Isaiah 61

THe spirit of the LORD is upon me As it were to accomplish that which is foretold, and promised in the foregoing Chapter, whereby this appears to be either the Holy-Ghost, see on, 1 King, 18. 12. or the Spirit of Prophecy; i. e. the gift of Prophecy; so we are often to understand by the Spirit, viz. The gifts, as the Spirit upon Sampson, viz. The gift of valor, & courage and strength, see, 1 Cor. 12. 4. &c. Though the Prophet may speak this of himself in Person, yet that it is principally understood of Christ, is evident, because he applieth this Text unto himself, Luke 4. 18. being the first text he preached upon after his Baptism, at which time the Holy Ghost did descend upon him in a visible shape, of which that Iohn, who Baptized him, was an ocular witness, Iohn 1. 32, 33 and so making good the truth of this Prophecy; and it is said to rest upon, and dwell in him, according as it is prophecied, ch. 11. 2. & 42. 1., because the LORD has anointed Set me apart. i e. both capacitating him with Gifts, and commissionating him with Authority, and yet more, as it is applied to Christ, a Power to make all effectual, from whence he has also the name of Messiah among the Hebrews, and of Christ among the Greeks; nay Christ alone among the Prophets has obtained this name, Psal. 45. 7. and the Prophet seems here to describe, first, who Christ is, and then what are his Offices, this being the usual Ceremony for the designing Persons to the Offices of Prophets, Priests, and Kings, as has been diverse times shewen, in all which respects it does most eminently belong to Christ, so that the Prophet does hereby intimate both the final cause of his unction, viz. that he should execute these Offices to which he was anointed, and the effect of it; that unction being upon him as the head, it would flow from thence to his members, and so is an unction more peculiar to them, and in a more general way it has respect unto all the faithful, 2 Cor. 1. 21, 22. 1 Iohn 2. 20, 27. me to preach good tidings Being meant of Christ, this relates to his Prophetical Office. Literally this points at the good news that Isaiah brought of Cyrus his being raised up to bring them out of Babylon, now they are become meek and humble, but if it be thus taken, it must be understood of his Prophecies left behind him, for he died many years before the Captivity. But they chiefly signify the good tidings of the Gospel, that discovers Christ come in the flesh to redeem poor sinners from the Captivity of sin, and Satan, such as are meek, and humble, or afflicted, as the word signifies, because ordinarily afflictions make men meek, and humble, called also the Poor, and our Saviour expresseth it by that word, Luke 4. 18. To these the Gospel, these good tidings are brought, Mat. 11. 5. Whether by Poor you understand, 1. The Gentile void of all Grace, and Salvation, or tenders of it till now. Or, 2. Properly so called, indigent and needy Persons, of which sort were the greatest number that followed Christ, of which the reason might be, because Christ preached the contempt of the World, and Riches, which the Poor would therefore sooner embrace, and the Rich more likely to oppose. Or, 3. The Poor in Spirit. unto the meek, he has sent me to bind up Now follow several particular expressions to describe the same thing that he mentioned before more generally, a Metaphor taken from Chirurgions, that carefully and tenderly roll up a broken bone, Hos. 6. 1. and this relates to Christs Priestly Office. the broken-hearted The heart dejected, and broken with sorrow, I am sent to ease their pains, whose Consciences are wounded with a sense of Gods wrath., to proclaim liberty to the captives Those Captives in Babylon, but principally to Satan, that they shall be delivered, and this appertains to Christs Kingly Office, whereby he proclaims liberty from the Dominion, and Bondage of sin, and from the Fear and Terrour of Hell. See ch. 42. 7., and the opening of the prison to them that are bound i. e. Supposing them to be in chains, and fetters, yet they should be delivered, though in the greatest bondage: the further explication of these things will be found upon Luke 4. 18. Because there are some passages expresly mentioned here..

