Ver. 1. I am sought of them that asked not for me.] I am sought—that is, I am found, [as Ecclesiastes 3:6] or, I am sought to by those that asked not of me—viz., by the Gentiles, who knew me not, inquired not of me. See Romans 10:20,21, where the apostle, than whom we cannot have a better interpreter, expoundeth this verse of the calling of the Gentiles, and the next verse, of the rejection of the Jews. And herein “Esaias was very bold,” saith St Paul; so bold, say Origen and others, that for this cause, among others, he was sawn asunder by his unworthy countrymen. See on Isaiah 1:10. I am found of them that sought me not.] The first act of our conversion then, the infusion of the sap, is of God; our will prevents it not, but follows it. See 2 Corinthians 3:5 Ro 8:7 Joh 6:44 1Co 12:3 De 29:3,4 Ps 36:10. Note this against the patrons of nature, freewill men, Papists especially, who not only ascribe the beginning of salvation to themselves, in co-working with God in their first conversion, but also the end and the accomplishment of it, by works of condignity, meritorious of eternal life. I said, Behold me, behold me.] We are not easily aroused out of that dead lethargy into which sin and Satan hath cast us; hence this “Lo I, lo I.” And here we have both God’s answer to the Church’s prayer, (Isaiah 64:12) and the scope of the whole book, as Oecolampadius observeth, set down in the perclose—viz., the coming in of the Gentiles, and the casting off of the Jews for their many and mighty sins. (Amos 5:12) Piscat.
Ver. 2. I have spread out my hands.] As preachers use to do, (Proverbs 1:24 Acts 26:1) or as those that invite and beckon others to themselves with the hand. See Matthew 11:28. Unto a rebellious people.] Whose destruction therefore is of themselves, since they will not be ruled, reclaimed. After their own thoughts.] Which were evil, only evil, continually so. A toad may as easily spit a cordial, as a natural man think a good thought.
Ver. 3. A people that provoketh me to my face.] As it were for the nonce, in despite and defiance of me. Siquis me in faciem depalmaret, vix indignius essera laturus: I could almost as well bear a blow on the face. And burneth incense upon altars of brick.] Erected on the house tops. (2 Kings 23:12 Zephaniah 1:5) They should have offered on the golden altar only. (Exodus 30:3-5) Lateres—per meiosin cum contemptu.
Ver. 4. Which remain among the graves.] Which use necromancy and consult with devils—as Saul did, and died for it—contrary to Deuteronomy 18:11. See Isaiah 8:19 Mr 5:5. [See Trapp on “Isa 8:19”] [See Trapp on “Mr 5:5”] This they had learned from the heathens, with whom it was common, as Tertullian teacheth. And lodge in the monuments.] As believing that there they should dream dreams divinatory, or have revelations in the night. By such ill arts as these, Timotheus Herulus made himself bishop of Alexandria, A.D. 467; and Boniface VIII duped Celestine V of the Popedom, A.D. 1295. Some render it, that lodge with the kept ones, i.e., with their idols, which they were fain to keep, for fear they should be stolen. That eat swine’s flesh.] Which was flatly forbidden; (Leviticus 11:7) and which those martyrs in the Maccabees would rather die than do. But these belly gods, who, like swine, had their souls only to keep their bodies from putrifying, securely violated this plain law—gratifying their lusts, and making their gut their god. And broth of abominable things is in their vessels.] They had animos in patinis, catinis, calicibus, &c. Therein they kept the broth of their swine’s flesh, which they offered, and in offering eat of. But what saith one from this text? Men must not only abhor the devil’s beef, but his broth too; all occasions, appearances. Jun., Piscat. Porcus quasi spurcus. -Rupert.
Ver. 5. Which say, Stand by thyself; come not near to me.] These Jews were all manner of naughts, and therefore worthily rejected by God; necromancers, idolaters, epicures, gross hypocrites, as here their words, full of pride and contempt of others, show them to be. Such were the Pharisees with their sanctior sum quam tu (Luke 7:39) the monks and mass priests among the Papists, and the Brownists with their broad leaves of formal profession among us. From Matthew 18:19, because Christ promiseth not doing for them that ask, except they agree on earth, Brownists peremptorily conclude that they ought not to pray with them that do not consent with them in their opinions; nor will they pray with their own wives and children, though never so pious, if they do not meet in the same centre of conceits. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day,] i.e., A continual offence to me, as smoke is to the nose and eyes, (Proverbs 10:26) and shall be perpetually tormented by me in the hottest fire of hell; whereof hypocrites are the freeholders, and other sinners are but tenants as it were to them, while they are said to have their portion with the devil and hypocrites. Some think he hinteth at their smoking and sacrificing in their gardens and groves. (Isaiah 65:3) Abbott’s Trial of Church Forsakers, p. 148.