Isaiah 38

Can a Christian staggering with fears about his spiritual condition praise God that he is elected and justified? No, the living, the living, he shall praise you (Isaiah 38:19). Such as are enlivened with assurance, they are the fittest persons to sound forth God's praise.

He can do [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], more than we can think (Ephesians 3:20). He can suspend natural agents: he sealed up the lion's mouth, made the fire not burn; he made the waters stand upon a heap, he caused the sun to go ten degrees backward in Ahaz's dial (Isaiah 38:8).…

But deliverances of the godly are in love (2 Samuel 22:20): He delivered me, because he delighted in me. (Isaiah 38:17) You have in love to my soul delivered me from the pit of corruption; or as in Hebrew, Chashiacta Naphshi, You have loved me from the pit of corruption. A wicke…

God has restored us from the grave. May we not write the writing of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:9), when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness? When we thought the sun of our life had been setting, God has made it return to its former brightness.

4. If God be our Father, he will take notice of the least good he sees in us; if there be but a sigh for sin, God hears it (Psalm 38:9). My groaning is not hid from you; if there be but a penitential tear comes out of our eye, God sees it (Isaiah 38:5). I have seen your tears.

If he has received a wound, and will not apply balsam, he hastens his own death. God appointed Hezekiah to lay a lump of figs to the boil (Isaiah 38:21). If he had not used the lump of figs, he had been the cause of his own death.

We sometimes fear what the issue of things will be; men grow high in their actings; let us not make things worse by our fear. Men are limited in their power, and shall not go one hair's breadth further than God's providence will permit: He might let Sennacherib's army march towa…

When Hezekiah thought he was about to die, what gave him comfort? This, that he had done the will of God: (Isaiah 38:3) Remember, O Lord, I ask you, how I have walked before you in truth, and have done that which is good in your sight. It was Augustus his wish, that he might hav…

And if through all these discouragements your condition proves worse and worse, so that you cannot pray but are struck dumb when you come into his presence (as David in Psalm 77:4: 'I am so troubled I cannot speak') — then fall to making signs when you cannot speak. Groan, sigh,…

This (as we may also read, 1 Kings 2,) was the practice of good King David: when he was about to die, and as he says, to go the way of all flesh, he calls for Solomon his son, and makes him King in his stead, and gives him a most notable charge concerning Gods worship, Verse 3;…

Which wonderful recovery, he obtained by means of his faith, which he showed in time of his sickness, by a prayer he made unto God; the substance whereof, stood in these two things: First, being very sick, he prayed for the pardon of his sins. This appears by his thanksgiving, u…

Now we know that clouds and mists which appear for a time, are afterward by the sun utterly dispersed. And king Hezekiah when he would show that the Lord had forgiven him his sins, says, God has cast them behind his back, alluding to the manner of men, who when they will not rem…

Psalm 102:24, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days. Isaiah 38:10, I am deprived of the residue of my years. And Proverbs 10:27, The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

We often find more fault, and first blame in Christ, if not only, before we see our own provocations. Hence the complaints of Job (chapters 6, 13, 16, 19) and of Jeremiah (chapters 20, 15) of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38) of Asaph (Psalm 77) of Heman (Psalm 88) of the Church (Isaiah 49:1…

Were I once assured I am within the circle and compass of that love of election; I should not be afraid that the chariot can be broken or turned off its wheels; Christ's chariot can go through the Red Sea, though not dried up: he shoots arrows of love and cannot miss, he rides t…

Observe it, There is not a believing prayer but it is upon the file, and on record in heaven, though offered up by an obscure person and in an obscure place; indeed God knows the meaning of his Spirit in the hearts of his people, though the troubled saint cannot tell whether it…

Jonah preaches that Nineveh shall be destroyed within 40 days, and he conceals the condition of repentance. The like did Isaiah to Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:1). Thirdly, a difference must be made between lying and feigning: which some call simulation: not dissembling, but rather sembl…

Now the former places speake onely of the perfection of parts: and that is such a perfection in which we are to acknowledge our imperfection, and it is no more but a true and generall indeauour to obey God. Isa 38:1. Obiect.

It falls out often, that men in extremity of danger confounded in themselves, know not what in the world to say, or do. Hezekiah in his sickness could not say anything, but chatter in his throat, and mourn like a dove (Isaiah 38:14). Some lie under the sword of the enemy, others…

First, that all our actions (specially in the worship and service of God) be grounded upon the will and word of God; and not upon will-worship, or human inventions: otherwise it will be said, Who required these things at your hands? Secondly, that we perform all our actions sinc…

Such a boldness therefore is to be suppressed, to the end we may content ourselves with those which God offers us. Now there are two sorts of signs: some extraordinary; which we may call supernatural: as that whereof the Prophet will speak anon, and that which was given to Hezek…

Gideon asks a sign, (Judges 6:17,) and God is not angry, but grants his request; and though Gideon becomes importunate and asks another sign, yet God condescends to his weakness. Hezekiah does not ask a sign, and it is offered to him, though unsolicited, (Isaiah 38:7, 8.) Ahaz i…

But this shall not be corporally and visibly to the eye, but so and in such sort as it is set down in Psalm 55. They shall not live out half their days: that is, Death shall catch hold of them sooner than they think, so that they shall be driven to say as Hezekiah did (Isaiah 38…

Hezekiah was a good man; but yet his weakness and corruption was bewrayed by the alterations Providence made upon his conditions. When sickness and pains summoned him to the grave, what bitter complaints and despondencies are recorded? in Isaiah 38. per tot. and when Providence…

For, (1.) Have not some of us fallen, and that often into very dangerous sicknesses and diseases, in which we have approached to the very brink of the grave? and have or might have said with Hezekiah, Isaiah 38:10 I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of…

A diseased body unfits the mind for holy duties. The prayer of sick Hezekiah is called chattering: "Like a crane or swallow, so did I chatter" (Isaiah 38) — it was rather chattering than praying, such a disquietness and uncomposedness was upon his spirit through the infirmity of…

Believers are styled so, 1. For their innocent nature (Matthew 10:16). 2. For their tenderness, and trembling at the word of the Lord (Hosea 11:11; Isaiah 38:14). Hezekiah mourned as a Dove.

