Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Ver. 9. Surely the isles shall wait for me.] They shall come off freely, et non quasi angariati ad auditum verbi et sacramentorum usum. And this is taken to be God's answer, a declaring the cause of that wonderful concourse. Isa 60:8
And the ships of Tarshish first,] i.e., With the first, or, In the beginnings, as the Vulgate hath it. The islands were converted as soon as any, as this of Britain is said to have been by Joseph of Arimathea. Omnium provinciarum prima Britannia publicitus Christi nomen reeepit, saith Sabellicus, b Of all proviuces, Britain first embraced the faith of Christ. From the which also, as we first of all the ten kingdoms Revelation 17:7 ; Rev 17:12 revolted to the Pope, so we were the first that shook off that yoke; our Henry VIII being the first that broke the neck of the Pope's usurped authority.
Because he hath glorified thee.] By his gracious presence, and the sanctification of his Spirit by the Word.
a Huic admirationi Messias ipse respondet.
b Ennead. 7, lib. v.