Isaiah 41

He foretold Israel's coming out of Babylon, and the virgin's conceiving. By this the Lord proves the truth of his godhead against idol-gods (Isaiah 41:23). Indicate Futura — show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know you are gods.

God foretold that a virgin should conceive, he prefixed the time when the Messiah should be cut off (Daniel 9:26), he foretold the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and who should be their deliverer (Isaiah 45:1). This is such a strong argument to prove a deity, as God himself u…

3. The blessing of God may be expected on a just and lawful war. This war and victory of Abraham, which he received the blessing upon, is celebrated (Isaiah 41:2, 3). And our Apostle mentions that circumstance of the slaughter of the kings as that which was a token of God's kind…

'Tis the glory of a commander to be obeyed; I say to one go and he goes, and to another come and he comes. God looks for glory from you in this kind, he will have all the world know that his servants are at his beck, that he has called you to his foot (Isaiah 41:2), the righteou…

Romans 8:32: 'He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?' Isaiah 41:17: 'When the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I the Lord will hear them; I the God…

And judge of this in the light of all that reason we have hitherto carried along; and again, let this inference of the Apostle mutually serve to confirm us in all that reason. For poor Abraham to be driven out of his own country by God, who called him to his foot, and said no mo…

His presence is a covenant-presence. (Isaiah 41:10) Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God: from which follows strength, help and support; I will strengthen you, indeed, I will help you, indeed, I will uphold you, with the right hand of my righteousness: tha…

Who would be afraid of a noise, small dust, and chaff? Fourthly, they are as nothing, in Isaiah 41:11. Behold, all they that are incensed against you, shall be as nothing.

The Scriptures give us great reason to think, that when once there comes to appear much of a spirit of prayer in the church of God for this mercy, then it will soon be accomplished. 'Tis evidently with reference to this mercy, that God makes that promise, Isaiah 41:17, 18, 19: W…

I wish them therefore either to confess that their images are vain and unprofitable, or if they dare be so bold, to blot this testimony of our Prophet out of his book. In a place before, he has expressed somewhat more: for (Isaiah 41:23) he says they teach nothing but lies. But…

Set before you those chice Scripture patterns of sbmission to the Lords Will in as deep, yea, much deeper points of self-denyal than this before you, and shame your selves out of this quarrelling temper with Providence. You know what a close tryal that Providence was to Abraham,…

There be five things belonging to the praise of God, and all of them have relation to his Providences exercised about us. (1.) A careful Observation of the Mercles we receive from him, Isaiah 41. 17, 18, 19, 20. This is fundamental to all praise: God cannot e glorified for the m…

When it shall be timed so opportunely, and all out in such a nick, as may make it a thousand fold more considerable to you than the same mercy would have been at another time. Thus when our wants are suffered to grow to an extremity, and all visible hopes ail, then to have relie…

Who bid us expect rest, ease, delight, and things of this kind in this world? He has never told us, we shall be rich, healthy and at ease in our habitations; but on the contrary, he has often told us, we must expect troubles in the world, John 16:33 and that through many tribula…

So that as God bid Israel, Micah 6:5 to remember from Shittim unto Gilgal, that they might know the faithfulness of the Lord; so would I persuade you, Reader, to record the ways of Providence, from first to last, throughout your whole course of this day, that you maist see what…

And all this in such abundance, that it was as plentiful as a sea. He clave the rock in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great deep, he brought streams also out of the rocks, and caused waters to run down like rivers (Psalm 78:15, 16); so also it is celebrated (…

And though he affirm that it was a foolish thing in the Apostle to prove from the works of him that is God, that he is above the Angels, the most glorious of made creatures, yet God himself most frequently from these his works, his omniscience, omnipresence, and other attributes…

And immediately upon its entrance into the Temple, the visible pledges of the presence of God therein appeared to all, and not before (1 Kings 8:8, 9, 10, 11, 12). § 7 The matter whereof it was made, was [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] (Exodus 25:10), Shittim wood, or boards of the [⟨…

Show the things that are to [reconstructed: come hereafter], that we may know that you are gods: yes, do good or do [reconstructed: evil], that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. No [reconstructed: creature] has ever answered this challenge, or ever shall (Isaiah 41:23)…

And as it is thus, as to the substance and being of holiness, so it is also as to the degrees of it. degrees of holiness are to be measured more by Opposition, than self operation. He may have more grace, than another; who brings not forth so much fruit as the other; because he…

2. Hence we may learn how God is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of all things. Such are the character, and titles we find often ascribed to God in scripture, in those places, where the scripture speaks of the course of things, and series of events in providence: I…

Now Christ shall dash his enemies, even the strongest and proudest of them, in pieces; as a potter's vessel shall they be broken to shivers. Then shall strength be shown out of weakness, and Christ shall cause his church as it were to thresh the mountains, as in Isaiah 41:15: "B…

The Husbandmans end in threshing the corn, is to separate it from the husks and chaff; and God's end in afflicting his people, is to separate them from their sins, Isa. 27. 9. In measure when it shooteth forth, he will debate with it, (i. e.) he will moderately correct them; and…

We are bidden be upon the wing and ready, though we be dumpish and indisposed (1 Thessalonians 5:17): To obey that, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks. Yes, under all contrary dispositions and habits of unbelief we are to act (Isaiah 41:14): Fear not, worm Jacob. 2.…

I see if Christ but rides upon a worm or a feather, his horse will neither stumble nor fall. The worm Jacob is made by him a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth to thresh the mountains and beat them small, and to make the hills as chaff and to fan them, so that the wind…

Who dare pull if he holds? 'I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying, fear not, I will help you' (Isaiah 41:13). Fear not, Jacob.

