Vers. 17. And the light of Israel shall be in fire, and his holy one shall be as a flame, the which shall burne and consume his briars and thornes all in one day.
HE makes an elegant allusion to this bur∣ning, wherewith he had threatned the Assyrians. For there are two things in fire, to wit, light, and heate: and as God consumeth his enemies by his heate, so he also inlighte∣neth his faithfull ones with his light. Now it is well enough knowne that God is sometime called deuouring fire in one place, and light in an other (as Psal. 36.9.) in diuers respects, because the power which he sheweth towards the faithfull is not like vnto that which he manifests against the vnfaithfull. In a word, he so threatens the Assyrians with destructi∣on, that therewithall he comforts the faith∣full, [ 1] and that two waies; first, because they shall see that God will be reuenged vpon the [ 2] iniuries done vnto them: in the second place, being gladded with his light, they shall re∣ceiue new strength, and life.
He plaine••y without any figure sheweth what this light is, when he addeth, his holy one, so as there needs no long exposition, to wit, that he wil defend and keepe this people whom he hath elect and chosen to himselfe as his owne from amongst other nations. He saith then, that the fauor of God which shines vpon Israel, shall be as a fire to deuoure the e∣nemies at the last. In a day, that is to say, it shall burne with a sudden fire. For he signifies a fearefull and vnaccustomed burning, which we commonlie see to befall the wicked euen then when they thinke themselues safest and furthest off from danger. To concude, he shewes that all the forces which they shall oppose, shall be as Tow, which being once set on fire shall quicklie come to nothing.