before their eies. Now howsoeuer it seemes auke and absurd to call to songs of ioy in the time of heauines, as in Psal. 137.4. yet wee haue formerly shewed, that this maner of speech is very fit to awaken such as grone vn∣der the burthen of care, feare, or sorrow. He mentions the deserts, or desolate places of Ieru∣salem, to the end they should hope for the re-edifying thereof, notwithstanding she now lay in the dust: for this title agrees better for the remouing away of feare, then if he had called her an happie or florishing citie. From the time then that she fell into this most miserable estate, they would haue thought these promises had concerned them nothing at all, vnlesse the miseries against which they were to encounter had bin mani∣fested vnto them. It also taught them to wait for this restauration ••n assured hope, though they now saw nothing but horrible ruins, and desolations.
For the Lord hath comforted.] The Lord tur∣ned the peoples mourning into ioy, and of captiues, [Obiect.] set them free. Some may obiect that this was not yet come to passe. [Ans.] But in Gods promises we must behold those things plain∣ly, which as yet appeare not to our senses, how farre soeuer they surpasse the reach of our reason.
He hath redeemed his people.] Heere wee see that the deliuerance of the Church is the proper worke of God. And if this ought to be affirmed in regard of that deliuerance out of Babylon, which was but a figure or shadow, what shall we say of our spirituall deliuerance it selfe? Can that be attributed to men, with∣out offring great wrong vnto God? Let vs conclude then, that as it appertaines to God only to deliuer his Church, so none but he can preserue her free estate.