Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

BY these similitudes he promiseth a notable change.¹ As if God should have said; I have both will and power to restore my Church; yea, & that in such wise, that she shall seem to have recovered new forces, and have an habitation in a new world. These are excessive manners of speeches. But the excellency of this benefit, which should be offered at the coming of Christ, could not otherwise be expressed. Neither doth the Prophet mean this alone of Christs first coming, but of the whole course of his kingdom, until his last appearing: as we have often said in other places. The world therefore you see, is created anew (as you would say) by Christ:² for which cause also the Apostle calls it the new world: Heb. 2.5. Neither is it to be doubted but he alludes to this text. Notwithstanding the Prophet speaks here of the restoration of the Church, after their return out of Babylon. This I grant to be true: but yet this restoration is imperfect, unless it be extended unto Christ: we are but in our course thitherward as yet; neither shall these things be fully accomplished, until the last resurrection, which is as it were the utmost bounds and limits of this course.