Christ is not far off. A fig, a straw for all the bits of clay that have risen against us; you shall thresh the mountains and fan them like chaff — see Isaiah 41. If you slacken your hands at your meetings and your watching to prayer, then it would seem our rock has sold us; but…

And this argues that they came from God himself; because they could not be done, but by a supernatural power. Again, I will add to this the prophecies, for that is one of the ways by which the Lord confirms his word to the sons of men (Isaiah 41:22-23): Show to us the things to…

And also consider the wisdom of God, that went to this work, and he did it alone; he had none to help him; take a man, let him set up a building, and he cannot do it of himself, but he needs somebody to help him; but the Lord did all this alone: therefore he concludes, verse 18,…

And when we dye, to dye as heirs of such things, not to respect things below, house or lands, or any thing here. We read of Pope Adrian, when he was to dye, he laments his condition, because he was to leave all his delights and pompous vanities, and cryes out, O my soul, whither…

By that Spirit, we have this liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Abraham was the friend of God (Isaiah 41:8). David a man after his own heart.

This is the honor of God, when you are at his command. God gloried in Abraham; rather Cyrus than Abraham is there meant, as the context shows; see Isaiah 46:11, Isaiah 41:2. The man from the East, whom I have called to my foot.

But (Hebrews 10:24): Let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works; let us follow good examples: We grow formal and slight by imitation, others profess religion and yet are dead-hearted, and vain and so are we. The idolaters encouraged one another (Isaiah 41:6…

Saul, when he was among the prophets, he prophesied, but when we converse with dead-hearted company, it breeds a great damp. You read in (Isaiah 41:6-7) how the idolaters encouraged one another (it was when the isles were to wait for the Messiah) that they should not faint, but…

We have a religion that makes it unlawful to be sad and miserable, and to grieve ourselves inordinately: care, fear, and anguish of mind are forbidden; and no sorrow allowed us but what tends to our joy (Isaiah 35:4): Say to them that are of fearful hearts, Be strong, fear not.…

Yes, he can take away the ordinances themselves from them, which are the ordinary way of their communion with him, and still be a little sanctuary to them (Ezekiel 11:16). God therefore gives them that gracious encouragement in the want of all (Isaiah 41:10): Fear not, for I am…

Does he want sanctifying grace? there is a promise of healing (Hosea 14:4). Does he want corroborating grace? there is a promise of strength (Isaiah 41:10). And these promises are the children's bread; the saints are called heirs of the promise (Hebrews 6:17).

Third, it implies terms of friendship: they who are in covenant with God are favorites of heaven. Abraham my friend (Isaiah 41:8). It is counted a subject's happiness to be in favor with his prince, though he may live a while from court; how happy must he needs be who is God's f…

Though we are not legally worthy, we may be evangelically worthy; it is part of our worthiness to see our unworthiness. Do not fear, you worm Jacob (Isaiah 41:14). You may be a worm in your own eyes, yet a dove in God's eyes.

If therefore you think that church-members must consist only of saints by calling; so that your meaning is, such saints as are so by outward and personal profession, from the call of the Gospel, are only to be church-members; this is an error. For, 1. You know that they who defi…

3. He speaks of the body that has fallen and stumbled (verse 11), and these to whom he preaches, to provoke them to a holy emulation, to come in to Christ, by the incoming of the Gentiles (verses 13-14), which is surely a visible body, and which shall be ingrafted in again (vers…

First, faith and works are confounded: whereas to be saved by faith is to be saved before, and to be justified before we can do good works, and the right or title to righteousness and salvation, coming only from the price and redemption that is in Jesus Christ, is not more or le…

But it is most untrue, that by necessity of nature, the glory of God is not transferred to idol gods and creatures; the Scriptures cry the contrary. Whenever idolatry is committed (Isaiah 40; Isaiah 41; Isaiah 46; Romans 1; Acts 17), his declarative glory is given, most sinfully…

Especially considering what the wise man has set down to this purpose, that that which has been, shall be; and that which has been done, shall be done; and there is no new thing under the Sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). If it be here alleged, that Divination is a prerogative of God hims…

(2) He adds that hereon he was called the friend of God. So he is, Isaiah 41:8. as also 2 Chron. 20:7.

That which you make your discouragement, and seek to hinder yourselves by, is the very argument of his invitation, namely, because you are in distress, and despair of finding succour elsewhere; and concerning such, if they do come upon the call, there are gracious promises of a…

And not only are you comprehended in the general invitation given to all where the Gospel is preached, but it is the special direction of it that is given to such as you, and all encouragement joined with it; the weary and heavy laden are singled out in it (Matthew 11:28). The p…

And he who is privileged with this indwelling Spirit needs not be discouraged at anything which God lays in his way as duty, but may confide in this, that Christ can and will be with him, and carry him through victoriously, over all that would obstruct him in it. And this is the…

And that we may thus pray, it is requisite that we have a deep sense imprinted on us, that this is our condition. God makes the soul to despair of any succour from any other hand, he is not only in a pit where there is no water, but his eyes fail him (Isaiah 41:17). He finds him…

3. Safety. God takes care of his servants; he gives them a protection, Isaiah 41:9, 10. You are my servant, fear not, I am with you. God hides his servants, Psalms 27:5. In the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me; that is, he shall keep me safe, as in the most holy place o…