Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Isaiah · Chapter 62
CHAP. LXII.
FOr Zions sake I will not keep silence, Hebr. For Zion I will not. That is, Vers. 1.for the exceeding great love which I bear to the Church, I will not, I cannot hold my peace, nor cease from speaking of her Saviour, saith the Prophet over and over, if any man should ask, why, having already spoken so much of him, he still went on to speak more till her just one cometh as brightnesse: Hieronym. Calvin. Muscul.thus the Hebrew and Vulgar, but Calvin, Till her righteousnesse, but it cometh all to one, for Christ is hereby meant, as Jerom saith, although others expound it as meant of actually declaring Zion to be righteous in Gods acceptation, which was when the Jews were delivered out of their long Captivity, in the time whereof no such thing appeared, but then it came forth, as it were, as is here said, and was as manifestly seen by all men, as the brightness of a burning Lamp. But Marlorat resteth not here without adding Christ, as chiefly hereby meant, as there is great reason he should be, sith the joy for Zion in respect of her deliverance by Cyrus, was nothing to her justification and salvation by Christ. But how is it said, that he would not be silent, till he came, who…e coming was not till many hundred years after? Answ. Isaiah continued speaking by his writings, which by Gods providence were preserved till Christs coming, and since to this day.
And the Gentiles shall see thy righteous one. That is, Christ, who came of the Vers. 2.Jews, which they did, when he being preached unto them, was believed in. And thou shalt be called by a new name. Most of the ancients agree, that this new name, is the Church of Christ. Whereas before the faithfull were called Israel, Zion or Jerusalem; some unaptly say, The new name here meant is Jesus, as if it had been spoken to Christ, when as it is spoken to Zion. But some more rightly will have by this new name meant that which is set down by way of explication of this, Hephzibah, My delight in her, vers. 4. Calvin seems to think Calvin.nothing else to be meant, but that the Church shall be spoken of as renewed, which was before so greatly decayed; so that as a City new built out of the ruines, hath a new name by the builder given it, in like manner the Church being re-built by the Lord, hath by his mouth a new name; and forsomuch as he hath expressed what it is, why should we doubt what it is? and not rest in the name before expressed, a Church dearly beloved of God, as a woman new married of her husband: for that the Church is so now, see Ephes. 5. 30. And the name Ecclesia or Church, is not found given to the faithfull, till the N. T. and this name implieth a calling out from all parts of the world, a company peculiar to God and precious for holiness, in regard whereof this company is otherwise set forth by the name of Saints. Wherefore think upon this Note. (all Christians) which is also another most excellent new name, whereby ye are called, and be ashamed to bear a new name, and yet live after the old man in all manner of vile lusts, for whilst ye do thus, ye have a name from Christ, but none other benefit by him, as being still out of him, sith he that is in Christ is a new creature.
Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy Land Beulah. Vulg. My will or pleasure Vers. 4.in her, according to the signification of the word, for Chephtsi is my pleasure or complacency, and bah in her, as it was said of Christ the head of the Church, so through him of her, In whom I am well pleased, or if it be rendred by his will, the meaning is, My will is done in her, because she prayeth daily for this, Thy will be done in earth, as in heaven; and every true member of the Church desires from his heart to be continually doing of it, and doth it so, that he is not in the course of his life like the wicked, there being betwixt him and them this manifest difference, He that is born of God sinneth not, but he that committeth sinne is of the devil, 1 Joh. 3. 9, 10. And for Beulah, the Vulgar hath inhabited, but Pagnin and Vatablus, married; the word foreign of which it cometh, signifieth to possesse or to hold, as a Lord or Master Land; and therefore it may best be rendred (possession) for as the Land of Canaan was of old called the Lords inheritance or possession, so now every Countrey where the faithfull inhabit, is his possession also, whereas before it was desolate in respect of good inhabitants, but now is inhabited by many such, as is said in the next words.
The young man shall dwell with the Virgin, &c. That is, there shall be marrying Vers. 5.amongst the faithfull, whereof shall come many children filling the Land, the Parents being Christian shall have children Christians also, and by reason hereof even when hot persecution arose Christian Lands were not desolate, but had a daily encrease of young ones coming on in the room of those that were by persecution cut off, to prove which to be so, it grew into a Proverb, Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae, as seeds sown many come up for one, so proved the martyred Saints in the Church. Our New Translation, As a young man marrieth a Virgin, thy sons shall marry thee; but the Vulgar before-going better, for a young man and maid shall inhabit, children shall inhabit. For so it is in the Hebrew, being a reason, as foreign noteth, of the name Beulah before-going, whereas if it be taken for marrying, the sense is marred, sith it is improper to say of sons, that they shall marry their mother.