To proclaim To declare, as it respects the Jews, that their liberty is at hand. the acceptable Viz. the happy age of Gods grace, either which will be grateful, and welcome news to them, or acceptable to God, a time wherein it pleaseth him to favour them, but this must be understood of a farther extent than to Babylon, and rather unto Mankind in Jesus Christ. Gal. 4. 4. and Tit. 3. 4. called a time of Gods good will in that Angelical song, Luke 2. 14. On the account of those good tidings which the Angel brought, v. 10. 11. called so possibly from the arbitrariness, and good pleasure of God having no respect to any satisfaction from man. year Not precisely, as if Christ preached but one year, the mistake of some Ancients mentioned, and r... uted by Irenaeus, lib. 2. ch. 38. But for time indefinitely, and may include the whole time of preaching the Gospel. See Rom. 10. 15. which I take to be the meaning of that now, 2 Cor. 6. 2. and probably has a pertinent allusion to the year of Iubile, which was a general release proclaimed by sound of Trumpet, which relates also here to the word Proclaiming, Lev. 25. 10. of the LORD, and the day of vengeance Viz. on Babylon, it being necessary, that where God will deliver his People, he should take vengeance on their enemies; but mystically, and principally on the enemies of his Church, and the Spiritual ones chiefly, viz. Satan, Sin, and Death. of our God, to comfort all that mourn Either by reason of their sufferings, or of their sins, Mat. 11. 28. Or, the miseries of Sion. See on ch. 57. 18..

To appoint Supple it. Viz. Comfort, or Joy, or else it may refer to those Accusative cases following, Beauty, Oyl, Garments. unto them that mourn in Zion Put by a Metonymy for the Jews. q. d. among the Jews; and they for the Church of God, or, according to the Hebrew For Zion., to give unto them beauty for ashes By ashes understand whatever is most proper for days of mourning, as Sackcloth sprinkled with Ashes, and these ashes which were sprinkled on their heads, mixing themselves with their tears, would render them of a woful Aspect, which was wont to be the habit of Mourners, as by Beauty whatever may be beautiful, or become times of rejoycing., the oyl of joy for mourning The sense is the same with the former, he calls it Oyl of joy in allusion to those anointings they were wont to use in times of joy, Psal. 104. 15. and also the same with what follows, viz. Gladness for heaviness, gladness brings forth Praise to God; and it is called a Garment in allusion to their Festival Ornaments, for they had Garments appropriated to their conditions, some suitable to times of rejoycing, and some to times of mourning, or else an allusion to comely garments; and the spirit of heaviness, because heaviness does oppress, and debase the Spirits. It is all but an elegant description of the same thing by a three-fold Antithesis., the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called That is, that they may be so, as it is usually expressed. Ch 58. 12. & 60. 18. they shall be acknowledged so, v. 9. trees of righteousness He ascribes Righteousness to Trees, understanding thereby Persons by a Metaphor, by which he means, that they shall be firm, solid, and well rooted, being by faith engrafted into Christ, and bringing sorth fruit suitable to the Soil wherein they are planted, that had been as dry trees, see on Isa. 56. 3. viz. the Church, the Vineyard of God, and the hand by which they were planted, as in the next words., the planting of the LORD Planted by the holy Lord, who being himself holy, and righteous, would plant none but such, which notes also their soundness, and stability, an allusion to that passage in Moses his Song, Exod. 15. 17., that he might be glorified Either in that glory which he should conser upon them, or that glory he may expect and receive from them, that so it may be evident whose handy work it was. See ch. 60. 21..

And they shall build the old wasts, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the wast cities, the desolations of many generations See ch. 58. 12. As it is applied to Gospel times, the meaning may be, that Gentilism, which was as a wilderness overgrown with Briars, and Thorns, shall be cultivated, and those Cities, and Provinces of the Gentiles, that lay as it were wast, void of all true Religion, shall now by the Ministry of the Word, be edified in the true worship of God..

