A briefe exposition of such chapters of the olde testament as vsually are redde in the church at common praier on the Sondayes set forth for the better helpe and instruction of the vnlearned. By Thomas Cooper Bishop of Lincolne.

The Exposition vpon the .lvij. Chapter of Esay.

The righteous perisheth and no man re∣gardeth it in his heart.* 1.1 &c.

IN these two first verses the Prophet reprooueth the Negligence and dulnesse of the people in conside∣ring the worke of God, that is, when they see the good, godly, & righteous men, eyther cruelly slaine by Tyrannes, or other∣wise dying by common death, they weigh not gods meaning and purpose, nor vnderstande what ther∣by is pretended to come vpon the worlde. They thinke the wicked that liue longer, and remaine af∣ter them are happier than they. But God taketh them away, that they may not beholde and be per∣takers of those miseries and heauie plagues, that he will bring vpon the wicked. Beholde, sayth God to good king Iosias, thou shalt be conueyed to thy graue in peace,* 1.2 that thine eies may not see all the euils

that I vvill bring on this place.

The common sort thinke the death of the Godly is miserable,* 1.3 but the Prophete here affirmeth that they departe from trouble and miserie of this life, and go to Peace in that place, where they rest in ease & quietnesse, as it were men in their Cham∣bers safe from all trouble and daunger.* 1.4 Blessed are they therfore that die in the Lorde, for they rest from their labours, but the wicked in their death are cursed, for that the worme of their conscience ne∣uer dyeth.

Come hither therefore ye Charmers chil∣dren, ye sonnes of the adulterer. &c.* 1.5

In a good part of this Chapter following, the Prophete bitterly inueigheth agaynst the wicked that derided the worde of God and his Prophets, and gaue themselues to witchcraft, sorcery, Idola∣try, and false worshipping of God,* 1.6 *contrary to his lawe and holy woorde. By Charmers children, and Sonnes of Adulterers, he vnderstandeth those, that delighted in charming, & the spirituall whordome of superstition and Idolatrie.

VVho is it, saith Esaias, against vvhome you so take pleasure in iesting & scoffing? whom doe you mocke? at whome is it, that you gape with your mouthes, & lill out your tongues? you thinke you doe this against me, and such other the Preachers and Prophetes of God, that he sendeth to call you from your wickednesse. But I will you to vnder∣stand, that they bee not agaynst vs, but agaynst

God that sent vs.* 1.7 *It is God that you contemne and mocke in vs. It is God agaynst whome you gape and lyll out your tongues. You will seeme to be the people of GOD, but all thys reproch of your scorninges lyghteth vpon hym. You wyll chalenge to be of hys Church, and of the number of them that worshippe him, and yet his worde and doctrine is it against which you shewe al this dispite. You will seeme to be good and godly, but you are in deede transgressors, hypocrites and dissimulers, giuing the name of Gods true wor∣ship to your superstition and Idolatrie.

You are not contented to followe the prescript of my holye worde,* 1.8 commaunding you to sacrifice and doe worshippe to me before the * Arke in the Temple,* 1.9 but you seeke straunge wayes of wor∣shypping, and make your fiers vnder euery Oke and greene Tree, and in the Valleyes and Dennes of Stone, cruelly kill and offer your children, accor∣ding to the maner of the Heathen.* 1.10 I chose you to be my portion, my part, and my heritage of all the people of the earth, but so that you shoulde bee contented with me your God alone, and with that Worshippe that I had appoynted. But seeing you haue forsaken me, and contrarie to my lawe made you Images and aulters of stone by the ryuer sides: I leaue you nowe to your owne superstitious deui∣ses, and that shall be your part, that you haue cho∣sen. For before them you plentifully powred out your meate and drinke offerings.

Thou,* 1.11 O Hierusalem, hast made thy bed vpon high Mountaines. &c.

That is, thou hast vpon the high mountaynes made thy large Chappelles and Aulters, in which thou goest an whooring and offerest sacrifices to o∣ther Gods besides me,* 1.12 yea, behinde euery Chap∣pell doore thou hangest vp thy monuments of re∣membraunce to shew the great deuotion and zeale that thou bearest to those Idols and false Gods before whome thou hast discouered thy vnfaythful∣nesse towardes me, and hast gone on pilgrimage from place to place wheresoeuer thou heardest such dennes of Idolatrie to be. Thus doest thou Hie∣rusalem, leaue no place vndistayned with thy wic∣kednesse, Groues, wooddes and trees, Welles and riuers, rockes and stones, mountaines and hilles, valleys and playnes, and euery place that to thee seemeth pleasant.* 1.13 Yea and aboue all this mistru∣sting my ayde and helpe in thy distresse, Thou sen∣dest Presents and messengers for ayde and succour to Heathē and Idolatrous Princes, which haue not bene hable to deliuer thee.* 1.14 I haue apoynted thee but one way of safetie, that is, the Obedience of my lawe: But thou forsakest that, and traueylest about ma∣ny wayes and deuises of thine owne braine, and that so diligently and earnestly, that nothing can make thee giue ouer, no not though thou see thy la∣bours to be lost and vtterly vnprofitable, yet so long as thou canst feele thy handes hable to styrre, wilt thou neuer say, I am now weary of my vaine

