Isaiah 55

As the vessels of the sanctuary were consecrated and set apart from common to holy uses: So the soul who has chosen God to be his God, has dedicated and set himself apart for God, and will be no more for profane uses. 3. To make God to be a God to us, is to enter into a solemn c…

Objection: But I have been a great sinner, and surely there is no mercy for me? Response: No, not if you go on in sin, and are so resolved; but if you will break off your sins, the golden scepter of mercy shall be held forth to you (Isaiah 55:7). Let the wicked forsake his way,…

Response. No; He entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer. (Isaiah 55:3) I will make an everlasting covenant with you. Man being by his fall plunged into a labyrinth of misery, and having no way…

The sea covers great rocks as well as lesser sands; some that had a hand in crucifying Christ, found mercy. As far as the heavens are above the earth so far is God's mercy above our sins (Isaiah 55:9). What will tempt us to believe, if not the mercy of God?

Except you abide in the ship you cannot be saved. Some people would leap out of the ship of ordinances, and then God knows whether they leap; but except you abide in the ship of ordinances you cannot be saved; especially if you would get to Heaven attend to the Word preached: It…

The Prodigal did not only leave his harlots, but did arise and go to his father (Luke 15:17). This repentance is the ready way to pardon (Isaiah 55:7). Let the wicked forsake his way, and turn to the Lord, and he will abundantly pardon.

And so are all legal threatenings to be understood in the word of God. In this circumstance of the person, and in the quality of her sin, we may note the endless mercy of God towards sinners; for, he hath vouchsafed to call most notorious and grievous sinners to the state of sal…

Hence 1 Peter 2:11-12: 'Abstain from fleshly lusts — having your conversation honest,' or beautiful, as the Greek word imports. Isaiah 55:7: 'Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.' His way notes the course of his life; his thoughts, the frame of h…

Third, this covenant is not only well ordered in all things but sure. The mercies contained in it are called the sure mercies of David in Isaiah 55:3. Now how sweet and seasonable a support does this give to God's afflicted under the rod!

That the death of Christis of infinite price, merit, and value before God. That God is muchin sparing, Isa. 55. 7. That with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, Psal. 130. 7.

Thus the gospel calls not to an empty house that wants meat, but to a banqueting house where Christ is made ready as the cheer, and there wants no more but feasting on Him: so it's set out under the similitude of eating and drinking (John 6:57), He that eats me, even he shall li…

A ninth expression or similitude under which faith is held forth, is that which is ordinary, of a marriage, or of covenanting or consenting, whether in marriage or otherwise, but more especially in marriage: when Christ takes on Him the place of a wooer, ministers are His ambass…

Secondly, carry always along with you the impression of your original sin, and natural corruption; and of the sinfulness of your practices; this will make you loathsome, and abominable in your own eyes, and Christ precious, and such a soul will not be in such danger of putting h…

2. Consider the freeness of the offer, which takes in many — our Lord communicates very freely, what He has bought very dear: and it's done with respect to His taking in of many, to take away all exceptions from the poor and needy, and from them that want money. 3. As the terms…

2. He has so ordered the administration of this Gospel, as He has purposely prevented any ground that folks may have of being deterred to close with Christ; He has so qualified the object of this grace in the Gospel, that those in all the world that men would think should be exc…

And there can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that has a qualification or condition expressed. I rather believe the Holy Ghost, Ho, every one that thirsts, come to the water, come buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1). And if any man thirst,…

2. Many doubts and fears arose from the examination of myself; I was afraid of being deluded. 3. The promise (Isaiah 55:1) did sweetly stay my heart; Christ in his ordinances witnessed to me that he was mine. 4. I went on for some time full of joy.

Cast in two worlds, that is nothing; add to the weight millions of heavens of heavens, the balance cannot go down, the scales are unequal; Christ is a huge over-weight. To all these drawing powers in Christ, in the general, because Christ is the Master and King of the land, wher…

The promise is particular to the sons of the promise (Romans 9:8-9), made to Christ and his seed only (Galatians 3:16-18; Galatians 4:22-23, etc.). The calling particular (Isaiah 55:1-2; Matthew 11:27-28; Acts 2:39). The Covenant particular, and takes in only the house of Judah,…

Purge out the old, and you shall be new creatures in Christ; purge out the leaven of maliciousness and wickedness, and whatever is sinful before God, away with it, touch no unclean thing. And (Isaiah 55:7): Let the wicked forsake his wickedness, and the unrighteous his thoughts,…

Secondly, as therefore we have him first by worshiping of him, so secondly we have him by purchase; this way of having Christ is expressed to us partly in the parable of the merchant man (Matthew 13:46). Who when he had found a pearl of precious price, he sold all that he had an…

But now Moses and Elias appear in person to certify their consent, and God his approbation, from heaven, to that new law of grace which Christ should set up. Partly because it is not necessary that in every place all the offices should be mentioned, sometimes but one; as where C…

For the first, revelation of the Son is made to cruel, and persecuting Paul, a desperate sinner. Hence every man can gather, that God has mercy for great, and notorious offenders, as for Paul, and such like: and the conclusion is sound, for God is great in sparing (Isaiah 55:7).…

Answer: It was in vain in respect of his own desire and affection to save all the Galatians; secondly, it was in vain in respect of the whole body of that Church, whereof many were hypocrites. It was not in vain in respect of the elect, nor in respect of the counsel of God (Isai…

Seeing this covenant then contains a firm and stable blessedness, it must needs follow that all those are miserable which are excluded out of it. In that he says, it is he who has compassion, he again confirms that which we have said, namely, that he has no other reason to show…

