Isaiah 40

Being a Spirit, we cannot make any image to represent him by (Deuteronomy 4:12). The Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire, you heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude. 1. God being a Spirit, is imperceptible, cannot be discerned, how then can there be any r…

He sets bounds to the angels, they like the Cherubims move and stand at his appointment (Ezekiel 10:16), but he is infinite, without bounds. He who can span the heavens, and weigh the earth in a pair of scales, must needs be infinite (Isaiah 40:12). Object. Vorstius, That God is…

They are of the blood-royal of heaven (1 John 3:9). The Scripture has set forth their spiritual heraldry; they have their escutcheon or coat-armor: Sometimes they bear the lion for their courage (Proverbs 28:1), sometimes the dove for their meekness (Song of Solomon 2:14), somet…

with the turning of his hand (Psalm 81:14). with his breath (Isaiah 40:24). with a look.

Quod invisibile est, pingi non potest, Ambr. God cannot be pictured out by any figure: you cannot picture the soul, being a spirit, much less God (Isaiah 40:18). To whom then will you liken God?

He is Lord Paramount, who does whatever he will (Psalm 115:2). He weighs the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance (Isaiah 40:12). 3. God is a glorious King (Psalm 24:10).

2. God has most care of his weak saints, who fear they shall never hold out till they come to the kingdom; does not the mother tend the weak child most? Isaiah 40:11: He will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom. If you think you are so weak that you shall n…

The faith of devils is as good. 7. Such as are in the number of God's people, forgiveness of sin belongs to them (Isaiah 40:1): comfort my people, tell them their iniquity is forgiven. Quest. How shall we know that we are God's elect people?

And whom should the physician have an eye to but the sick — and the most sick, as those are who cannot find their sins forgiven (Isaiah 33:14)? He is the Shepherd (Isaiah 40:11) and will take care of all his sheep, knows them by name. But of whom especially?

And further, second, let these men be surrounded and encompassed about with the greatest splendor of worldly glory, and abound in all those good things this world can afford them (the comforts whereof Solomon in like manner compares to a fire of thorns and the pleasures of it to…

The first is the testimony of the scripture, which ascribes the event of all particular actions, even such as are in themselves casual, as the casting of lots and such like to the disposition of God: which very thing also teaches that even men themselves, endowed with reason and…

Now the reason being understood of the image of God himself, the prohibition must needs be so understood. Again there is no question that God directs his commandment against a sin in speculation, but against some common and wicked practice of the Jews — and that was to represent…

First: but is the majesty of heaven a little one too? If I commit this sin, I must offend and wrong a great God — Isaiah 40:15-22. Second: is there any little hell to torment little sinners in?

But though these vanish away, blessed be God there is something that abides. Though all flesh is as grass, and the goodliness of it as the flower of the grass, though the grass withers and the flower falls because the Spirit of the Lord blows upon it — yet the word of our God st…

By THOMAS WATSON, Pastor of Stephens Walbrook, LONDON. Isa. 40. 2. Speak ye comfortably to Hierusalem. LONDON, Printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside. 1662.

Never was a mother more tender of the sucking child, than He is of His believing children; therefore, says the Lord (Isaiah 49:15), a mother may forget her sucking child; but I will not forget you: hence, is that phrase, even as to visible professors in the church, who refuse to…

It will not be needful to separate these qualifications of His service, in the administration of His offices: in speaking to them, we shall only desire you to take notice of some few places of Scripture that hold them out. The first of which is that, Isaiah 40:11. He shall feed…

As after drawing blood and cutting a vein, more comes in the place; and after a great fever, and decay of strength, in a recovery, nature repairs itself more copiously. And often in our sad troubles, we have that complaint of God, which he rebukes his people for; (Isaiah 40:27)…

Indeed, all habits of grace, of faith, of love, in us, are like the streams of a fountain that would dry up of themselves, if the spring did not, with a sort of eternity, furnish them new supply; so would habits of grace, being but created things, wither in us, if they were not…

Indeed, he grows out of the root of Jesse, a Royal branch of King David's house; not that these wars may be perpetuated between God and all the children of men: but that the wolf should dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion…

John had the voice of a crier, he was a man of a severe spirit; but Christ came piping and dancing; all melodious sweetness was in his ministry and spirit; and in the course of his ministry he went so tenderly to work, he was so heedful to broken souls, and had such regard to th…

And herein it is a wonder to see sometimes, how God's servants are strained, all for want of the life of faith in their souls; if God cut short with us, it is because we do not live in Christ, but in the spirit of grace, and think to walk by the strength of grace received, we lo…

First, when we do prepare a way for Christ to come in to us, as it is said of John, he prepared the way for Christ, that so he might suddenly come into his Temple (Malachi 3:1). And Isaiah speaking of the same Messenger, he says, Every mountain shall be brought low, and every va…

For two things there be that go to the having of Christ for a Savior. First, he that will have Christ for a Savior, must look up to him for salvation in all his ways, and distresses, we have other Saviors, but not him, if we look for salvation elsewhere (Isaiah 40:22): Look to m…

It is nothing by way of comparison with God, nothing by way of exclusion of God, nothing in opposition to God. It should be nothing in our esteem, so far as it would be something separate from God, or in co-ordination with God (Isaiah 40:17): All nations before him are as nothin…

The good shepheard brings home the stray sheepe upon his shoulders: he carries his lambs in his bosome. Isa 40:11. He will not quench the smoaking flaxe, Isa. 42. he spares them that feare him, as a father spares his child.

