How incurably obstinate then must we be, if such accumulated means be used in vain !
[Is the life of the soul a matter of such indifference, that a promise of it shall have no effect on our minds ? Shall God engage himself to us by covenant and by oath to supply all our need both of body and soul, and shall we account his word
unworthy of our attention? Who ever experienced his
blessings, and found them of no value ? or whom has he ever
deceived, that we dare not trust him ? Let us at least
remember what an alternative we prefer; we reject life, and happiness, and glory, and embrace death and misery as our
eternal portion O that God might prevail at last ! that
we might now accept his gracious offers ; and be made partakers of present and everlasting felicity !]
Isai. lv. 4. — Behold, I have given him for a Witness to the people, a Leader and Commander to the people.
AMONGST the various means which God used for the spiritual benefit of his ancient people, one was, to provoke them to jealousy, by declaring, that the blessings which they so abused should be transferred to another people, who would make a more suitable improvement of them. From the beginning he warned them of this by Moses : "■ They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities : and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation a." Our blessed Lord and his Apostles frequently had recourse to this expedient : and St. Paul tells us, that he had used it, not to irritate his countrymen, but, if possible, to save themb. The Prophet Isaiah had this object in view, in the passage before us. He has been expostulating with the Jewish people on their folly and impiety in not seek- ing after the blessings of salvation, and especially those blessings which God had covenanted to bestow
a Deut. xxxii. 21. b Rom. xi. 11, 15.