From them I shall be led to consider, I. The work which God will accomplish in all his chosen people —
The whole passage primarily refers to the Jews ; whom God will, at no distant period, restore to their own land, and elevate in the rank of nations; making them no less conspicuous for piety than in the most favoured seasons of their former prosperity". In the promise made to them, we see what God will do for all his chosen people ; cleansing them from their sins^ and thereby fitting them,
1. For his service on earth —
[God's people must be " a holy people," dedicated unre- servedly to him. He will not accept " a divided heart ''." He will not behold with satisfaction any one that retains a bosom sin, though it be dear as a right eye, or useful as a right hand*'. However loud such persons' professions of attachment may be, he will say to them, " Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say'?" The very " prayers of such persons are an abomination to him^." The hypocrite is, beyond all other persons, an object of his abhorrence'^: "He requireth truth in the inward parts^:" and, to please him, "we must be Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile '^."]
2. For his presence in a better world —
[" God is of purer eyes than to behold evil, or to look upon iniquity':" much less could he admit into his presence in glory any soul that was not purged from its sins™ : nor, in truth, could a soul that was polluted with sin be happy in heaven, even if he were admitted there. The holiness of God would utterly confound him : nor could he have any commu- nion with the saints and angels that are around the throne. His want of resemblance to them would make his deformity hateful, even in his own eyes ; whilst their employment would be so distasteful to him, that he could not join in it for a single hour. Indeed the inhabitants of heaven could not endure the presence of such a hateful being ; but would all unite in " thrusting him out"." As it is said of King Uzziah : When he was struck with leprosy in the Temple, the priests rose up to thrust him out, " yea, himself also hasted to go out":" so I doubt not but that an unholy soul would of itself hasten out of
c ver. 26, 27. ^ Hos. x. 2. ^ Mark ix. 43 — 48.
^ Luke vi. 46. s Prov. xxviii. 9. '' Job xxxvi. 13.
' Ps. li. 6. k John i, 47. ' Hab. i. 13.
>" Eph.v.5. Rev.xxi.27. " Luke xiii, 28. « 2Chron. xxvi.20.