The Prophet brings in the Lord here complaining of the Jews,1 for distrusting his power and goodness; as also for comparing him with Idols: nay, for abasing him beneath them. For in seeing the Chaldeans to have the world at will, they judged themselves hopeless, and that the memory of the covenant was so abolished, as if there had been no God left in heaven to have taken care of them. The Lord takes up a complaint therefore against them, in that he perceived they attributed some power to the Idols, and in so doing, obscured his regal authority. He handled the same argument in the 42. & 43. Chapters, and in those that follow: and therefore we have the less need now to insist any longer upon every word. That they should not measure Gods power then, by the view of things present, he commands them to raise up their minds higher. The like advertisement were fit to be made to us at this day, if in beholding the prosperity of the Papists, we should therefore imagine that they had the true religion on their side: for otherwise, what were it but to compare the living God with Idols? This circumstance is diligently to be noted, because many expositors baulking, and neglecting it, do lessen the weight nf this sentence: for they think the Prophet cries out only against the superstitious, who attribute some divinity to wood and stone, because Gods glory is defamed, when he is compared to dead Images. I nothing doubt therefore but he taxeth their perverse judgement, and crooked conceits, wherewith the people were transported and carried away in adversity, to think that God respected the Babylonians above them. For, if God had favoured the Babylonians, it would thereupon have followed, that he had also approved of their idolatry: and thus his glory should have been given from him, unto senseless creatures. To conclude, hence we may gather a general doctrine2 (as S. Paul fitly applies it, Act. 17.25.) that God is robbed of his honour, when we liken him to dumb and vain Idols.
THe Prophet brings in the Lord here complaining of the Iewes,1 for distrusting his power and goodnesse; as also for comparing him with Idols: nay, for abasing him beneath thē. For in seeing the Chaldeans to haue the world at will, they iudged themselues hopelesse, and that the memorie of the couenant was so abolished, as if there had been no God left in heauen to haue taken care of them. The Lord takes vp a complaint therefore against them, in that hee perceiued they attributed some power to the Idols, and in so doing, obscured his regall authoritie. He handled the same argument in the 42. & 43. Chapters, and in those that follow: and therefore we haue the lesse need now to insist any longer vpon euery word. That they should not measure Gods power then, by the view of things present, hee commands them to raise vp their mindes higher. The like aduertisement were fit to be made to vs at this day, if in beholding the prosperitie of the Papists, we should therefore imagin that they had the true religion on their side: for otherwise, what were it but to compare the liuing God with Idols? This circumstance is diligently to be noted, because many expositors baulking, and neglecting it, doe lessen the weight nf this sentence: for they thinke the Prophet cries out onely against the superstitious, who attribute some diuinitie to wood and stone, because Gods glory is defamed, when hee is compared to dead Images. I nothing doubt therefore but he taxeth their peruerse iudgement, and crooked conceits, wherewith the people were transported and carried away in aduersitie, to thinke that God respected the Babylonians aboue them. For, if God had fauoured the Babylonians, it would thereupon haue followed, that hee had also approued of their idolatry: and thus his glory should haue been giuen from him, vnto senslesse creatures. To conclude, hence we may gather a general doctrine2 (as S. Paul fitly applies it, Act. 17.25.) that God is robbed of his honor, when we liken him to dumbe and vaine Idols.
- 1We must not think the better of Idolaters because they seem to prosper in their sin.We must not thinke the better of Idolaters because they seeme to prosper in their sinne.
- 2A general doctrine.A generall doctrine.
