Bible Commentaries

DISCOURSE: 882

THE CHRISTIAN WARFARE

Isaiah 14:2. They shall take them captives whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors.

IN the midst of the prophecies relating to the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon, we shall find many expressions which necessitate us to look forward to some other event for their full accomplishment. The destruction of Babylon is undoubtedly the subject of this and of the preceding chapter. The whole forms one prophecy, abounding with the most beautiful imagery, and, in point of composition, equalling, if not excelling, the most admired poems of antiquity. But if we could confine the preceding part of this verse, and the verse before it, to that event, (which yet we cannot with any propriety,) what must we do with the words before us? they were never accomplished at that period: the Jews did not carry the Babylonians into captivity; nor at any subsequent period did they rule over them. But if we understand these words as looking forward to another redemption, then will they be easy; and their accomplishment will be seen, not only in the Church at large, but in every individual member of it. The grace of Christ triumphed over all its opponents in the apostolic age; and will, in a yet more extensive manner, in the millennial period. The peculiar way in which his grace triumphs, is a subject worthy of our more particular attention: and the words of our text afford us a fit occasion for setting it before you. We shall,

I. Trace a work of grace on the souls of men—

Taking such a view of it as is suggested by our text, there are four distinct states in which the Christian will successively be found:—a state,

1. Of captivity—

[This is the state of every man, before the grace of God enters into his heart. The Jews in Babylon were not more enslaved than we are by nature. Our principles and actions are altogether in bondage to the world. Nothing appears so free as the mind: yet, in our natural state, we are so shackled with prejudice, that we cannot exercise it aright: we cannot apprehend truth, when it is proposed to us: “the things of the Spirit of God appear even foolishness to us; neither can we receive them,” because our faculties are pre-occupied by the current sentiments of the world. Our ways too are under the same constraint. Custom has prescribed the paths in which we shall walk; and we dare not violate its arbitrary laws. Let us even see the light of a bright example set before us. we feel not ourselves at liberty to follow it. As far as fashion authorizes a holy life, we will go: we may perform a round of religious duties; but to cultivate real piety is contrary to our inclination, and beyond our power.

As the world by its maxims, so sin by its allurements, fetters and controuls us. So interwoven with all our faculties is sin, that we cannot resist its influence. Sooner might an Ethiopian change his complexion, or a leopard his spots, than the natural man break forth from the dominion of sin. Though he do not yield to it in a gross and shameless way, yet his thoughts and desires are altogether vitiated by it; nor is so much as one inclination or affection free from its malignant taint. A principle of evil resides within him, and dictates every imagination of his heart [Note: Genesis 6:5.].

We may observe also, that Satan maintains a tyrannic sway over the natural man, as over his rightful vassal. How he works upon our minds, we cannot exactly say: (for we know not how our own spirit operates upon our material body; and therefore we must not wonder if we cannot declare how that wicked spirit operates on our spirits:) but he certainly does “work in all the children of disobedience,” and “lead them captive at his will.” And when the grace of God first comes into the soul, it finds us altogether under the power of “that strong man armed.”]

2. Of conflict—

[The first entrance of grace into the soul stirs it up immediately to break its bonds, and assert its liberty. The person who is once enlightened to see what masters he has served, and what will be his recompense, is filled with indignation against himself for so long submitting to such ignominious bondage. He first probably begins with efforts made in his own strength: but when he finds how unavailing they are, he will betake himself to prayer, and implore help from above. Now the sins to which he once addicted himself are resisted; and the very inclinations to them are bitterly bewailed. Now he cannot be satisfied with taking his notions of sin and duty from the world, or with conforming himself to the standard which the world approves: he inquires what God’s will is, and determines to renounce whatever is inconsistent with it. Difficulties he meets with, innumerable difficulties, in his new course: his indwelling corruptions, like a stream obstructed by a dam, threaten to bear down all before them: and Satan exerts himself, by various wiles and devices, to divert him from his purpose: and the world, Satan’s best advocate and co-adjutor, labours, by menaces or allurements, to keep him under its dominion: but he gathers strength from opposition, and courage from defeat; and resolves, that nothing but victory or death shall put an end to his warfare.]

