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. 27. Behold, the name of the Lord commeth from farre, his face is burning, and the burthen thereof is hea∣uie: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue is as a deuouring fire.

HEe foretels the destruction of the Assyri∣ans, which were then the principall ene∣mies of the Church. I grant the Iewes had al∣most no neighbours that were borderers, but they were against them: notwithstanding in respect the Assyrians were the richest and mightiest of all others, the Prophet scarcely mentions any but them and the Babylonians, who had bin Monarks ouer nations: although sometimes by a figure called synecdoche, the Caldeans are signified vnder the name of the Assyrians.

By the name of God, he meanes God him∣selfe: but he vseth this circumlocution, in re∣gard the Assyrians and the rest of the nati∣ons serued goddes of gold and siluer. For they mocked the Iews, as if they had wor∣shipped a God in name onely. Why so? Be∣cause they represented him not forth by some shape or image: as we read of a certaine pro∣phane Poet,* 1.1 who vsed to say of them in scorne, that they worshipped the clouds, and a diuinitie that was shut vp in heauen. See how infidels and prophane persons iudge of God according to their outward senses: but our Prophet brings the faithfull to this name of God. As if he should say; This God which hath manifested himselfe vnto you by his name;* 1.2 this God whom you neither touch nor see, shall come, and shall auenge the wrongs done vnto you.

From farre.] He addes this by way of yeel∣ding or granting so much as it were vnto the idolaters. For as long as the wicked feele not the hand of God, they thinke him far off, and in the meane while deride the faithfull, as if they trusted in vanitie. The prophet there∣fore speaking according to the opinion of the vnbeleeuers, shewes that that same God whom they esteeme so far off, shall come: or ra∣ther that hee is already come, and is hard at hand. This he signifies by the particle Behold; which he opposeth to the word farre off: and therein admonishing the faithfull also to passe ouer all impediments, that they may

come to the hope of this promised redemp∣tion.

Now to shew that Gods name is not wor∣shipped in vaine nor without fruit in Iudeah, the Prophet sets before them his fearefull power,* 1.3 which he will manifest for the ouer∣throw of the enemies of his Church. For [ 1] when he speakes to the faithfull, he sets him forth gentle, louing, patient, slow to anger, and pitifull, to put life as it were into them: [ 2] but to the vnbeleeuers he proposeth nothing but horrors and terrors. So that where the wicked tremble at the very naming of God, the faithfull being allured by the sense of his bountie & goodnes, do sweetlie repose them∣selues vnder the shadow of his wings, and are not oppressed with such feares. Hence we are taught alwaies to keepe our hearts in a reue∣rent awe of God, lest we finde him such a one to vs, as the Prophet here describes him to the wicked.

Where he saith, the burthen of the Lord is heauie to beare, his meaning is, that God will bring such heauie calamities with him when he comes, that the wicked shall sinke vnder them: for by this weight, he vnderstands the strokes which they shall receiue. He also ex∣presseth the same thing in mentioning the lips and tongue. [Quest. ] But wherefore did he rather name them then his hands? [Ans.] Surely the wicked mock at all the threatnings which are published vn∣to thē out of Gods word, and esteeme what∣soeuer y^e Prophets say, no better then fables. But they shall feele one day to their cost that this sound which proceeds out of Gods sa∣cred mouth is no vaine word, neither yet a thunder which only strikes the eares, but they shall in the end feele the force of this word which they haue despised.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A prophane Poet.
• * 1.2

  The God whom wee neither feele nor see with outward senses, is suf∣ficient to auenge the wrongs done to his church.
• * 1.3

  His face is burning.