Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 27. ^*Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest thou O Israel. My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is passed over of my God.

Vers. 27. ^*Why saiest thou, O Iaakob, and speakest thou O Israel. My way is hid from the Lord, and my iudgement is passed ouer of my God.

1. *Or, Why wilt thou say: or, shouldest thou say.

Now Isaiah complains of the Jews, who being in a manner brought to the last cast, turned their eyes away from Gods promises, which were the means of their comfort. Or if you will have it so, he takes order for the time to come, lest they should quail under so many and so tedious afflictions as should befall them. The words are in the future tense, which may be resolved into the subjunctive; Wherefore shouldest thou say? From the former sentence he well infers, that whatsoever should happen,¹ the faithful and elect people were to wait patiently upon the Lord, till he in due season should relieve them. Now he reasons from the less to the greater;² that seeing God always holds his sovereignty over all the parts of the world, it is unpossible that he should ever for sake his Church. Notwithstanding, it is very likely that the people in that time made many complaints, and murmured against God, as if he had been careless of their salvation; or as if he came not soon enough to succour them; or else that he shut his eyes, as one that refused to behold them in their adversities. This vice he now goes about to correct; for they thought the Lord had cast them off: and so in afflictions we are also ready to think; for we imagine that he hath rejected and given us up for a pray, because he lets things in the world go at six and seven.