And strangers Viz. Gentiles, such as are not of the natural race of the Jews, but Gentile Converts. Or, such as shall have no more then an outward profession, strangers to the true work of Grace. shall stand Ready to be at thy service, a like expression, ch. 48. 13. and feed your flocks The Churches with the word of God., and the sons of the alien The same with strangers, or their successours. shall be your plowmen, and your vine-dressers As the words describe the prosperous estate of the Jews, the meaning of them is, that they should be in such a flourishing and prosperous condition, that without their own labour, they should have all inferiour offices executed, either by slaves taken in War, or by Persons hired for reward, which they should have Riches and Wealth enough to accomplish; But as they principally relate to the spiritual State of the Church, so probably by Strangers we may understand Converted Gentiles with their Successors meant by the Sons of Aliens, which should be ready to discharge all Offices for the advan... age of the Church feeding the Flocks, viz. the Churches of Christ wi... h the Word of God, and should manage the whole work of God's Spiritual Husbandry therein; see 1 Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9. Or, by Strangers may be meant Members of the Church only by an outward Profession, even they shall be some way serviceable to her in ordinary and inferiour matters: The Earth shall help the Woman, Rev. 12. 16..

But ye shall be named the priests For your part, ye emphatically shall be as Priests, Either, 1. For, as the Priests of old were plentifully provided for without their labour, so shall you by the labour of Strangers: Or, 2. For Countenance, you shall be every whereas greatly valued as the Priests were wont to be; you shall be esteemed as Princes; for so the word is often used, the word Priest being applied not only to the Sacred Function, but to one that was of great note among the People, and was supplied with all necessaries from others, without any labour of his own. Thus David's Sons were called Priests, or Princes: Or rather, 3. For Priviledge, the whole body of them shall now be as peculiar, and as near to God as the Priests were formerly, and shall be a Royal Priesthood, 1 Pet. 2. 9. This is most certainly true of all the faithful under the Gospel; hence they have also their Spiritual Sacrifices, Rom. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 15, 16. 1 Pet. 2. 5. of the LORD: men shall call you the ministers of God: ye shall eat It relates to the Riches of the Gentiles, which did consist most in Flocks, and Herds: Or, what you eat shall be purchased by the Riches of the Gentiles. the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast You shall exalt your selves, or be renowned by others. The LXX render it, you shall be wonderful, or to admiration; or, grow high by the access of that glory, which they shall bring unto you, viz. in Riches, Parts, Learning, Chap. 60. 5, 11. your selves.

For your shame ye shall have double See on Chap. 40. 2. Supple honour; though you have been little accompted of among your Enemies, yet now you shall be greatly in their esteem, Zech. 9. 12. you shall have double damages.; and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their portion viz. of honour, that God will give them, the same thing with the former; or, in their Inheritance, which God shall restore to them; and that either, 1. For worth and value through God's blessing upon it: Or 2. For room and space, and that possibly by reason of the few that will return to inhabit there, viz. only a tenth part, Chap. 6. 13. Or, that which he shall give them out of their Enemies Land.: therefore Or rather, Because, being rendred as a reason of their rejoycing, because of the doubling of their portion, in which sense it is taken, Chap. 16. 14. in their Land they shall possess the double: everlasting Of long continuance here, and everlasting hereafter; or, to be perpetually remembred on their Anniversary Festivals; though this had its accomplishment in their return from Babylon, yet was it most signally made good in that great change for the better, which they should find in the Gospel-state in the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom, and encrease of his People, with whom they should ever rejoyce together. joy shall be unto them.

