Isaiah
The Argument God, according to his promise, Deuteronomy 18:15; that he would never leave his Church destitute of a Prophet, hath from time to time accomplished the same: whose office was not only to declare unto the people the things to come, whereof they had a special revelation, but also to interpret and declare the Law, and to apply particularly the doctrine contained briefly therein, to the utility and profit of those, to whom they thought it chiefly to appertain,and as the time and state of things required. And principally in the declaration of the Law, they had respect to three things, which were the ground of their doctrine: First, to the doctrine contained briefly in the two Tablets: secondly, to the promises and threatenings of the Law: and thirdly,to the Covenant of grace and reconciliation, grounded upon our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the end of the Law. Whereunto they neither added nor diminished, but faithfully expounded the sense and meaning thereof. And according as God gave them understanding of things, they applied the promises particularly for the comfort of the Church and the members thereof,and also denounced the menaces against the enemies of the same: not for any care or regard to the enemies, but to assure the Church of their safeguard by the destruction of their enemies. And as touching the doctrine of reconciliation, they have more clearly entreated it than Moses, and set forth more lively Jesus Christ, in whom this Covenant of reconciliation was made.In all these things Isaiah did excel all the Prophets, and was most diligent to set out the same, with most vehement admonitions, reprehensions, and consolations: ever applying the doctrine, as he saw that the disease of the people required. He declareth also many notable prophecies which he had received of God, as touching the promise of the Messiah, his office, and kingdom. And of the favor of God toward his Church, the vocation of the Gentiles, and their union with the Jews. Which are as most principal points contained in this book, and a gathering of his Sermons that he preached.Which after certain days that they had stood upon the Temple door (for the manner of the Prophets to set up the sum of their doctrine for certain days,that the people might the better mark it, as Isaiah 8:1 and Habakkuk 2:2)
the Priests took it down, and reserved it among their Registers: and so by God’s providence these books were preserved as a monument to the Church forever. As touching his person and time, he was of the king’s stock (for Amoz, his father, was brother to Azariah king of Judah, as the best writers do agree) and prophesied more than 64 years, from the time of Uzziah unto the reign of Manasseh, whose father in law he was (as the Hebrews write) and of whom he was put to death. And in reading of the Prophets, this one thing among others is to be observed, that they speak of things to come as though they were now past, because of the certainty thereof, and that they could not but come to pass, because God had ordained them in his secret counsel, and so revealed them to his Prophets.
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