Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 4. When the Lord shall wash the filthiness of the daughters of Zion, and purge the blood of Jerusalem out of the midst thereof by the spirit of judgement, and by the spirit of burning.

Vers. 4. When the Lord shall wash the filthinesse of the daughters of Zion, and purge the blood of Ierusalem out of the midst thereof by the spirit of iudgement, and by the spirit of burning.

HE still goes on with the same doctrine: for in as much as we commonly think that the Church receives great hurt through the afflictions by which she is diminished, the Prophet insists more and more upon the contrary sentence. And now to beat back this error, he reasoneth by the contrary, to wit, that God rather washeth and purgeth out all the corruptions from his Church by means of afflictions. By blood, I understand not only murders, and such other notorious crimes, but all manner of filthiness and uncleanness whatsoever. Now there is a redoubling in this similitude, by which he repeats one and the same thing twice, because that which before he called filthiness in general, now he calls it blood in particular, as the flux of blood, or some such like thing. In sum, he shows the fruits which these corrections bring, to wit, that by them our filthiness is cleansed. For whilst ungodliness spreads it self hither and thither without punishment, then we grow as corrupt as others, for which cause it is necessary that the Lord should awaken us by admonitions, yea, as a good Physician, that he purge, lance, and sometimes that he sear, and burn.

HE still goes on with the same doctrine: for in as much as we commonly thinke that the Church receiues great hurt through the afflictions by which she is diminished, the Prophet insists more and more vpō the contrary sentence. And now to beate back this error, he reasoneth by the contrary, to wit, that God rather washeth and purgeth out all the corruptions from his Church by meanes of afflictions. By blood, I vnderstand not only murthers, and such other notorious crimes, but all maner of filthinesse and vncleannesse whatsoeuer. Now there is a redoubling in this similitude, by which he repeates one and the same thing twice, because that which before he called filthinesse in generall, now he calles it blood in particular, as the fluxe of blood, or some such like thing. In summe, he shewes the fruites which these corrections bring, to wit, that by them our filthinesse is cleansed. For whilest vngodlinesse spreades it selfe hither and thither without punishment, then we grow as corrupt as others, for which cause it is necessarie that the Lord should awaken vs by admonitions, yea, as a good Physition, that he purge, launce, and sometimes that he seare, and burne.