Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 5. And now I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard; I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up: I will break the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. 6. And I will lay it waste: it shall not be cut, nor digged; but briars and thorns shall grow up: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Vers. 5. And now I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard; I will take away the hedge therof, and it shall be eaten vp: I will breake the wall thereof, and it shall be troden downe. 6. And I will lay it waste: it shall not be cut, nor digged; but briars and thornes shall grow vp: I will also command the cloudes that they raine no raine vpon it.

Because he holds the Jews as good as condemned persons by their own mouth, he by and by adds that he will be the avenger of the contempt of this grace, so as they shall not escape without punishment. For this reproach would not have bin sufficient to have moved them, unless he had forthwith threatened them with correction. He gives them now to understand then, that so great wickedness whereby they have disloyally mocked him, shall not escape scot-free. Now the sum of the vengeance is, that they shall be deprived of the gifts which they had abused; not only when God shall withdraw himself from them, but also that they shall be laid open to the spoil of the enemies. In the mean while he shows how miserable their condition shall be, when he shall once cease to bestow his liberality upon them. Whence it follows, that it ought to be attributed to the singular goodness of God, that this Vine continued safe and sound till then: yea he admonisheth by how many sundry ways it was preserved; and also how many means God hath in his hand to destroy and lay it waste, both within and without. For his succour being withheld from it, it must needs lie open to be devoured of all that should pass by, whether men or beasts. After (saith he) that I shall take away my hedge, the beasts shall tread it under feet, and it shall be eaten up, and the robbers shall rob and spoil it, and so it shall be laid fallow. And further, because the Lord shall cease to prune and deck it, it shall bring forth no more fruit, in regard it wants husbanding: but briars and thorns shall grow up, which will choke the plants; yea, God will cause the very roots to wither away by withholding rain.