Vers. 2. And hee sent Eliakim the steward of the house, and Shebna the Chancellor, with the elders of the Priests clothed in sackcloth, vnto Isaiah the Pro∣phet, the sonne of Amos.
3. And said vnto him, This is a day of tribulation, and of rebuke, and blasphe∣mie: for the children are come to the birth, and there is no strength to bring forth.
BY this Ambassage he not only meant to call Isaiah to lament this calamitie with him, but also to haue some consolation from the mouth of the Lord;* 1.1 for if prayers be not grounded vpon the word of God, they will be but so many words cast into the ayre. Wee know that the vnbeleeuers will make both loude and long prayers, and yet flee away from God, either by despising, or in vtter re∣iecting his promises. Here is a signe of Heze∣kias his true deuotion then, that being kind∣led with the zeale of prayer, he addes there∣unto a cōfirmation of his hope, lest he should faint vnder the temptation; also, in that he keeps himselfe close to the meanes ordained of God, and desires to heare his voice by the mouth of his Prophet Isaiah. For albeit he re∣sted vpon none but God only, yet he reiects not the testimonie of a mortall man like him∣selfe: and this is the cause why the title of the Prophet is here expreslie mentioned, because he sent to Isaiah to be confirmed by some new prophesie. And thus he names him, not as a priuat man, but as the seruant of the Lord, whose office it was to comfort the King by some word of consolation.
There are two notable remedies then by which we are succoured in affliction.* 1.2 First, we must call vpon God for his deliuerance: Se∣condly, we must send for the Prophets of God (if they be to be found) that they may giue vs some word of consolation: for it is their charge to comfort and refresh the afflicted, by setting the pretious promises of life be∣fore them. But if Prophets be wanting, yet we shall haue sufficient and full consolation in the word it selfe. For we must aske counsell of these Prophets which God hath sent, not only during the terme of their liues, but for euer afterwards, and of those that succeed them: for although themselues be dead,* 1.3 yet we haue their bookes still with vs: their do∣ctrine liues, and shall remaine for euer: but the summe is, we must alwaies aske counsell of God.
Some may demand, [Quest.] whether Hezekias was not sufficiently instructed, and furnished with the promises, was it not a signe of infidelitie in him then to seeke for new promises of the Prophet? I answere, [Ans.] It is not to be imputed to him for infidelitie or distrust that he seekes a new promise, because being best acquain∣ted with his owne infirmitie, he was not asha∣med to seeke new confirmations of his faith. The flesh alwaies solicits vs to distrust,* 1.4 there∣fore we ought not at any time to despise new supplies: nay rather it stands vs in hand to vse all the best meanes we can to beate back the multitudes of temptations which dayly presse vs. For Satan inuirons vs so close on euery side, that if we be not well furnished indeed, it is not possible for vs to wind out of his snares and intanglings. Although we be well instructed in Gods word then, and haue learned that he will surely help vs in the day of trouble, yet when some extraordinarie surge or waue ariseth, it is all the need then to get vs to the mouth of the Lord againe and againe,* 1.5 and still to seeke out new confir∣mations to comfort, quicken, and strengthen our faith. We haue no particular prophesies now, but we ought to applie the generals to our particular vses, because they were writ∣ten for our learning, Rom. 15.
In that Hezekias sent Ambassadors to Isaiah, and went not himselfe, it was because he praid in the Temple: for it appeares the mourning was generall, in regard that both the elders and counsellers were clothed in sackcloth, it is also very probable that the King had proclai∣med a publike fast. Let vs also note, that Isaiah liued not in the Kings house to giue himselfe