For the word of God must abide and rest there; because it cannot be that the same should vanish away without its fruit. So then he teaches in this place, which he will repeat hereafter in other terms, "My word shall not return to me in vain" (Isaiah 55:11); because whatever he h…

Thus (says Isaiah) is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation, (Isaiah 49:8; 2 Corinthians 6:2.) Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near, (Isaiah 55:6.) The things which belong to your peace

As though taking the Burden of Christ's Service, and imitating his Example, were necessary in order to the promised Rest. So in that great Invitation to Sinners to accept of free Grace, Isaiah 55, Ho, every one that thirsteth! come ye to the Waters: And he that hath no Money, co…

There is a door of mercy always standing open for sinners; but at such a day as this God opens an extraordinary door. We are directed to seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6). If you that are hitherto Christless, are not strange…

Your mercies are all comprized in this Covenant, even your daily bread, Psalm 111:5 as well as your justification, and other spiritual mercies. 'Tis your Covenant interest, that secures to you what ever it comprizes, Isaiah 55:3 hence they are called the sure mercies of David. N…

We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of health, and behold trouble, Jeremiah 8:15 And hereupon is it that we fret at the delays of Providence, and suspect the faithfulness of God in their performance. But his thoughts are not our thoughts, Isaiah 55:8 The Lord is no…

9:17. You art O God propitiationum, of propitiations or pardons; or as we have rendered it, ready to forgive; a God of forgivenesses; or all plenty of them is in your gracious heart, Isaiah 55:8. So that you art alwayes ready to make out pardons to sinners.

But there is a third exposition which does more fully open unto us the meaning of Christ; to wit, by righteousnes we may well understand in the first place, the righteousnes of faith, whereby a []inner is justified through grace in Christ, and so stand[] righteous before God hau…

3. An act whereby she passes from that she was, and turning her back on that, moves towards him, that she may thereby attain nearer union and fellowship with him. By both which, we conceive the exercise of faith in him, is mainly held forth, 1. Because, [reconstructed: faith] is…

They must confess and forsake their sins, if they would find mercy (Proverbs 28:13). The wicked must forsake their way of sin, and turn to the Lord, and then he will have mercy, and abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:7). God threatens to go on to punish such as go on to transgress (Ps…

It is said of the almond-tree (of which Aaron's rod was) that the rind thereof is bitter, but the kernel is very delicious, and the oil pressed out of it very physical, and of much virtue; just such are the chastising words of a plain-dealing ministry, bitter at present, but pro…

It was the matters belonging to the old covenant, or Legal-dispensation that decayed and grew old, and so by degrees did vanish away (Hebrews 8:13). New-covenant mercies, are the sure mercies of David (Isaiah 55:3), and they are always fresh and green. Hence says the Church in (…

The temporal kingdom of the house of David has now ceased for a great many ages; much longer than ever it stood. That this covenant that God now established with David by Nathan the prophet, was the covenant of grace, is evident by the plain testimony of scripture, in Isaiah 55:…

My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the [reconstructed: small] rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass (Deuteronomy 32:2). For as the rain and snow comes down from heaven and waters the earth, and makes it bring forth an…

Is it pardoning mercy we receive from him? He abundantly pardons, Isaiah 55:7 — he will multiply pardon upon pardon, that grace and mercy shall abound above all our sins and iniquities. Is it the Spirit he gives us?

This spiritual affection extends itself as far as natural affection, namely to wives, husbands, children, parents, brethren, cousins, friends, etc. Much is this urged and pressed in the Scriptures, as (Isaiah 55:1-3), (Matthew 6:19-20, 33), (John 6:27), (1 Timothy 6:11, 19). §.…

Faith closes with the promises and finds relief in this case, as James instructs us (1:5–7): what we lack we must ask of God, and we must ask in faith — otherwise we must not think we shall receive anything from the Lord. Set faith to work on the promises of God — that he will k…

Take an instance; suppose the wound and disquiet of the soul to be upon the account of relapses, which whatever the evil or folly be, though for the matter of it never so small, yet there are no wounds deeper than those that are given the soul on that account, nor disquietments…

2. The argument may be taken à dispari, or à minori ad majus, from the less to the greater. If we that have but a drop of mercy, can forgive the offenses done to us; surely the infinite God, that is mercy itself, he has more compassion, and more pity; for his ways are above our…

As God is matchless in other things, so in pardoning mercy. As the heavens are above the earth, so are his ways above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). And upon this very occasion the Lord will multiply to pardon.

Many times we strain ourselves, and put forth our gifts in public; God will be served with our utmost in secret also; and the will of God is expressed concerning the inward, as well as the outward man; and we must make conscience of both. (Isaiah 55:7) Let the wicked man forsake…

Now doing this, reflect upon this second act, and see if to it, no conditional promise belongs, and you shall find an affirmative answer from the word. For what is this longing after the good, not of some (which many hypocrites do) but of all the promises, but that which the Scr…

I send you to my only Son (says he:) for in him shall you find all that you want: and fear not that you shall have any scarcity, if you are once filled with the grace that I have put in him, and which abides in him. And that is the cause why the Prophet Isaiah speaks purposely o…

But alas, these things cannot give us solid peace and contentment. (Isaiah 55:2) Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfies not? Till a hungry conscience be provided for, we cannot be happy.

Adam when a sinner, ran away from God, and therefore all our business is now to seek him, that we may find him again in Christ Jesus. The general address that is made to God for pardon and reconciliation, it is often called a seeking of God in Scripture; so it is taken (Isaiah 5…