Ver. 1. But in the last days it shall come to pass] God reserveth his best comforts till the last, as that ruler of the feast did his best wine, John 2:10, and as the sweetest of the honey lieth at the bottom. These last days are the Gospel days, Hebrews 1:2, times of reformation, Hebrews 9:10, of restitution, Acts 3:21, called the world to come, Hebrews 2:5, that “new heaven and earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness,” 2 Peter 3:13, that new Jerusalem, that is all of gold, Revelation 21:18, Ezekiel’s new temple, larger than all the old Jerusalem, and his new Jerusalem, larger than all the land of Canaan, Ezekiel 40:41-49. Let Popish buzzards blaspheme that description of the temple and city; calling it (as Sanctius doth once and again) insulsam descriptionem, a senseless description; so speaking evil of the things that they know not, Jude 10. We believe and are sure, John 6:69, that God hath provided some better thing for us than for those under the law, Hebrews 11:40, viz. that great mystery of godliness, God manifested in the flesh, 1 Timothy 3:16, who should again restore the kingdom to Israel, the spiritual kingdom to the Israel of God; as is here foretold in the self same words with those of Isaiah, Isaiah 2:1,2, whence he is not ashamed to take it. That the mountain of the house of the Lord] The Church, 1 Timothy 3:15, called elsewhere the mountain of the Lord, and his holy hill, Psalms 15:1 24:3 48:2 Isa 30:17, both for its sublimity, Galatians 4:26, and firmness, Psalms 46:3 125:1: winds and storms move it not; no more can all the power and policy of hell combined prevail against the Church, Matthew 16:18. She is ανικητος και ακινητος, a kingdom that cannot be shaken; and may, better than the city of Venice, take for her posy Immota manet. May she stand immovable. Shall be established in the top of the mountains] Constituetur firmiter, She shall be established more securely, shall be strongly set upon a sure bottom, upon munitions of rocks; yea, upon the Rock of Ages, Matthew 15:18 Jer 31:35 Isa 33:16. Some by “the house of the Lord” here understand the Church; and by the mountain of this house, Christ, whereon it is built, and whom Daniel describeth by that great mountain that filled the whole earth, that stone cut out without hands that smote in pieces the four monarchies, Daniel 2:35. And hence it is that this mountain of the Lord’s house is exalted above the hills: the Church must needs be above all earthly eminences whatsoever, because founded upon Christ; who therefore cannot be exalted, but she must be lifted up aloft together with him. God, who is rich in mercy, saith that great apostle, “hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 2:5,6. The Church is mystical Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:12, she is his wife, and wherever he is Caius she is Caia; she shineth with his beams and partaketh of his honours; union being the ground of communion. And people shall flow unto it] As waters roll and run toward the sea; but that these waters shall flow upward, flow to the mountain, as here, is as wonderful as that the sun should send his beams downward to the earth, when as it is the property of all fire to aspire and fly upwards. This is the Lord’s own work, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The metaphor of flowing importeth the coming of people to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel. 1. Freely, Psalms 110:3 2. Swiftly, as the waters of the river Tigris, swift as an arrow out of a bow. See Isaiah 60:8 3. Plentifully, by whole nations turned to the faith, and giving up their names to Christ. 4. Jointly, as Micah 4:2 Zec 8:21 5. Zealously, bearing down all obstacles that would dam up their way. 6. Constantly and continually, as rivers run perpetually, by reason of the perennity of their fountains; and are never dried up, though sometimes fuller than some: quin ut fluvii repentinis imbribus augentur, saith Gualther; as rivers swell often with sudden showers, and overflow the banks, so, beyond all expectation, many times doth God take away tyrants, and propagates his truth, enlarging the bounds of his Church with new confluxes of converts.
Ver. 2. And many nations shall come and say] The conversion of the Gentiles is here foretold, a piece of that mystery of godliness, 1 Timothy 3:16. The Jews usually call Christians in contempt Gozin (the word here used), and Mamzer Goi, bastard Gentiles. But, either they must come under this name themselves or deny that they are the posterity of Abraham, Genesis 12:2, where God saith, “I will make of thee a great nation.” Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord] The wicked have their Come, Proverbs 1:11, and would not go to hell alone. Should not the saints have theirs? should they not get what company they can toward heaven? The Greeks call goodness Καλον, from καλειν; and Αγαθον, from Αγαν θεειν, because it doth, as it were, invite and call others to it; and every man is willingly to run after it. And to the house of the God of Jacob] To the public ordinances, where we may hear and believe, and be sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, as those Ephesians were, Ephesians 1:13. We read that Marcellinus, Secundanus, and some others were converted to Christianity by reading Sibylla’s oracles of Christ’s birth; and that by Chaucer’s book some were brought to the knowledge of the truth. But either this was not so, or not ordinary; for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word preached, which therefore the people of God do so prize as Luther did, who said, He would not take all the world for one leaf of the Bible; and that without the preaching of the word he could not live comfortably in paradise; as with it, he could live and enjoy himself, though it were in hell. And he will teach us of his ways] Cathedram in coelis habet qui corda docet, saith Austin. All true converts are taught of God, John 6:45, and then quam cito discitur quod docetur? saith the same Father: how soon are men discipled! how soon learn they the ways of God, whereby to serve him here, and be saved by him hereafter! For it is false that some contend for; sc. that every man may be saved in his own faith, be it right or wrong. For none can come to the Father but by the Son, John 14:6. Neither is there any other name but his under heaven, whereby men must be saved, Acts 4:12. See John 17:3 6:40 Heb 11:6, whatsoever the Huberians affirm of universal election, or the Puccians of a natural faith. And we will walk in his paths] Which are all paved with mercy and love; so that the saints run therein and faint not; walk, and are not weary, Isaiah 40:31. They are all peripatetics, ever in action, Genesis 17:1; they are currists caretakers, not quaerists, seekers, saith Luther elegantly; they do not reason, but run the paths of God’s precepts. Nescit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratis (Ambrose). For the law shall go forth of Zion] The law, or doctrine, as Proverbs 13:14. Understand here the gospel, that law of God, Psalms 19:7, that law of Christ, Galatians 6:2, that perfect law of liberty, James 1:25, a counterpane whereof God putteth into the hearts of his people, Jeremiah 31:33, whereby they become (as it was once said of the Thracians) αυτονομοι, a law to themselves; as being transformed into the same image with the gospel, like as the pearl, by the often beating of the sunbeams upon it, becometh radiant as the sun (Herod.). And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem] Not from Africa at first (as the brethren of the Rosycross would have it), though it is thought the gospel was received and the Christian faith professed even from the apostles’ time, in that large region of Nubia, in Africa. But repentance and remission of sins was preached “among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,” Luke 24:47. The Jews were God’s library keepers, and the apostles sent and went from Jerusalem to plant Churches abroad the world, and to gather into one the children of God that were dispersed, John 11:52.