Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 8. Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be brought forth in one day? Or shall a nation be borne at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth children.

Vers. 8. Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seene such things? Shall the earth be brought forth in one day? Or shall a nation bee borne at once? For as soone as Zion trauailed, she brought forth children.

HE extols the greatness of this work, whereof he spake in the former verse. For his meaning is, that the restoration of the Church shall be admirable, and extraordinary, in such wise that the faithful shall confess the whole work hath proceeded from Gods mere grace, and not from the order or course of nature. For when men think of this, they are like to them that dream, as it is said in Psalm. 126.1. Moreover, his meaning is not that the restoration of the Church, shall be perfected by and by. For the advancements thereof are tedious and divers, yea very slow in the judgement of our flesh; but he shows that the beginning it self ⟨p. 668⟩surmounts the reach of all mens capacities. And yet he speaks not excessively neither. For we often see that the Church brings forth, when she was not judged to be with child before. Nay, which more is, whilst she is thought to be barren, she is made fruitful by the preaching of the Gospel; in such wise, that we admire at the thing after it is come to pass, in respect it seemed incredible to us before.

HE extols the greatnes of this work, whereof he spake in the former verse. For his meaning is, that the restauration of the Church shall be admirable, and extraordinarie, in such wise that the faithfull shall confesse the whole worke hath proceeded from Gods meere grace, and not from the order or course of nature. For when men thinke of this, they are like to them that dreame, as it is said in