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. By this therefore shall the iniquitie of Iacob bee purged, and this is all the fruit, the taking away of his sinne: when hee shall make all the stones of the Altar as chalke stones broken in peeces, that the groues and images may not stand vp.

HAuing spoken of the chastisement of the people; he now begins in plainer words to shew, that the Lord wil so prouide for their saluation, by those rods wherewith he corre∣cted them, that they shall feele the fruit thereof. I grant he spake of this before, but now he expounds himselfe more cleerely; to wit, that all the afflictions wherewith God humbled them,* 1.1 should serue as medicines to purge their sinnes, so as they should recouer his former fauour.

But will some man say, are sinnes purged by afflictions, by which God corrects vs? If it bee so, then it followes that they are satis∣factions for sinnes; as the Papists teach. For these two things depend one vpon another; to wit, if God correct vs for our sinnes, that they may be done away; then if he sends no affliction, it followes that there must be some satisfaction in stead of it. [Ans.] But it is no hard matter to loose this knot, if we note that the Prophet meddles not here with this questi∣on; namely, whether wee merit remission of sinnes by workes, or whether afflictions bee satisfactions for our offences. For his purpose is plainely to teach, that corrections are re∣medies sent of God, whereby hee cures our maladies,* 1.2 in regard we are wont to abuse his patience and long suffering. Needfull it is therefore that he should force vs to acknow∣ledge our sins, & to beare afflictiōs patiently: and thus afflictions are as purgations where∣by our wicked lusts are consumed,* 1.3 euen as if they had passed thorow the fire; which meta∣phor the Scripture is often wont to vse. But they can no way become satisfactions: I grant men may bee prepared by them to repen∣tance.

Thus hee teacheth then that the faithfull haue none occasion at all to repine against the hand that smote them; but rather to ac∣knowledge that God vseth this as a meanes to procure their saluation; because otherwise they would not be brought to taste how good and gracious he is. If any desire a shorter di∣stinction, we say in a word, that chastisements purge our sinnes mediately, but not immediately, for they bring vs to repentance; which in its or∣der and place, leades vs to the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of sinnes.

Now whereas we haue translated, Behold, all the fruit shall be, &c. others read it in the genitiue; Of the taking away: but I hold it better to reade it in the nominatiue case, in which it is. The word all, is often taken for great, or abundant: hee meanes then that there shall come a plentifull haruest as it were, by these afflictions. To be short,* 1.4 hee would haue this correction to be well taken, in regard of the profit which it brings with it; that the faithfull bearing of them patiently and quietly, might thereby be pur∣ged from their corruptions, and brought in∣to the way of saluation.

But in the next place the Prophet ex∣pounds himselfe yet more cleerly, where hee speakes of the abolishing of superstitions: for whilest Israel was in prosperirie, they neuer thought of repentance: and truely it is giuen to men naturally to wax extreme proud and stubburne,* 1.5 when they inioy ease and plea∣sure. He shewes then that God meant together with their chastisement, to purge their sins; because they had soothed vp themselues in their naughtinesse before, whilest the Lord heaped vp blessings vpon them, and caused them to feele his goodnesse and mercy: but now they should change both their mind and

their maners, acknowledging and confessing that they were iustlie punished. Now the Pro∣phet puts one kind here for all, to the end we should comprehend the whole vnder this part: so as in a word he notes out the aboli∣shing of all Idolatrie and superstition. For he mentions not the Altar which was consecra∣ted vnto God, but that which themselues had dedicated to their Idols. When the stones of it then should be broken,* 1.6 the Idoles ouerthrowne, and dasht in pieces, so that no signes of Idola∣trie at all were to be seene, euen at that very instant should the sinnes of the people be taken away.

Hence we learne that we can looke for no pardon from the Lord vnlesse we forthwith repent vs of our sinnes: for whosoeuer he be that flatters himselfe in his filthines, he shall assuredlie pull downe the wrath of God vpon his owne head, which he ceaseth not to in∣flame against him. Our iniquitie then is ta∣ken away when we are touched with a true feeling of repentance. In the second place obserue, that albeit repentance be an inward affection of the heart, yet it stayes not there, but brings forth fruites to the view of men. For it is in vaine to make men beleeue we feare God, vnlesse we cause our light so to shine before them by our outward works: for we can not separate the roote frō the fruite. Thirdly we haue to note, that the Prophet mentions Idolatrie principallie in this place, because it is the fountaine from whence all euils flowe. For whilest Gods pure worship and sincere religion florisheth, you shall see the duties of charitie necessarilie to flow frō thence:* 1.7 but we no sooner forsake God, but he forthwith lets vs fall into all sorts of vices. And this is the maine reason why he compre∣hends all kinds of wickednesses vnder the name of Idolatrie. Besides, we see that he not only condemnes Images and Idols, but what∣soeuer the Iewes had inuented without the prescript rule of the law: whence it followes, that all will-worship is reiected of GOD.* 1.8 Where he addes in the end, that they shall no more arise or stand vp: he shewes how odious a thing Idolatrie is in Gods sight, seeing he will haue the very memorie thereof to be quite abolished, so as afterwards there should no signe thereof be left at all. And yet the Prophet meant to expresse somewhat more, to wit, that our repentance should be such, as that we ought to perseuere therein cōstantlie vnto the end. For we call not that true re∣pentance when men are only moued vpon some sudden passion to renounce and abolish their superstitions, and then forthwith to suffer them to sprout and increase againe, which yet we see comes often to passe in ma∣nie, who in the beginning seemed to be con∣sumed with zeale in an outward shew, and within a while haue growne key cold againe. But the Prophet here notes out such a con∣stant zeale,* 1.9 that those who haue once begun to forsake and renounce their abominations, hold out and perseuere in a good course vn∣to the end.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In what sense it is said that afflictions purge away sinnes. Obiect.
• * 1.2

  Corrections are Gods medicines by which he cures our maladies.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 66.10.12. Psal. 89.46.
• * 1.4

  Afflictions ought to be taken in good part, in regard of the fruit they bring with them.
• * 1.5

  Prosperitie begets pride in vs na∣turally.
• * 1.6

  If sinne be put away when all Idolatrie is banished: then whilst Idolatrie remaineth sinne must needs be imputed.
• * 1.7

  The forsa∣king of God, the next way to tumble vs headlong in∣to the com∣mitting of all iniquities.
• * 1.8

  God reiects not Idolatrie alone, but all will worship, all be it be grounded vpon neuer so good intents.
• * 1.9

  True repen∣tance holds out to the end.