Isaiah 4

Isaiah 4:1

Seven women] that is to say, the countrey shall be so destitute of men, by reason of warres and other calamities; and the misery of the women shall be so extreme, that divers women, contrary to custome and decency, shall desire one man to marry them, see Jeremiah 31:22. Let us be called] that is to say, Let us be accepted by thee, and let others acknowledge us to be thy lawfull wives, which are called after their husbands name Take away] for it was a disonourable thing, especially in those dayes, for a young woman to be unmarried, Psal. 78. 63. 1. Cor. 7. 36.

Isaiah 4:2

In that day] after God shall have executed his foresaid judgements upon the Jews The branch] the Italian, the bud; the promised Messias, so called, Jer. 23. 5. and 33. 15 Zach. 3. 8. and 6. 1. because that in him is the beginning, spring, life, and subsistency of the Church, and was then contained within Gods promises, as a bud hidden in the ground, untill such time as it grew forth. The meaning is, Christ shall restore the remainder of his spirituall Israel to glory and honour by his salvation and grace The fruit] namely, the body of the Church, which is as the plant that groweth out of that bud; meaning, that the small remainder of that corporall Israel, shall be magnified by the Spir〈…〉ll tate to which it shall be transported by Christ under the Gospell. Others do apply this name also to Christ, as if he were called the Lords bud, in respect of his Godhead, and fruit of the earth, in respect of his humanitie: see Isai. 11. 1. and 53. 2.

Isaiah 4:3

That he that is] that is to say, all the members of the mysticall Church shall be sanctified by Christs Spirit, see Isaiah 35:8. 1 Corinthians 1:2. Every one] that is to say, all Gods Elect, shall be called, regenerated, and incorporated into the spirituall Jerusalem, Psal. 87. 5, 6. Galatians 4:26. Hebrews 12:22. Written] a phrase taken from Registers and muster-Rolls, Exodus 32:32. Psal. 69. 28. Daniel 12:1. Luke 10:20. Revel. 20. 12. that is to say, those who by Gods will and his immutable decree are chosen and predestinated to eternall life, wherein Gods will stands in stead of writing, and his minde in stead of a book.

Isaiah 4:4

When] after hee shall have purged his Church by the foresaid judgements Of the daughters] that is to say, of the members of the Church in this world The blood] that is to say, the abominable uncleannesse, as Psal. 51. 14. for in the Law the touch of mans blood that was spilt did defile By the Spirit] namely by divine power, of separating good from evill, which is an act of judgement, and to exterminating of evill, which is proper to the fire, see Matth. 3. 12. V. 5 Will creare] a description of Gods protection of his Church, by a similitude taken from the cloudy and fi〈…〉 pillar in the desert, Exodus 13:21. A defence] the Italian, a covering] as formerly in the wildernesse God having filled the inside of the Tabernacle with signes of his glorie, covered the outside of it with a thicke cloud, Exodus 40:34. Numb. 9. 15. so will he repaire his Church, which is his glorious habitation by his grace and Spirit.

Isaiah 4:6

A tabernacle] the Italian, a tens; he hath reference to the outward tent which covered the whole body of the holy tabernacle, Exodus 26:7. to signifie the same protection that hath been spoken of before.