A commentary vpon the prophecie of Isaiah. By Mr. Iohn Caluin. Whereunto are added foure tables ... Translated out of French into English: by C.C.

Vers. 9. With my soule haue I desi∣red thee in the night, and with my spi∣rit within mee will I seeke thee in the morning: for seeing thy iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse.

SEe yet a more ample exposition of the for∣mer sentence: for before, speaking in the person of all the faithfull, he said, that the de∣sire of their soules was to the name of God: but now he brings in himselfe speaking; My soule hath desired thee, saith hee. As if hee should say; All the powers of my soule are busied in seeking of thee and thy name.

The word Nephesh, is often taken for the vitall spirit: but because the Prophet vseth two sundry words here, I so distinguish them,* 1.1 as that the soule shall signifie the desire and the will; and the spirit, the intellectiue part. For we know that the vnderstanding & will, are the two principall parts of mans soule: and God will haue both of them; as good rea∣son is he should. And hereunto appertaines that Commandement, Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength: Matth. 22.37. The Prophet teacheth then, that all the faculties of his soule were bent, and led him to seeke and desire the Lord.

Others take this word spirit, for the rege∣nerate part: and thus by the soule, they vnder∣stand the naturall man; and by the spirit, the grace of God, which is supernaturall. But this cannot stand: for the naturall man neuer seekes vnto God; yea, and we know by expe∣rience what strife wee haue in our selues when we aspire vnto God; as also with what great difficulty we wind our selues out of this repugnancie. This interpretation then needs no long refutation, seeing it manifestly cros∣seth the very text of holy Scripture. Moreo∣uer, it sufficiently appeares by many places, that these words, Spirit and Soule, import as much as vnderstanding and heart.

By night, the holy Ghost often meanes ad∣uersities; which are compared vnto darknes: and obscuritie. But in this place I expound it a little otherwise:* 1.2 as if the Prophet should say; There is no time so vnfitting and incon∣uenient, which I take not to call vpon thee, and to seeke vnto thee. This exposition dif∣fers

not much from the first, yet it is some∣what more generall: for the night seemes to be ordeined for rest, in which all the desires and trauels of men cease;* 1.3 so as there is little difference betweene sleepe and death. But when it was time to take rest and to be quiet, then the Prophet saith, he awaked to seeke GOD, so as no occasion could hinder him from it.

The meaning whereof is not as if those which sleepe can haue any setled or stable thoughts: but sleepe it selfe being a part of our course whilst we seeke God, though we lie as in a trance without vttering any word, yet then we may be said to praise him by faith and hope. But the Prophet speakes not of sleepe here properlie, but rather by way of similitude, as it further appeares plainely by the member following, where the morning is opposed to the night: and thus he notes out a continuall course.

In the next place we are to consider of the reason which he yeelds of his so doing when he saith, that the Inhabitants of the earth shall learne righteousnes by the iudgements of God: sig∣nifying thereby that men are instructed and taught to feare God by his rods wherewith he smites them. For in prosperitie they for∣get him,* 1.4 so as their eyes stand out for fatnes: they reioyce and keepe a coyle, and can not abide to be brought into any good order. The Lord therefore is faine to represse their pride, and to teach them how to bow vnder his hand. Lastly the Prop••et here confesseth that himselfe & the rest of the faithfull were prepared by the corrections of the Almigh∣tie to kisse the rod, and to submit themselues to his gouernment; and to put themselues vnder his protection: for vnlesse the Lord maintaine his owne right and authoritie o∣uer vs with an out-stretched arme, none of vs all will willinglie frame our minds aright to do him seruice.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How soule and spirit is taken here. The vnder∣standing and will, two principall parts of mans soule.
• * 1.2

  In what sense the word night is taken in this place.
• * 1.3

  Where is the practise of this dutie become in these dayes? See Psal. 119.55. & 62.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 73.