she was visited. In the days of the Judges she was often deli- vered up to her enemies, who oppressed her with the heaviest voke of bondage : at last she was sent into captivity in Babylon : and at this hour is Jerusalem a desolation, having for eighteen centuries been trodden down of the Gentiles, and left without a temple, or priest, or sacrifice, or any ordinance whatever.
Yet is she not finally cast off. Her Divine Husband yet remembers his covenant-engagements, though she has forgot- ten hers; and his oath will he fulfil, though she has violated hers in ten thousand instances. His wrath against her, though so richly merited, is " small and transient ;" whilst the mercies which he has prepared for her are "great" and "everlasting." " He has yet thoughts of love and peace towards her;" and will in due season restore her to her former privileges ; yea, and load her with benefits far beyond any which she ever before enjoyed. The very " sun shall be ashamed, and the moon confounded," in the day that he shall visit her with his mercies ; so utterly will all creature enjoyments be swallowed up and annihilated by the manifestations of his loveb
Of this he graciously assures her, by a two-fold representa- tion ; first, in a way of comparison, and then in a way of contrast. At the time of the deluge, God promised with an oath to Noah, that he would no more deluge the earth : and appointed the rainbow itself (which, as being a reflection of the rays of the sun from the drops of rain, marked the actual descent of rain at the time) to be a pledge that he would fulfil his word. In like manner, says God, " I have sworn to thee, that I will not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee" to thy utter ruin : and thou mayest regard the very afflictions with which I visit thee, as a pledge of thy future restoration : for " I will not make a full end of thee ; though I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished0." Again : Of all things which may be deemed stable upon earth, the hills and the mountains may be regarded as the most firm and immovable : but, says God, the hills and mountains have been, and shall be, removed : but it shall not be so ivith you ; for " the covenant of my peace shall never be removed."
The manner in which God speaks of himself, whilst announc- ing this determination, is yet further worthy to be noticed : for he does not call himself by any name that would inspire fear and terror, but by names importing the most tender love : not " The Lord" thy Creator, thy Governor, thy Judge ; but, " The Lord thy Redeemer" " the Lord that hath mercy on thee"
b Isai. xxiv. 23. and xxx. 26. See the glories of that period described in ver. 11, 12. compared with Isai. lx. 13 — 22. c Jer. xxx. 11.
978.] god's faithfulness to his covenant. 441
Now it is this view of the covenant which encourages us in all our efforts for the conversion of the Jews : for we know infallibly, that they are not cast off for ever ; that they are still beloved of God for their fathers' sakes ; and that in due time they shall be engrafted in again upon their own olive- tree, and experience, both in a temporal and spiritual view, such prosperity as they never yet enjoyed even under Solomon himself. Our trust is, not in any efforts of man, but in the power and fidelity of God. And though in their present con- dition they are as dry bones, very dry, reduced to dust, and scattered over the face of the earth, yet are we sure, that, by the simple preaching of the Gospel to them, they shall arise, a whole armyd. Yes, " the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will do this :" as we are assured by many similar declarations of the prophet Jeremiah e ]