Vers. 4. Ah, sinfull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seede of the wicked, corrupt children: They haue forsaken the Lord: they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger: they are gone back∣ward.
AH.] Although he had reproued their fault sharpely enough, yet notwithstanding the more to amplifie it, he yet further addes this exclamatiō: by which he shewes his dete∣station against so horrible and foule an in∣gratitude. Some thinke this particle Ah, is put here in signe of lamenting. Saint Ierome hath interpreted it, Woe: but me thinks it should more fitly agree to an exclamation, a∣rising partly from astonishment, and partly from sorrow. For wee are wont to burst into outcries, when so vnwotthie a thing is com∣mitted, that words cannot expresse it; or ra∣ther when words answerable to the greatnes of the griefe failes vs. In stead of sinfull na∣tion as we haue translated it, the Greeks haue turned sinfull woman, the vulgar translation also bearing the same. But the Hebrew word signifies those who are giuen ouer to wicked∣nes, and it is not to be doubted, but the Pro∣phet here accuseth them of their desperate malice.
A people laden] &c. We must note the force of the similitude; for hee not onely meanes that they were plunged in their iniquities, as in a deepe mirie pit; but also reprocheth them that they sinned not so much of igno∣rance or infirmitie (as the weak often do) but that they followed on and continued in their rebellion of set purpose. As if he should haue said, They are giuen vp to all iniustice, and haue wholly sold ouer themselues to com∣mit euill. Where he addes, Seede of the wic∣ked; it is as much, as mischieuous seede. Some expounding it more wittily, say, that they declared themselues vnworthie to hold any place among the children ef Abraham: be∣cause they were become bastards, and dege∣nerate. As in other places they are called a seede of Canaan; yea they are reproched with the name of vncircumcised; euen as though they had bin begottten of prophane or a strange people. But it is an vsuall manner of speech among ye Hebrews; which the Greekes also obserued in their speech, when they say, sonnes of the good, for good children.
Corrupt children.] It is word for word, cor∣rupting: and therefore the expositors sup∣plie, Themselues, or, their waies. But me thinks bastard, or degenerate agrees better. For his meaning is that they are so depraued, that they resemble their fathers nothing at all. Moreouer, hee adornes his nation here with foure titles, which are not very seemely: And Such indeed as were farre remote from the good conceit which they had of them∣selues. But thus must hypocrites bee dealt withall, to awaken them: and the more they sooth vp themselues in casting off the feare of God, so much the more must they bee thun∣dred against. For a milder and a more gen∣tle doctrine would not haue preuailed with such a kind of people any thing at all: nei∣ther would a slight manner of reprofe haue mooued them. The false perswasion therefore of their righteousnes and wisedome was to be plucked away from them; for therewith they masked and disguised themselues, and often made their bragges thereof in vaine.
For they haue forsaken the Lord.] Now hee addes the reason why hee hath so sharpely and bitterly reprooued them: namely, lest they should complaine as they were wont to doe; that they were too seuerely dealt with∣all. First then he vpbraids them with that, which is the fountaine of all euils: to wit, they had forsoken the Lord. For euen as it is the chiefe perfection of righteousnesse to cleaue vnto God, as Moses teacheth; What doth the Lord thy God require of thee but that thou cleaue vnto him? so is it the grea∣test miserie wee can plunge our selues into, when wee haue forsaken him. Now the Pro∣phets meaning is, to let the Iewes see, that they were not onely guiltie of one fault: but to shew them that they were become Apo∣stats altogether. No doubt, but that which followes serues for an amplification; whether we reade, To prouoke, or, to dispose; yet I rather rest in the latter. For it was too grosse an ingratitude to make light account of him who had adopted them for his owne, from the rest of all nations. And for this cause he calles himselfe the holy one of Israel, because in giuing himselfe vnto them he had thereby adorned them with his holines. For this name is so attributed vnto him euery where, in re∣gard of the effect. From how barbarous a pride then did the despising of so great an honour proceed? If any had rather retaine the word prouoke; the sense will be, that they had reiected the Lord: euen as if they meant to prouoke him to anger of set purpose. Whence we may see how detestable their A∣postasie was.
They are gone backward.] The sense is that when the Lord did set a certaine way and forme before them how hee would haue them to carrie themselues, they on the contrarie were carried away with their lusts: