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Vers. 12. But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vpon Mount Zion and Ierusalem, I will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur, and his glorious and proud lookes.
HItherto the Prophet hath shewed vs what the pride of the Assyrian should be, after he had ouercome Israel: but now he declares what should befall the Assyrian himselfe, and what the counsell of the Lord shall be against him. The vnbeleeuers doe all things as if God were not in heauen, or were not able to breake all their enterprises. For what meane these hauty and proud wordes else; My hand hath found the kingdomes of the idols; but that he thought to exalt himselfe aboue all gods? But God opposeth himselfe here against his inde∣uours; so that hauing once serued his turne of him, hee will also punish him. This sentence containes two members: first, Isaiah shewes that God will frame a punishment for this wicked and infidell King. Secondly, he shewes that the time thereof is not yet come; to the end the faithfull might wait for it with pati∣ence.
Now hee testifies, that the fit time to bring this to passe is, after God shall haue chastised the sinnes of his Church: as if the Father of a familie would first quiet the sturres which are bred in his owne house. This is the drift of [ 1] this counsell; to wit, that the faithfull should not waxe out of heart, though they saw this cursed tyrant to triumph in this sort, neither yet to despaire of their deliuerāce, as if there were no meanes at all to bridle his furie. In a word, God promiseth, that after he shall haue permitted the Assyrian to exalt himselfe be∣yond measure, yet that he will execute iustice [ 2] in the end. Secondly, that it is his office to a∣bate the pride of flesh, which is ioyned with such an execrable sacrilege. And therefore the particle Sur, hath great weight; as if hee should say, that the haughtinesse whereinto the Assyrian is exalted, shall bee no let why the Lord should not pull it downe well e∣nough.
He takes the fruit by way of similitude, be∣cause the wicked thinke themselues blessed when they are swollen with pride and out∣rage, euen as if they gathered some fruit. He placeth the heart first, which is the seate of pride, which being stuffed with arrogancie, vomits nothing but iniuries and crueltie. Af∣terwards hee addes the eyes, wherein the in∣ward affection of the heart manifests it selfe, which by the eye-lids lifted vp, are messen∣gers of the vice which is secret. Although then that the Assyrian lifts vp his crests, yet God declares, that hee hath meanes in his hand suddenly to conuert the glorie of this King into dishonour and shame. Where∣fore hee heere comprehends the contempt, disdaine, pride, and other arrogant behaui∣ours and signes of vaine glory; all which are to be seene in the proud. Now he brings in God speaking: for that which God pronoun∣ceth with his mouth, hath greater vehemen∣cie then if hee should haue spoken by the voyce of the Prophet. From hence we are to draw a generall doctrine; namely, that God cannot indure the insolencie of the proud, but hee must needes downe with it;* 1.1 because hee is at perpetuall warre against them: Iam. 4.6.
Let vs also note that this sentence comes in by way of restraint, to the end the Prophet might preuent the ouer great hastinesse of men, saying, that this shall come to passe after that the Lord shall haue accomplished his worke. For as soone as we see a man proud, wee mer∣uaile how the Lord can suffer him. But Isaiah shewes heere that God indeede suffereth this tyrant, although hee proudly and fiercely ex∣alts himselfe, because hee is minded to serue his turne of him: and that the time is not yet seasonable wherein the Lord should shatter the wicked too pieces; but that they must wait with patience. For after he hath afflicted the king••ome of Iudah, as bringing his owne houshold first into order, he will not then be slowe nor slothfull to punish the enemie stranger: as fathers who are wont either to cast away, or breake the rods wherewith they haue beaten their children.
Hee takes the mountaine of Zion, for the Church, by a figure called Synecdoche; to the end that by the Temple and royall Citie, hee might decipher out the whole body, as by the head or principall part.
He expresly saith, all the worke,* 1.2 because wee willingly hold backe the Lord from his worke by our inconsiderate hastinesse: yea many times when he hath but euen new begunne. For we are wont to make such wishes against the reprobate, as it is hard to restraine our impatience; vnlesse God apply himselfe to our affections in punishing them by and by. To abate such heate, the Prophet commands that wee should let God alone, and leaue the fit time free vnto himselfe when to exercise his fatherly chastisements.
All the worke then,* 1.3 is taken for a iust mea∣sure. Behold here a very profitable doctrine, and of great consolation. We see the wicked are wonderfull proud, and how they lift vp themselues audaciously against God, as if they were stronger then he: also how they pursue his doctrine with iniuries and slanders; so as we can hardly expresse the fiercenes of their arrogancie with words.* 1.4 If the Lord should a∣gree to our will, hee should runne by and by and thunder from heauen against them, and vtterly roote them out.* 1.5 But his purpose is be∣fore hee doth this, to correct his Church by them. For he speakes not heere of Egyptians, or Assyrians; but of the Iewes, of Zion, of the Temple, his dwelling place, which it pleased him to dedicate and consecrate to his ho∣nour.
So at this day there are diuers diseases in the Church which the Lord will purge and heale. True it is that he hath alreadie begun: but wee deceiue our selues if wee thinke his worke to be now perfect. Hee will not cease then, till he hath so tamed vs, that being tou∣ched