Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Isaiah · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI.
Ver. 1. BEl is bowed down] Jupiter Belus (as Pliny calleth him) Babels chief God, is now become a prey to the Perſians: Lib. 6. c. 26.and might be to them of as great worth as was Nebuchadnezzars maſſy Image of gold dedicated in Dura, Dan. 3.1, 2. This great golden image, ſome think to be the ſame that is here called Nebo or Nebuchadnezzar. Others think it to be Apollo Deus vaticinus. Tremellius rendreth it, the prophecying or oracular God. Jeremy ſeemeth to call him Merodach, chap. 51.1. Dagon the Septuagint render him; but not well.
Your carriages were heavy laden] tam eſtis dii graves.
Ver. 2. They ſtoop] The Babylonians together with their Mawmets: Ridiculous Gods, that could be thus plundered, carried captives, born on the backs of Aſſes.
But themſelves are gone into captivity] Heb. and their ſoul went into captivity, that is, their Idols, that were dear unto them as their very ſouls.
Ver. 3. Which are born by me from the belly] You do not bear me, as they do their Idols in proceſſion and otherwiſe, but I bear you: and ſo have done from the firſt and ſhall do the laſt: like as the tender mother doth her beloved babe, or as the Eagle doth her young upon her wings, Exod. 19.4. Deut. 32.11.
Ver. 4. And even to your old age I am he] The mother beateth not her childe in her boſom,Idem faciunt …qui calcibus & canes morlu. when grown to ſome bigneſs. The Eagle beateth her young out of the neſt when able to prey upon their own wing: but God dealeth better a great deal with his whom he never caſteth off: as neither doth he his labouring and languiſhing Church, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry] God himſelf will do it; I is emphatical, and excluſive.
— Et ſi gratiſſima ſemper
Munera ſint Author quae precioſa facit;
How ſweet ſhould this precious promiſe be unto us, and how ſoveraigne againſt the fear of want in old age? Plutarch giveth this for a reaſon why old men are ſo covetous, viz. becauſe they fear they ſhall not have foreign, ſuch as will keep them whiles they live, and ſuch as will bury them decently, when dead. The Lord here aſſureth all his, that he will ſee to their ſupport and ſuſtentation as long as life laſteth; yea for ſpirituals as well as temporals. This was no ſmall comfort to old David, Pſal. 71. to Dr. Rivet and others, And well it might. See Pſal. 48. ult. with the Notes.Pathos habent verba Me & Cui. Alap.
Ver. 5. To whom then will ye liken me, &c.] q. d. To which of your paramours? for here the Lord rerurneth to his diſcourſe againſt idolaters, and their Idols, earumque inanitatem & inopiam demonſtrat, inveighing againſt them with no leſs ſtomach and indignation then a jealous husband againſt his adultereſſes ſtallions. Let every godleſs perſon, who idolizeth his luſts, think he heareth God thus beſpeaking him as in this Text.
Ver. 6. They laviſh gold out of the bag] They ſpare for no coſt: Nebuchadnezzar did not in that vaſt Coloſſus, Dan. 3.1. Canutus beſtowed upon a Croſs his whole annual Entrado, or revenue. He alſo gave an hundred talents of ſilver and one of gold, for St. Auſtine arme, which he beſtowed on Coventry as a memorial of his blind zeal. The Lady of Loretto hath her Churches ſo ſtuffed with vowed Preſents and memories as they are fain to hang their Cloyſters and Church-yards with them.
Sands Relat.Ver. 7. They bear him upon their ſhoulders] As the Papiſts breaden god furfuraceum illud numen is, at this day, born about to be adored: whereas the true God beareth up all things by the word of his power, Heb. 1.3.
Yea one ſhall cry unto him] As they did to Baal in Eliah's dayes: and the Cretians to their Jupiter, whom they therefore pictured without eares.
Ver. 8. Remember this] Suffer me not to preſs theſe things ſo oft upon you to no purpoſe.
And ſhew your ſelves men] Roboramini, fortify your hearts by the Word of God and true reaſon, renewing your good reſolutions oft againſt this ſenſeleſs ſin of Idolatry.
Bring it again to mind] Heb. bring back to heart, turn ſhort again upon your ſelves, recognize your iniquities, and be humbled.
Ver. 9. Remember the former things of old] Again he calleth upon them to remember who had ſo foully forgot themſelves in the days of Ahas and Manaſſeh; and would do ſo again in Babylon, where they kept not themſelves from Idols: Papiſts unman themſelves, or otherwiſe they could not be ſuch groſs Idolates.
Ver. 10. Declaring the end from the beginning] This forttelling of things future, is a precellency in God above Idols, that he much ſtandeth upon.
I will do all my pleaſure] What God pleaſeth to do, there is no queſtion but he is able to do. But they are out, who argue from Gods power to his will.
Ver. 11. Calling a ravenous bird] i. e. Cyrus, who was hawk-noſed, and came ſwiftly to ſeiz upon Babylon, like a Falcon, or ſome ſuch ravenous bird;Cyripaed. l. 7. So Nebuchadnezzar is called an Eagle, Jer. 48.49. Xenophon teſtifyeth that Cyrus had in his ſtandard a golden Spred-Eagle, as had after him the Perſian Kings, and likewiſe the Romans: See Matth, 24.28. with the Note.
Ver. 12. Hearken unto me ye ſtout-hearted] Ye cruel Caldeans; And here ſome begin the next Chapter.
That are far from righteouſneſs] And therefore not far from ruine, Pſal. 119. ver. 155.
Ver. 13. I will bring near my righteouſneſs] I will ſuddainly right my wronged people, by Cyrus my ſervant, but eſpecially by Chriſt my Son: therefore it followeth.
I will place ſalvation in Zion for Iſrael, my glory] Or, in Iſrael my magnificence. i. e. Now which of your Idols can do thus for their worſhippers?