Vers. 10. The Lord hath made bare his holy arme in the sight of all the Gen∣tiles, and all the ends of the earth shall see the saluation of God.
* 1.1HAth made bare.] This is a similitude taken from men of armes, who turned vp their sleeues when they prepared themselues to the combate. Though to make bare heere sig∣nifies not so much the making of the arme naked, as the manifesting of it, and stretching it forth. For when wee sit still, our armes are lightly folded one in another, or wee couer them: so in regard of our senselesnes, we ima∣gin that God sits idle, as men are wont to do, vntill he manifest his power.
He calles it the arme of his holines, in regard that he should display his power for the sal∣uation of the people: for there is heere a mu∣tuall correspondencie betweene God and his Church, which is consecrated vnto him. I grant that his arme is made bare in the go∣uerment of the whole world: but it is neuer called the arme of his holines (as in this place) but when he giues some speciall reliefe vnto his Church. The power of God must be con∣sidered [ 1] two waies: first, generally, in the con∣seruation [ 2] of all the creatures: then, especi∣allie in the protection of his Church, for the care he hath thereof is particular, and not common to others.
In the sight of all the Gentiles.] His meaning is, that this deliuerance shall be worthie of so great admiration, that euen the blind them∣selues shal see it. Wheras this noble spectacle is manifested to the ends of the earth, we there∣in perceiue that ye Prophet speakes not only of the bringing againe of Zion, as in vers. 8. which should happen some few yeeres after, but of the generall restauration of ye whole Church both of Iewes and Gentiles. The Rabbins therefore do malitiouslie restraine this to the deliuerance out of captiuitie from Babylon. And the Christians on the other side vnaptly to our spirituall deliuerance, which wee ob∣taine by Christ: for we must begin at the de∣liuerance vnder Cyrus, and goe on still euen till our owne times. Thus then the Lord be∣gan [ 1] to manifest his arme among the Medes and Persians, but afterwards he made it ap∣peare [ 2] in the sight of all nations.