Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

The faithful teachers ought here to receive a singular consolation, to fortify themselves the better always against the offences which fall out every day by the rebellions of men, lest they be thereby cooled: no, let them continue in their office with invincible constancy. Now forasmuch as this also is a general offence, to wit, that the lively word of God (at the hearing whereof all the world ought to tremble) strikes thus the ears of men without fruit or profit; let the weak in faith learn also to strengthen themselves with this sentence. We are wont to wonder how it can possibly come to pass that the greatest part of the world should so furiously resist against God. And from thence also ariseth this difficulty, to wit, whether that can be the heavenly truth of God or no which is rejected without punishment; because it is not likely that God would speak to men, to the end they should scorn him. But to the end our faith wa••er not, we must oppose this stay; namely, that the office of teaching was committed to Isaiah, that in casting abroad the seed of life, it should bring forth nothing but death: as also that mention is not made here of that which befell once, but it is a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ as shall be said anon. Furthermore the circumstance is to be noted, that Isaiah was not sent to all, but only to the Jews: wherefore there is very great vehemency in the particle demonstrative Hinneh, as if he should say, The people whom the Lord had specially chosen, heard me not; but shut their eyes in so manifest a light.

The faithfull teachers ought heere to receiue a singular consolation, to fortifie themselues the better alwaies against the offences which fall out euery day by the rebellions of men, lest they be thereby cooled: no, let them continue in their office with inuincible constancie. Now farasmuch as this also is a generall offence, to wit, that the liuely word of God (at the hearing whereof all the world ought to tremble) strikes thus the eares of men without fruit or profit; let the weake in faith learne also to strengthen themselues with this sentence. We are wont to wonder how it can possiblie come to passe that the greatest part of the world should so furiouslie resist against God. And from thence also ariseth this difficultie, to wit, whether that can be the heauenlie truth of God or no which is reiected without punishment; because it is not likely that God would speake to men, to the end they should scorne him. But to the end our faith wa••er not, we must oppose this stay; namely, that the office of teaching was committed to Isaiah, that in casting abroad the seed of life, it should bring forth nothing but death: as also that mention is not made heere of that which befell once, but it is a prophesie of the kingdome of Christ as shall be said anon. Furthermore the circumstance is to be noted, that Isaiah was not sent to all, but only to the Iewes: wherefore there is very great vehemencie in the particle demonstratiue Hinneh, as if he should say, The people whom the Lord had speciallie chosen, heard me not; but shut their eyes in so manifest a light.