Isaiah 6

Isaiah 6:1

yeare that Uzziah died] And the beginning of Jothams reigne. Jotham had ruled some yeares in the life-time of Uzziah. See the Annotations on Hos. I. 1. And the Observations on 2 Kings I. But this here is after Uzziah’s death.

This is the fourth Vision or Sermon of Esay.

I saw the Lord] One God in Trinity of persons: as the Plural terme, ver. 8. go for us? seemes to imply. Esay saw him, not in his Essence, but in this visible module of glory here represented.

traine] Of his robes.

filled the Temple] The Throne then, it seemes, was in that high Portal of 120 Cubits high; and the traine of his robes filled the Temple or the Sanctum.

Isaiah 6:2

flie] Dan. IX. 21.

Isaiah 6:3

one cried to another] As by course singing out the praises of the Lord.

holy] Thrice, to denote the superlative eminencie of the Lords holinesse: and likely the holinesse of his justice.

Isaiah 6:4

And the posts, &c.] The Temple doores and posts shaken; and the body of the Temple filled with smoak. Signes of Gods anger and indignation, Psal. XVIII. 8.

at the voice of him that cried] A loud and dreadful voice. See Amos IX. 1.

Isaiah 6:5

woe is me] As Hab. III. 16. SEe the cause here; and , v. 7.

Altar] The brazen Altar in the Court before the doore.

the voice of the Lord] Not of the Seraphs.

I send] The Unity of the Deity.

for us] The Trinity of the Persons.

send me] Being so fitted, as formerly, he now promptly offers himselfe.

make the heart of this people fat] This God doth not by infusing any wickednesse or corruption, of any kinde, into them: but indirectly, and by accident, and consequent, thus; By not hindering it, but permitting it; justly, for their sinnes, withholding, or withdrawing his Restraining Grace, which holds them in as a Grayhound is held in from an hare by a slip; Denying his blessing to the meanes of Grace, not vouchsafing his special and free grace and assistance to them; but withdrawing the efficacy of his Spirit, which things he is not bound to give to any: and justly leaving them so both to all Satans tentations, and his instruments; And also to their owne vile lusts, the inbred hardnesse of their hearts, rebellion of their wills, and the universal corruption of their natures; which enslaves them to sinne, and fires them after it; yea, the more for any opposition of Gods Commands, Word, or Works, or any meanes else used to the contrary; as we see Lime burne with water cast upon it. Even so the Heathen could say, Nitimur in vetitum, semper cupimúsque negata: according with that of the Apostle, Rom. VII. verse 8,—13. Yea, God justly suffering and presenting such objects, and occasioning such things to fall out, as are not simply evil in themselves, yet through their default will prove stumbling-blocks unto them, as whereupon their own wicked hearts will still work and improve their own induration, excecation, and irritation to further sinning. Thus they willingly fall further into sinfull actions. The power of doing which acts, as they are acts, are yet from God alone, in whom we live, and move, and have our being; but the obliquity, malignity, and evil of them is from the wicked Agent.

And all this God doth in a way of justice: It is a just thing with God, when men wilfully winkand shut their eyes against the light; And when they harden their hearts, and stop their eares against him, his Word, and Will, and Works; It is just with him, in maner aforesaid, to let them have and enjoy what they so love and desire to have and enjoy. And so to punish sin with sin.

For all the premises, see Deut. XXVIII. 28. and XXIX. 2, 4. Psal. LXIX. 23. and LXXVIII. 32. and LXXXI. 12. and CVI. 7. Esay XXVIII. 13. and XXIX. 10. and XLIV. 18. Jer. V. 31. Ezek.

II. 5, 7. and III. 7. and XX. 25. Zech. VII. 11, 12. Matth. XIII. 14. John XII. 37. Acts XIV. 16. Rom.

I. 21, 22, 26, 28. and II. 4, 5. and Chap. VII. ver. 8, 9, 11, 13, 23. and XI. 8. 10. 2 Cor. II. 15, 16. 2 Thes. II. 10, 11, 12. 2 Tim. III. 13. Heb. VI. 4, 6, 7. Apoc.

XVI. 9, 11. All this I say is just for Him who knoweth how, and orders withal, out of the infinitenesse of his wisdome and goodnesse, so as to make them serve his providence for the producing of good out of evill, the greetest good out of the greatest sinne; as Acts IV. 28. See my Annotations on Ezek. III. 20.

Isaiah 6:11

Lord, how long?] Shall this sad condition last?

utterly desolate] Yet there is mention of a Reserve, v. 13.

Isaiah 6:12

farre away] Into Assyria, and Chaldea; yea, some extend this to the last destruction by Vespasian, and Hadrian, the Romane Emperours.

Isaiah 6:13

But yet in it shall be a tenth] God will still in his dreadfulest judgements preserve a small remnant, to continue his Church. Thus he concludes with this comfort here: as he likewise concluded his first and second Sermon.

a Teil-tree] Or a Line-tree, of goodly boughs and leaves.

and an oak] So most do render the word.

whose substance is in them when they cast their leaves] As in winter.

so the holy seed] The seed of Saints. The application of the similitude. These God reserves, by them to propagate his Church, Rom. XI. 15.