Isaiah 54

This is their sad condition, till Jesus Christ comes as a Prophet to teach them, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Branch 4. See the happy condition of the children of God, they have Christ to be their Prophet (Isaiah 54:13): All your c…

He is immutable in his love; he may change his countenance but not his heart (Jeremiah 31:4): "I have loved you with an everlasting love" — Hebrew Gnolam, a love of eternity. If once God's electing love rises upon the soul, it never sets (Isaiah 54:10): "The mountains shall be r…

Though a wife does not see her husband's face in many years, yet the marriage relation holds, and he will come again to her after a long voyage. God may be gone from the soul in desertion, but the covenant stands fast (Isaiah 54:10): The covenant of my peace shall not be removed…

If God be our God, we have a Father in Heaven that never dies. 2. It imports the relation of a husband (Isaiah 54:5). your Maker is your husband. If God be our husband, he esteems us precious to him as the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8).

Mercies for the prisoner (Psalm 69:33): He despises not his prisoners. Mercies for the dejected (Isaiah 54:8): In a little wrath I hid my face from you, but with great mercies will I gather you. God has old mercies (Psalm 25:6): Your mercies have been ever of old.

2. When God hides his face from his child, yet still he is a Father, and his heart is towards his child; as Joseph when he spoke roughly to his brothers, and made them believe he would take them for spies, still his heart was full of love, and he was obliged to go aside and weep…

And as these are all distinct in themselves, having several formal reasons of them, so they all concur to complete that effectual vocation or calling that is required to constitute persons members of the Church. For besides that this is signified by the typical holiness of the C…

But concerning this, you will ask: how can this dealing of his stand with his everlasting love continued notwithstanding to the soul — that he should deal so with one he loves — but especially, how it may stand with the real influence of his grace, powerfully enabling the soul a…

To say that he has cast you off because he has hidden his face is a fallacy drawn from the devil's arguments and injurious to him. For in Isaiah 54:8: 'In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you.' First, he has o…

It is a word proper to the erection and establishment of a Tabernacle. The fixing of stakes and pillars, with the fastening of cords thereunto, was the principal means of setting up a Tabernacle (Isaiah 54:2). The preparation of the humane nature or Body of Christ is that which…

For after the Flood God established it to Noah, accompanied it with a covenant and gave a visible pledge of his faithfulness therein to abide for ever (Genesis 9:11, 12). For although that covenant in the first place respected temporal things, yet as it was annexed to the first…

5. In the hour of death; when all things else fail you, God will not fail you; this is the last brunt; do but wait a little while, and you will find more behind than ever you enjoyed; death shall not separate. As Olevian comforted himself with that (Isaiah 54:10), The hills and…

As great a difference there is in looking upon creatures through eyes of sense, and looking on them as in the hand of your God through eyes of faith. That is a sweet Scripture to this purpose (Isaiah 54:5): 'Your Maker is your husband; the Lord of hosts is his name.' He is Lord…

This must be understood as what shall be brought to pass while this earth and these heavens remain, that is, before the end of the world. Agreeable to this is that, Isaiah 54:1–2, Sing, O barren, and you that did not bear — for more are the children of the desolate than the chil…

Furthermore, evangelical theology is taught by the Holy Spirit and by Him alone: "The Holy Spirit will teach you all things," (John 14:26). Hence all the children of the church are taught of God (Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45). He is the anointing that teaches all things: "You have an…

It is but tribulation ten days (Revelation 2:10). And which is shorter than all, a moment (2 Corinthians 4:17); and the shortest of all (Isaiah 54:7), a little moment. All the generations of the firstborn, that were in great tribulations, and in the womb and belly of the Red Sea…

We undo all that Christ has done, we [reconstructed: belie] God, and tell believers that they are under a covenant of works. —I would have wrath preached to believers, that they may abstain from sin, because they are delivered from wrath, not that they may be delivered from wrat…

Christ's piping in the joyful gospel tidings (Verse 5) should make us dance. Matthew 11:17. Christ harping and singing sinners, with joyful promises out of hell to heaven, must have a drawing sweetness to move stones, if the sinner has ears to hear; and what heat and warmness of…

They shall be all taught of God as Jeremiah says (Jeremiah 31:34) [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩] etc., because they shall all know me, for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more: except they admit a universality of the redeemed of God, then as they contend fo…

Furthermore, it must be observed, that this office of teaching, is inseparably annexed to the person of Christ, and is by him accordingly [reconstructed: executed] even after his ascension, as appears in the conversion of Paul. And therefore Isaiah says, they shall be all taught…

And all this shows that baptism has the same efficacy after, which it had before the administration thereof. Secondly, the covenant of grace is everlasting (Isaiah 54:10; Hosea 2:19), and the covenant is the foundation or substance of baptism: therefore baptism is not to be tied…

This is a far loftier distinction than to be preferred to an unbelieving multitude. Christ does not mean any kind of hearing, or the mere beholding of the flesh, but pronounces their eyes to be blessed, because they perceive in him a glory which is worthy of the only-begotten So…

How soon was the Persian Monarchy swallowed up by the Grecian, and that again by the Roman?Dioclesian and Maximin in the height of their persecution ound themselves so baffled by Providence, that they both resigned the government, and lived as private men. But in this wonderful…

When God gives such mighty kingdoms for a small handfull, it appears they are precious to him. "Whoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake" (Isaiah 54:15). When God will maintaine a quarrell with all the world, sweare that he will never have peace with Am…

God does but make the flood to be strong at the gate, to make your comforts to be more strong, and your graces to be more firm. When God lets in a flood of temptation, and tosses you upon those waves and billows, then is the time for God to give you the strongest comforts (Isaia…

