Isaiah 31

2. God has decreed troubles for the Church's good; the troubling of God's Church is like the angel's troubling the water (John 5:4), which made way for healing his people. He has decreed troubles in the Church, His fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem (Isaiah 31:9). The…

2. The trials and sufferings of the godly are to refine and purify them. God's furnace is in Zion (Isaiah 31:9). Is it any injustice in God to put his gold into the furnace to purify it?

Affliction is God's flail to thresh off our husks: It is a means God uses to purge out sloth, luxury, pride and love of the world. God's furnace is in Zion (Isaiah 31:9). This is not to consume, but refine: What if we have more affliction, if by this means we have less sin?

The great advantage they have hereby over us the apostle insinuates when he says, 'We have not to do with flesh and blood, but with spiritual wickednesses' (Ephesians 6:12) — that is, with spirits, in abilities transcending the power of flesh and blood. For 'flesh' is used to ex…

The second point is, to whom remission of sins is given? Answer: To the Catholic church, that is, to the whole company of men predestinate to salvation: as Isaiah says, The people that dwell therein (that is, the church) shall have their sins forgiven (Isaiah 31:[illegible]). An…

Tully makes mention of one Phereus, whom his enemy running at with a Sword, accidentally opened his impostume, and so cured him. The enemies of the Church, only cure the impostume of pride; Isa. 31. 9. Gods fire is in Zion. This Fire is not consuming, but refining.

5. Arrows can but drink blood; arrows are shot against the body, the worst they can do is to drink life out of liver and heart, and to pierce the strongest bones; but the arrows of the Almighty are shot against spirits and souls: The spirit is a fine, subtle, immortal thing. (Is…

Unless your enemies can conquer this Lion, they shall not be able to destroy or hurt you; unless they are stronger than he, they shall not be able to hinder your happiness. Isaiah 31:4: 'For thus the Lord has spoken to me: like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey,…

It's a presumptuous invading of Gods Prerogative, to dictate to his Providence, and prescribe to his wisdom. (2.) There is a great deal of vanity in it: all the thoughtfulness in the world will not make one hair white or black: all our discontents will not prevail with God to ca…

First, verse 9, he sets out her stateliness, strength and courage, by a similitude taken from horses: are (says he) horses stately and strong? For so in Job is the horse described (Job 39:19-20, etc.), and is not a company of them much more stately, especially a company of Egypt…

As if he should say, grace is a strong thing, it strengthens every man that has received it; if you professe you have received the grace of Christ to regenerate you, to change you, and to make you a new creature, let that appeare by showing your selfe strong in your actions, abl…

Man has a Heaven-borne soul, which makes him a kin to Angels, yea, to the God of them who is the Father of Spirits; but this is passed by in silence, as if God would not owne that which is tainted with sin, and not the creature God at first made it, or because the soul, though o…