3. Of victory—

[No person will long continue to oppose his spiritual enemies, without reaping the fruit of his exertions in victory and triumph. After he has once learned to use the armour which God has prepared for him, he finds, to his unspeakable comfort, that none of his enemies can stand before him. The world, that was once so formidable, has lost its power: and neither sin nor Satan can deceive him, as they once did. The grace of Christ is now found sufficient for him: and though he still is violently assaulted with various temptations, he is enabled to repel them “by the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit.” Sometimes indeed he is ready to exclaim, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me?” but soon he recollects himself, and adds, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”]

4. Of dominion—

[This is that state of which the text particularly speaks: and doubtless it is a state to which many attain. That the warfare will ever cease in this world, we have no reason to expect; but that our progress will be more easy, and our victory more certain, in proportion as we become habituated to the contest, there can be no doubt. As there are babes, young men, and fathers in the family of Christ, so are there amongst his army some, who have not only gained the victory, but are dividing the spoil. The world is crucified to them; sin is mortified, and Satan bruised under their feet. They are filled with a peace that passeth all understanding, and a joy that is unspeakable and glorified. The prize is, by anticipation at least, already in their hands. They enjoy already the earnest of heaven in their souls; and they are looking forward with delight to the happy hour, when they shall cease from their warfare altogether, and rest for ever in the bosom of their Lord.]

Though doubtless many variations will be found in the duration or degree in which the different parts of this experience exist in different persons, yet this, on the whole, is the experience of every true believer, he emerges from his natural bondage, and comes forth into the liberty of God’s children. Such, I say, is the work of divine grace in the soul: and we shall now proceed to,

II. Make some observations upon it—

We remark then that this work is,

1. A stupendous work—

[None but God is equal to it. None but an Almighty Being could have created the universe out of nothing: nor can any other Being create anew the souls of men. Every good soldier of Jesus Christ must say, “He that hath wrought us to self-same thing, is God.” The power exercised in this work is compared, by St. Paul, with that which was put forth in the resurrection of Christ, and his establishment on his throne, above all the principalities of heaven or hell [Note: Ephesians 1:19-21.]. Let all then who have within themselves an evidence that they are the subjects of it, rejoice: let them magnify their God in the energetic language of the Psalmist [Note: Psalms 35:10.]: and let them “go forth, and shew what great things the Lord has done for them.”]

2. An effectual work—

[We wish not to discourage those who find difficulties in their warfare: but yet we must say, that God does not do his work by halves (if we may so express it). If he begin a good work in any soul, he will not suffer Satan to defeat his purpose. “He will give more and more grace,” till it prove effectual to the end for which it is given. Grace that is not sufficient, (I mean, that does not finally prevail,) is not true grace. We know, that if a judgment be formed from the actual attainments of the religious world, we shall be ready to think that piety and carnality, and victory and bondage, can consist together. But they cannot; and those who with a religious profession unite an habitual subjection to any one sin, will feel themselves grievously disappointed in the issue. “They may dream of plaudits from their Judge; but he will say to them, “I never knew you, ye workers of iniquity.” “The weapons of our warfare are sufficiently powerful to cast down all the strong-holds of Satan,” and to bring even “our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ:” the soldier therefore that yields to any one of his spiritual enemies, betrays his Lord; and for submitting to the chains of sin, will be bound “in chains of everlasting darkness.”]

3. A work of which none need despair—

[A more desperate state than that described in the text, can scarcely be conceived: they were captives, and captives in a state of grievous oppression: yet they are not only delivered, but made to “rule over their very oppressors.” Who then has any reason to despair? We may say perhaps, that our enemies are more powerful than those of others; that by our own consent they have acquired an indisputable right over us; and that therefore we cannot hope for deliverance. But God states, and answers, this very case [Note: Isaiah 49:24-26.]. And, not content with this, he makes his readiness to relieve such persons a prominent feature in his own character: as if he were especially to be known by it [Note: Amos 5:9.]. He makes his promises too to this very description of persons [Note: Psalms 72:4; Psalms 72:12-13.], as though he counted himself most glorified, when the weakness of his people has given the most scope for the exercise of his almighty power [Note: 2 Corinthians 12:9.]. To the weakest then, and to the most desponding, we would say with the prophet, that though “without God the strongest of men should bow down under the prisoners, and fall under the slain [Note: Isaiah 10:4. Jeremiah 37:10.],” yet “with him you shall be able to do all things [Note: Philippians 4:13.]:” even “the lame shall take the prey [Note: Isaiah 33:23.],” and “the feet of the poor and of the needy shall tread down their mightiest enemies [Note: Isaiah 26:5-6.].”]