I have set watchmen upon thy wals (O Jerusalem) which shall never be silent. Vers. 6.Here is shewed, how it should come to passe that there should never be a desolation in the Land, where the Church is, but children still coming on to inhabit it, there shall alwayes be watchmen, otherwise called Pastours or Prophets, who by daily inculcating the Doctrine of the Gospel, should as by immortal seed, hereby beget children from time to time unto Christ. But in saying Note. that they should not be silent night nor day, he intimateth the duty of watchmen, to be not rarely now and then to preach, but very often, and not only in the day, but when need requires, as in the time of persecution, in the night also, as Paul preached till mid-night, viz. in times of persecution, whereunto he alluding saith, Preach in season and out of season. Ye that make 2 Tim. 4.mention of the Lord, keep not silence. Having prophesied of the zealous and painfull Preachers, which should be under the Gospel, now he exhorts them and all others, Prophets of his time and after, to pray also without ceasing unto God, that Jerusalem might be made a praise in the earth, which is by the Vers. 7.coming of Christ; and therefore the Prophets before are exhorted to pray for his coming in the flesh, and the Prophets since for the propagation of the Gospel into all parts, and for his second coming in glory, as John doth Revel. 22. For then is Jerusalem a praise in all the earth, when Christ, who came of the Jews, shineth by miracles, and glory and praise is ascribed to him in all Lands, and finally he shall appear to the view of all men in glory, attended by Note. the holy Angels. These things shall be, yet it is the Prophets duty to pray for them, and the duty of the whole Church, otherwise we cannot shew our faith and earnest desire after them, because faith and zeal cannot but utter themselves in prayer, as it is said of Saul, so soon as he believed, Behold he prayeth, Act. 9.
I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thy enemies. This the Lord swears by Vers. 8.his right hand, and the arm of his strength, that is, his fidelity, a token whereof is giving one the right hand, and his almighty power, Hebr. For I will not give it, is, If I shall give; being a form of an oath thus to be supplied, If I shall give thy wheat, &c. let me not be counted faithfull or omnipotent. He alludeth, saith Jerom, to what had been formerly done in the dayes of their Hieron.oppression by the Midianites Judg. 6. and should be done by the Babylonians, for of these last it was said, Chap. 1. 9. Strangers devour your labours, but he means the Churches meat, which is the meat and life of the soul, and by their enemies, devils, who are said to have devoured it, or of whom it is said, that it was meat to them, because in time of blindness and superstition they offered to Idols, which were devils, whereby their bread became meat to these their enemies, and because they counted it meat unto them thus blindly to lead John 4.them in the truth. Calvin and Musculus understanding all literally, expound Calvin. Muscul.it of an established peaceable estate of the Jews after their return out of Babylon, when their enemies should no more eat what they had laboured for, as was threatned Deut. 28. 33. But forsomuch as this was not verified according to the letter, for they were under enemies sometimes again after that, Egyptians, Syrians, and Romans, and he is speaking not of an Eutopia of Jews, but of the Church of Christ, whose prosperity is not so much worldly, or in the enjoyment of worldly things, but spiritual and heavenly, I rather preferre the allegorical sense before-going.
And then the place where it is said vers. 9. They that laboured for it shall Vers. 9.eat it, In the courts of the Lords house, sets forth the Church, wherein the Communion celebrated by bread and wine is eaten and drunk, and heaven afterwards, where the faithfull shall sit down feasting with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for ever, not with material bread and wine, but spiritual joyes and pleasures at Gods right hand. In saying, In the courts of the Lords house, he doth Psal. 16.but allude to the old manner of feasting when they brought peace-offerings in way of thanksgiving, meaning the like to be done by Christians in their Churches or Oratories, in eating and drinking the Lords Supper, and then as it is here said, They shall praise the Lord; so Christians do, calling this solemnity from hence Eucharistica. And this corn and wine is not given to our enemies to be meat, when all the powers of hell cannot hinder, but that this feast is kept by the faithfull from time to time, till Christs coming again, as he hath commanded. But when either through persecution or trouble arising in Note. the Church, it ceaseth at any time, or upon any other deceivable ground, as at this day, in many Churches of England, it is meat to our enemy the devil, who rejoyceth over them that are thus drawn to neglect it. And because the Word preached is bread, Amos. 8. 11. and wine, Isa. 55. 1, 2. the same is to be held touching it, if at any time it be not preached in any Church at due times, it is meat there to the devil; but God that hath sworn it, will provide that it shall never be so in the Church universal to the worlds end; for which see also before Isa. 59. 21. The Word preaching, and Supper of the Lord, shall never fail in his Church, neither shall Satan be able to hinder any of Christs faithfull people from eating and drinking that which they have laboured for, in heaven, as is promised, Heb. 6. 7. God is not unfaithfull to forget your labour in the Lord. To be noted against them that teach falling away from grace into Note. damnation; and the Papists applying that of Daniel of the ceasing of the continual Dan. 12.Sacrifice three years and an half, to the Lords Supper to be so long intermitted, when Antichrist shall reign, which is contrary to that which the Lord here swears, for it is without limitation of time that he will make this feeding of his Church good, and not for a long time, or many generations onelyonly.
Go through the gates, prepare the way. So before Chap. 40. 3. & 57. 14. where Vers. 10.ye may see the Exposition, and they be the Watchmen, saith Jerom, spoken of vers 6. that are bidden to prepare the way for people of all Nations to come in, as is intimated vers. 11. The Lord hath proclaimed to all the ends of the Vers. 11.earth. And whereas it is added, Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold thy salvation cometh] By Zion, he meaneth the Church consisting of all Nations, but called Zion, because it was first begun to be gathered there, and Jesus is her salvation, and his reward is eternal life, according to that Joh. 10. 28. My sheep hear my voice and follow me, and I give unto them eternal life.
And they shall be called an holy people. This was promised to Israel, Exod. Vers. 12.19▪ 6. Deut. 7. 6. and is fulfilled in the redeemed by Christ; For he is made of God unto us wisdom, sanctification, righteousnesse and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30.