John Trapp on Isaiah 63:16

Ver. 16. Doubtleſt thou art our Father] Though thou frowneſt and withdraweſt: The people of God ſaw that He was angry, that their hearts alſo were hard: yet they thought they ſhould know him amidſt all his auſterities, and they make to him for help. And, doubtleſs, help the Jews might yet have, could they ſeriouſly ſay as here, Certainly thou art our Father, and would no longer reſt upon carnal things, boaſting of Abraham their Father, Circumciſion, and other external priviledges.

Though Abram be ignorant of us] Ipſi nunc ſua quiete fruuntur, they are at reſt, and know nothing of our affaires. The Monks tell us that the Saints departed ſee things done here in the face of God, as in a glaſs. But this is a meer fiction of theirs: See Pſal. 27.10. 2 King. 22.20. Auguſtine ſaith of his mother Monica deceaſed,Lib de curae pro mortuis agenda, cap. 13. Eccius in locis. that ſhe did now no longer yeeld him comfort, becauſe ſhe knew not what befel him. The greateſt Popiſh Clerkes themſelves confeſs, that the invocation of Saints departed hath neither precept, promiſe, nor precedent in the Book of God. Moreover they cannot determine how the Saints know our hearts and prayers; whether by hearing, or ſeeing, or preſence everywhere, or by Gods relating, or revealing mens prayers and needs unto them. All which wayes ſome of them hold as poſſible, or probable: and others deny and confute them as untrue.Mortons Appeale lib. 2. cap. 12. ſect. 5. The Syriack and Arabick render the text thus, Thou art our Father, we are ignorant of Abraham, and we acknowledge not Iſrael. Thou O Lord art our Father, &c. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Heathen, Contemno minutos iſtos Deos, moao Jovem mihi propitium habeam, I care not for thoſe petty-gods, ſo that Jupiter will ſtand my friend. And that better ſaying of a devout Chriſtian, Ʋna eſt in trepida mihi re medicina, Jehova Cor patrium, os ver ax, omnipotenſque manus.Nathan. Chytraeus.

It hath been well obſerved, that the defeat given to the Spaniſh Fleet Anno 1588. fell out to be on St. James his day, whom the Spaniards pray to as their Patrone, or St. Tutelar.

Thy name is from eternity] i. e. This name of thine our Redeemer. Some read the text thus, Our Redeemer is from of old thy Name. Our Redemption was not of yeſterday, but verily fore ordained before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1.20.