DISCOURSE: 883

IMMUTABILITY OF GOD’S COUNSELS

Isaiah 14:27. The Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

IT is common with the Lord, when predicting distant events, to confirm men in the expectation of them by the accomplishment of something near at hand. Thus when God foretold the incarnation of his own Son by the Prophet Isaiah, he foretold also the speedy destruction of the ten tribes, that the fulfilment of the one might excite in their minds an expectation of the other [Note: Isaiah 7:14-16.]: and when to Hezekiah he promised an addition of fifteen years to his life, he caused the shadow on the sun-dial of Ahaz to recede ten degrees, as a sign that his life should certainly be prolonged to the period that had been fixed [Note: Isaiah 38:7-8.]. Thus, in the chapter from whence our text is taken, and in that which precedes it, a very full and minute prophecy of the destruction of Babylon, and of the consequent restoration of the Jews to their own land, is given two hundred years before it was to be accomplished. But there was another event of great importance speedily to take place, namely, the destruction of the Assyrian army before Jerusalem: this therefore is introduced, not merely as an independent prophecy, but as a near event, which would assure to them the accomplishment of those which were more remote. It is in reference to all these events that the immutability of God’s purpose is so strongly declared in our text, but more especially to those events which constitute the main subject of the prophecy.

The immutability of God’s decrees is confessedly a very deep and mysterious subject, which we would not enter upon but with fear and trembling. We do not approve of bringing it forward on every occasion, and making it, as some do, the great subject of our ministrations: but we do not feel at liberty to pass it over as if we were afraid of it, or as if we thought the inspired writers had erred in ever bringing it before our eyes. Now that it lies clearly in our way, we will proceed to give it the attention it deserves. We will consider it,

I. In a general view—

The Scripture continually represents God as having ordained every thing from before the foundation of the world—

[St. James, before the whole college of apostles at Jerusalem, declared this as a truth unquestionably acknowledged by them all; “Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world [Note: Acts 15:18.].” But, if they were known to him, they must be certain: and, if they were certain, it must be because he had ordained them so to be. Hence even the salvation of his people is said to be in consequence of his having elected them in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, and predestinated them to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. In this he is represented as acting solely according to his own sovereign will, for the praise of the glory of his own grace, in conformity with his own eternal counsels: and all who finally obtain an inheritance in heaven, are said to have been “predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that they should be to the praise of his glory [Note: Ephesians 1:4-6; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 1:11-12.].”

Now to conceal, or to explain away, such expressions as these, is certainly not right. That they involve many difficulties, is true; but there are difficulties also on that side of the question which denies the existence of God’s decrees: and it is far safer and better to receive with humility the declarations of God which we cannot fully comprehend, than to set ourselves determinately against them, and to impose on them a sense which they were obviously not intended to bear. The man that receives them with childlike simplicity, cannot doubt their general import, though he may doubt respecting inferences which may appear to be deducible from them.]

His decrees, to whatever they relate, are unchangeable—

[This also is plainly and strongly declared in the Holy Scriptures. He has confirmed his word with an oath, on purpose that “the immutability of his counsel may be known [Note: Hebrews 6:17.].” If his purposes were changed, it must be either through the inward operation of his own mind, or through the outward operation of something else upon him: but in his own mind he is altogether unchangeable; as he has said, “I the Lord change not [Note: Malachi 3:6.]:” and St. James says, that “with him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning [Note: James 1:17.]” Nor can he be wrought upon by any thing from without: he cannot be deceived by subtlety; for “there is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord [Note: Proverbs 21:30.]:” nor can he be constrained by force; for “he doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; nor can any stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou [Note: Daniel 4:35.]?” In a word, “He is not a man that he should lie, or the son of man that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good [Note: Numbers 23:19.]?” Yes, “His counsel shall stand; and he will do all his pleasure [Note: Isaiah 46:10.]:” “He is in one mind, and who can turn him [Note: Job 23:13.]?” “His counsel standeth for ever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations [Note: Psalms 33:11.].”]

