Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 3. Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not? We have punished our selves, and thou regardest it not. Behold, in the day of your fast you will seek your will, and require all your debts.

Vers. 3. Wherefore haue wee fasted, and thou seest it not? Wee haue punished our selues, and thou regardest it not. Behold, in the day of your fast you will seeke your will, and require all your debts.

He passeth on further in the same argument, and saith,¹ that besides this hypocrisy which thus blinds those that serve God to the halves, pride doth so superabound in them, that they dare in plain terms make opposition against God himself: and when he presseth them near, they burst forth into complaints, as if he offered them great wrong. As if they should have said; Hast thou any reason to reject our services, fasts, and prayers? Wherefore shouldst thou not accept of them? Canst thou in equity suffer us to punish our selves thus for nothing? He hath already granted to the hypocrites some show of holiness, whereby they deceived the world: but now he shows that rhey were besotted, and ready to burst with pride inwardly, under pretence of their painted works, with which they thought to satisfy God, and in regard thereof, outfaced the Prophets, and flattered themselves in their wickednesses, namely, in their infidelity, rebellion, and obstinacy against God; distrust, cruelty, deceit, and oppression. These were light matters with them, and they thought they might easily purge themselves of them, by fastings and such bodily exercises: for these were their goodly merits in which they imagined the whole worship ⟨p. 595⟩of God consisted, and by which they hoped to be absolved from all their sins. And thus they strained at a gnat, and made no bones to swallow a Camel: Mat. 23.24.