Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

By the name of God, he means God himself: but he useth this circumlocution, in regard the Assyrians and the rest of the nations served gods of gold and silver. For they mocked the Jews, as if they had worshipped a God in name only. Why so? Because they represented him not forth by some shape or image: as we read of a certain profane Poet,¹ who used to say of them in scorn, that they worshipped the clouds, and a divinity that was shut up in heaven. See how infidels and profane persons judge of God according to their outward senses: but our Prophet brings the faithful to this name of God. As if he should say; This God which hath manifested himself unto you by his name; ²this God whom you neither touch nor see, shall come, and shall avenge the wrongs done unto you.

By the name of God, he meanes God himselfe: but he vseth this circumlocution, in regard the Assyrians and the rest of the nations serued goddes of gold and siluer. For they mocked the Iews, as if they had worshipped a God in name onely. Why so? Because they represented him not forth by some shape or image: as we read of a certaine prophane Poet,¹ who vsed to say of them in scorne, that they worshipped the clouds, and a diuinitie that was shut vp in heauen. See how infidels and prophane persons iudge of God according to their outward senses: but our Prophet brings the faithfull to this name of God. As if he should say; This God which hath manifested himselfe vnto you by his name; ²this God whom you neither touch nor see, shall come, and shall auenge the wrongs done vnto you.

1. 1A profane Poet.A prophane Poet.
2. 2The God whom we neither feel nor see with outward senses, is sufficient to avenge the wrongs done to his church.The God whom wee neither feele nor see with outward senses, is sufficient to auenge the wrongs done to his church.