Vers. 19. So shall they feare the name of the Lord from the West, and his glorie from the rising of the Sunne: for the e∣nemie shall come as a flood, but the spirit of the Lord shall chase him away.
NOw hee testifies that this deliuerance shall bee so glorious and magnificent, that all the world shall wonder thereat, and shall speake honourably of it: and afterwards, being smitten with astonishment, shall giue glory vnto God. But it is vncertaine whether he means this of the conuersion of the Gen∣tiles, or of the terrour by which the Lord would bring downe his enemies. For mine owne part, I rather incline to the first exposi∣tion, namely, that to the vtmost parts of the earth, Gods name shall be glorious and fully renowned: so as the Gentiles shall not onely bee amazed, but shall also vvorship and serue him in true repen∣tance.
The expositors agree not about the ren∣dring of the cause which followes. But the true sense, as I suppose, is, That the violence of the enemie shall be so great, that as a flood spoiles and carries all away before is vvith the force thereof, so shall he seeme to teare vp, and beare a∣vvay: But the Lord will forthwith cause him to recoile and to vanish away. It is an ampli∣fication then of Gods power, who in an in∣stant breakes in sunder all the terrible power and furious rage of his enemies, so as their violence being turned backward, it falles to nothing.
[Quest.] But some may aske, of what deliuerance the Prophet here speakes. I answer, [Ans.] as I haue done in another place, that these promises must not be restrained (as they are wont to be) to one deliuerance only. For the Iewes referre it to the deliuerance out of Babylon, and the Christians only to Christ. Now I ioine them both together, that so we may comprehend the whole time frō the peoples returne, with that which followed vnto the comming of Christ: for this prophesie was neuer fulfilled, but in him; neither can that which is here said agree to any other then to him only, because Gods glorie was not mani∣fested before to all the world, nor the ene∣mie so put to flight, that they gathered not their forces together againe, vntill Christ came and triumphed admirablie, hauing ob∣teined conquest ouer Satan, sinne, & death.