John Trapp on Isaiah 1:23

Ver. 23. Thy Princes are rebellious] Or, Revolters, Apoſtates: there is an Elegancy in the Original, ſuch as this Prophet is full of: ac ſi dicas primi ſunt Pravi vel Perverſi; ſo ſaith Calvin here; Epiſcopi may be called Apoſcopi, Cardinales Carnales vel Carpinales, Carpet-men; Canonisi, Cenonici, Praepoſiti praepoſteri, &c. This note A Lapide is very angry at, & lapides loquitur.

And companions of Thieves] Whileſt they not only ſuffered ſuch to go unpuniſhed, but alſo ſhared with them, as Pſalm 50.18. Cato complained that in his time ſome thieves ſtood at the bar in cold Irons, when others and worſe ſat on the Bench with Gold-chains about their necks. The bold Pirat told Alexander to his teeth, that he was the Arch-Pirat of the World. And what ſhall we think of Pope Alexander, who Anno 1505. ſent a Bull of Pardons for many,Speed. 992. diſpenſing thereby with ſuch as kept away, or by any fraud had gotten the goods of other men, which they ſhould now retain ſtill without ſcruple of conſcience, ſo as they paid a rateable portion thereof to his Holineſſes receivers? And at this day Popiſh Prieſts will abſolve a thief of his wickedneſs, Scultet in loc. if he may have half with him of the ſtollen goods.

Every one loveth gifts] Not only taketh; although in taking alſo the Greek proverb ſaith, [non-Latin text not transcribed], great care and caution ſhould be uſed. Olim didici quid ſint munera, ſaid a grave man. See Deut. 16 19.

And followeth after rewards] As an Hunter his game, or a Merchant his gain, or a Martialiſt his enemy; Sectantur retributiones, i. e. Collidunt inter ſe judices, ſaith the Chaldee Paraphraſt: the Judges complot, ſaying one to another, Help thou me in Judging againſt the poor, and I'le do as much for thee another time.

They judge not the fatherleſs] Becauſe friendleſs, pennileſſe. Sed pupillos laedere, eſt pupillam oculi Dei contingere.

Neither doth the cauſe of the Widow come before them] The Widow cannot ſpeak for her ſelf (in the Original ſhe hath her name from Dumneſs) and hath no mony to make room for her: hence her cauſe is ſlighted.