The remnant.] That is to say, the peoples both of Syria and Israel should be brought to nought: and the better to authorise his prophecy, he adds forthwith, that God hath spoken it. Now when God punished these two kingdoms so severely, no doubt but hereby he provided for the salvation of his Church, redeeming and delivering it even by the destruction of the enemies. And for the rooting out of them both, he used the help of the Assyrians, whom the Jews themselves had called: in which fact of theirs, they sinned very grossly. Yet could not their offence hinder the Lord from being careful of his Church;1 delivering it, by setting his enemies together by the ears. And by this we may se• how great care the Lord hath of us, seeing he spares not to punish even great and mighty kingdoms for our safety. We may §1also observe, that although all the wicked §2should band and join themselves in league together to destroy us; yet the Lord will easily find a way how to deliver us out of their §3devouring jaws. Besides, we may note how needful it is for us to be deprived of all humane helps, wherein we often put vain confidence, and that against God himself: for being once blinded with prosperity,2 we begin so to pride our selves in it, that we can give God no audience. He must be fain therefore to remove all impediments out of our way, to the end we may come to the true sight of our poverty: as it happened to the Israelites, who were stripped of all their succours, after Syria was once destroyed.
The remnant.] That is to say, the peoples both of Syria and Israel should bee brought to nought: and the better to authorise his prophecie, he addes forthwith, that God hath spoken it. Now when God punished these two kingdomes so seuerely, no doubt but hereby he prouided for the saluation of his Church, redeeming and deliuering it euen by the destruction of the enemies. And for the rooting out of them both, he vsed the helpe of the Assyrians, whom the Iewes themselues had called: in which fact of theirs, they sinned very grosly. Yet could not their offence hinder the Lord from being carefull of his Church;1 deliuering it, by setting his enemies together by the eares. And by this wee may se• how great care the Lord hath of vs, seeing he spares not to punish euen great and mightie kingdomes for our safetie. We may §1also obserue, that although all the wicked §2should band and ioyne themselues in league together to destroy vs; yet the Lord will easily finde a way how to deliuer vs out of their §3deuouring iawes. Besides, we may note how needfull it is for vs to be depriued of all humane helpes, wherein wee often put vaine confidence, and that against God himselfe: for being once blinded with prosperitie,2 we begin so to pride our selues in it, that we can giue God no audience. Hee must be faine therefore to remoue all impediments out of our way, to the end we may come to the true sight of our pouertie: as it happened to the Israelites, who were stripped of all their succours, after Syria was once destroyed.
- 1God sometimes delivers his Church, by setting her adversaries together by the ears.God sometimes deliuers his Church, by setting her aduersaries together by the eares.
- 2It is fit we should now and •h•n be left helpless, to bring us to the true sight of our own weakness.It is fit we should now and •h•n be left h•lpel•sse, to bring vs to the true sight of our owne we•ken•sse.
