Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

HE promiseth, as hath been said, that the Church of God shall continue safe in the middest of these storms: for albeit the world should be shaken with infinite tempests, and laid on heaps, as if heaven and earth went together, yet the Lord would conserve a little flock, and raise up his Church again, as out of the middest of death. This place ought greatly to refresh the weary spirits of the Saints, and to confirm their faith: for is it not a miracle of miracles, that so small an handful of the faithful (amongst whom remains the one and the same religion, worship, faith, and means of salvation) should be conserved among so many wracks of Empires which happened here and there?

HE promiseth, as hath been said, that the Church of God shall continue safe in the middest of these stormes: for albeit the world should be shaken with infinite tempests, and laid on heapes, as if heauen and earth went together, yet the Lord would conserue a little flocke, and raise vp his Church againe, as out of the middest of death. This place ought greatly to refresh the wearie spirits of the Saints, and to confirme their faith: for is it not a miracle of miracles, that so small an handfull of the faithfull (amongst whom remaines the one and the same religion, worship, faith, and meanes of saluation) should be conserued among so many wrackes of Empires which happened here and there?

But it seems that Isaiah contradicts himself; for before he foretold that Gods people should be so besotted, that they should have ⟨p. 292⟩none understanding: vers. 11, 12. and now on the contrary he saith, that the deaf shall hear, and that the blind shall see. His meaning is then, that the Church must first be chastised and purged; not after an ordinary or common fashion, but so strangely, that she should seem as good as utterly extinct.

But it seemes that Isaiah contradicts himselfe; for before he foretold that Gods people should be so besotted, that they should haue ⟨p. 292⟩