NO doubt but the Prophet speaks here as a man astonished, that he might make the fault of this people the more odious and detestable. For as one amazed, he saith, O generation: the Hebrew word (as it is well known) signifies an age. Thus it is as much as if he had said, Lord into what times are we fallen! or in what an age or world live we in now! We have the propriety of the word then. The Prophet adds, look to the word of the Lord. It seems he speaks improperly: for he should rather have said, Understand, or hear the word of the Lord: but he commands them to see, or look: and yet this phrase of speech agrees very well, Why so? Because he bids them not hear; but rather he brings them to their own knowledge: as if he should say, look you to it, see what it is the Lord saith. And where he saith, even you, ⟨p. 120⟩or, you your selves, it is to add the greater emphasis and vehemency unto his speech: you, even you, saith he. For the Jews justly deserved to have been condemned by the whole world, if God had called them before his judgment seat. But how blind soever they were, the Prophet shows that themselves notwithstanding might discern, even with their own eyes, what the Lord said. This belongs not to doctrine, but to the act or thing it self: as if he should say, The Lord by me complains of you: so as though there be no witnesses, nor any judge or arbitrator, yet ye your selves can judge and perceive how things go, well enough. We see then that the Prophet hath spoken aptly, when he bids themselves to regard, or see, the word of the Lord: for by and by he adds, Have I been a desert to Israel? He appoints the Jews themselves then, to judge and determine this matter; to wit, whether they had not tasted of Gods bounty and liberality by their own experience, and whether they had not rejected and forsaken him,1 as formerly he complained, albeit he was that fountain of living waters; and whether they digged not unto themselves broken cisterns that could hold no water. Now God saith, Whence came this that you have thus bidden me farewell? Is it in vain that I have promised to show my self gracious & bountiful unto you? Have I therein abused or disappointed you of your expectation, whilst you served me? Seeing then I have not been unto you a barren land, or a land full of obscurity and darkness, namely, wherein the Sun shines not:
NO doubt but the Prophet speakes heere as a man astonished, that he might make the fault of this people the more odious and detestable. For as one amazed, he saith, O generation: the Hebrew word (as it is well knowne) signifies an age. Thus it is as much as if hee had said, Lord into what times are we fallen! or in what an age or world liue we in now! We haue the propriety of the word then. The Prophet addes, looke to the word of the Lord. It seemes he speakes improperly: for he should rather haue said, Vnderstand, or heare the word of the Lord: but he commands them to see, or looke: and yet this phrase of speech agrees very well, Why so? Because he bids them not heare; but rather hee brings them to their owne knowledge: as if he should say, looke you to it, see what it is the Lord saith. And where he saith, euen you, ⟨p. 120⟩or, you your selues, it is to adde the greater emphasis and vehemency vnto his speech: you, euen you, saith hee. For the Iewes iustly deserued to haue been condemned by the whole world, if God had called them before his iudgment seat. But how blind soeuer they were, the Prophet shewes that themselues notwithstanding might discerne, euen with their owne eyes, what the Lord said. This belongs not to doctrine, but to the act or thing it selfe: as if he should say, The Lord by me complaines of you: so as though there be no witnesses, nor any iudge or arbitrator, yet ye your selues can iudge and perceiue how things goe, well enough. Wee see then that the Prophet hath spoken aptly, when he bids themselues to regard, or see, the word of the Lord: for by and by hee adds, Haue I been a desert to Israel? He appoints the Iewes themselues then, to iudge and determine this matter; to wit, whether they had not tasted of Gods bounty and liberality by their owne experience, and whether they had not reiected and forsaken him,1 as formerly he complained, albeit he was that fountaine of liuing waters; and whether they digged not vnto themselues broken cesternes that could hold no water. Now God saith, Whence came this that you haue thus bidden me farwell? Is it in vaine that I haue promised to shew my selfe gracious & bountifull vnto you? Haue I therein abused or disappoynted you of your expectation, whilest you serued me? Seeing then I haue not been vnto you a barren land, or a land full of obscurity and darknesse, namely, wherein the Sunne shines not:
- 1Severs. 13.Se vers. 13.
