamity, as they have since found by wofull experience. And partly from hence, and partly from Psal. 14. the Apostle draweth an argument to convince the Jews of as great guiltinesse, if not greater then the Gentiles, Rom. 3. 10. Neither is there judgement in their goings; because there is no peace in their wayes, for in rejecting him, in whom all true peace lieth, they put judgement also from them, seeing this is he, of whom it was said before, Behold my servant in whom my soul delighteth, he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. Where judgement is put for the judgement of absolution from sinne, and of inviting in mercy to his grace here, and his kingdom of glory hereafter.
Therefore judgement is farre away from us, and justice, layes not hold upon us. Vers. 9.Here after the wickednesses of the Jews declared, and indeed generally of all men, for all are grosse sinners, he inferreth, That for this cause God left the Jews whom he had most favoured, to the fury of their enemies, and stood not to avenge their quarrel. The fault was not in God, or in his want of mercy, but altogether in themselves and their abominable sins. Wherefore though they looked for the light of prosperity and comfort, there was nothing but darknesse of misery and sorrow.
We grope for the wall as blinde. Jerom referring all to the light of the Gospel, Vers. 10. Hieronym.saith, That the Prophet having laid open the sins of the Jews, cometh vers. 9, 10, &c. in their person, to teach them what to say and confesse, to acknowledge that the light of saving knowledge was farre from them now that the Gospel is by them rejected and gone to the Gentiles. For by this means they are destitute of all true judgement and righteousnesse, and are in darknesse of minde in stead of light, having the Scriptures in their hands, but not able to feel or finde out the truth touching the Messiah therein set forth, as the blinde gropeth for the wall, when it is night to him, and cannot finde it.
We roar like bears, and mourn like doves. He compares them to two sorts of Vers. 11.creatures of contrary quality, the one cruel, the other fearfull, yet both agreeing in roaring and mourning, the Bear being robbed of her whelps, or taken in a pit, roareth; the dove continually mourneth. To be like the Dove Mat. 10. 16.for innocency is commended to us, but not without wisdom. The Jews mourn simply now, and are Dove-like full of fear and trembling, but they have no wit to know the original cause hereof, their crucifying of Christ, and tearing his flesh like cruel Bears, this light shineth brightly in all the world, but they alone have no eyes to see it; so Jerom. And I doubt not, but as in other passages, so here he hath a further reach then to set forth the outward calamities by the Jews suffered, and to teach them to mourn for their sins in general, as the cause thereof; and what can this be, seeing he is prophesying of Christ, but to bring them, if it may be, to a sight and sense of that most foul and deadly sinne of all other, to lament and confesse it, that it might be done away, and they might be converted? Some expound roaring of crying out Calvin.with a great noise, and mourning with little noise, it being sought to suppresse the grief. Some by the roaring like Bears, the impatient cryings out of Muscul.the wicked, and by the mourning like Doves, the sorrow of the godly. But seeing he saith, We all roar, here is no place for this distinction, but the lamentation to be made by all for their wicked fact done out of cruelty and fear, that if they let Jesus alone all men would follow him, and then the Romans would come and destroy them and their City, is here set forth.
