Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 1. Come near ye nations, and hearken ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all that proceedeth thereof.

Vers. 1. Come neere yee nations, and hearken yee people: let the earth heare, and all that is therein; the world, and all that proceedeth thereof.

Hitherunto our Prophet minding to comfort the children of the Church, hath preached as it were in the midst of their assembly. But now he directs his speech unto the Gentiles, and takes up the same argument still, albeit after another manner then before. For having showed that the Lord hath such care over his Church, that he will always provide means for her safety: he now also adds that which we have seen heretofore; to wit, that he will at last take his peoples cause in hand, and revenge their quarrel, though for a time he hath suffered the wicked to take their pennyworths of them. He continues to handle the same matter then, but by a consolation ⟨p. 342⟩of another kind. For he shows how severely God will plague those wicked ones, which have persecuted his Church. The Prophet according to his office therefore, summons them by proclamation on Gods behalf (that he might the better awaken them) to assemble themselves together, and appear before his judgement seat. For thus the wicked must be roused out of their security, who in time of prosperity despise all admonitions; thinking that God either will not, or cannot punish their iniquities. Yet in speaking thus vehemently, his greatest respect was to the Church: for otherwise he found but deaf ears among the nations, they would have profited nothing at all by it.

HItherunto our Prophet minding to comfort the children of the Church, hath preached as it were in the midst of their assembly. But now he directs his speech vnto the Gentiles, and takes vp the same argument stil, albeit after another maner then before. For hauing shewed that the Lord hath such care ouer his Church, that hee will alwaies prouide meanes for her safetie: hee now also addes that which we haue seene heretofore; to wit, that he will at last take his peoples cause in hand, and reuenge their quarrell, though for a time hee hath suffered the wicked to take their penniworths of them. He continues to handle the same matter then, but by a consolation