Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

This verse is diversly expounded: for some without any figure, understand, that there shall be such great want of food, that women shall lose their milk, and therefore that the infants shall weep over the empty and dried breasts of their mothers: which we see to fall out when people are pined away in great famines. But the most received sense, and that which agrees best, is; that by teats, under a figure we understand fields and vineyards, which also is expressed in the very words of the text: because from them, as from the teats of our mothers, we daily suck milk & blood as it were out of the earth. His meaning is then, that the fruits of the earth shall fail, because the Lord will so curse her, that she shall not be able to yield any increase. Thus men shall lament in regard of this great penury, as over the teats of their mother, which were wont to feed them with delicates. This sense I take to be fittest, as best agreeing to the natural scope of the text: for it was necessary it should serve as an exposition to that which is afterward added, touching the pleasant field, and the fruitful vines.

THis verse is diuersly expounded: for some without any figure, vnderstand, that there shall bee such great want of food, that women shall lose their milke, and therefore that the infants shall weepe ouer the emptie and dried breasts of their mothers: which we see to fall out when people are pined away in great famins. But the most receiued sense, and that which agrees best, is; that by teates, vnder a figure we vnderstand fields and vineyardes, which also is expressed in the very words of the text: because from them, as from the teats of our mothers, we daily sucke milke & blood as it were out of ye earth. His meaning is then, that the fruits of the earth shall faile, because the Lord will so curse her, yt she shall not be able to yeeld any increase. Thus men shall lament in regard of this great penurie, as ouer the teats of their mother, which were wont to feede them with delicates. This sense I take to be fittest, as best agreeing to the naturall scope of the text: for it was necessarie it should serue as an exposition to that which is afterward added, touching the pleasant field, and the fruitfull vines.