Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners; Go forth: and to them that are in darkness; Show your selves, they shall seek in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all the tops of the hills.

Vers. 9. That thou maiest say to the prisoners; Goe forth: and to them that are in darknesse; Shew your selues, they shall seeke in the waies, and their pastures shall bee in all the toppes of the hilles.

¹Behold here a description of the change, that happens at Christs coming. Notwithstanding it is very sure that the Prophet meant in this place, to give some consolation to the Jews, things being then in such a desperate state, to the end their restoration might not seem incredible; no, not albeit they lay in darkness of death. Yet in general terms, he shows wherein the office of Christ consists; to wit, in restoring the desolate heritage: vers. 8. For before his coming, we lie manacled hand and foot under a miserable slavery, and are plunged into the darkness of hell. By these two similitudes then he shows, that we are wrapped in all sorts of miseries, as long as Christ is absent from us. For by darkness, he excludes us from all the benefits which appertain to Christs kingdom••• as faith, righteousness, holiness, truth, and the §1like graces: we are in darkness then, till §2Christ say; Show your selves: we are bound till he cry, Go forth. Now there is great weight in the clause; That thou mayest say: for he shows that the preaching of the Gospel, is the means by which we are delivered. If we then desire the liberty and the light of Gods kingdom, let us hearken unto the voice of Christ, for else we shall be oppressed under the perpetual tyranny of Satan.

¹BEhold heere a description of the change, that happens at Christs comming. Notwithstanding it is very sure that the Prophet meant in this place, to giue some consolation to the Iewes, things being then in such a desperate state, to the end their restauration might not seeme incredible; no, not albeit they lay in darknesse of death. Yet in generall termes, he shewes wherein the office of Christ consists; to wit, in restoring the desolate heritage: vers. 8. For before his comming, we lie manacled hand and foote vnder a miserable slauerie, and are plunged into the darknesse of hell. By these two similitudes then he shewes, that wee are wrapped in all sorts of miseries, as long as Christ is absent from vs. For by darknesse, he excludes vs from all the benefits which appertaine to Christs kingdom as faith, righteousnesse, holinesse, truth, and the