Vers. 7. At that day shall a man looke to his maker, and his eies shall looke to the hol••e one of Israel.
NOw he sets forth the fruit of this cha∣stisement: and this is the second conso∣lation, which should susteine the faithfull in their aduersities. For howsoeuer they felt no∣thing [ 1] but the wrath of God; yet were they to thinke that the Lord (who neuer forgets his owne) would still preserue his Church for euer: and withall, that the corrections should be profitable to his children. Hauing spoken [ 2] then of the perpetuitie of the Church, he also ads, that afterwards men shall looke vnto God, which is the most desirable good thing of all others. For when we returne vnto God, then the world, which was laid wast before, begins to be brought into his right frame againe. Therefore when we are estranged from him, because none of vs repents willinglie, we can not be brought backe againe into the right way vnlesse he vse the spurre and corre∣ctions to driue vs forward. Hereby then wee are admonished to beare our chastisements cheerefullie, seeing God vseth thē as meanes to purge vs from a most deadlie apostasie. For to looke vnto God, is nothing else but (ha∣uing once turned out of the way) to come into his fauor by turning againe vnto him, and to put our selues vnder his protection. What is the cause why men giue ouer them∣selues to all leaudnes? Surely because they forget God. For where the true knowledge of God is, there is also reuerence of his Maie∣stie ioined with it: and wheresoeuer forget∣fulnes beareth sway, there contempt must needs reigne. Although this maner of speech appertaine properlie to faith, as if he should say, when the Israelites shall be once tamed by these sharp chastisements, they shall then feele by experience that there is no succour but in God alone: in which sense he present∣lie addes the word maker. Trulie it was a de∣testable senselesnes that they rested not vp∣on that God only who had indued them with so many excellent gifts. The Prophet shewes then that they shall become wiser by being humbled vnder calamities and afflicti∣ons, and shall beginne to hope in him who had bound them vnto him by so many benefits.
He calles God their maker, not as in regard that he created all mankind, but in the same sense that he calles him the holy one of Israel. Although then that all mē be created accor∣ding to Gods image, yet Israel was properlie the worke of his hands, because they were his holy inheritance and chosen people. And this repetition is vsed to signifie the same thing according to the common custome of the Hebrue tongue. He calles God holy, not only because he is so in himselfe, but also in regard of the effect, for he sanctifies and chu∣seth to himselfe the children of Abraham: whence it followes, that the creation whereof he speakes, ought to be referred to spirituall regeneration, for so God is speciallie called the maker of Israel.