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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

2. It is of use to believers when under desertions; and God appears against them in a way of wrath, and all God's dispensations seem to speak nothing but wrath, yet come to him as the creator. Lord, we are the work of your hands; if you cannot plead the Covenant of Abraham which…

So in point of grace, 2 Corinthians 1 — When I am weak, then I am strong. There is also a real desertion; for God grants his people are forsaken sometimes, Though I have forsaken you for a little moment (Isaiah 54:7-8). And Christ, that could not be mistaken, complains of it; an…

He many times brings his children to a low ebb, and does for a long time withhold his aid, yet he does not altogether forsake them. (Isaiah 54:7-8) For a small moment have I forsaken you, but with great mercies will I gather you. In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a mo…

And though once for the sins of the world, these waters were appointed to break out, and overwhelm the earth; yet God has firmly promised, that they shall never be so again: wherein his truth is also verified, and applied to the Covenant of Grace. (Isaiah 54:9) For this is as th…

A Christian's heart may be a rich mine of grace, though it be barren of comfort. Fourth, the mourner is heir to comfort; and though for a small moment God may forsake his people (Isaiah 54:7), yet there is a time shortly coming when the mourner shall have all tears wiped away, a…

Desertion is a taste of the torments of the damned. God says, in a little wrath I hid my face from you (Isaiah 54:8). I may here gloss with Saint Bernard, Lord, do you call that a little wrath when you hide your face?

But to imply that we must encounter with sufferings. It is one of the titles given to the church, afflicted (Isaiah 54:11). Persecution is the legacy bequeathed by Christ to his people (John 16, last verse).

The sons of a prince are happy; how blessed are the saints who are of the true blood royal? Second, it implies the relation of a husband: Isaiah 54:5, Thy Maker is thy husband. The spouse being contracted to her husband is happy by having an interest in all he has; the saints be…

Would your Father give him a sword to mischief you his child? I have created the Smith (says God) that blows the coales, I have created the waster to destroy, and therefore assures them, that no weapon formed against them shall prosper, Isaiah 54:16, &c. If God provides his enem…

If Christ has won your heart, he'll be true to you, and be at all the cost to bring you out of your prison-house also, yea, take the paines to come for you himselfe, and bring with him these wedding-garments in which he will carry you from your prison to his Fathers house with j…

Secondly, God to give further weight and credit to our unbelieving and mis-giving hearts, seals his promise with an oath. See, Isaiah 54:9, 10. With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, says the Lord your Redeemer; this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have s…

The New Covenant has better promises (Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 7:22); it's a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22), has a better real, not a typical surety, a better Priest who offered himself through the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14), a better sacrifice, because of the plainness (John 16:…

As also the blessed seed is promised to Adam before he has a child, and to his seed: to Seth, Japheth, Isaac, Jacob, Abraham, when Cainan, Ham, Ishmael, Esau, Abraham's idolatrous house, to David, when his brethren are refused, and to these as heads of Generations, when contrary…

The other personal and internal is never broken. 4. The promise of a new heart is really fulfilled, in all the persons and single branches of the house of Judah, so that all and every one are taught of God, none excepted (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Isaiah 54:13; John 6:45). Not so in th…

Question 2. What is the first principal and only proper subject of the promises of special note, in the mediator, of the promise of a new heart, of the styles, properties and privileges of special note; that is, to be called the body of Christ, the anointed ones, and such as sha…

Otherwise Christ could not have pronounced Peter blessed [reconstructed: in Greek] (Matthew 16:17) in the present, for believing in the present: for he should not have been blessed to the end: as Solon said of his blessed man. And this cannot but subvert our faith, crush the pea…

But Christ's obedience intrinsically from the excellent dignity of the person has a meriting virtue. 2. It works more eminently than nature: it is a pillar to support [reconstructed: swooning] nature, and acts in more excellent subjects, in Christ, in the elect angels, in the re…

What says then Christ (Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34; Mark 10:52; Luke 8:58; Luke 5:20, 24; Mark 5:34; Mark 9:24) indeed and much more says the Holy Ghost of our case, even of everlasting consolation (2 Thessalonians 2:16), strong consolation (Hebrews 6:18), all comfort (2 Corinthians…