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…

All is not gold that glitters is a true proverb. There are multitudes of professors, with their high privileges, that make a glittering show among men; that pass for current coin here, that will not pass at that day of trial, when God shall kindle his fire in Zion, and set up hi…

At least it is a slighting of God's government, since we will not engage God by prayer in the exercise of it on our behalf, and disdain to acquaint him with our concerns. It is a reflection upon God's wisdom to do so, which the prophet mentions with a woe (Isaiah 31:1-2): Woe to…

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.

I say, the glory of the wicked in the midst of their prosperity flies from them like a bird, and the Lord God who is the glory of the saints flies to them in their afflictions like a bird. Thus you have this very phrase in Isaiah 31:5, As birds flying, so will the Lord of hosts…

Where the true worship of God is, from there comes the good of a kingdom. And so in Isaiah 31:9. Whose fire is in Zion, and whose furnace is in Jerusalem: The Lord is there threatening the enemies of his people, and he says, that his fire is in Zion, and his furnace is in Jerusa…

If he once heard her voice in earnest prayer, he would come swiftly over the mountains of separation between him and her, as a roe, or young hart (Song of Solomon 2:14, to the end). When his Church is in a low state, and oppressed by her enemies, and cries to him, he'll swiftly…

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…

3. It is the property of every Spirit to move with exceeding great force and strength, and with much vehemency, so that it far exceeds the strength of any body. Therefore in (Isaiah 31:3) speaking of the strength of the Egyptians, he says, that they are flesh, and not spirit: as…

But suppose great opposition be made to him, will he not give over? Not at all: as a Lion that comes upon his prey, if a multitude of shepherds be called forth against him, he will not be afraid at their voice, nor abase himself at their noise (Isaiah 31:4). In brief, sooner or…

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…

No, but what if there be a strong combination of many against him, will he not cease and give over? Be they who they will, the shepherds of the people, be they never so many a multitude of them, let them lift up their voice and rage never so much, all is one, he will perform his…

For the explication of the notion of a spirit, I shall not trouble you with the strict philosophical notion of it, as that it is such a substance as is penetrable, that is, may be in the same place with a body, and neither keep out the body nor be kept out by it; and that the pa…