John Trapp on Isaiah 57:4

Ver. 4. Againſt whom do ye ſport your ſelves?] You that are the wits, the merry Greeks of the times, that inſtead of trembling at Gods Word, and humbling before him, hold it a goodly thing to gibe and jear at it, to mock and ſcoffe at thoſe that preach it, 2 Chron. 36.16. See chap. 5.19. and 22.13. and 28.14, 22. Theſe were their game-ſtocks, and the matter of their mad mirth; neither is it any otherwiſe to this day: for the world ever was, and will be ſtill, beſide it ſelf in point of ſalvation.Mundus anti[illegible: 1 letter] quum obtinet ridendo verbum Dei. Not the ſinful Sodomites only, but Lots ſons-in-law, who ſhould have learned better, laughed him to ſcorn for his good counſel, Gen. 19.14. Ridetur cum ſuo Jehova: Lot is counted but a Iob, and bid to keep his breath to cool his broth. Eraſmus is blamed for his dry ſcoffes at Capi[illegible: 1 letter]e and other Reformers: but Parſons the Jeſuite is able to put Rabſhaketh, Therſites and Lucian himſelf to ſchool, for railing, deriding and ſcurrilous language.

Againſt whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue?] By ſuch baſe geſtures did they ſhew their contempt of the Prophets, as they thought: but indeed (and as it was conſtrued) of God himſelf. See Exod. 16.8. Num. 16.11. Luk. 10.16. 1 Theſ. 4.8. Look how unskilful hunters, ſhooting at wild beaſts, do ſometimes kill a man: ſo profane perſons, ſhooting at Gods Miniſters, hit him. If we be ſerved in like ſort as thoſe of old were, if we be for ſignes and for wonders in Iſrael, as Iſaiah and his fellows were, chap. 8.18. If in mockage they imitate our language, as they did good Jeremies, crying at him, The burden of the Lord, the burden of the Lord, chap. 23. If they blow their noſes at us, as they did at our Saviour, [non-Latin text not transcribed]. Luk. 16.14. taunt and reproach us, as they did Paul, Act. 17.32. ſet us upon a ſtage to be laughed and hooted at, as they did thoſe worthies of whom the world was not worthy, [non-Latin text not transcribed], In theatrum producti pro ſpectaculo. Heb. 10.33. 1 Cor. 4.9. let us not ſtrange or ſtartle at the matter, as if ſome new thing had befaln us; but rejoyce and be exceeding glad: for ſo perſecuted they the Prophets that were before us, Mat. 5.12. See 1 Pet. 4.14. with the Note.