labours, I haue done. Whome hast thou feared in all this thy traueyle?* 1.15 thou wilt pretende perhaps, that thou hast bene abashed of me, but I tell thee, I will no longer dissemble as before I haue done, thou sayest falsely, thou hast not remembred me, nor are thy sacrifices such as I delight in,* 1.16 or such wherewith thou canst be holpen, but such they are as blinde thee, and make that thou canst neuer knowe thine owne sinne and wickednesse, but put thee in confidence of thine owne iustice.* 1.17 Therefore when thou in thy distresse shalt lament and crie, let all the Heape of thy hill woorshippes and Idola∣trous deuises deliuer thee, if they can, but of so little weyght are they, and of so small force, that one blast of vanitie shall blowe them all away. Con∣sider therfore in what maner of thinges you haue put your trust.

Neuerthelesse, they that put their trust in me shall inherite the lande,* 1.18 &c.

This seconde part of the Chapter is a comfort of the godly that turne to God by repentance, and put their trust in him. For as the wicked shall pe∣rish and vanish away with their Idols, so shall the faythfull that trust in God be saued and receyue comfort.

Therefore thus saieth the Lorde,* 1.19 make plaine, make plaine. &c.

As the Prophete here particulerly respecteth the comfort of the faythfull in his time, so he especi∣allye

regardeth the promise of saluation made in Messias Christ Iesu. And therefore as in an other place it is sayde in the person of Iohn Baptist,* 1.20 Pa∣rate viam domino. &c. so here in the person of the Apostles and Preachers of the Gospell, he sayeth, Make plaine, make plaine, and clense the streetes, take all stumbling blockes and offences out of my peo∣ples way. Remooue all impediments, that is, self∣loue, contempt of God and his worde, vnfaythful∣nesse, care of the worlde, delight in pleasure, super∣stition, Idolatrie, false worshippings, and all other lettes whereby my people are hindered from com∣ming to me.* 1.21 For though I dwell high in heauen, I will not dispise the humble and contrite heart. I will not be *long angrie with poore and troubled consciences,* 1.22 but with the spirite of my comfort will I relieue them.* 1.23 I will not striue with them for e∣uer, I know their wickednesse, I made their spi∣rite or soule, and inclosed it in that brickle bodie. They are not hable therfore to abide my displea∣sure.* 1.24 I am wroth with them for the tyme, and pu∣nish them for their couetousnesse and other offen∣ces,* 1.25 not to confound them, but to the ende that they should forsake them. But so corrupt are they, that they go on still in the wayes of their owne heartes and will not obey.* 1.26 Therefore I might iustly de∣stroy them, but I will not, I will preuent them with my mercye, and I will bring them into the way againe, and direct them with my spirit, I will *restore them to comfort,* 1.27 and make glad those that be sorrowfull in their behalfe. I will woorke the

fruites of prayse and thankesgiuing by the mouth of preachers, that shall denounce peace and com∣fort to all, aswell those that be farre of as those that be nigh, aswell to Iew as Gentile, and of the Ie∣wes aswell to them that are captiue abroade, as to them that are in their countrie at home.* 1.28 But the wicked, and they that doe not beleeue, shal haue no peace, no quietnesse, no comfort, but perpetual tor∣ment and anguish of mind, so that their consciences shalbe like the Sea tossed with waues and surges.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  4. Re. 22. d. 20
• * 1.3

  Vers. 2.
• * 1.4

  Apoc. 14. c. 13.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 3. 4
• * 1.6

  Dent. 18. c. 11.
• * 1.7

  Act. 22. b. 8. Zach. 2. c. 8.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 5.
• * 1.9

  Exod. 25. b. 22 Exod. 29. g. 42
• * 1.10

  Vers. 6.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 7
• * 1.12

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.14

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.16

  Vers. 12.
• * 1.17

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.18

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.19

  Vers. 14.
• * 1.20

  Esay. 62. d. 10 Math. 3. a. 3 Luk. 3. a. 4
• * 1.21

  Vers. 15.
• * 1.22

  Psal. 102. b. 9.
• * 1.23

  Vers. 16.
• * 1.24

  Vers. 17.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 88. e. 33
• * 1.26

  Vers. 18.
• * 1.27

  Deut. 32. f. 39. 1. Sam. 2. a. 6. Vers. 19.
• * 1.28

  Vers. 20. 21.