Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 16. Wash you, make you clean: take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes: cease to do evil.

Vers. 16. Wash you, make you cleane: take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies: cease to doe euill.

Now he exhorts the Jews to repentance, and shows the true way to come thereto, if so be they meant that their services should be allowed of God. Whence we gather, that nothing can please God, unless it come from a pure conscience. For God is not like a man, that he should esteem our works by the outside of them. Men do many times praise the work which a wicked man hath done, but in God his sight (who chiefly respects the heart) the polluted conscience defiles all the rest of the virtues. And that is it which the Prophet Haggai teacheth, setting an example of the ancient ceremony before them:¹ namely, that whatsoever a polluted man had touched was unclean: whence he concludes, that no clean thing can proceed from the wicked. Our Prophet hath already affirmed, that it is in vain to offer sacrifices unto God, in vain to make vows, in vain to call upon him, if the integrity of the heart do not sanctify the outward service. Wherefore to the end the Jews should not labour any longer for nothing, he requires this cleanness: and begins with a general reformation, to the end they should not think they had bleared the eyes of God by doing their duties in some one or two things only. And thus must they be handled who have estranged themselves from God. We must not touch a disease or two of a sick infected body: but if care be had to heal it truly and soundly, we must de forced to call them back, and to begin all anew: yea the contagion of the disease must be purged wholly from within; that so they may begin to please God, whereas before they were detestable and abominable in his sight. And no doubt also by this Similitude of washing, he exhorts them to purge themselves from their inward uncleannesses. But unto this he will by and by ad outward works.

NOw hee exhortes the Iewes to repentance, and shewes the true way to come thereto, if so be they meant yt their seruices should be allowed of God. Whence wee gather, that nothing can please God, vnlesse it come from a pure conscience. For God is not like a man, that he should esteeme our works by the outside of them. Men do many times praise the worke which a wicked man hath done, but in God his sight (who chiefly respects the heart) the polluted conscience defiles all the rest of the vertues. And that is it which the Prophet Haggie teacheth, setting an example of the ancient ceremonie before them: