Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

¹The Prophet having before comforted the faithful, to the end the arrogance and pride of their enemies (with which they should be afflicted) might not astonish them: and after that having commanded them to wait constantly till the coming of the Lord; now he adds therewithal, that the wicked shall be so punished, that yet God in the mean while will provide for the safety of his chosen. Neither speaks he only of some one or two men, but of the whole Church, which he compares to a woman: which similitude he hath used heretofore. For the Lords special meaning is, to gather us into a body, wherein we may have the testimony of our adoption: as also to acknowledge him for our father, and that we may be nourished up in the Church, as in the lap of our mother. This similitude therefore of a mother is very apt: for it signifies that the Church shall be so restored, that she shall have a large and ample of-spring, though for a time she was reputed for a widow and barren. And he repeats the sentence again, which he used heretofore: but now he expresseth somewhat more, namely, that this work of God shall be sudden and unexpected. For he withdraws the faithful from all carnal conceits, that they should not judge of the restoration of the Church according to humane reason.

¹THe Prophet hauing before comforted the faithfull, to the end the arrogancie and pride of their enemies (with which they should be afflicted) might not astonish them: and after that hauing commanded them to wait constantly till the comming of the Lord; now he addes therewithall, that the wicked shall bee so punished, that yet God in the meane while will prouide for the safetie of his chosen. Neither speakes he onely of some one or two men, but of the vvhole Church, which he compares to a vvoman: which similitude hee hath vsed heeretofore. For the Lords speciall meaning is, to gathet vs into a body, wherein wee may haue the testimonie of our adoption: as also to acknowledge him for our father, and that we may be nourished vp in the Church, as in the lap of our mother. This similitude therefore of a mother is very apt: for it signifies that the Church shall bee so restoed, that shee shall haue a large and ample of-spring, though for a time she was reputed for a widow and barren. And hee repeates the sentence againe, which hee vsed heeretofore: but now hee expresseth somewhat more, namely, that this worke of God shall be sudden and vnexpected. For he withdrawes the faithfull from all carnall conceits, that they should not iudge of the restauration of the Church according to humane reason.