Vers. 10. Behold, the Lord God will come with power, and his arme shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his worke is before him.
HEe inricheth this short and latter sen∣tence with many words, because it nee∣ded some exposition: and he vseth the word behold againe, for the greater certentie, that hee might so much the more incourage the faithfull. He shewes more fully then, of how great vse the presence of God is vnto vs: and first he saith, he vvill come vvith power, which shall not be idle, but such as we shall feele to be effectuall. Some translate the word Lo, Of himselfe, which also word for word may bee turned, He is mightie, or, reigning of him∣selfe. Now his meaning is, that God is strong enough, and needes no man to helpe him. The same is repeated vnder the words re∣ward and vvorke: for it is vsuall among the Hebrewes to repeate one and the same thing two waies. By reward, we must not vnderstand a recompence due by merit; but the righte∣ousnesse of God, by which he protests he will recompence those which call vpon him in truth, and with vpright hearts: for those that are but meanely read in the Prophets lan∣guage, know that the word Secar imports so much.
The summe is, that God will not come to make shewes onely, but will manifest his pow∣er, and make vs to feele it indeed.
And thus it would not bee amisse, if the word Effect, were put in stead of vvork. Many expound this more wittily, and descant like children vpon vvorke and reward, as if vvorke were the merit to which reward must bee gi∣uen: but the Prophet had no such meaning. In both words he repeates the same thing, as I haue said, and sets forth the fruit of the Lords comming, which the faithfull shall re∣ceiue to their exceeding benefit.