A commentary vpon the prophecie of Isaiah. By Mr. Iohn Caluin. Whereunto are added foure tables ... Translated out of French into English: by C.C.

Vers. 10. Make the heart of this peo∣ple fat, make their eare heauie, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and vnder∣stand with their hearts, and conuert, and he heale them.

HEre the former sentence is better expres∣sed. For God not onely admonisheth Isaiah that he shall lose his labour in teaching; but also that he will close vp the eyes of this

people by his doctrine, thereby giuing them occasion of greater blindnes and obstinacie, which in the end shall worke their perdition. He signifies that the people being depriued of reason and vnderstanding, shall perish, and that there shall be no remedie left: notwith∣standing he therewithall aduertiseth y^e Pro∣phet, that his labour shall be an acceptable sacrifice vnto him, howsoeuer it bring ruine and death to the Iewes. And truly this is an excellent sentence, not only because Isaiah foretelles the things which were accompli∣shed in the kingdome of Christ, but because it conteines a very excellent doctrine, the vse whereof is perpetuall in the Church of God. Also those who walke faithfullie in the mini∣strie of the word, shall be forced to feele the experience, of it: and we learne it by effect more then were to be wished: but this hath been common to all the seruants of Christ, and therefore ought we to beare it with the greater courage, howsoeuer it be a great scandall to those that serue God with a pure conscience, Besides, we are not only much offended hereby, but Satan vnder this pre∣text pricks his instruments forwards to bring their doctrine into the greater disgrace; namely, that is not onely without fruite, but also because it doth hurt, so as it makes men more obstinate, and works their confusion. For many at this day hauing nothing else to reproch the doctrine of the Gospell withall, affirme, that the preaching therof brings no other fruite but this, that it makes men worse then they were before. Now whatsoeuer the euent be, yet notwithstanding God declares that our ministrie pleaseth him, because we do that which he hath commanded.

Besides, albeit our labours seeme vnpro∣fitable, and that men cast themselues head-long into destruction, waxing more obsti∣nate, yet must we goe on still, because we do nothing of our owne will, and therefore to content our selues that we are approued of God. We haue cause to sigh indeed when the euent answereth not our labour: and wee ought to be much in prayer vnto God that he would giue his word efficacie. Yea, we are to lay the fault in part vpon our selues, when we see so little fruite; yet are we not for all that to cast away our weapons, or to forsake our charge. The truth must alwaies found forth from our mouthes, although there be no cares to heare it, yea, although the world be as blind and as senseles as stones. For it is more then sufficient that we faithfullie serue to the glorie of God, and that our labours are pleasing to him: neither is the sound of our voyce in vaine when it leaues the world without excuse.

The faithfull teachers ought heere to re∣ceiue a singular consolation, to fortifie them∣selues the better alwaies against the offences which fall out euery day by the rebellions of men, lest they be thereby cooled: no, let them continue in their office with inuincible constancie. Now farasmuch as this also is a generall offence, to wit, that the liuely word of God (at the hearing whereof all the world ought to tremble) strikes thus the eares of men without fruit or profit; let the weake in faith learne also to strengthen themselues with this sentence. We are wont to wonder how it can possiblie come to passe that the greatest part of the world should so furiouslie resist against God. And from thence also ari∣seth this difficultie, to wit, whether that can be the heauenlie truth of God or no which is reiected without punishment; because it is not likely that God would speake to men, to the end they should scorne him. But to the end our faith wa••••er not, we must oppose this stay; namely, that the office of teaching was committed to Isaiah, that in casting abroad the seed of life, it should bring forth nothing but death: as also that mention is not made heere of that which befell once, but it is a prophesie of the kingdome of Christ as shall be said anon. Furthermore the circumstance is to be noted, that Isaiah was not sent to all, but only to the Iewes: wherefore there is very great vehemencie in the particle de∣monstratiue Hinneh, as if he should say, The people whom the Lord had speciallie chosen, heard me not; but shut their eyes in so mani∣fest a light.

