A17640:667
Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah
A commentary upon the prophecy of Isaiah. By Mr. John Calvin. Whereunto are added four tables ... Translated out of French into English: by C.C.A commentary vpon the prophecie of Isaiah. By Mr. Iohn Caluin. Whereunto are added foure tables ... Translated out of French into English: by C.C.
London: printed by Felix Kyngston, 1609
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Vers. 1. Yet the darkness shall not be according to the affliction that it had when at the first he touched lightly the land of Zebulon, and the land of Naphtali; nor afterward when he was more grievous by the way of the sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the Gentiles.
Vers. 1. Yet the darkenes shall not be according to the affliction that it had whē at the first he touched lightly the land of Zebulon, and the land of Nepthaly; nor afterward when he was more grieuous by the way of the sea beyond Iordan in Galile of the Gentiles.
HE begins to comfort the afflicted with hope of a mitigation of the chastisements, least they should be swallowed up with so great an heap of calamities. Many draw these words to a clean contrary sense, saying, that it is a threatening which presageth a more heavy affliction to the Jews,1 then that wherewith they were chastised by Tiglath-pelezer, or by Salmanazar. The first did them much evil, and the second more then the former: for he carried the ten tribes away captive, and abolished the name of Israel. Some think then that the Prophet in this place foretells of a more heavy calamity then ever they yet tasted of, which being compared to the two former, should much surpass them. Although I am not minded to reject this exposition because it is something probable; yet notwithstanding I am of a contrary opinion, albeit this first hath the fairer show: the Prophet meant to take all pleasures from the hypocrites, lest they should imagine that this destruction which was to overflow all, should be like some little spoil which might pass away by and by as the former afflictions had done; and so shall we take the particle Ci in his proper signification. But me thinks the natural sense of the place will agree better if we say, that it is a consolation, wherein the Prophet begins to moderate that which he had formerly spoken of these horrible darkness, and drivings forward: and in mitigating the bitterness of these chastisements, he comforts and draws them to hope that God will show them mercy; as if he should say, And yet, even in this cruel destruction which the Jews shall undergo, the darkness shall not be such as it was when the land of Israel was first afflicted by Tiglath-pelezer, and then a little more severely by Salmanazer: for the faithful might have grown out of heart in such distresses, if they had not had some consolations to have cheered and comforted them. The Prophet then speaks unto them, to the end they should not think themselves undone, and declares unto them that the rods wherewith God meant to beat them should be more easy then the first. We shall easily discern hereafter by the context how proper and natural this exposition is.