for ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight : for the Lord will go before you ; and the God of Israel will be your rere-warda."
The promise, that " there should no more come into Jeru- salem the uncircumcised and the unclean," evidently directs our minds to a period yet future : for not only was Jerusalem invaded after their return from Babylon, but the very worship of the temple was suspended by Antiochus : their city also, and temple, and polity, were subsequently destroyed by the Romans ; and their whole nation have now remained above seventeen hundred years in a state of utter desolation and dispersion. But they must not on that account despond. The prophecies relating to their future restoration shall surely be fulfilled : and it becomes them all to be in a state of holy expectation; just as Abraham was, when, at the distance of two thousand years, " he saw the day of Christ, and rejoiced." This gives us what I apprehend to be the true view of our text : God directs his complaining people to anticipate with joy that blissful period : " Awake, awake ; put on thy strength, O Zion ; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city ; (even as a bride expecting the speedy arrival of the bridegroom:) for there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean : (after their restoration, no Chaldean, or other foe, shall ever overwhelm them more.) Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jeru- salem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion."]
To this also every desponding saint is called — [There is no condition that can justify a desponding inactivity. The word of God is full of exceeding great and precious promises, which shall all be fulfilled in their season, to those who rely upon them. These we should contemplate : we should treasure them up in our minds : we should plead them before God in prayer: we should expect assuredly the fulfilment of them : however long or dark our night may be, we should look wTith confidence for the returning light of day : we should know, that " the goings forth of Jehovah" for the salvation of his people " are prepared as the morning;" and that he will appear at the appointed hour. However frequently vanquished by our spiritual foes, we should return to the charge, " strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might." We should never, for a moment, suffer the thought of our weakness to discourage us: we should rather make it a reason for exertion, in the full confidence, that " when we are weak, then are we strong;" and that " God will perfect his strength in our weakness." This is the very instruction which an
a ver. 11, 12.