Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

For this cause he commands the dead to arise and sing; which may seem to be very unfitting for men in their case, there being nothing among them but a sorrowful silence. In this therefore the Prophet shows an apparent difference between the elect of God,¹ who arise by an heavenly power, albeit they be as good as rotten in their graves, and lie buried in the dust; and the reprobates: for they being separated from God and Christ, the fountain of life, wither away, whilst they live, that so death may utterly devour them.

For this cause hee commands the dead to arise and sing; which may seeme to be very vnfitting for men in their case, there being nothing among them but a sorrowfull silence. In this therefore the Prophet shewes an apparent difference betweene the elect of God,¹ who arise by an heauenly power, albeit they be as good as rotten in their graues, and lie buried in the dust; and the reprobates: for they being separated from God and Christ, the fountaine of life, wither away, whilest they liue, that so death may vtterly deuoure them.

1. 1An apparent difference between the elect and the reprobate.An apparent difference betweene the elect and the reprobate.

Now in that he promiseth to give them the dew of the meadow; he thereby enricheth his doctrine with a very elegant and fit similitude: for we all know that the flowers do fade and die in winter, but especially in meadows, for they seem to be altogether dead, neither can a man be persuaded to the contrary, that shall only behold the upper face of the earth; but the roots notwithstanding lie hid underneath, which after they have sucked in the dew of the spring time, do again gather strength and life: so as the flowers which before were withered away and dried, do then become fresh and green.