Vers. 12, 13, 14. are nothing else but an Argument of the confession which Vers. 12.the Prophet teacheth them to make of their wickednesses grown to that height, that as he concludeth, vers. 15. Whoso departed from evil made himself Vers. 15.a prey] Wickednesse was grown to that height, that if there were any one that would not consort with them in their unjust and malicious proceedings, they would like savage beasts fall upon him, and spoil him of that which he had, and tear him as enemy to the state, as the wicked Lacedemonians sometime had a kinde of banishment called Ostracism, for any honest and temperate man; and this is by Jerom specially applied to the Pharisees, who cast them out of their Synagogues that departed from their evil wayes and believed in Jesus, as we may see in the blinde man receiving his sight, Joh. 9. and in Stephan persecuted to the death meerly for standing to the truth, and reproving their wickednesse. And the Lord saw, and it displeased, &c. Here after sinne laid open and judgements coming therefore, the Prophet proceedeth to shew how displeasing this was to God, and for the comfort of every one that departed from evil and suffered therefore, that God himself would be a Saviour to such, in whose resolution to save every just man might safely confide. And therefore this part of the verse is well by Jerom divided from it, and put to vers. 16. as the beginning of that which there followeth, He marvelled that Vers. 16.there was no intercessour] Jerom, That there was not one that occurred; And the Hebrew is occurring or coming out to meet, the meaning is, That they were so universally wicked, that there was scarce one to be met with, that stood right and firm in the truth spoken of vers. 15. see the like Jer. 5. 1. and he meaneth not only one just through eschewing evil, but one opposing the unjust proceedings of the wicked against such, that was a man of power in the Commonwealth, as the inference made hereupon intimates, Therefore his arm brought salvation to him. When there is no mighty man of courage to save the just from being made a prey, the power of the Lord shall do it, and his righteousnesse, that is, his righteous judging their malicious and bloud thirsty enemies. For which vers. 17. he proceedeth saying, He shall put on righteousnesse as a Vers. 17.brest-plate, and the helmet of salvation, after which follow the garments of vengeance, and his repaying them according to their deeds, as to his adversaries, vers. 18. and this Jerom expounds as a Prophecie of the Jews destruction by the Hieron.Romans; neither is it to be misliked, because the Lord seemed then to be more enraged against them then ever, and the just One, who is the head of all the just, and the fountain of justice or righteousnesse, had his bloudy passion by their hands most remarkably revenged: as they had crucified him, and cried out, Let his bloud be upon us and our children, so it came unto them, and thus they were recompensed according to their doings, as is here threatned. But what is this, that it is said, The Lord marvelled? The Hebrew signifieth, he was astonished, and through astonishment was as dumb for a time, which is so spoken to set forth the strangenesse and prodigiousnesse of the thing, able to make any man amazed, that such abominable wickednesse should overspread all so, as that there was not one that opposed it, that men being so generally corrupted might be astonished in themselves to think upon it, and some at the least in the corruptest times be forward to oppose violence offered to the innocent.
He shall recompense to the Islands. That is, not only to his enemies in Jerusalem, Vers. 18. Hieronym.where Jesus was crucified, saith Jerom, but also to the other Cities of Judea, which were to Jerusalem as Islands to the continent. But because the word Islands is no where else used in this sense, I rather subscribe to them that expound it as meant of the inhabitants of Islands properly, that is, the remotest parts, and he meaneth, That revenge shall be taken upon wicked oppressours of the righteous there, as well as in any other parts, for God will be alike such in what place so ever, as by his providence administring justice alike in all parts of the world. And if any shall say, But how is this to bring salvation to him, of which he is speaking? Answ. The destruction of the wicked enemies of the Church is the salvation of the faithfull; and therefore it is observed, that some tyrants being at the point of death have ceased persecuting, as Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria, and Valerius and Maximianus Roman Emperors, who raised the tenth and most bloudy persecution against Christians; or if not, their mighty enemies being destroyed, they are saved, as were the Jews by the fall of the Babylonians by Cyrus a friend, coming to the highest height of power, in stead of an enemy an oppressour, the King of Babylon.
Therefore they shall fear the name of the Lord from the West, &c. This shall be Vers. 19.the effect of Gods judgements against the enemies of his Church, that peoples of all Countreys and Nations all the world over seeing it, shall fear the Lord, and turn worshippers of him, as the Gentiles indeed did, when the Apostles leaving the Jews to their deserved destruction went and preached to the Gentiles. When the enemy shall come in as a floud, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him. The Vulgar, The Spirit of the Lord compelling, Hebr. The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard in him, or by him, which makes the sense more easie, when the Romans shall come against the Jews as a violent floud that beareth down all things, they shall not come without the Lord and his power, and so they shall be unresistible; for that it is meant of Jerusalem, see Dan. 9. 26. the end whereof is said to be with a floud. Some expound the last words, as if it were meant, the Spirit or power of the Lord shall represse him, when he shall come like a floud upon the righteous drowning all by his Almighty power, yet he shall be turned back with confusion. Calvin questions of what enemies this is spoken, and neither liketh of their Calvin.opinion, who restrain it to the Jews only destroyed for their obstinacy against Christ, nor of theirs that restrain it to the destruction of Babylon by Cyrus, saying that it may best be understood of the whole time of Gods proceeding in severity against the enemies of the Church, from the time that Babylon was overthrown to the time of Jerusalems destruction.