Whatever difference of opinion may exist about the abstract question of the immutability of God’s decrees, there will be found little difference about it,

II. In reference to the particular points specified in the context—

It is the practical use of this subject that renders it so interesting to the Church of God: and it is in that view only that we wish to impress it on our minds. It is introduced by the prophet in reference to two points:

1. The deliverance of God’s people—

[The state of the Jews in Babylon was as hopeless as could well be conceived: but God foretold their deliverance from it, and their restoration to their own land: and that, though captives, and grievously oppressed, “they should take them captives whose captives they were, and should rule over their oppressors [Note: ver. 1, 2.].” This God declared to be irreversibly decreed.

Now the same is true respecting the deliverance and salvation of all the Lord’s people, in every age and quarter of the world. As the Jews were his elect, so is there now “a remnant according to the election of grace [Note: Romans 11:6.];” a people whom he has given to his Son [Note: John 17:6; John 17:9.], and to whom, as viewed in him, he gave a “promise of eternal life, before the world began [Note: Titus 1:2.].” Now these he will search out, wherever they are, even amongst the remotest Gentiles [Note: John 10:16.]: and in due time he will call them by his grace [Note: Ezekiel 34:11-13.], and bring them to the saving knowledge of his truth [Note: Isaiah 65:1.] These also will he keep, and not suffer so much as one of them ever to be lost [Note: John 17:12.]. For their full and complete salvation God has made abundant provision in his word. If ever they should perish, it must be through their own departure from him, or through their being wrested out of his hands, or by his casting them off: but on all these heads he has revealed his immutable purpose and decree. Is it apprehended that they will depart from him? He will “put his fear in their hearts, that they may not do so [Note: Jeremiah 32:40.].” Is it feared that either men or devils may wrest them from him? He assures us that “none shall pluck them out of his hands [Note: John 10:27-29.],” or “separate them from his love [Note: Romans 8:33-39.].” Is it supposed possible that he himself may cast them off and forsake them? He gives the fullest possible assurance to them all, that he will not do so [Note: 1 Samuel 12:22. Hebrews 13:5-6. The Greek.]; that “not one of his little ones shall perish [Note: Matthew 18:14.];” and that, however sifted, “not the smallest grain among them shall ever fall to the ground [Note: Amos 9:9.].” Their state may appear distressing, and even desperate, for a time; but God will not abandon them to themselves [Note: Isaiah 54:7-10.]; for “all his promises to them are yea and Amen in Christ Jesus [Note: 2 Corinthians 1:20.].”]

2. The destruction of his enemies—

[Babylon, just previous to its destruction, seemed capable of defying all its enemies: but it was destroyed, precisely at the time, and in the manner, and by the person, that had been foretold two hundred years before. Thus, how secure soever God’s enemies at this day may think themselves, they shall assuredly perish at the appointed time.