Unlike to this was the temper, or rather the distemper of David, who then was not like a man after God's own heart, when he was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza (2 Samuel 6:8), as if God must have asked David leave thus to assert the honor of his Ark. Whe…

Many like promises there be in Scripture, and many approved prayers grounded on those promises whereby the truth of the doctrine is confirmed to us. Hezekiah makes the good service he had done to God and his Church, a ground to obtain longer life (Isaiah 38:2-3): so others. For…

And (Micah 7:19) You will cast all their sins into the depth of the sea. (Isaiah 38:17) You have cast all my sins behind your back. It shall not be remembered, nor laid to their charge any more.

And a godly man, every time his life and comforts are in danger, has a pardon renewed at that time. (Isaiah 38:17) You have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for you have cast all my sins behind your back. They are loved out of danger, and loved out of…

Of this we are most sensible in case of danger and sickness, when there is but a step between us and death: for then the old bond begins to be put in suit, and God comes to execute the sentence of the law, and deliverance in such a case is called forgiveness and remission, and t…

"He was to me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places." (Isaiah 38:13) "I reckoned until morning, that as a lion so will he break all my bones: from day even to night will you make an end of me." It fills us with misconceptions of God, as if he were terrible.

We cannot utter and express ourselves in a way of obedience without God's concurrence. Use: Whenever you would undertake for God, get God first to undertake for you, as Hezekiah does (Isaiah 38:14): O Lord I am oppressed, undertake for me. Let every earnest prayer be accompanied…

This is a ground both of patience and comfort (Psalm 39:8): I was dumb, and opened not my mouth, because you did it. So Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:15): What shall I say? he has both spoken to me, and himself has done it. It is time to cease, or say no more; why should we contend with t…

He is freed from wrath, and has his discharge from the curse of the old covenant; he is taken into favor with God, and has as much of temporal relief as is necessary for him; his condition is made comfortable to him. A comfortable passing out of the world: (Isaiah 38:3). Remembe…

God gives many gifts to wicked men, but does not give them his love. This we should look after, that we may find our comforts to be sprinkled with love, that if God deliver you out of any strait, he may love you out of it (Isaiah 38:17). 2. For the manner, I have sought your fav…

Consider the end and fruit of his mercy, it is to manifest his special love to us, and engage our hearts to himself. (Isaiah 38:17) You have in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption, or you have loved me from the grave, otherwise God may give things in anger. C…

Otherwise God may give in anger, (Hosea 13:11) I gave them a king in my anger: as he gave the Israelites meat for their lusts. (Isaiah 38:17) You have loved me from the grave; this commends all experiences; makes us love God again. 4. Compare yourselves with others your betters,…

Then it may press you to live praises, and show forth the praises of him in your conduct (1 Peter 2:7). Hezekiah had been sick, God recovered him, he penned a Psalm of Thanksgiving (Isaiah 38:9); yet it's said, he rendered not according to what he received, etc. (2 Chronicles 32…

Observe first, That hope keeps the eye of the soul so fixed upon the promise, that it is ever looking for deliverance and salvation. Hezekiah uses almost the same manner of speech, Isaiah 38:14, Mine eyes fail with looking upward; that is, to God for ease and relief: as when we…

But this Jacob was so forgetful of, and did so long neglect and omit to pay his vow, which he made at Bethel, that God minds him of it (Genesis 35:1), and for the omission whereof, it is supposed that the afflictions mentioned in the former chapter did befall him. The other inst…

A believer has a twofold spring of comfort each one emptying itself into his soul in a dying season; one is from above him, the other is from within him; the spring that runs comfort from above him, is the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the conscience, the spring that runs comfo…

Third, their tears are precious — they drop as pearls from their eyes. Isaiah 38:5: I have seen your tears. The tears of God's children drop as precious wine into God's bottle.

Yet I would be loath to stop their tears who can weep. God stood looking on Hezekiah's tears (Isaiah 38:5): I have seen your tears. David's tears made music in God's ears (Psalm 6:8): The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.

Oh with what comfort may a Christian lay his life down, when he has laid his life out in the service of God! This was a deathbed cordial to King Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:3): remember, O Lord, I beseech you how I have walked before you in truth. A man may repent of his fruitless knowl…

2. It is a more Gospel way to bear in the threat of everlasting wrath than of temporal rods. 3. Desertions and trials under the Law were more legal and sharp and sad upon David, Hezekiah, Job, Jeremiah, Heman (Psalm 6; Psalm 38; Psalm 77; Psalm 102; Psalm 88; Isaiah 38; Jeremiah…

It is true in particular cases, and as unto some especial end in the providence of God, a man may plead his own integrity and obedience before God himself. So did Hezekiah when he prayed for the sparing of his life, Isaiah 38:3. Remember now O Lord I beseech you, how I have walk…

We esteem of a picture, though it be not drawn at the full length: So though the graces of God's people are not drawn at their full length, nay, have many scars and spots, yet having something of God in sincerity, they shall find mercy; God loves the sincere, and it is the natur…

1 None but the godly can praise God aright; as all have not skill to play on the Lute, so every one cannot sound forth the harmonious praises of God; wicked men are bound to praise God, but they are not fit to praise him; none but a living Christian can tune God's praise; wicked…