Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

¹This Sermon is in a manner like to the former. For after he hath unmasked the hypocrites, who falsely vaunted them selves, and showed that their punishment is just; now he answers to the rest of their objections. The custom of such kind of persons is to accuse God either of impotency, or of over great severity: and therefore he shows, that neither power nor vvill is wanting in God, to save those that be his: but that it is their own perversity that hinders him from causing them to feel his liberality: and consequently, that they did wickedly to complain of him, in uttering such slanders against him, seeing that themselves rather deserved to be accused.

¹THis Sermon is in a manner like to the former. For after hee hath vnmasked the hypocrites, who falsly vaunted thē selues, and shewed that their punishmēt is iust; now hee answeres to the rest of their obiections. The custome of such kind of persons is to accuse God either of impotencie, or of ouer great seueritie: and therefore he shewes, that neither power nor vvill is wanting in God, to saue those that be his: but that it is their owne peruersitie that hinders him from causing them to feele his liberalitie: and consequently, that they did wickedly to complaine of him, in vttering such slanders against him, seeing that themselues rather deserued to be accused.

1. 1The Prophet maintains Gods equal dealing, against the slanders of the wicked.The Prophet maintaines Gods equall dealing, against the slanders of the wicked.

The word Behold, hath great weight in it: for it is as much as if the Prophet in speaking of a thing present, should have pointed it out with his finger for the greater certainty, that so he might at once cut off all the cavils and replies of hypocrites. Now we must supply oppositions in the words shortened and heavy: as if he should say; The hand of the Lord was once strong enough to save his children: and once his ears were open to hear their prayers: and now he is no changeling, as if his hand were maimed, or as if his ears were heavy, that he should not be quick enough of hearing. The sum is; that men are not to charge God with mutability, as if he had altered his nature; but that the whole blame rested in themselves, in regard that by their sins they had as it were shut up the passage against his bounty, and would not admit of his succour. So that if themselves had not laid impediments in the way, he would have caused them to have felt his power and mercy, as well as their fathers in times past had done. And thus he draws his argument from the perpetual and equal constancy of God, whose grace they rejected by their sins, and would none of his help.