Of the people of God we have spoken as God’s elect: but we are not therefore to imagine of God’s enemies, that they have from eternity been doomed to destruction. No: though we maintain, and have not a doubt about, the doctrine of election, we do not believe the doctrine of absolute reprobation. It is true, we do not know where to draw the line so as to answer all the questions that may be asked. We acknowledge that we are ignorant, and contentedly ignorant, of many things relating to this mysterious subject: but, in our apprehension, God’s oath, “that he willeth not the death of any sinner, but rather that he should turn and live,” is a satisfactory proof, that he has “not ordained any to wrath,” except as the fruit and consequence of their own wickedness. We apprehend that the true distinction between the elect and non-elect is marked with admirable precision by the Apostle Peter; who speaks of the elect, as saved purely in consequence of God’s eternal choice; but of others, as perishing purely through their own obstinate unbelief, to which God has irreversibly decreed a sentence of eternal condemnation [Note: 1 Peter 2:7-9. The words in italics, ver. 8. should be omitted, and the word οἳ be translated These. Then the contrast observable in that whole passage will be complete. There is a double antithesis: ὑμῖν οὖν πιστεύουσιν— ἀπειθοῦσι δὲ — — — οἳ προσκόπτουσι— ὑμεῖς δὲ— —.See Doddridge’s note on the place.]. This is sufficiently plain, that, if God be true, the unrighteous, and unregenerate, can never enter into the kingdom of heaven [Note: 1 Corinthians 6:9. John 3:3; John 3:5.]. We are ready to think, that God will rescind his decrees in relation to this matter; but he will not: he will not from pity; for however we may knock, and cry, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” he will not open the door; nor, when “weeping and wailing and gnashing our teeth” with anguish, will he grant us so much as “a drop of water at our request to cool our tongue.” Nor shall any be able to resist his will: for when he shall say, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire,” we cannot maintain our ground one moment; nor, if we call on the rocks and mountains to fall upon us, can they afford us the desired aid. Even in this life the infliction of punishment is sometimes irreversibly decreed; and much more shall it be in that day, when God will only laugh at our calamity, and execute upon us all the judgments which he has denounced against us [Note: Proverbs 1:24-31. Ezekiel 24:13-14.].]

Reflections—

1. On what a slender foundation are the hopes of the generality fixed!

[A strange idea pervades the great mass of the Christian world, that God will relax somewhat of his demands, and forbear to act agreeably to the strict tenour of his word: and, when we urge upon their consciences the strictness of his precepts, or the awfulness of his threatening, they reply, ‘God is too merciful to act thus; we have no fear, but that he will relax somewhat of these things in the day of judgment.’ Thus they hope that God’s purposes shall change; and they contentedly rest their everlasting salvation on this ground. What an amazing infatuation is this! O, beloved, think well, ere you determine to venture your everlasting happiness on such a presumption as this. Know that, in so doing, you absolutely bar heaven against yourselves; and render it impossible for God himself to save you. True, he can work faith in your hearts; but he can never save you in unbelief: “he cannot deny himself:” and if you will not seek him in his appointed way of faith and holiness, there “remains nothing for you but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, to consume you [Note: Hebrews 10:26-27.].”]

2. On what an immoveable foundation does the believer stand;

[You are fixed upon a rock, against which the gates of hell shall never prevail. We suppose indeed that you are not affecting to trust in God, whilst you are negligent in the use of his appointed means: (that would be to trust, not in God, but in a presumptuous unfounded conceit of your own:) but, if you are “fleeing to Christ for refuge,” then are you safe in God’s everlasting arms; and he desires that you should be assured of this: yea, it is for this very end that he has confirmed his promise with an oath, even that you might be assured of the immutability of his counsel, and be filled with the stronger and richer consolation [Note: Hebrews 6:17.]. If a sense of your own weakness and unworthiness discourage you; then know that “God is able to perform all that he has promised,” and that the consideration of his power and faithfulness is the very antidote which he himself has provided for all your fears [Note: Isaiah 49:24-25.].]

DISCOURSE: 884

GOD’S CHURCH AND PEOPLE SECURE

Isaiah 14:32. What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it,

GOD is for the most part overlooked in the government of the world: and hence arise an overconfidence among some, and an undue timidity amongst others. But, if we viewed God as ordering and overruling every thing, even to the falling of a sparrow, we should undertake nothing ourselves without a direct reference to him; nor fear what was undertaken by others, whilst we had him for our protector. This is the great lesson which we are taught in the passage which we have now read. The context contains a prophecy respecting the fate of Palestine. The Philistines had been invaded and conquered by King Uzziah [Note: 2 Chronicles 26:6.]; but in the days of Ahaz, Uzziah’s son, they had regained their cities, and made reprisals on the provinces of the Jewish monarch [Note: 2 Chronicles 28:18.]. At the accession of Hezekiah to the throne of Judah, they hoped to make yet further inroads on the Jewish territory: and the Prophet Isaiah was inspired to foretell, that they should not only fail in their attempts, but be utterly vanquished by him, whom they so fondly thought to subdue and subjugate.

