Isaiah 41

Isaiah 41:1

OIlands] that is to say, you farre Countries, which are beyond the Sea, as Europe was to Judea, Genesis 10:5. God is here brought in, calling upon all the idolatrous Nations, for to debate wih them, as it were in open judgement, and to convince them by proving that worship belongeth onely to his sonne Renew] let them strengthen themselves with proofes and reasons to maintaine their idolatry if they can.

Isaiah 41:2

Who] who amongst all the Gods hath caused the new day of Gods grace to shine in the world, through a perfect satisfaction to his justice, and true holinesse created in all beleevers by his Spirit? Was it not my Sonne alone? Daniel 9:24. Called] hath it alwaies by him, Psal. 85. 13. & 89. 14. His meaning is, that he alwaies doth communicate and impat righteousnesse, when he presents himselfe to beleevers, by his Gospell Gave the Nations] that is to say who hath gotten to himselfe an universall and everlasting Kingdome, overthrowing all contrary power and opposition?

Isaiah 41:3

He pursued] a description of Christs victories Safely] the Italian, In peace] no resistance, being able to stay him, or cause him to turn backe By the way] not returning upon his own foot-steps, like unto those that flie, or are driven backe, but following his victorie to the end. Or by new waies by which he had not gone before.

Isaiah 41:4

Calling the] the Italian, he that called; namely, I the everlasting Sonne of God, who have created all temporall things, and have appointed their being, and their lasting, and set downe all chances that shall befall them from time to time The first] the true and onely eternall, without beginning or ending, that was before all things, and shall subsist after all things have an end, Psal. 102 26, 27. and am the author and first cause, and shall be the last end of all things, Romans 11:36.

Isaiah 41:5

The Isles] a representation of the idolaters confusion, striving through obstinacy to maintaine their ancient error against the light of the Gospell Drew neere] as it were to justifie their idolatries before the Lord.

Isaiah 41:6

Every one] namely, of these idolaters.

Isaiah 41:9

From the ends] he speakes of the Christian Church, gathered out of all Nations, and Kindomes of the world.

Isaiah 41:10

With the right hand] namely, with mine omnipotency, which I have employed in righting thee of thine enemies.

Isaiah 41:11

That were] or that withstand thee and fight against thee.

Isaiah 41:14

Thou worme] namely, thou my Church, abject, weake, and wretched of thy selfe, see Psalms 22:6:

Isaiah 41:15

I will make thee] in thy behalfe I wil weaken and overthrow the greatnesse and power of the world, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Isaiah 41:17

The poore] namely, my poore Church, thirsting after Gods grace, which is no where to be found but in Christ and in his Gospell.

Isaiah 41:18

I will open] I will powre out my Spirit, and my grace upon mine elect, who of their owne nature have none.

Isaiah 41:19

I will plant] that is to say, I will make the world populous, which before was like a barren wildernesse, and plant mine elect in it Shittah tree] see Exo. l. 25. 5. The Box tree] that groweth of it selfe in wild places. To signifie that the Church wil lalwaies have worldly wild plants mixed, and growing in it. Yet others doe take the Hebrew word to signifie an excellent plant.

Isaiah 41:20

Done this] namely, hath caused this admirable restauration of his Church.

Isaiah 41:21

Produce] he returns again to the summons made to the idolaters, v. 1.

Isaiah 41:22

And shew us] seeing that the certaine foretelling of things to come, which have no assured naturall cause, nor signe, belongeth onely to God: Let the Idols prove their deity by revealing Gods secret Councels to the world, concerning Christs comming, and the salvation of the world through him. God alone had made them manifest by his word The former] that is to say, doe but tell us the beginnings: and we will looke out the sequels by discourse, and reason, unlesse your Idols will relate all from the beginning to the ending. Ironicall kinds of speeches.

Isaiah 41:23

That we may be dismayed] the Italian, We will looke upon it with delight; Or, we will talke of it.

Isaiah 41:24

Ye are] you have neither Godhead nor power, all your being is nothing but the idolaters imagination That chooseth you] namely, for their God, to whom they cleave.

Isaiah 41:25

I have raised] words of God the Father, declaring that he alone hath advised and taken counsell from everlasting to send his Sonne into the world, and hath revealed him in his due time. Wherefore he alone ought to be acknowledged and worshipped for the true God One] the Italian, him; namely, Christ Jesus the Redeemer From the North] that is to say, from one end of the world, that so passing through all parts of it, by the preaching of his Gospell, he may subdue them, and bring all Kingdoms and powers, under the obedience of his faith.

Isaiah 41:26

Righteous] that is to say, the true God, lawfully taking upon him this title.

Isaiah 41:27

The first] as I have foretold these things by my Prophets, so will I at mine appointed time send John the Baptist, to preach the accomplishment of them first to the Jewes.

Isaiah 41:28

For I] Gods Word is a Judge, before whom the party summoned hath not appeared, or when it did appeare, had nothing to answer Amongst them] namely, amongst the Idols, of which he had spoken before No Counsellor] that could plead for them in this cause, see Isaiah 45:21.

Isaiah 41:29

Behold] Gods definitive sentence against Idols and Idolaters.