Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Having inserted a brief consolation to assuage the sharpness of the punishments in regard of the faithful, he returns to the threatenings, and goes on to strike them through with these thundering speeches, which at the least might terrify them in some sort. By cords, he means nothing else but the allurements of sin, by which men suffer themselves to be deceived, and thereby to become hardened in their hearts in wickedness, because lightly they either contemn the judgments §1of God, or frame vain excuses; or else §2pretend they can do no otherwise; what veil §3then soever it be which they put before them, that the Prophet calleth cords. For as often as men are led away to sinning by the concupiscence of their flesh, in the beginning thereof they consult in themselves, and feel some bridle which restrains them, and which doubtless would hinder them from committing of evil, if that they were not overcaried by a contrary tempest, which shakes off and puts away all remorse of conscience. When any man is enticed or stirred up to evil, his conscience by a secret instinct asketh him, What doest thou? And sin never creepeth thus upon us, but we feel some remorse. And God hath thus in deed prevented men, to the end all should not give over themselves with an unbridled licentiousness to commit evil. Whence cometh it then that men are so obstinate in their naughtiness? To say the truth, they suffer themselves to be beguiled by allurements, and do so drench their minds with delighting themselves therein, that they despise the judgements of God, and all to pursue their own sins with greediness. They flatter themselves, in believing