of his presence ? He will work it in us by his good Spirit, and transform us into his own blessed image1. Yea, he will " rain down righteousness upon us," giving us " abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness"1." Let this then encourage us ; for " none ever sought his face in vain"."]
Application —
[Let us begin the first great work, the ploughing up of our fallow ground. We need not be told either the necessity or the reasonableness of this work in husbandry : and a very small acquaintance with the corruption and obduracy of an unrenewed heart, will supersede any attempts to evince the same in the cultivation of the soul. Only let it be remembered, that nothing but the law, opened in all its spirituality, and applied in its awful sanctions, can ever effect this work. Let us study it more and more. Let us try ourselves by it. Let us bring our actions, words, and thoughts to it as to a touch- stone. Let us use it for the rooting out of all false principles, and base affections. Thus shall our seed be sown to more advantage0; and a glorious harvest await us in the day of the Lord Jesus p.]
1 Ezek. xxxvi. 26. m Rom. v. 17. n Isai. xlv. 19.
0 Jer. iv. 3. p Jam. iv. 9, 10.
Hos. xi. 1. When Israel tvas a child, then I loved him ; and called my Son out of Egypt.
WITHOUT supposing a primary and secondary sense of Scripture, it is impossible to interpret the prophetic writings, so as to make them accord with the construction put upon them in the New Testa- ment. Indeed, on many occasions, we are necessi- tated to apply them also in a spiritual or mystical sense, so as to bring out from them that full instruc- tion which they are intended to convey. Not that we are at liberty to indulge our own conceits in ex- plaining God's blessed word, or to put upon it any sense which a fanciful imagination may suggest ; but if we followthe inspired writers of the New Testament, we are safe. The passage before us has doubtless an historical import, in relation to the ten tribes of