Read the passage in this view, and the whole address will appear extremely spirited and beautiful. “Rejoice not thou, whole Palestine, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken;” (i. e. because thou hast triumphed over Uzziah’s son:) “for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, or adder; and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.” (Uzziah bit thee only as a common serpent: but his grandson Hezekiah shall inflict a wound as fatal as an adder; and prove as irresistible as a fiery flying serpent.) “And the first-born of the poor (Jews, whom thou hast so oppressed) shall feed, and the needy (whom thou hast so terrified) shall lie down in safety: whilst thy root shall be destroyed by famine, and thy remnant with the sword.” (Instead then of rejoicing, “Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou whole Palestina art dissolved: for there shall come from the north (Judea) a smoke (and dust of an army in full march:) and none shall be alone (or decline serving in this army) at the appointed time.” (In the mean time,) “what shall one then answer the messengers of the nation,” (when they come, full of alarm and terror [Note: The general interpretation of their being foreign ambassadors sent to congratulate Hezekiah, enervates the whole force of the passage, and is in opposition to the text itself, which speaks of them as the messengers of the nation, and not of foreign nations.], announcing thy preparations to invade the land of Judah?) Answer, “that the Lord hath founded Zion: and the poor of his people shall trust in it;” and that no weapon ever formed against them shall prosper.

The words thus explained we shall consider as proclaiming,

I. An unquestionable fact—

“God has founded Zion”—

[He has founded it in his eternal counsels; and he has founded it also in his covenant engagements. He determined from all eternity that he would have a Church and People from amongst the sinners of mankind; and that he would get glory to himself from the introduction of sin into this lower world. For this end he entered into covenant with his co-equal, co-eternal Son; and engaged, that if he would become a man, and “make his own soul an offering for sin,” he should have from amongst our fallen race, a people, who should be his purchased possession, and should for ever shew forth his praise [Note: Isaiah 53:10.]. This covenant being made, he gave to his Son “a multitude, whom no man can number, out of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues;” and agreed to accomplish in them all his good pleasure, and to bring them in due season to the full possession of that glory, which by their transgressions they had lost. To this the Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly refers, declaring, that he was invested with “power to give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him [Note: John 17:2.]:” and under this character the Lord Jesus Christ prayed for them [Note: John 17:9.], and committed them into the Father’s hands to be kept for him [Note: John 17:11.], and declared his assured expectation of having them, in due time, as the trophies of his grace, and the partners of his glory [Note: John 17:24.].]

“The poor of his people also shall trust in it”—

[God never leaves his chosen people to trust in themselves: he never has done it: he never will do it. From the beginning he has made them to feel their need of a Saviour; and has caused them to build on “that foundation which he has laid in Zion.” The institution of sacrifices even in Paradise (for we doubt not but that the beasts, with the skins of which our first parents were clothed by God himself, had been offered in sacrifice to God) taught them from the beginning to rely, not on themselves, but on a sacrifice which should in due time be offered: and his grace has invariably wrought to the production of this one effect, according to that declaration of the prophet, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation; and he that believeth shall not make haste, or, as St. Paul interprets it, shall not be ashamed [Note: Isai. 17:16. with Romans 9:33.].”]

But in the text there is also contained,

II. An instructive lesson—

It teaches us,

1. That our trust must be on God alone—

[To none can we look, but to our Covenant God and Saviour. There is no other foundation, but that which God has laid [Note: 1 Corinthians 3:11.]; nor any other name whereby a human being can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ [Note: Acts 4:12.]. Hence his invitation, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth [Note: Isaiah 45:22.].” Hence also that solemn declaration, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me [Note: John 14:6.].” To confide in the creature, is to entail only a curse upon ourselves [Note: Jeremiah 17:5.]. Whence was it that the Jews, with all their earnestness in following after righteousness, could never attain it? It was, because they would rely upon themselves, and not seek it by a simple exercise of faith on the Lord Jesus Christ [Note: Romans 9:30-32.]. So it will be with us also, if our reliance be not altogether on the providence and grace of God: for what God said to his people respecting the Egyptians, he says to us; “The creature shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still [Note: Isaiah 30:7.].”]

