whence it was eaſlie to infer, that God would much more be gra- -
cious to lus own People.
Fraight. he ſhalt let go my captives, * not for price nor reward | in this Salvation. b © ſ- &, ſaith the Lord of hoſts. | _ SB " g Cyrus, who was named before, ver: T. h Not in a way of ab- Ch.44 223 ſolute Soveraignity, as I might have done, bur moſt juſtly, to pu- *Ch.c2.2, Diſh the wicked Babylonans, to plead the Cauſe of the innocent op- _ refſed Ones, to manifeſt my ow ; Goodneſs. # Guide and affiſt kim in all his Travels and Marches, ; none eiſe z. in all his Attemprs, and Barrels, and Steges, crowning him with ; g Succeſs in all his undertakings. & Freely withour requiring any | Ranſom for or from them, as is uſual in ſuch caſes. Such an exs- | a& PrediQion of theſe things wivich depended wholly upon the ( Mind and Will of Cyrus, is mentioned here,as an infallible Evidence | of the certainty of God's forcknowledge, and of his being the only | true God ; becauſe dels could diſcover no ſuch things, at ſuch a diſtance of time. : fl Or, aut 74 Thus ſaith the LORD, Thel!abour of Egypt /,and %;.. merchandiſe of Ethiopia, ||and of the Sabeans, men of "ans, men of ſtature m2 (hall come over unto thee x, and they ſhall be
19 IThave not ſpoken in * ſecret, in a dark place of the earth a: I ſaid not unto the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain b: I the LORD ſpeak righteouſneſs, I declare things that are right c. |
aThe Hearhen Idols deliver their Oracles darkly and Joubtfully, in obſcure Cells and Caverns of the Earth, or out of the bellies of their Prieſts : but I have delivered my Oracles to 1ſrael publickly and plainly, as one that was neither afraid nor aſhamed to utter my mind, leſt T ſhould be convinced of folly and falſhood ; which was the caſe of Idols. 5 Serve and worſhip me for nought. As I ap- pointed them work, ſo I promiſed, and from time to time have given and ſhall give them, abundant recompence for their fer- vice. Whereas the Gentiles ſeek to their Idols in vain, for they can do them no good, as is obſerved in the next verſe. c I re- quire nothing of my people which is not highly juſt and good ; whereas the Idols commanded their Worſhippers to do many fin- ful and ſhameful things, even in their worſhip, as is notoriouſly known,
20 Afemble your ſelves and come ; draw near wr gether
Chap.
XLV. |
5 *
*Ch.8.19;
*Ch 44.1)
Chap.
*Chap.4 09, t7, ' &c.
*Chap* 22.and 4 9.& 44- & 46. | & 48. 1 Wer:
thy 18,
"Ch. 5: I1. *Rom. 1
« 01, Phi] | 2, 19s
( ory) |
QS
{ [Or fure! ' ki balſa)
ef me,in t/
: LORD :s
* Ver. $4
* Deut. 30. II.
Ch.48.16e
al righte= wſneſs ana frength. {Heb. Mgbteouſe wes,
| (Or,ar}
\
| Or; Your
ave
Bag borg,
Chap. XI.VI. 3 $i 4 'Chap.44- gether d ye that are eſcaped of che nations e: * they have
9,17, 15 no knowledge f that fer upg the wood of their graven
image, and pray unto a god that cannot ſave.
4 To debate the buſineſs with me concerning the divinity of your Idols, and hear what IT have ſaid, and am now abour to ſay again in that matter. e The Remnant of the Gentiles, which ſhall ſurvive thole great and many deſtructions, which I am bringing upon. the heathen Nations, for their abominable Idolatries and other wickedneſs.Let theſe dreadful Judgements upon others, and God's ſingular Mercy in ſparing you, awaken you to a more 1m- partial and ſerious conſideration of this point, and caſt of thoſe do's which have now diſcovered their own vanity and inability to help thoſe who ſerve them, and truſt in them. f They hereby diſcover their deep ignorance and ſtupidity. g In an high place where it may be teen and worſhipped.
"Chap 4x 21 Tell ye, and bring them near, yea, let them | 22and43 take counſel together þ: * who hath declared this | 9& 44- 7-5 from ancient time ? Fo hath told it from that
< wif
OH 2g time? Have not I the LORD? and * there js no God werſe 5, Elſe beſide me; a juſt God and a Saviour &, 7re 25 14,18. none belide me.
þ To mantain the cauſe of their Idols. © ; This great Work of which I have ſpoken, concerning Babylon's deſtruttion, and the Redemption of God's People. k Whereas the Gods of the Hea- thens are neither Juſt nor Saviours to their People, but wicked, and the Authors and Abetters of all ſorts of wickedneſs; and fo far from being either able or willing ro ſave their worthippers, that they are the chief occaſion of their utter deſtruttion.
22 Look unto me and be ye ſaved all the ends of the
earth ] : for I am God, and there is none eiſe.. _
1 Upon theſe conſiderations, I adviſe all People upon Earth, from one end to the other, to caſt away their Idols, and.to turn their eyes and hearts ro me, expeCting Salvation from me, and from me only ; and their labour {hall nor be in vain ; for they ſhall be ſaved : The Imperative being pur for the Future, as Gen. 42. 18. and oft elſe-where. And this is not only an Exhortation to the Gentiles to tuin from idols to God, but a Prediftion that they ſhall turn to him and look upon Chriſt, who ſhall be the Au- t0; of Salvation to all that obey him, whether Jews or Gentiles, which is confirmed by the following verſe. ; |
23 1 have ſworn by my lelf », - the word is gone out of my mouth #» righteouſneſs », and ſhall not * re curn o, that unto me every * knee [ha] bow,every tongue ſhall ſwear p. |
m Which is the higheſt and moſt ſolemn Oath that is poſſible, Heb 6. 13. ad theretore ſignifies, that the matter here ſworn 1s ofan extraordinary Importance. # lIrt is not a vain word raſhly ut- tered, ani afterwards never remembred nor obſerved, bur what I ſincerely ſpeak, and will moſt faithfuily and infallibly perfo: m o To wit, unto me void, or without effe&, as this Phraſe is more fully delivered, 1/z. 55. 11. It is a Metapaor from Ambaſſadours, who ſometimes return to their Princes without any ſuccels in thei bulinels. þp Not only the Jews, bur a People of all Nations ſhall worſhip me, and ſubmit ro my Laws; which is ignified by an ont- ward a& the bowing of the Knee, which is a poiture of Reverence and SubjeCtion ; I d by one eminent part of God's Worſhip, which is «caring by his Name.
24 || Sureiy, (ball oze ſay q, In the LORD r have I kfbalſay | Tigaceouſneſs 5s, and ſtrength #: ever to him jhali
(mein che 1280 COMe #, and all that are incenſed againſt him ſhall