John Trapp on Isaiah 66:24

Ver. 24. And they ſhall go forth and look upon the carkaſſes] Rhetoricians tell us that in the introduction to a diſcourſe [non-Latin text not transcribed] milder affections ſuit beſt to inſinuate: but in the concluſion [non-Latin text not transcribed] paſſionate paſſages, ſuch as may leave a ſting behind them and ſtick by the hearers. This Art the Prophet here uſeth: for being now to period his Prophecy, he giveth all ſorts to know what they ſhall truſt to. The godly ſhall go forth, i. e. ſalvi evadent, liberi abibunt, they ſhall have ſafety here and ſalvation hereafter. They ſhall alſo look upon the carkaſſes, &c. they ſhall be eye-witneſſes of Gods exemplary judgements executed on the wicked, that would not have Chriſt to reign over them, (Rev. 19.21.) who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the glory of the Lord and from the preſence of his power, 2 Theſ. 1.9. This the righteous ſhall ſee, and fear, and laugh at them, Pſal. 52.6. giving God the glory of his juſtice and goodneſs. Some think they ſhall have at laſt day, a real ſight of hell, and the damned there, Rev. 14.10. and this may very well be. Oh that wicked men would in their dayly meditations take a turn or two in hell, and ſo be forewarned to fly from the wrath to come. Is it nothing to have the worm of conſcience ever grubbing upon their entrails, and the fire of Gods vengeance feeding upon their ſouls and fleſh throughout all eternity? Oh that eternity of extremity! Think of it ſeaſonably and ſeriouſly, that ye never ſuffer it. The Jewiſh Maſters have, in ſome copies, wholly left out this laſt verſe: as in other copies they repeat (both here and in the end of Eccleſiastes, Lamentations and Malachy) the laſt verſe ſave one, which is more ſweet and fuller of comfort; and that for this reaſon, that the Reader may not be ſent away ſad,Amama in Antibarb. and ſo fall into deſperation. But of that there is no ſuch danger, ſith moſt people are over ſlight in their thoughts of hell-torments, regarding them no more than they do a fire painted on the wall, or a ſerpent wrought in Arras. And beſides, Non ſinit in Gehennam incidere, Gehennae meminiſſe, ſaith Chyſoſtom: to remember hell, is a good means to preſerve us from it. This verſe hath ſufficient authority from our Saviours citing of it, Mar. 9.44. See the Note there, Plato alſo (if that be any thing) in his deſcription of hell (which he calleth [non-Latin text not transcribed] a fiery lake) ſaith the ſame as here,In Phaed. pag. 400. Inde dictus eſt Moſes Atticus. that their worm dyeth not, neither is their fire quenched. He might poſſibly have read Iſaiah as he had done Moſes. Tis thought, Laertius telleth us, that he travelled into Egypt, where he converſed with ſome Hebrews, and learned much of them.

And they ſhall be an abhorring to all fleſh] i. e. All good men abominate them now as ſo many living Ghoſts, walking carkaſes, Eph. 2.2. Prov. 29. ult. and ſhall much more at the laſt day, when they ſhall ariſe again to everlaſting ſhame and contempt, Dan. 12.

Scribendo haec ſtudui bene de pietate mereri; Sed quicquid potui, Gratia, Chriſts, tua eſt.