2. That confidence in him shall never be disappointed—

[When it is said in our text, “The poor of his people shall trust in it.” the meaning evidently is, that by so doing they shall be secure. And certain it is, that “the name of the Lord is a strong tower; and that the righteous runneth to it and is safe.” Find in the whole annals of the world one person who, when trusting in God, was disappointed of his hope. Did Manasseh rely on the mercy of God? He. even he, obtained pardon. Did Asa, or Jehoshaphat, or Hezekiah, rely on the power of God? No enemy could withstand them. Did Abraham believe in the truth and faithfulness of God? The long-expected seed was given to him, that became “as the stars of heaven for number, and as the sands upon the sea-shore innumerable.” Thus shall every one be blessed who putteth his trust in God: “he shall be firm, and immoveable as Mount Zion itself, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever [Note: Psalms 125:1.].” The question, “Who ever put his trust in God and was confounded?” never has been, and never can be answered, but in a way of universal negation.]

The text should be yet further viewed as,

III. A consoling truth—

It is unspeakably consoling,

1. In reference to the Church at large—

[Many are the enemies of the Church at this day, as well as in former times: nor were the Philistines half so envious at the prosperity of Zion, as millions of Christians, so called, are at this very hour. But when the Church was in its infancy, and had all the power and policy both of Jews and Gentiles combined against it, it stood as a rock, that defies all the efforts of the tempestuous ocean. The waves that menace its existence are dashed in pieces at its feet. So shall it still be to the end of time: whatever confederacies are formed against the Church shall come to nought: for “it is founded on a rock; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”]

2. In reference to the poorest and weakest of its members—

[The chief of its members are characterized as “a poor and afflicted people, who trust in the name of the Lord [Note: Zephaniah 3:12.]: and their conscious weakness often proves to them a source of great discouragement. But how consoling is the truth, that they are pre-eminently destined to receive the benefits of Christ’s heavenly mission [Note: Isaiah 61:1-3.], and to be the objects of his peculiar care [Note: Isaiah 40:11.]! It is under the very character of persons poor and weak and destitute, that they are designated as triumphing over all their enemies; (“the foot shall tread them down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy [Note: Isaiah 26:6.]:”) and their weakness is described as carried to the utmost extent than can be imagined, even as resembling that of persons wounded, and captive, and dead: and yet in that very state is success insured to them; for “though lame, they shall take the prey [Note: Isaiah 33:23.]” “though captives, they shall take those captive whose captives they were, and shall rule over their oppressors [Note: Isaiah 14:2.];” and though slain, they shall rise mid overcome, and “their enemies shall fall under the slain [Note: Isaiah 10:4.].” Hence the weakest amongst them all, “knowing in whom he has believed,” may adopt the triumphant language of the prophet, “The Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? Let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me: who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as doth a garment; the moth shall eat them up [Note: Isaiah 50:7-9.].”]

Application—

[Look then, Brethren, to the Scriptures, to see what God has done in former ages — — — See what instruction is to be gathered from those records, for your own conduct — — — And know, that God is as ready to “perfect his own strength in your weakness,” as he has been in any instance from the foundation of the world — — — Only realize the thought of his universal agency in the government of the world, and of his watchful care over the interests of his peculiar people; and then “you need not fear, though the earth be moved, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea [Note: Psalms 46:2.].” See David’s composure amidst such troubles as drove his friends to despair: “In the Lord,” says he, “put I my trust: how say ye then to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain; for, lo! the wicked bend their bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart; and, if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” What? “The Lord is in his holy temple: the Lord’s throne is in heaven:” and that is ample security for me [Note: Psalms 11:1-4.]. Such composure may you also, even the least and weakest of you, enjoy, if you confide in God: for “there is no wisdom nor counsel against the Lord [Note: Proverbs 21:30.];” but “his counsel shall stand; and he will do all his will [Note: Isaiah 46:10.].”]