Isaiah 11

Isaiah 11:1

THere shall come forth] out of the stem of David the son of Jesse, who was neither King nor powerfull, and was like the stock of a withered tree, or roots hidden in the earth, shall Christ be borne according to the flesh, who shall be the everlasting King of the Church.

Isaiah 11:2

The Spirit] he shall in his humanity be filled with the gifts of the holy Ghost, to be as it were an everlasting treasure and cisterne full of them, from whence those gifts shall showre down upon the Church, see John 1. 16. and 3. 34 Acts 2:33.

Isaiah 11:3

Quick understanding] the Italian, quick sent; that is to say, all his understanding, knowledge and judgement, shall be governed and ruled by perfect obedience and holinesse. Or he shall cause the fear of the Lord to sent, &c. that is to say, God shall anoint him, not with a materiall sweet smelling oil, but with the spirituall oil of holinesse He shall not] he shall be most just and upright in the execution of his charge; his understanding, judgement, and will, being all one with his everlasting fathers, John 5. 19, 30. and 8. 28, 38. Or when he gives judgement, he shall not looke after any outward appearances or. false allegations, from whence proceed corruptions in humane judgements, but shall alwayes look after the inward parts of the heart, which are well known to him being true God, John 2:25.

Isaiah 11:4

The poore] namely, the Church, which in this world is abject, and poore, and humble, and milde in spirit, which are the beleevers ordinary titles Shall smite] that is to say, as he is true God and Judge of the world, he shall by his almighty word, and power of his soveraigne sentence destroy the world, namely, that part whereof the devill is prince, which may be understood of particular judgements from time to time, but is meant chiefly by the great and last judgement The wicked] namely, the head of all the wicked, which is the devill, slain by Christ, not in regard of his life and offence, but in regard of his predominate power in seducing men, and in rebelling against God, see Deuteronomy 32:42. Psal. 68. 21. and 110. 6. And by the devils name are meant all his deputies, to whom he hath granted his power, such as are great Monarches of the world, and such as at the latter end Antichrist shall bee, see 2 Thessalonians 2:8. Revelation 13:2; Revelation 13:11.

Isaiah 11:5

The girdle] that is to say, hee shall bee adorned, armed, and strengthned with these vertues, in the exercising of his office, as Princes and Warriours are with a girdle in the same manner, John 12:18. Isaiah 22:21.

Isaiah 11:6

The wolse] figurative and propheticke tearms. The meaning whereof is, that the Spirit of regeneration, shall alter the naturall fiercenesse of men, and make them milde and tame, to live in peace with the rest of the beleevers, under the conduct of Christ and the ministery of other Pastors of the Church, though they bee base and abject in the eye of the world.

Isaiah 11:8

The sucking childe] that is to say, the innocency and simplicity of the faithfull shall be secure from the snares and deceits of the wicked: not onely by reason of Gods safeguard and protection, but also because God shall change and alter their evill natures, and transforme them into contrary qualities.

Isaiah 11:9

For the earth] God shall poure out his Spirit abundantly upon all the Elect which are in the world, by whose lively light and power their wills and affections shall bee changed and amended from their naturall vices, see Romans 12:2. Ephesians 4:23. The sea. namely, the bottome and concavity of it.

Isaiah 11:10

Of the people] all Nations, without any difference, shall come under Christs Kingdome, who having till then been like a root hidden under ground, shall be raised up in glory, and set up like a banner to gather all Nations unto him His rest] that is to say, the place of his ordinary abode and residence, namely, his Church; like to the Tabernacle in the wildernesse, where God did shew evident tokens of his Majestie and glory, Exod. 40 34. Levit 9. 23. Shall be] shall be full of the signes and effects of his presence and divine power, in light of heavenly truth, in power of his Spirit, to bee a safegard and defence.

Isaiah 11:11

Set his hand again] namely, after the first notable deliverance out of Egypt. The remnant] this may be understood generally of all the Elect, which shall be gathered out of all parts of the world into Christs Kingdome, or particularly of the Jewes, who at last shall be recalled, and restored to the body of the Church, see Rom. 11. 25. 26. From Pathros, see of these names of Nations, Genesis 10:10; Genesis 10:14; Genesis 10:18; Genesis 10:22.

Isaiah 11:12

The dispersed] see John 7:35. James 1:1. 1 Peter 1:1.

Isaiah 11:13

The envie also] that is to say, all the Church shall be united in perfect concord against the enemies of Christs Kingdome. He hath a relation to Ephraims almost continuall envie toJudah for the Soverainty, from whence proceeded the separation of the ten Tribes, and the civill wars amongst the people, which caused great calamities.

Isaiah 11:14

Them of the East] the Italian, the children of the East; namely, the Easterne people, Arabians, Chaldeans, &c.

Isaiah 11:15

The tongue] namely, the gulfe of the red Sea, which comes out of the Ocean Sea, and runs almost to the head of Egypt, see Zach. 10. 11. Shake his hand] he alludes to Moses his dividing of the Sea by striking it with his rod, see Exodus 14:16; Exodus 14:21. Over the river] namely, the river Nilus, which divides it selfe into seven branches, and runs many severall wayes into the Sea. Now all this is spoken figuratively, to shew that nothing shall hinder the deliverance and gathering together of the Church.