Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

¹The Prophet here compares the Jews with the Gentiles, to prevent a difficult and dangerous temptation wherewith they might be shaken, by seeing the Gentiles to have all things according to their wish. For they might well think in such straits that either God favoured the Gentiles, or, that he neglected his Church, or, that all things were huddled up together at adventure. The Prophet therefore advertiseth them, that howsoever the profane nations flourished for a time, and seemed to be advanced above the clouds, yet their perdition was decreed as well as the salvation of Israel. In a word, he admonisheth them not to judge of Gods power by the estate of things present, lest they should fix their thoughts upon things of no continuance, but that they should rather lift them up to the eternal salvation, and in the mean while being stricken with Gods hand, patiently to bear their condition, without grudging at the prosperity of the wicked, who were shortly to have a shameful fall, Psal. 37. This sentence then is knit to the former: for whosoever shall be well instructed that God hides himself whilst he is a saviour, will not much be moved at the prosperity of the wicked, nor at the misery of the faithful that are despised, and exercised with sundry afflictions, because the end of the one is shame, and the end of the other glory.