Absolutely considered they may fill us with dread and terror, as they did them of old, who concluded when they thought they had seen God, or heard his voice, that they should die. Considered as his properties, who is our Redeemer, they are always relieving and comforting (Isaiah…

I shall briefly unfold these two evils, and shew the necessity of their avoidance. First, By resting or staying in it, I mean the souls desponding through discouraging thoughts that deliverance is not to be obtained. being made deeply sensible of sin, it is so overwhelmed with t…

who has brought you near to himself, even into the bond of the covenant; who has betrothed you in righteousness, and is not only your maker, but your husband, as the prophet speaks (Isaiah 54:5). This God it is who commands you faithfully to perform the marriage vow that is betw…

And the not heeding hereof has made some pronounce inconsiderately, the Covenant of Grace to be merely conditional; because they find many mercies, and privileges spoken of under such a notion; not considering that all those proposals belong to the law of outward providence, and…

Besides the inward refreshments they reap in this life: and truly, in worshipping God there is great reward; but it is easier to be much in duties, than to be much with God in duties: if we had been as often with God as we have been before God, we had been readier than we are: J…

All the powers of darkness cannot loosen this knot between a precious savior and a gracious soul. The covenant is ordered in all things and sure, it contains the sure mercies of David, it is a covenant of salt (Isaiah 54:10). The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed,…

That the King of Kings will hold forth a golden scepter to us, invite and welcome us into his presence, and bid us draw near; this is no small favor ([reconstructed: 1 Samuel 22:2]): Every one that was distressed and in debt, drew near to David, and he became a captain over them…

But it is here foretold, that God's covenant-mercy to his church should continue for ever; and so it hath hitherto proved, though now it be so many ages since, and though the church has passed through so many dangers. The same is promised, Isaiah 54:17. "No weapon that is formed…

Thus it fell out with David, whose last ways were not like his first; and yet by this, these holy fruits are not utterly destroyed, because it is the seed of God; and so is immortal (1 John 5:4-5). And also because the promises of perseverance and victory made to it, cannot be f…

8. Divis. Some influences of Christ are fundamental, and simply necessary, and principally promised; some not fundamental, and less necessary. 1. The influences by which the Lord gives a circumcised (Deut. 30:6), an one and single (Ezek. 11:19, 20), a soft and a new heart and sp…

But it is a wicked doctrine of some Anabaptists, and others, that all desertions are, under the New Testament cried down and gone; and it is our legal mistake, say they, that works trouble of conscience, under the New Testament, and an exercise of such as are under the Covenant…

It speaks honest ingenuity after a man has borrowed money, and given word and writ to pay it, when he is anxious how to answer the day, and be acquit of the debt. 3. Faith should rely upon the promise of God for influences of grace, and look away from nature, and cease from the…

Hence these influences of grace are from the Spirit, not as from the third person of the blessed Trinity simply; for so the Spirit is the power of God, sometimes as Judge sitting, and by a judicial power, making tormenting convictions dreadfully effectual upon the consciences of…

Then may the believer pray to be delivered, not in the general, but in every particular not to be tempted above his strength. Answ. The promise of preserving the elect, and of giving promised perseverance (Isaiah 54:10; Jeremiah 31:25 & 32:40), to them now converted is absolute,…

(10.) Nor shall it be in the power of the Almighty to be faithful and true in fulfilling his promise of giving a new heart to the elect (Jeremiah 31:31; Ezekiel 36:26; Hebrews 8:8-10), for though the Lord of free grace give, wicked free-will may refuse to receive the new heart.…

A little love to a creature may and must suffice a soul married to him. Your maker is your husband (Isaiah 54). I would wish you well, and my obligation these many years bygone speaks no less to me; but more I can neither wish nor pray nor desire for your ladyship than Christ si…

And besides, they have the power of Christ with them, 1 Cor. 5:4 the power of Christ is committed to them. And amongst other priviledges, this is one of great worth, that all the promises of God made to his Church in former ages, is the heritage of every present Church, Isaiah 5…

The first cry of the Newborn Christian (says one) gives Hell an alarm, and awakens the rage, both of Devils and Men against him. Hence Paul and Barnabas acquainted those new Converts, Acts 14:22. That through much tribulation, they must enter into the Kingdom of God: And we find…

And indeed in any other there cannot be enough. The Lord gives this reason for the peace and confidence of sinners (Isaiah 54:4-5). You shall not be afraid, nor confounded, you shall not be put to shame: but how shall this be?

But now evidently and directly, the end of that patience and forbearance of God, which is exercised in Christ, and discovered in him to us, is, the saving and bringing unto God, those, towards whom he is pleased to exercise them. And therefore Peter tells you (2 Peter 3:9), that…

A people all righteous, Isaiah 60:21. The whole fabric of it is glorious, Isaiah 54:11-14. The way of the house is a way of holiness through which the unclean shall not pass, Isaiah 35:8.

Of the way and manner whereby the saints hold communion with the Lord Christ, as to personal grace: the conjugal relation between Christ and the saints (Song of Solomon 2:16; Isaiah 54:5, etc.; Song of Solomon 3:11) opened. The way of communion in conjugal relation (Hosea 3:3; S…

1. Of faith. All men, united to Christ by the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and them, are by it from, and according to the word, taught of God (Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45), so taught every one of them, as to come to Christ (v. 46), that is by believing, by faith. They are…

Surely it is some comfort, to claim by the covenant of Noah, which was made with all mankind; when we cannot claim mercy by the covenant of Abraham, which was made with the family of the faithful. The Scriptures warrant us to do so (Isaiah 54:9): "For this is as the waters of No…

Godliness has the promise of this life, and is profitable to all (1 Timothy 4:8). The reception of the word of truth, and subjection to Christ therein, causing a people to become willing in the day of his power, entitles that people to all the promises, that ever God made to his…