Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Vers. 14. Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, branch, and rush in one day. 15. The ancient and the honourable man, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.

Vers. 14. Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and taile, branch, and rush in one day. 15. The ancient and the honorable man, he is the head: and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the taile.

His meaning is, that the vengeance of God shall be universal, and that it shall wrap all estates in it: for the whole people was corrupt, and the contagion thereof had so invaded the whole country, that there was nothing whole nor sound amongst them. Now then when impiety hath thus gotten the swing, men begin to flatter themselves, and every one thinks to frame goodly excuses when they have many to bear them company; and imagine that they have sufficient reasons to defend themselves withal, when they make comparison of themselves with others. This is the cause then why he denounceth this vengeance against all in general, because they were all alike infected with a common disease. By branch he understands the mighty and strong: by rush, or r•ede, the weakest; that is, the people of base estate, who in a manner had no wealth at all. He shows then, that the wrath of God is ready prepared, which shall spare neither weak nor strong, neither small nor great, because there was none which were pure and clean from the common contagion of filthiness.

HIs meaning is, that the vengeance of God shall be vniuersall, and that it shall wrap all estates in it: for the whole people was corrupt, and the contagion thereof had so inuaded the whole countrie, that there was nothing whole nor sound amongst them. Now then when impietie hath thus gotten the swinge, men begin to flatter themselues, and euery one thinks to frame goodly excuses when they haue many to beare them companie; and imagine that they haue sufficient reasons to d•fend themselues withall, when they make comparison of themselues with others. This is the cause then why he denounceth this vengeance against all in generall, because they were all alike infected with a common disease. By branch he vnderstands the mightie and strong: by rush, or rede, the weakest; that is, the people of base estate, who in a maner had no wealth at all. He shewes then, that the wrath of God is readie prepared, which shall spare neither weake nor strong, neither small nor great, because there was none which were pure and cleane from the common contagion of filthinesse.