There shall come a Redeemer to Zion, and to them that turn from iniquity. This Vers. 20.is by the Apostle Rom. 11. 16. applied to the Jews to prove their conversion to come, about which he also argueth otherwise in that Chapter at large, and layeth this in fine as a ground of it, The gifts and calling of God are without repentance; Upon which I have there written. But it is to be noted, lest it should be thought that all Zion shall be saved, that it is added for further explication, To them that turn from sinne in Jacob; so that none shall have benefit of this redemption but converts, who cast away their transgressions and believe, for which also Christ came preaching Repent and believe.
My Spirit which is upon thee, and my words in thy mouth shall not depart out of Vers. 21.thy mouth, or thy seeds or seeds seed for ever. Here after a Redeemer promised to Zion, that is, the Church or Congregation of the faithfull, vers. 20. The Lord is brought in speaking for the greater assurance of this Church, This is the Covenant that I make with thee, My Spirit and my words, &c. whereby the same in effect is promised with that which our Lord speaks of, I will send the Spirit of truth unto you, and he shall lead you into all truth. God was pleased first to make a Covenant with Abraham and his seed according to the flesh; now he fore-tels of another Covenant with Zion after the coming of the Redeemer, of which also Jer. 31. 33. and the meaning is, As a thing covenanted betwixt man and man stands firmly, so farre forth as the covenanters have truth or power in them; so this shall continue ratified for ever, that the words of the Gospel, and the Spirit being once put into the Apostles and their mouths to preach them, shall never die any more, but there shall be a seed of faithfull preachers generation after generation, going on to preach the same to the worlds end, and in them the Spirit of truth, so that they shall not erre therefrom at any time. Wherefore although the representative Church, that is, a general Councel convened, may possibly erre in some things, yet the universal Church can never erre, but still there shall be some faithfull souls holding the truth constantly and not corrupted, when errours do most abound; as in the dayes of Elijah, when he thought none of the true servants of God to have been left, but himself alone, the Lord told him that there were seven thousand left in Israel, whose knees never bowed to Baal, &c. And the like is observed in the corruptest times under the Gospel by him that wrote the book called Catalogus testium veritatis, upon which I have touched in my Catechism in speaking of the Church; so that although the Church of Rome in present calling her self the Catholick Church be degenerated and gone from the truth, yet Christs promise faileth not, Ʋpon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. See also upon this my Antidote against Popery. This seed may indeed sometime be very little as the name of remnant, whereby it is called, and A very small remnant, doth imply, but it is never quite extinct, and although it lieth hid from the world for a time, yet it lifts up the head again, and is conspicuous, as a City set upon an hill. And blessed are they that be of this seed, for such only are redeemed, and are one and the same Zion, to which the promise is made, whether Jews or Gentiles; and it is not being an Israelite or a Christian by outward profession that makes a man one, but still he may be accursed. Wherefore let none be moved by the marks of this seed reckoned up by the Papists, Universality, Visibility and Succession, &c. But is the Spirit in the Apostles at the first, and the words in their mouths, in the mouths of your Priests and none other? then ye say something, otherwise not, but the despised Protestants having the same words in their mouths shall prove this seed and continue, when ye with your vice-god the Pope shall go into perdition. The Hebrews, that make nothing of this but a command, as if it had been said, Let them not depart out of thy mouth, or thy seeds for ever, do manifestly wrest the Text, and obscure a main ground of faith, and mark of the true Church. For whatsoever might be said of words, it cannot carry any good sense to say of the Spirit, Let it not depart, sith it is not in mans power to hold it.