For I the LORD love judgment q. d. They have suffered a great deal of hardship under their Enemies, and I will do them Right, for I love Justice in my self, and in them that practise it: Or, he gives a reason why he will recompense those Strangers that did so freely minister to his People., I hate robbery All things gotten by injustice, though it be for Sacrifice: As God will not accept of that which cost nothing; so much less of that which is the Effect of Rapin, and Oppression; a foundation, whereon most of our Abbies and Monasteries were built, viz. to expiate some great Crimes. And thus by making God a Receiver, they did interpretatively make him a Confederate. for burnt-offerings, and I will direct their work in truth Either I will lead, and guide them so, that they shall do all things in sincerity; they shall do good works, and to good Ends; they shall now love Truth, and walk in Truth, and serve him in Spirit and Truth: Or, I will reward them; or, I will make their work stable and firm. Truth notes stability; see the Notes on Chap. 16. 5. (work being here put metonymically for the reward of work) proportionably to their work., and I will make an everlasting covenant q. d. Though you have broken Covenant with me, and I have seemed to forsake you in giving you up to Captivity, yet I will renew my ancient Covenant made with your Fathers, confirmed with the blood of Christ, and it shall be everlasting, never to be abrogated, viz. it shall be continued in the Gentiles that shall come in your rooms, that for breach of Covenant were broken off. with them.

And their seed shall be among the Gentiles i. e. Eminently, a promise of the encrease of the Church; such shall be their prosperity, and multiplying, that they shall be known abroad by their great encrease; or else, the meaning is, the Church shall have a seed of the Gentiles, the borders of the Church shall be enlarged, whereas it has been confined as it were to one corner of the world, now it shall remain in one Nation alone no more, but shall fill all the Nations of the Earth., and their off-spring among the People: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD has blessed They shall be known to be the seed of Abraham, partly by their holy conversation, and partly by their exceeding blessings, it being the seed that the Lord had so often promised to bless: There shall be such visible Characters of God's love to them, & of God's grace in them..

I will greatly rejoyce This by a Prosopopoeia is spoken in the Person of the Church, wherein she does thankfully acknowledge God's kindness to her in the forementioned promises expressed here in the greatness of her affection with reference both to her present deliverance from Babylon and to the happiness of her Gospel state. in the LORD Or because of the Lord, or of the goodness of the Lord towards me, an usual form of gratulation. 1. Sam. 2. 1. and Hab. 3. 18. and Luk. 1. 47. or thus, I will not rejoice so much in my deliverance, as in the Lord., my soul shall be joyful in my God This clause is to the same purpose, save only she varies the expression, q. d. Yea I do it with my whole Soul.; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation With Salvation, as with a garment, so in the next with righteousness, as with a Robe, the meaning is the Salvation, that God will work for me, will render me as beautiful, and considerable, as they are, that are clothed with the richest garments, as Bridegrooms usually are, and Brides with their Jewels, or as venerable, as Kings in their Princely Robes, my Sac-cloath will now be turned into Robes or, I shall be compassed about with glory, as garments do compass the body., he has covered me with the robe of righteousness i. e. Either with the fruits, and effects of his Love, and many Favours to the Church, in which sense Righteousness is taken, Psa. 112. 3, 4, 9. comp. with 2 Cor. 9. 9. and chap. 51. 6, 8. she should see the Righteousness of God in fulfilling all these promises. Or that Righteousness of Christ imputed to us, which we are said to put on, Rom. 13. 14. or those graces imparted to us, and acted in an holy life., as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth By this and the other Metaphor he shows not only the reviving of the blessings of the Church after they had been as it were dead in the winter of affliction, but the great plenty, and abundance of blessings that should break forth; that which had been as a wilderness, shall be as a Paradise, pointing at the effects of his grace, and bounty.: so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness i. e. His great work of Salvation shall break out and appear. and praise As the natural product, and fruit of it, his own glory being the Principal end of making his Righteousness to appear and manifest its self. to spring forth before all Nations These things will not be done in a Corner, but will be eminently conspicuous in the sight of all the world, for which purpose those Hymns penned by the godly will ever be famous in the Churches of Christ to all ages, as of Moses, Hannah, Mary, Zechary, Simeon, &c..