Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

But our Prophet speaks in this place far otherwise, for he professeth, that he is of their number who belonged to a better life: thus showing that he willingly underwent the sorrows and calamities which God laid upon him for the furtherance of his mortification; as one indeed that chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Now thus he makes it clear to all the world, that he speaks not here of things which he knew not, or of that which he felt not; but of those things which he learned by experience. Yea, he shows hereby, that his confidence was so great, that he willingly ranged himself among a company of dead bodies, which yet should (as he believed) be restored to life, choosing rather to be accounted a rotten carcass, knowing himself to be a member of the Church, then to be in his full strength out of the same. And this doubtless caused his doctrine to be so much the more effectual: for he opposeth it to the former sentence, verse 14. in which he said, that the wicked should not live; because all hope of (a joyful resurrection) was taken away from them.

But our Prophet speakes in this place far otherwise, for he professeth, that he is of their number who belonged to a better life: thus shewing that he willingly vnderwent the sorrows and calamities which God laid vpon him for the furtherance of his mortification; as one indeed that chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a season. Now thus he makes it cleere to all the world, that he speakes not here of things whic hee knew not, or of that which he felt not; but of those things which he learned by experience. Yea, hee shewes hereby, that his confidence was so great, that he willingly ranged himselfe among a company of dead bodies, which yet should (as he beleeued) be restored to life, chusing rather to bee accounted a rotten carcase, knowing himselfe to bee a member of the Church, then to be in his full strength out of the same. And this doubtlesse caused his doctrine to be so much the more effectuall: for he opposeth it to the former sentence, verse 14. in which hee said, that the wicked should not liue; because all hope of (a ioyfull resurrection) was taken away from them.