Therefore let vs not maruell, if whilest we speake to those who brag of the name of God, it happens to vs euen as if we told a tale to deafe eares. True it is this is a sharp mes∣sage that the Prophet should say he is sent of God to stop vp their eares, to shut their eyes, and to make their hearts fat, because it seemes these things are nothing agreeable to the nature of God, and that therefore they are contrarie to his word. But we must not think it strange if God auenge himselfe vpon the malice of the people by such an extreme blinding of them. In the meane while the Prophet hath shewed heeretofore that the cause of this blindnes was in themselues. For in com∣manding them to hearken, he testifies, that there is a doctrine fit for their instruction, if they would shew themselues teachable; and that the light is offred to enlighten & leade them, if so be they would open their eyes.

All the fault then is imputed vnto the peo∣ple, because they reiected so wonderfull a blessing of God. Whence the solution of the difficultie which we touched a little before, is more apparent. I grant it seemes very hard at the first blush, that the Prophets should make the hearts of men more hard; seeing they bring the word of God in their mouth, by which as by a light men should lighten and order their paths, Psal. 119.105. And we know that Dauid giues it this title, Psal. 19.9. It is not the office of the Prophets then to blind the eyes, but rather to open them. And heereafter this word is called perfect wise∣dome, Chap. 8. [Obiect.] How comes it to passe then that it takes away mens vnderstanding, and makes thē dullards? Rather the hearts which were before of stone, iron, and steele; should hereby be mollified: how can it be then they should be come the more obdurate? [Ans.] I an∣swere (as I haue touched alreadie) that such blindnes and hardening proceeds not from the nature of the word, but is by way of ac∣cident: and it ought to be attributed to the

wickednes of men. For euen as they who haue sore eyes can not accuse the Sunne for hur∣ting them with the light thereof: nor hee which hath a weakenes and fault in his hea∣ring, a cleere and very loud voyce which he can not beare: lastly, as he that is of a weake capacitie is not to be offended with high and difficult things which he is vnable to com∣prehend: So likewise the wicked can not ac∣cuse the word of God that they become the worse after the hearing of it. Seeing then that all y^e fault is in themselues because they do not giue it accesse into their hearts, what wonder is it if that which was appointed for their foode, do become their bane? For it must needs be, that the disloyaltie and infi∣delitie of men should be punished in this ma∣ner, to the end they should feele death from that, whence they might haue receiued life; and darknes from thence, whence they might haue receiued light: lastly, all noysome and hurtfull things frō thence, where they might haue had the fulnes of all blessings to salua∣tion. Which is diligentlie to be noted, be∣cause there is nothing more common with men, then to abuse the gifts of God: and whilest they make thēselues beleeue they are very innocent, anon they deck themselues with other mēs feathers. But they are doubly wicked, in as much as they applie not those things to their true vse which the Lord hath giuen them in trust; but haue also prophane∣ly and miserably corrupted them.

S. Iohn alledgeth this place to set out more plainely the obstinacie of the Iewes. True it is that he recites it not word by word; but yet he explanes the meaning thereof suffici∣entlie. And therefore could they not beleeue (saith he) because Isaiah said, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their hearts. Not∣withstanding this prophesie was not y^e cause of their vnbeliefe, but the Lord so foretold it, because he foresaw they would be such. Now the Euangelist applies that to the Gos∣pell which was practised vnder the law: and teacheth therewithall, that the Iewes of his time were depriued of reason and vnderstan∣ding, because they were rebellious against God. Although if any should aske the first cause, we must come to the predestination of God. But because this counsell is hidden frō vs, we must not be curious in searching into it. For the reason of God his eternall coun∣sell apperteines not to vs; but we must looke to the cause which is before our eyes, to wit, their rebellion, by which they made them∣selues vnworthie of so many and great be∣nefites.

