Vers. 15. Neither let Hezekiah make you to trust in the Lord saying, The Lord will surely deliuer vs: this Citie shall not be giuen ouer into the hand of the King of Ashur.
NOw Rabshekeh recites Hezekias his ex∣hortation, by which he encoraged the people, and addes his refutation, as if it had been but a vaine speech, euen the inuentions of his owne braine: whence it appeares, that the wicked make none account at all of the power of God, although they can speake of it to serue their owne turne. For albeit he de∣nies not plainly that God is able to help his people if he would, but makes them beleeue he is angrie with them, and therefore is their enemie, yet in ouerthrowing their faith (as much as in him lies) he abolisheth the power of God, because his meaning was so to smite the hearts of this poore people with terror, that they should be constreined through de∣spaire to subiect themselues to the lawes of this victorious Tyrant.
Moreouer, by another subtletie he also in∣deuors to wring frō them their trust in Gods help, in that he allures them as we shall see in the next verse with promises of inioying plē∣tie and ease. For what is able to worke in vs a desire to reuolt from God sooner, then whē we are drawne thereunto with the shew of profit and pleasure. If the world begins once to smile a little vpō vs, and to glad our hearts, then behold the hope of eternall life begins forthwith to vanish, for our senses alwaies dote vpon present things. Rabshekeh hauing armed himselfe with this engin, giues them this admonition, Depend not vpon vncer∣taine hopes, rather take that which is cer∣taine. This maner of speech hath great effi∣cacie in it to allure vs to a reuolt. For men are apt to nothing more, then to be possessed of that which may bring them profit: and it is exceeding irksome and tedious vnto them to be deferred, or to hang in suspence, so as to preferre the good which is yet farre off, be∣fore the commodities which are before their eies. See Rabshekehs argument then:* 1.1 Hezekias promiseth you help from God, but you see no such matter: he therefore seekes to captiue your wits in the expectation of things vncer∣taine: but the King my Master will not only promise, but wil performe in giuing you those things which you see. This might seeme to be a very strong argument. But let vs finde out the fallacie, for Satan is often wont by such sleights to turne vs from depending vpon Gods prouidence.
The Lord calles vs to the hope of eternall life which as yet is hidden from vs:* 1.2 (for we hope for the things which wee see not.) Hee promiseth that he will be our Sauiour: in the meane while he suffers vs to languish and faint many times, so as it seemes all our hope is but in vaine,* 1.3 if we only keepe our eies fast∣ned to the estate of present things. Satan sets now vpon vs, and thus begins to whisper in our eares. And why doest thou hope thus in vaine? What is the frute of thy faith? What expects thou out of this world? In a word, we must be armed to wrestle thus against Satan euery day. When Christ calles vs to heauen, Satan indeuors to hold vs groueling to the earth. We must therefore stick close to the promises which are set before vs, that hoping aboue hope, we may stand fast in the Lord, and neuer suffer our selues to be seduced nor withdrawne from trusting in him by any al∣lurements whatsoeuer.