Commentary upon the Prophecy of Isaiah

Rabshekeh magnifies the greatness and power of his King, to affright the heart of King Hezekias, see I pray you what course the wicked sort takes with us: they assail us by threats, they labour to shake our faith and patience by many fears; or rather, Satan himself doth it indeed in their persons. For who sees him not speaking here in ⟨p. 358⟩the person of this railing miscreant?¹ Nay, which more is, he takes unto him even the person of God himself, and so transforms himself into an Angel of light.² For what saith the Holy Ghost in other places? He that rests upon the help of man, seeks his own destruction,³ because man is a thing of nought, weak and brittle. Doth not Rabshekeh affirm the same here? Speaks he any otherwise then if he were a Prophet sent of God?⁴ It behoves us therefore wisely to distinguish between the voice of God, and men, who deck and adorn themselves with his name under false pretences, for the Devil can turn himself into many shapes, that he may appear in the likeness of God. But this railer had no cause at all to reproach Hezekias with this, as hath been said: for he trusted not in his forces, neither was he puffed up in any confidence of the strength of Egypt.

Rabshekeh magnifies the greatnesse and power of his King, to affright the heart of King Hezekias, see I pray you what course the wicked sort takes with vs: they assaile vs by threats, they labour to shake our faith and patience by many feares; or rather, Satan himselfe doth it indeede in their persons. For who sees him not speaking heere in ⟨p. 358⟩the person of this railing miscreant?¹ Nay, which more is, he takes vnto him euen the person of God himself, and so transformes himselfe into an Angell of light.²