Commentary on Isaiah, Commentary on Isaiah · Chapter 40 · Verse 18 – Verse 19
Verſ. 18. To whom then will ye liken God? Or what ſimilitude will ye ſet vp vntounto him?
THe Iewes were in great danger of falling from God in regard of another temptation: for it is certaine that the Aſſyrians and Caldeans obteined not ſo many victories without ye aſſiſtance of other nations: thence the Iewes might conclude; What auailes it vsus to hauehave a ſeruice of God apart from other nations, ſeeing our enemies in fighting hauehave victorie from heauen; and our God in the meane while ſuccors not vsus at all? Neither is it to be doubted but the infidels alſo mocked theſe poore captiues, as it appeares by other places.
That this calamitie then might not cauſe the Iewes to forget the true religion; God riſeth vp and ſaith, that a greater wrong can not be done vntounto him, then if the faithfull being wrung by afflictions, ſhould therefore conforme themſelues to the idolatries and ſuperſtitions of the Gentiles. Thus then he confirmes them in the truth of his promiſes, leſt they ſhould faint vnderunder the burthens which they were to ſuſteine.
But the Prophet ſpeakes not to the men of his time only, as we hauehave ſaid, but to all their ſucceſſors who were to vndergoe ſharp aſſaults againſt the Idols of prophane nations, vnderunder whom they were held captiues. And in the ſecond place they had enough to doe to ſhunne the euill examples and cuſtomes of thoſe nations: for it was exceeding difficult for them to continue conſtant being mingled among Idolaters, and dayly beholding their corrupt maners. To the end therefore that they might not be tainted with any vain conceit, to wit, that the affaires of the Idolaters proſpered well, in regard of the honour which they did to their Idols and falſe gods: the Prophet, I ſay, preuents ſuch an offence, and ſaith, that they vvere in no vviſe to compare the gods of the Gentiles vvith the God vvhom they and their fathers vvorſhipped: for thoſe gods were made with mens hands; the matter of them being but gold, ſiluer, wood, ſtone, or ſuch like: but their God was the Creator of heauen and earth. Great muſt the outrage be therefore againſt his Maieſtie, when the ſame ſhall be compared with things of nothing: yea, it is a diſhonor in the higheſt degree if he be not exalted farre aboue the Angels, or whatſoeuer is called God.
When S. Paul vſeth this teſtimonie againſt Idolaters,Acts 17.29. he peruerts not the true ſenſe of the Prophets words; but from thence hee rightlie gathers, that it is a wicked thing to repreſent God by any ſimilitude at all. And our Prophet not only diſſwades the Iewes here from diſtruſt, but alſo therewithall condemnes the ſuperſtitions of the Gentiles; ſhewing it to be a thing quite repugnant to the nature of God to be repreſented by any grauen Image. And thus we ſee the Apoſtles doctrine ſutes well with this place: for the Prophet hauing prooued that Gods power is infinite, ſeeing he is able to comprehend all things in his fill, verſ. 12. at laſt he concludes, To vvhom vvill ye liken me? Make what Image you will, it ſhall be nothing like me. This is a very profitable doctrine, and well worthie our obſeruation: for were there but this one text, it were enough to refute all the inuentions wherewith the Papiſts are miſled, who permit it as lawfull to repreſent God by outward ſhapes and figures. The Prophet holds it as a reſolued truth, that it is vnpoſſible to make an Image of corruptible matter, that ſhould any way be able to match with the glorie of God: he vtterlie reiects the Idols themſelues: ſo farre is he off then from ſpeaking of adoring them, that he counts it euen an execrable and horrible ſacrilege ſo much as to frame or carue them, and to ſet them vp before God.
But the holy Scripture is full of ſuch ſentences. Moſes aduertiſeth the people who were inclined to this vice, You ſaw no ſimilitude nor ſhape (ſaith he) in the mountaine, only you heard a voice, take heed therefore leſt being corrupted, you ſhould make you any grauen Image, Deut. 4.12.15. Wil we hauehave a right knowledge of God then?Gods image is moſt liuely repreſented vntounto vsus in his word. Let vsus not frame him after our fantaſies, but ſeeke him out in his word, where we ſhall find his Image repreſented vntounto vsus in moſt liuely colours. Let vsus content our ſelues with this knowledge, and neuer enterpriſe any thing of our owne heads, for other meanes, as Idols,Images and Idols, teachers of lies. and Images, will neuer teach vsus the truth, but vanitie & lies, as Ieremiah very well ſaith, Chap. 10.8. The ſtock is but a doctrine of vanitie: And Abacuck, Chap. 2.18. The grauen Image is a thing teaching lies. Now whereas the Lord ſometimes compares himſelfe to a Lyon, to a Beare, a man, or the like, this is nothing to prooue the lawfull vſe of Images as the Papiſts dreame:A d…ame of the Papiſts refuted. but ſuch ſimilitudes ſerue to ſet forth the goodnes, lenitie, anger, or ſeueritie of God, with other affections attributed vntounto him; which can not be manifeſted vntounto vsus but vnderunder ſimilitudes of things familiarly knowne. To conclude, if it were lawfull to repreſent God by an Image, we ſhould then put no differēce between him and the dunghill gods of the Gentiles, and ſo the Prophets doctrine could not ſtand firme.
Verſ. 19. The workeman melteth an image, or the goldſmith beateth it out in gold, or the goldſmith maketh ſiluer plates.
20. Doth not the poore chuſe out a tree that will not rot for an oblation? Hee ſeeketh alſo vntounto him a cunning workman, to prepare an image that ſhall not be moued.
BEcauſe publike conſent in things is of great force, and that it is by and by receiued for a law, if a thing once pleaſe the multitude, the Prophet heere fortifies the faithfull againſt ſuch an error. Here is therefore an occupation or preuention, as they call it; to wit, the Iewes were to take heede how they ſtood amazed, in ſeeing idolaters ſo carefull in their ſtrife, who ſhould hauehave the gaudieſt gods; for if they did ſo, they were in danger to bee ſeduced by them. But therewithall he riſeth vp in an holy indignation againſt the deſperate follie of men, who ſo boile in their ſuperſtitious imaginations, that eueryevery one will hauehave an idoll fit to pleaſe his owne humor. He alſo ſhewes that no ſtate or condition of men are free from this impietie, but that the poore are as well guiltie thereof as the rich:All are gone out of the way all are co…rupt▪ Pſal. 14.3. for the rich, they make them gods of gold and ſiluer: the poore, of ſuch a tree as likes him beſt. And thus he ſhewes that all ſorts are carried away with an intollerable furie in deſiring and ſeeking out ſome excellent thing for the ſeruice of their gods, though the meanes to doe it withall faile them. Men will hauehave gods forſooth that they may looke vponupon,The beginning of idolatry. and handle. Loe here the originall and fountain from whence idolatrie hath ſprung. For God is not neere vsus in a puppet, but by his word, and by the power of his holy Spirit. And howſoeuer in his Sacraments, he repreſents vntounto vsus liuely images of his grace and ſpirituall benefits, yet his onelyonly drift therein is, to lift vp our mindes by them to himſelfe. But our Prophet in the meane while derides the follie of theſe blinde idolaters, who care not what coſt or paines they beſtow or take, ſo they may furniſh out trim and goodly idols.