S. Paul also shewes from this place not once but often, that all the cause of their blindnes remained in themselues, Act. 28.27. Rom. 11.8. They, saith he, haue made their eares heauie, and stopped their eyes. So, that which the Prophet attributes heere to doctrine; that the Apostle attributes to the wicked affection of this people, who were the cause of their owne blinding. S. Paul brings in the holy Ghost speaking in this place. S. Iohn saith, that Isaiah spake thus of Christ, after he saw his glorie. Whence it appeeres, as we haue said hereto∣fore, that this God which filled the whole earth with his glorie, was Christ. But Christ is not separate from his Spirit. It is to very good purpose then that S. Paul hath refer∣red this place to the holy Ghost: for although God did represent himselfe to the Prophet in the liuely image of his Sonne, yet is it also certaine that whatsoeuer he represented vn∣to him, was whollie shed into him by the po∣wer of the holie Spirit. Now let the wicked barke against vs while they will with their blasphemies, and blame our doctrine, be∣cause the world is made the worse by the preaching of it; yet shall they gaine nothing thereby, neither yet be able to diminish the least tittle of the authoritie thereof, for they must forthwith condemne God himself when they condemne his doctrine, but their slan∣ders can not let that his iustice should not appeere; or that he should not preserue that and vs also blameles.

That they conuert not.] Hee heere cleerely pronounceth, that he sent not the Prophet to saue the people, but rather to destroy them. [Obiect.] But the word of God in it self is health∣full, and at least necessarie it is that there come some fruit from the preaching therof, which may profit some, although many lose the fruit of it by their owne infideli∣tie. I answere, [Ans.] mention is made heere of the whole bodie, which was alreadie desti∣nate and vowed to destruction, for there are alwayes some whom the Lord hath ex∣empt from this generall perdition. The word was powerfull to saue those, and did truly bring forth his effect: but the common state being sunken deepe in rebellion and infide∣litie, perished. Whereby we also see that the word of God is neuer so hurtfull, that there should not be some few which feele saluation by it, and haue triall thereof effectuallie.

But wee are to note from the order and course of the words, that repentance is the beginning of healing. First of all then let vs see what he meanes by this word healing. He referres it to the rods and scourges of God wherewith the people had been humbled for their sinnes. Now the cause of all the euils which we endure, is our rebellion against God; but when we repent, and that he shewes vs the light of his countenance, then the rods wherewith he chastised vs are cast into the fire, and thus we are healed. This order ought to be diligentlie obserued of vs, by which it very well appeeres whereat the Lord aimes in inuiting vs to come vnto him, as also what drift the holy doctrine hath, to wit, that we might be conuerted. Behold here then that part of the Gospell, Do penance, or Re∣pent. Afterwards, by offring vs reconciliati∣on, he promiseth remedies for all euils, not only against the bodie, but also against the soule. But if we receiue not so excellent a fruit of the word of God: if we be not recon∣ciled vnto God as soone as the word sounds in our eares, we haue cause to blame none but our selues, because the fault whollie re∣maines in vs. And in very truth that which the Prophet recites heere is a strange thing, and as it were against nature, to wit, that 〈2 pages missing〉〈2 pages missing〉

she were vtterlie perished. As often then as this falles out let vs yet be fullie resolued thar there is still a sap hidden within, which howsoeuer it appeare not by and by to our eyes, will yet shew forth his fruit in the end. Now this sap is hidden in the word of God, by which only the Church is vpheld.

Holy seed.] Heere he shewes what this sub∣stance is, to wit, the small number of the faithfull, which he calles a holy seed. For he meanes the elect, which should be saued by the free mercie of God, and should be reser∣ued from this captiuitie, because that this banishment was as it were the purgation of the Church whereby the Lord tooke away the wicked, who being cut off, he gathered vnto himselfe a very small people, but yet truly sanctified. Some referre this to Christ, but this exposition seemes too farre fetched; it will agree better if wee referre it to all the faithfull, because the holy seed is the sub∣stance of the Church.

Notes

• Similies.
• The punish∣ment of infi∣delitie.
• Act. 28. Ioh. 12.41.
• Mat. 3.2.