John Trapp on Isaiah 58:1

CHAP. LVIII.

Ne frigidè arguas, & in aenigmatibus ac obſcure. Oecol. Ne parcas gutturi & voci. A Lap. Ver. 1. CRy aloud] Heb. Cry with the throat, or with full throat, as Jer. 12.6. plenis faucibus, voce ſonora, & quaſi tubali; ſet up thy Note; not only ſay to the wicked it ſhall be ill with him, chap. 3.11. there is no peace to him, chap. 57.21. but cry it aloud.

Spare not] Singulae particulae habent emphaſin; uſe utmoſt intention of ſpirit, and contention of ſpeech: thou haſt to do with an hypocritical Nation, then which kind of people nothing is more ſtupid, more uncounſelable or impenitent; for how ſhould ſuch repent as have converted converſion it ſelf into a form, yea into ſin? Beſtir thee therefore againſt theſe deaf Sea-monſters; Sic clames ut Stentora vincere poſſis. If a mans houſe be on fire, we muſt not ſpeak ſoftly (as loth to awaken him) Sir your houſe is on fire.

Lift up thy voice like a trumpet] Non ut tibia, ſed ut tuba; Not as a pipe for delight, but as a trumpet alarm againſt ſin and Satan: as all the Country was filled with the ſound of that trumpet at the giving of the Law,Exod. 19.16. and as all the world ſhall hear the ſound of that trumpet of God, 1 Theſ. 4.16. when the Law ſhall be required: ſo let the Preachers voice be a ſummons to ſpeedy repentance, or elſe to unavidable judgement. There is one that deſcanteth thus upon the words: Divers things there are ſaith he,D. Play ſ. on Matth. 5.19 that ſound louder then a trumpet; the Sea, the Thunder, or ſuch like: Yet he ſaith not Lift up thy voice as the Sea, or as the Thunder, but as a trumpet: becauſe a Trumpeter, when he ſounds his trumpet, he winds it with his mouth, and holds it with his hands; and ſo a Preacher, which is a ſpiritual Trumpeter, muſt not only, by preaching well, ſound forth the word of Truth with his mouth, but alſo by doing well, he muſt ſupport and hold it up with his hands: and then doth he lift up his voice as a Trumpet.

And ſhew my people their tranſgreſſions] Let Gods watch-men caſt away the inverſe trumpets of Furius Fulvius which ſounded a retreat when they ſhould have ſounded an alarm; but deal freely and faithfully with men ſouls, taking the ſame liberty to cry down ſin, that men take to commit ſin.