Isaiah 7

4. That the Scripture is the Word of God is evident by its predictions; it prophesies of things to come. This shows the voice of God speaking in it; it was foretold by the prophet, a virgin shall conceive (Isaiah 7:14), and the Messiah shall be cut off (Daniel 9:26). The Scriptu…

Inflicting of punishment is called God's strange work (Isaiah 28:21); he is not used to it. And when the Lord would shave off the pride of a nation, he is said to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own (Isaiah 7:20): "He shall shave with a razor that is hired." He is slow to…

In such times the best hearts are but too apt to be surprised by slavish fear; it is not easy to secure the heart against distraction in times of common destruction. If Syria be confederate with Ephraim, how do the hearts of the house of David shake, even as the trees of the woo…

But to pursue what we proposed, namely, these several ways whereby the Scripture confirms this truth, and to this purpose consider: 1. The express titles and names that are given to him in Scripture, and some Scripture sayings of him which hold it out; three of which we shall in…

War and peace are from the free wills of men, as second causes, yet the Lord says, according to his absolute dominion, (Isaiah 45:7), I form the light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil. And (Isaiah 7:8), the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost pa…

To this head may be referred that of Hezekiah, who when he was sick of a mortal disease, and the Lord had extraordinarily promised him on his mourning, that he should be recovered again, he asks a sign for the confirmation of his faith, and God grants it him (2 Kings 20:8-9). An…

This is the great doctor of the church, now as to meekness above Moses, as to zeal above Elias, as to familiarity and communion, he was with God, and was God. 3. To show the old prophecies were fulfilled, which foretold the union of the two natures in his Person, the predictions…

Lastly, he gives good success in enterprises, and attempts, according to his own decree, and the order of divine providence: which metaphorically is called a reward (Ezekiel 29:19-20), because it has a similitude thereunto, as when wicked men through ignorance, do that wickedly,…

It does sometimes happen that, notwithstanding the opposition made by unbelievers, the Lord bestows and fulfills what he had promised to them. We have a remarkable instance of this in King Ahaz, who rejected the promised safety, and yet was delivered from his enemies, (Isaiah 7:…

Instances of this are so well known, that it would be of no use to quote them. 31. Behold, you shall conceive in your womb The angel adapts his words, first to Isaiah's prophecy, (Isaiah 7:14,) and next to other passages of the Prophets, with the view of affecting more powerfull…

That persuasion of the kindness of God, which had been formed in the mind of the virgin, led her to admit, in the fullest manner, that she had received a message as to raising up anew the throne of David. If it be objected that there was also another prediction, a virgin shall c…

We must now see how appropriately the prediction of Isaiah is applied. It is a well-known and remarkable passage, (Isaiah 7:14,) but perverted by the Jews with their accustomed malice; though the hatred of Christ and of truth, which they thus discover, is as blind and foolish as…

Hezekiah does not ask a sign, and it is offered to him, though unsolicited, (Isaiah 38:7, 8.) Ahaz is severely blamed for refusing to ask a sign, as the prophet had enjoined him to do, (Isaiah 7:11.) It is not solely, therefore, because they ask a sign, that Christ makes this at…

Sect. 14 It remaines only that we consider how the same Work of the Conception of Christ, is assigned to the Holy Ghost, and to the Blessed Virgin. For of Her it is said expresly in Prophesie. [[original in non-Latin script]], Isa. 7. 14. A Virgin shall Conceive; the same Word t…

Or rather secondly, (as I conceive) for this reason, because such compassionate sorrows and mournings when our friends are under deep and sore afflictions, are usually expressed by moving the body, or at least moving some member of the body; as many times the hand is lifted up,…

It is said, 1. to be like the tower of Lebanon: There is no particular mention of such a tower, but, that Solomon built there a stately house (2 Chronicles 8:3), called the house of the forest of Lebanon, wherein (2 Chronicles 9:15-16) he put many targets and shields; and Lebano…

4. Though ministers be not masters, yet are they keepers, and have a special trust in the Church; they are intrusted with the affairs of Christ's house, for carrying on of his people's edification; which is a trust that no others have committed to them. The third thing in this v…

But with the kings of Israel it was not so; and therefore divine Providence exercised a continual care, through all the changes that happened through so many generations, and such a long space of time, to keep the crown of Judah in one direct line, in fulfilment of the everlasti…

1. We must be quiet as the air is quiet from winds. Disorderly passions are like stormy winds in the soul, they toss and hurry it, and often split, or strand, or overset it; they move it as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind; it is the prophet's comparison (Isaiah 7:2…

Some think, why should we look at the reward, we must look to the rule, and see that our obedience be accordingly: but know, if you do not look to the reward, you do not only hinder yourselves of the good you might have, but do sin against God in it. Here you deceive yourselves,…

Lord! what a mystery of love lies in this dispensation! That sin which first brought afflictions into the world, is now it self carried out of the world by affliction, Romans 5:12. Isaiah 7:9. O what can frustrate my Salvation, when those very things that [•]eem most to oppose i…

Though it may seem somewhat long to you, while you are under your trouble and perplexity, yet it shall surely come in the appointed time of the Lord Jesus, which is the best season. If then you can raise up your heart to a settled expectation of relief from Jesus Christ; if your…

And this is not only said I lay because he had the first thought of this great work, the model of it was in his mind from eternity, and that the accomplishment of it was by his Almighty power in the morning of his Son's birth, and his life, and death, and resurrection, but to si…

We are but worms and rottenness, and God's majesty is so high, as no man can say what it is, nor conceive the hundredth part of it in thought, but we must be content to be ravished to wonder at it. Seeing then that God has so linked himself to us, that he is the true Emmanuel (a…

It is a fretting of God, (Ezekiel 16:43).—4. It is a wearying of God, (Isaiah 7:13).—5. It is a breaking the heart of God, (Ezekiel 6:9).

1st Commandment: You shall have no other gods, etc. He breaks this commandment: who does not know the true God (Jeremiah 4:22); who denies God in his heart by denying his presence, justice, mercy, etc. (Psalm 14:1); who hates God and shows it by disobedience (Exodus 20:5; Romans…

Then said Gaius, Eat freely of this, for this is good to cheer up and strengthen your judgments and understandings. This was our Lord’s dish when he was a child: “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” (Isaiah 7:15). Then they b…

And God requires of us that we should infallibly believe what he proposes unto us, at least when we have infallible evidence that it is from him. And as he appoints Faith unto this end, and approves of its Exercise, so he does both judge and condemn them who fail therein, 2 Chro…

And in three or four other places, upon several occasions, does our Savior lay all the wavering and staggering of his followers, as to any promised mercy, upon this score, as Matthew 6:30 and 8:26. Isaiah 7. Ahaz being afraid of the combination of Syria and Ephraim against him,…

2. As sin is a blackness contrary to the innocency that the Law requires, and as it blots and defiles the soul, it is a Macula, a spot, a filthy and deformed thing, abasing the creature, making the creature black, crooked, defiled, like the skin of the Ethiopian, or spotted like…

How shall I do this great evil and sin against God? (Genesis 39:9) And is it a small thing that you should weary God? (Isaiah 7:13) so that my sin against God or his prophets, is no small thing.