Isaiah 57:3. But draw near hither, &c.— The prophet proceeds to exhibit the church, totally corrupt as it was, the good men being extinct or dispersed; so that they who remained of the faithful lay hid in solitary places; while the body of the church appeared like a dead carcase; not the true, but the adulterous church. This church is summoned before the judgment-seat of God, first to be convinced, and afterwards to be condemned for her crimes; which crimes are spoken of under the ideas common to the idolatry of the ancient church, though they refer to the spiritual idolatry of the Christian church. There is a remarkable poem of William of Malmesbury, who lived in the 12th century, setting forth the corrupt state of the church in his time, which serves abundantly to shew how exactly this prophesy of Isaiah was fulfilled in those times.

Isaiah 57:5. Slaying the children, &c.— It is generally agreed, that the prophet in these words alludes to some detestable superstitious rite made use of in his times in the worship of idols, which some refer particularly to the sacrifices offered to Moloch, for which the valley of Hinnom was remarkably infamous. But, whatever the reference be, the passage must be understood metaphorically of the superstition and cruelties practised in the period of the Christian church referred to.

Isaiah 57:6. Among the smooth stones, &c.— Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; these, these are thy lot: Even to these hast thou poured out thy libation, hast thou presented thine offering. Can I see these things with acquiescence? Vitringa thinks that the meaning of the first clause is, "They shall be thrown into the deep and low valleys, where they perform the execrable rites above-mentioned, and shall there perish."

Isaiah 57:8. Behind the doors, &c.— Thy remembrance, or memorial, signifies, thy idol. "thy tutelar image, which at going in and out thou mayest adore." The reader will continue to bear in mind, that the ideas are here all taken from the expression of ancient times. See Revelation 2:14-20.

Isaiah 57:9. And thou wentest to the king with ointment— According to the interpretation which we have heretofore given, the king of mystical Babylon, or the Pope, must be meant, to whom the particulars in this verse very aptly pertain, as they who are acquainted with the history of that anti-christian monarch will easily discern. See Revelation 18:13; Revelation 18:24.

Isaiah 57:10. Thou hast found the life of thine hand, &c.— That is to say, "Thou hast found thy delight in that troublesome superstition; wherefore, though thou mayest labour grievously, yet thou sustainest all the trouble of it, because this superstition satisfies thy desire." Kimchi has it, The life of thy strength, for the hand is in man the instrument of labour, which is employed in superstition. See Vitringa.

Isaiah 57:14. And shalt say, &c.— And he said, or, And a voice says, &c. These are the words of the prophetic chorus, relating that a voice had gone forth, or a command of God, to prepare the way, and to remove all stumbling-blocks from it; that is to say, to reform the church from that state of corruption which is described in the preceding verses; a work of as great difficulty as importance, and the prediction whereof well deserved to be introduced in the sublime manner that we here find it. The reformation of the church from Popish error and superstition is an event too well known, and too highly valued, to need speaking of in this place. As an instance of the stumbling-blocks removed from the church, the reader may consult the hundred grievances proposed to Pope Adrian by the princes of Germany in the year 1523; when the faith was purged from errors, and the light of the Gospel restored to the Christian world. See Vitringa.

Isaiah 57:15. For thus saith the high and lofty One— This exquisite sentence is not difficult to be understood, though it is not easy to comprehend its whole force and energy. It may be connected either with what precedes, or with what follows after. If with the former, a reason is given why God brought in a reformation after so long a delay; namely, that he might not seem wholly to have neglected the pious, and such as sincerely lamented the offences and evils of their times; when, on the contrary, he held them most dear, and was willing to comfort them, as being those alone whom he would truly inhabit and acknowledge for his people. If it be connected with the latter, it teaches that God, in his severity, might justly punish the corrupted church for the abuse of his word and grace; and destroy it by his judgments, as adulterous, and having broken his covenant. But as abounding in grace and mercy, and knowing that many remained in it who were drawn imprudently into error, and who, being admonished of their error, would by the grace of his spirit return to him in true repentance and godly sorrow, he had determined to have regard to these, as it is peculiar to his nature to shew mercy and favour, and to revive these humble and contrite ones, by his comforts, and the hope of grace. The latter seems the preferable interpretation.

Isaiah 57:19. I create the fruit of the lips, &c.— The meaning is, "that God would raise up at this time, by his grace, preachers of the pure and genuine Gospel;" who, after the example of the apostolic times, should powerfully preach that genuine and evangelical truth, which brings peace and tranquillity to troubled consciences, reconciliation of God with the believing sinner, through the blood of Jesus Christ; and is therefore emphatically called, the Gospel of peace. This preaching of theirs should extend far and wide, and should pertain to all people and nations without distinction; and by this means the church should be truly healed and restored. See Ephesians 2:17; Ephesians 6:15.