By "judgment and righteousness," I understand not merely that which is called justice between man and man, but universal holiness. And this will certainly characterize the Gospel dispensation —
[This is evident from the very metaphor before us. In other parts of this prophecy the metaphor is yet further opened and explained. Thus in the 35th chapter it is said, " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad ; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose : it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing : the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon : they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excel- lency of our God For in the wilderness shall waters
break out, and streams in the desert And an high-way
shall be there, and a way ; and it shall be called the way of holiness: the unclean shall not pass over it; but the redeemed shall walk there d." The change itself also is described in appropriate terms : " Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle-tree : and it shall be to the Lord for a name, and for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off6." The works of the flesh are here contrasted with the fruits of the Spirit : and it is declared, that these latter shall abound on the face of the whole earth ; and that, " as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the gar- den causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations f."
This is yet further evident from the universal testimony of Scripture. If we look into the Old Testament, we find the prophet Ezekiel describing that period thus : " Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you : and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh: and I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to tvalk in my statutes ; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do themg." In the New Testament the same thing is continually declared. Even before the birth of our Saviour, Zacharias, speaking of him as about to visit and redeem his people, represents the end of his advent as being to " deliver his people out of the hands of their (spi- ritual) enemies, that they may serve him without fear in right- eousness and holiness before him all the clays of their life11." And St. Paul assures us, that " the grace of God which
li Isai. xxxv. 1, 2, 6, 8, 9. e Isai. lv. 13. f Isai. lxi. 11.
s Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 27. h Luke i. 67 — 75.