HE goes on with his speech. But if we will rightly understand this place, we must set the calamity wherewith the Moabites were extremely afflicted, before our eyes. Now he calls their wickednesses to remembrance; to the end all might know how justly this calamity befell them. When they had all things at their desire, they overflowed in dissolutions, and rejected all reprehensions: now being forsaken and left destitute of help, they mourn; seeking remedies, but find none.1 For thus God deals with the reprobates: he supplies their necessities, and puts all they can wish into their hands, to leave them without excuse. But after they have abused these blessings of God through their wicked lusts, and have turned all things to an ill end, he takes from them all means and helps, and then brings them to nothing. Whilst the Moabites were in prosperity, they made no great reckoning of mercy and uprightness, although they might have ruled, and had a flourishing Kingdom without doing any man wrong: yet did they abuse it to establish their tyranny. Now then when they are deprived of all authority, banished, and fugitives; Isaiah in scorn, admonisheth them to gather a counsel, and to execute justice, which before they had overturned by fraud & extortions. For Isaiah hath an eye to the time when the Moabites were spoiled of all principality and power. And it seems this reproach is like to that which the Lord used to Adam, saying; Behold Adam is become as one of us: Gen. 3.22. For he is there scorned by a biting kind of speech, that not being content with the excellent graces he had received, he would needs be like God himself. So the Moabites being not contented with their ornaments and riches, vexed the poor Jews and Israelites after a barbarous manner; pilled and polled them, and imagining wicked devices against them.
HE goes on with his speech. But if we will rightly vnderstand this place, we must set the calamitie wherewith the Moabites were extremely afflicted, before our eyes. Now he calles their wickednesses to remembrance; to the end all might know how iustly this calamitie besell them. When they had all things at their desire, they ouerflowed in dissolutions, and reiected all reprehensions: now being forsaken and left destitute of helpe, they mourne; seeking remedies, but find none.1 For thus God deales with the reprobates: he supplies their necessities, and puts all they can wish into their hands, to leaue them without excuse. But after they haue abused these blessings of God through their wicked lusts, and haue turned all things to an ill end, he takes from them all meanes and helpes, and then brings them to nothing. Whilest the Moabites were in prosperitie, they made no great reckoning of mercy and vprightnesse, although they might haue ruled, and had a florishing Kingdome without doing any man wrong: yet did they abuse it to establish their tyranny. Now then when they are depriued of all authoritie, banished, and fugitiues; Isaiah in scorne, admonisheth them to gather a counsell, and to execute iustice, which before they had ouerturned by fraud & extortions. For Isaiah hath an eye to the time when the Moabites were spoiled of all principality and pwer. And it seemes this reproch is like to that which the Lord vsed to Adam, saying; Behold Adam is become as one of vs: Gen. 3.22. For he is there scorned by a biting kinde of speech, that not being content with the excellent graces he had receiued, hee would needes be like God himselfe. So the Moabites being not contented with their ornaments and riches, vexed the poore Iewes and Israelites after a barbarous maner; pilled and polled them, and imagining wicked deuices against them.
- 1How God deals with the wicked.How God deales with the wicked.
