The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 162

"rh·er " which "m11.de glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High" (Ps. xlvi. 4). , II. THF. TEACHING OF THE PROPHETS, whom God continuolly,sent," rising up beUmell ,rnd ,ending" (2 Chron. xxxvi. 15), of which Isaiah said primarily," Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters" (eh. Iv. I)-these waters representing the truth of God which he was commissioned to preach. This teachin,i; welled forth from the, true "Rock;" for it was '' the Spirit of Christ" which inspired the prophets, and made them ever approximate more and more toward the standard of evangelical teaching which was to be set up later. The prophets' doctrine was for the refreshment and comfort of the Jews primarily; but its influence was felt bcyon,l tho limits ofJuda1sm. In many a pagan wilderness the superfluous waters flowing from this source created gardens, where blossoms bloomed, which, without the "living water" or revealed truth;_ could never have come into bein.r. III. THE TEACHING OF THE ~EVER-BLESSED SoN, the true "Shiloh "-sent by the: almighty and most merciful Father to redeem the world and reconcile it. to him. He is "the Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness" (Zech. xiii. I); "the Well-sprin~ of wisdom" (Prov. xviii. 4); the inexhaustible and inscrutable Source, to whom all: may come freely and drink (John vii. 37). His doctrine doth "drop as the rain," and his speech doth "distil as the dew" (Deut. xx.xii 2); he gives to all men to "take the· water of life freely" (Rev. xxii. 17). From depths unsearchable in the nature of him who is" the Rock of our salvation" flow forth rivers of living water, cleansing, puri~ fying, refreshing, satisfying the soul. He washes us once, in a material way, in baptism; he \\'ashes us ten thousand times spiritually, as often as he cleanses us from sin; he gives us to drink of a water that is henceforth to us "a well of water sp'ringing up into everlasting life" (John iv. 14). True "waters of Shiloh" are these. .All may "take of them freely." 'l'he fountain is absolutely inexhaustible. Nqr are i.ts benefhs. confined to those only for whose sake especially it was given-baptized members of the Church; they flow on to others also. Great are the_ uncovenanted mercies of God. The child Christ was proclaimed to be "a Light to lighten the Gentiles/' no less than· "the Glory of his people Israel" (Luke ii 32). .And so it is. The stream of Christian teaching flows on from the Church into the world, if not with sufficient force to create· a garden, at any rate so as to bring forth amid the arid wastes ma.liy a green plant, many a bloommg flower. The washing of atonemen-t is extended, we• confidently. believe, t,o thousands who are not formally within the covenant. .And ihe flow of the water will nernr cease. Even in heaven there will be" a pure river of ·wate.r of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the .Lamb" (Rev. xxii. 1), of which the saints of God will drink eternally (Rev. xxii. 17). V ers. 12, 13.-The fear of man and the fear of God contrasted. These two fears may be comparer! (1) in respect of their grouuds; (2) in respect of their results. I. IN 'l'HEIR GROUNDS. Our fear of man rests upon our apprehension of the p9wer of man to do us hurt. Men may injure us (1) in our reputation, (2) in our property,· (3) in respect of those who are near and dear to us, (4) in respect of our persons, A certain fear of the supreme civil power in the state under which we live is natural and proper; it is one of the elements which bind i;ociety together, and ·could not cease to- exist without dis~dvantage. Malefactors are restrained by it (Rom. xiii. 4); and even the mass of well-meaning men are strengthened i11 their guod intentions by the know- ledge that there is a human authority above them which notes their conduct and will punish any seriow; departure from the rules of right behaviour. So far, then, the fear of man ha.s a sound basis. We also naturally, and almost necessarily{-fear our-·enemies, if they are powerful, whether public or private, our fear being proportional to eur beliei' in their power and malignity. It is this ground of fear which is apt to be unduly influential upon us, from our exaggerated notions of what man is able to effect. • We'. tuc, often for~et that wan cau do nothing but what God permits (John xix, 11), that l..e is absolutdy impotent against God, who can shatter ·his designs, or strike him with sudden death at any wument. Again, we do not always bear in mind· the fac~ :that, mall can only injure u,; in respect of temporal things, his utmost punishment bemg'to "kill the body," whereall God's ppwer extends beyond the grave. 'l'he fear· of God has: fur it.s ground a double apprehension or conviction: (1) our bdief in his {>OWer, and  THE BOOK Oil' nrn PROPHET ISAIAH. 151