And yet there is no great difference in the sense, for his purpose is to speak of the Prophets which should bring the joyful and desirable tidings of this deliverance; which God by Moses had also promised long before; to wit, that he would raise up faithful ministers from time t…

But when the Lord shall cause the captivity of his people to return, then the watchmen which were dumb before, should have their mouths opened to publish their freedom: for they should not speak in hugger mugger, neither should they content themselves to give some privy token of…

But this exposition suits very ill, and therefore I had rather follow the first, namely, that although the Jews for a time were to be deprived of this land, yet the Lord would establish them in it again, who will to that end command the rough ways to be made smooth, for their re…

His words are, “Comfort you, comfort you my people, says your God,” (Isaiah 40:1.) When the temple had been thrown down, and sacrifices abolished, and the people led away into captivity, their affairs seemed to be desperate.

“Ressemble aucunement a la foy;” — “somewhat resembles faith.” At the same time we ought to learn, that they are not truly regenerated by the incorruptible seed, which never fades, as Peter tells us, (1 Peter 1:4;) for he says that these words of Isaiah, The word of God endures…

And especially in the Works of his Spirit on the Hearts of Men, which are the highest and chief of his Works. And therefore it is said, Isaiah 40. 13. Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his Counsellor hath taught him.

Omnipotency, Micah 2. 8. The Spirit of the Lord is not straitned; compared with Isa. 40. 28. The Power of the Spirit of God; Rom. 15. 19.

Experience of the reality, excellency, power, and efficacy of the things believed is an effectual means of increasing faith and love — every taste that faith obtains of divine love and grace adds to its measure and stature; and it is the Holy Ghost who gives believers all their…

He provides that fresh recruits shall still spring up to them in their way. For all their supplies are of him, and are acknowledged to be so; in as much as by waiting upon the Lord they renew strength and mount up with wings as Eagles, run without weariness, and walk without fai…

Oh how quietly will you then behave your selves under the changes of Providence? It may be, two or three days have made a sad change in your condition: the death of a dear relation has turned all things upside down: that place is empty where lately they were, as it is, Job 7:10…

This is too plain from what the Scriptures have recorded of others, and every one of us may find in our own experiences. We have an instance of this in Isaiah 40. 13, 14. in the 13. verse you have God's faithful Promise, that he will comfort his people, and have mercy upon his a…

Exodus 15:11 He is glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders. When the Scripture speaks of him comparatively, see how it expresses his greatness, Isaiah 40. 15, 16, 17. Behold the nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance…

We see in Job, how quickly the strength of it is turned into weakness, and the beauty of it into blackness. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; The grass withers, and the flower fades (Isaiah 40:6). And here likewise note this, you t…

As a Ship in a storm at Sea; when all means of contending are gone, men give up themselves to be driven and tossed by the Winds and Seas at their pleasure. This brought Israel to that state wherein he cryed out, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is passed over from m…

Let us then ask of them what they believe, what they have found, what they have Experience of, as to the forgiveness of sin. This God himself directs and leads us unto, by appealing unto our own experience, whence he shews us that we may take relief and supportment in our distre…

Nothing else can cause you to come short of the mark aimed at. And they, says the prophet, who wait on the Lord, that is in the use of the means by him appointed, shall not faint, Isaiah 40:11. This continuance then in waiting is to accompany this duty upon the account of both t…

And, 2. to give them quiet and cool resting-places in the time of heat, when the Sun becomes scorching; and therefore prays she to him, Seeing you do both these to yours, let me know the right way of partaking of the benefit of your care. Which two petitions imply, 1. That there…

2. By seal is signified something that makes an impression, and leaves a stamp thereof behind it, that does not wear out again, as a seal does on the wax. Next, by Christ's arm, may be understood, his care of his people, outwardly expressed in the effects, wrought by his power f…

He is the Lord God, the great and glorious One whose kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting, and whose dominion has no bounds, either of time or place: Behold, says the Prophet, the nations are but as a drop of the bucket, and are accounted but as the small dust of the balan…

God says to his church with respect to this time, "Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury, thou shalt no more drink it again." Then shall that be proclaimed to the church, Isaiah 40:1-2. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people…

1. The forerunner of Christ's coming in his public ministry was John the Baptist. He came preaching repentance for the remission of sins, to make way for Christ's coming, agreeable to the prophecies of him, Isaiah 40:3, 4, 5, and Matthew 4:5, 6. It is supposed that John the Bapt…

Whether there be knowledge, that shall cease. All flesh is grass and the goodliness of it as the flower of the grass; the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of the Lord abides forever (Isaiah 40:6, 8). Many times they leave a man before death.

He is Jehovah our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6). In the rejoicing of Zion at his coming to her, this is the bottom, Behold your God (Isaiah 40:9). We have seen his glory (says the apostle) what glory is that?

The whole rise of it is from this love of God, flowing out by the ways there described. To assure us of his love, there is not anything that has a loving and tender nature in the world which God has not compared himself to — as a father, a mother, a shepherd, a hen over her chic…