John Trapp on Isaiah 57:1

CHAP. LVII.

Ver. 1. THe righteous periſheth] So the world deemeth, but not rightly: for the righteous hath hope in his death, when the wicked dying is driven away in his wickedneſſe, Prov. 14.32. (by him that hath the power of death, even the devil, Heb. 2.14.) having been through fear of death all their life-time ſubject to bondage. The Lacedemonians all the time of their life adored death. The righteous can defie death with Paul, and ſing, Death, where's they sting? Hell, where's thy victory? he is not killed with death, as Jezabels children were, Rev. 2.23. but dyeth in peace, though he dye in battle, as Joſiah did: of whom ſome interpret this Text.

And no man layeth it to heart] Heb. upon his heart, that it may ſink and ſoak into it; ſo as to be ſoundly ſenſible of Gods holy hand and end in ſuch a providence. See chap. 5.12. There is a woe to oſcitancy and ſtupidity of this kind.

And merciful men] Heb. men of piety or pitty, ſuch as all righteous perſons are: they have received mercy, and they can ſhew it, Coloſ. 3.12. they have ſteept their thoughts in the mercyes of God, which have dyed theirs, as the dye-fat doth the cloth.

A[illegible: 1 letter] men gather flowers, and candy them, and preſerve them by them, ſo doth God his pious ones. Are taken away] Heb. gathered, as corn is into the garner, or fruit into the ſtore-houſe; ſo they into Abrahams boſom.

No man conſidering] None of thoſe debauched ones, chap 56.12. to be ſure of; Theſe are glad to be rid of the righteous, as the Sodomites were of righteous Lot; as the Heathen perſecutors were of the Martyrs, whom they counted [non-Latin text not transcribed], 1 Cor. 4.13. the ſweepings of the world and the off-ſcourings of all things.

That the righteous is taken away from the evil to come] As was Methuſelah a year before the flood; Jeroboams beſt ſon, before the downfal of his Fathers family, 1 King. 14.12, 13. Joſiah before the captivity, and firſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem, 2 King. 22.23. James before the ſecond, Act. 12. Auſtin a little before the ſack of his City Hippo by the Vandals. Felix Nepotianus qui haec non vidit, ſaith Hierom. Stilico ſaid, Calvin in hunc locum. that when Ambroſe was dead, Great changes would follow: and it fell out accordingly. Luther was taken away in peace, a little before the calamity of Germany, which he foretold for contempt of the Goſpel. Pareus dyed a little before Heydelberg was taken, futuro malo ſubſtractus. Mr. Brightman was buried a day or two before the purſevant was ſent for him. God had houſed him, as he had Lot before the ſtorm: hid him as he had done Moſes in the hole of the Rock, till the tempeſt was blown over: dealt by him, as once by Daniel (chap. 12, 13.) who was hid to go away and reſt before thoſe great claſhings and confuſions ſhould come, which had been foreſhewn to him. Howbeit this is not generally ſo: for Jeremy lived to ſee the firſt deſtruction of Jeruſalem: John the Evangeliſt, the laſt Mr. Dod, and many other holy men outlived our late unhappy wars, and deeply ſhared in them: But uſually God taketh away his moſt eminent ſervants from the evil to come: as when there is a fire in a houſe or Town, men carry out their jewels;Dion Pruſ. orat 28. [non-Latin text not transcribed], ſaith an Ancient; the beſt dye firſt, commonly: The comfort is, that though as grapes they be gathered afore they be ripe, and as lambs ſlain before they be grown, yet this benefit they have, that they are freed from the violence of the wine-preſſe that others fall into, and they eſcape many ſtormes that others live to taſte of.