Vers. 12. For the nation and the kingdome that will not serue thee shall pe∣rish: and those nations shall bee vtterly destroyed.
* 1.1THe Prophet stands much vpon the con∣firmation of the hearts of Gods children, to assure them that they should behold the restauration of the Church one day, as hee hath now described it out vnto them. These thinge were altogether incredible: and howsoeuer we our selues are sufficiently con∣firmed by the euents of these things which are manifested in all mens sight; yet if wee were not gouerned by the spirit of Christ, hardly should wee conceiue them in our mindes. He shewes then that there is no cause at all wherefore the Iewes should doubt of the restauration of the Temple; because the Gentiles should come to aide them with all their power. But Isaiah regarded something more high in this place, then the building of the visible Temple. For his meaning is to speake of that obedience which Kings, No∣bles, and the commons should yeelde vnto the Church, when they should aduance as much as in them lay, the puritie of do∣ctrine. Yea, hee passeth yet further in pro∣nouncing that the kingdomes and nations which vvill not serue the Church, shall perish. If such as helpe not the Church, are condemned with this fearefull and terrible sentence;* 1.2 what shall we say of those tyrants who set, themselues furiously against her, and labour with might and maine to worke her ouerthrow? If the slothfull and carelesse shall not escape vnpu∣nished, ought not the wicked to wait for some horrible vengeance, seeing they striue to hinder and ouerthrow the worke of the Lord?
He repeates that now in the plurall number, which he said before in the singular; to shew, that if the whole world were guiltie, yet they should wholly perish. For the multitude can∣not free those from perishing,* 1.3 that estrange themselues from God: neither shall the wic∣ked be excused, if they hinder one another from comming to saluation; or if they incou∣rage one another to commit iniquitie. Now it is said (as we haue seene before) that Kings and nations serue the Church, not in regard that shee exerciseth any dominion of her selfe, but because God hath giuen and com∣mitted the scepter of his word, by which hee rules, vnto her custodie.