Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

When the Prophet mentions the just nation that keeps the trueth; he not only shows (as I have said heretofore) who they are to whom this promise appertains; but therewithal, the fruit of that should come by this chastisement: for the Church being once purged from her filthinesses, her righteousness and holiness should shine so much the more right. For when the Prophet wrote this song, the wicked reigned, and the good were very thin sown, and those also were mingled amongst the multitude, as the wheat in the chaff. It was needful therefore that this great troop, who had neither religion nor any fear of God should be cut off: to the end the Lord might gather in the remnant of ⟨p. 247⟩his Church. See now how the Lord recompensed this ruin of Jerusalem. For whereas her citizens were before defiled with impiety, now they were consecrated anew unto God; else it had been to little purpose for them to have recovered a flourishing outward estate, if newness of life, piety and uprightness had not also flourished amongst them. Now as the Prophet in these words sets forth the grace of God, so he also exhorts these redeemed people therewithal to give themselves to integrity of life. In a word, he testifies that these promises shall stand hypocrites in no stead, for the gates shall not be set open for them, but only for the just and holy.

When the Prophet mentions the iust nation that keepes the trueth; hee not onely shewes (as I haue said heeretofore) who they are to whom this promise appertaines; but therewithall, the fruit of that should come by this chastisement: for the Church being once purged from her filthinesses, her righteousnesse and holinesse should shine so much the more right. For when the Prophet wrote this song, the wicked reigned, and the good were verie thin sowen, and those also were mingled amongst the multitude, as the wheat in the chaffe. It was needfull therefore that this great troope, who had neither religion nor any feare of God should bee cut off: to the end the Lord might gather in the remnant of ⟨p. 247⟩his Church. See now how the Lord recompenced this ruine of Ierusalem. For whereas her citizens were before defiled with impietie, now they were consecrated anew vnto God; else it had been to little purpose for them to haue recouered a florishing outward estate, if newnes of life, pietie and vprightnes had not also florished amongst them. Now as the Prophet in these words sets forth the grace of God, so he also exhorts these redeemed people therewithall to giue themselues to integritie of life. In a word, he testifies that these promises shall stand hypocrits in no stead, for the gates shall not be set open for them, but only for the iust and holy.