Isaiah 47

When God is angry with his people and gives them into the hands of men to execute his justice upon them and punish them, he will even punish those enemies for their cruelty and going beyond their commission, in satisfying their own immoderate passions upon them. Upon this accoun…

How many delicate and fair necks that could not endure any difficulty has God brought the yoke upon in these days, that were so nice and tender, and complaining of every little difficulty in any work that God would have them to do? God has made the yoke to pass over their heads,…

This impious art is reckoned among the abominations of the Gentiles in that fore-named place (Jeremiah 10:2), where the Israelites who were shortly to be captives among the Chaldeans are forbid, not only to learn their idolatrous astrology, and worshipping the heavenly host, but…

And this I understand of all lawful callings, in the family, church, or commonwealth. Thus Christ was called from the womb, and set apart to be a mediator (Isaiah 47:1; John 6:27). Jeremiah to be a prophet (Jeremiah 1:5).

The word to sit, signifies a flourishing estate, and is opposed to the verb to lie, whereby is meant an extreme misery. I grant, that sometimes to sit down, signifies to be made low: as when it is said to Babylon, Sit you in the dust (Isaiah 47:1). But it is here taken in anothe…

But if this word alone signifies as it were all degrees, and all kinds of sorrow, then consider both the variety of kind, and intention of degrees collected in Job's sorrows, which a word so comprehensive is not sufficient to express; the aid of two other words is called in to h…

Where the opposition is not so strong the entrance is more easy, and subjection is sooner yielded to the evidence of the truth. This is the ground the prophet gives of that invincible stiffness, pride, and contempt of Babylon, as being unteachable under all dispensations: Your w…

And however the best learned interpreters do dissent about the notation of it, yet all agree in this, that this profession of divining by the stars, is there condemned. That it is to be numbered among the rest expressed in the prohibition, may further appear by other places of S…

they have Illumination, but not Sanctification; their knowledge has not a powerful influence upon them to make them better. If you set up a hundred Torches in a garden, they will not make the flowers grow, but the Sun is influential: Many are so far from being better for their k…

How art thou fallen from Heaven O Lucifer, Son of the Morning. 'Tis spoken of the Chaldean Monarch, who though high had a sudden change befell him, Isaiah 47:1. Come down and sit in the dust.

3rd Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord, etc. He breaks this commandment: who does irreverently use God's titles in his talk (Philippians 2:10); who swears to do a thing lawful and good and yet does it not (Matthew 5:23); who swears rashly (Jeremiah 4:2); who us…

Seventhly, growth in carnal wisdom is another help to sin in producing this sad effect. "Your wisdom and your knowledge," says the Prophet, "has perverted you" (Isaiah 47:10). So much as carnal wisdom increases, so much faith decays.

A heavy judgment of God now then lies upon them. It is a grievous reproof the Prophet takes up against the Chaldeans (Isaiah 47:6-10): These two shall come upon you in one day, loss of children and widowhood, etc., and yet compare that with (Jeremiah 25:9). The Chaldeans did no…

The like insolence we find in the Babylonian monarchs, they exalted themselves above the height of the clouds, and made themselves equal to the most high (Isaiah 14:14). Indeed their pride made them forget any God save themselves, 'I am, and there is none besides me' (Isaiah 47:…