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Therefore when his ordinances are corrupted with men's inventions, then thou mayest press him with this promise; that he will give us wine refined and purified, even his purest ordinances, most comfortable to our hearts, as wine is.

And when there is little nourishment, because their gifts are weak, urge him with this, that he hath promised to make us a feast of fat things, full of marrow; for I take this promise to be meant of the churches after Christ, ver. 7. "And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."

Thy sins that are too strong for thee, bring them to the Lord in his ordinances, and he will destroy them; though thou seem to be covered with them, and they spread as a vail upon thee,

kingdom, causes him to break out into a song of praise in the following chapter, whereas, though he first alludes to temporal deliverances, the prophetic Spirit carries out his mind in the extatic contemplation of the glory and blessedness of the gospel dispensation, which he compares, 1. to a rich and plentiful feast, of which all nations were invited to partake, "without money and without price."-Blessed privilege. 2. He compares it to the dawn of light, which lifts the veil of darkness from all faces." 3. He who brings life and immortality to light," will, at the same time, throw into darkness the errors of Paganism; and, finally, by his own death, eventually destroy-or, in the Hebrew idiom, swallow up-death itself; wipe away all tears; and introduce into the New Jerusalem above, ever lasting joy, and peace, and happiness. See Revelations xxi. 1-4.

yet believe his promises, and all things shall be possible unto thee.

"I will make them joyful in mine house of prayer, their sacrifices shall be accepted at mine altar." God will both give to them, and accept from them their sacrifices, as pleasing to him. "Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.b "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel.c

"Hear and receive my sayings, and the years of thy life shall be many; when thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.d Unto you that hear, shall be more given.e

"Incline your ears and come unto me; hear, and your souls shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. My word shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it. Therefore ye shall go forth with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and the trees of the field shall clap their hands; instead of the thorn, shall come up the fir-tree; and instead of the brier, shall come up the myrtle-tree."-This force shall the

a Isa. Ivi. 7. b 2 Chron. xx. 20. c Prov. i. 5. d Prov. iv. 10. 12. e Mark iv. 24. f Isa. lv. 3, 11, 12, 13.

Lord have in thine heart, for planting of grace and destroying of sin.

"They that dwell under his shadow shall rẻturn; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine; the scent thereof shall be as the vine in Lebanon."a

If thou wouldest return, apply this, "He shall return." If thou art decayed, apply this, "They shall revive as the corn." If thou wouldst flourish in grace, apply, "They shall flourish as the vine." If thou wouldst be a sweet-smelling savor in all places, apply, "The scent thereof shall be as the vine of Lebanon."

Seeing all these good things come from the powerful ordinances of the Lord, let us give him no rest till he bestow these blessings upon us. When the pastor of the people pronounceth the blessing, apply this promise, "I will bless thee."b

Wouldest thou enjoy the ordinances of God, and a blessing upon them.

"I will satiate the souls of the priests with fat ness, and my people shall be satisfied with good

ness.c

"I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.d

"And I will make them, and the places round

a Hos. xiv. 7. b Numb. vi. 27. c Jer. xxxi. 14. d Jor. iii. 15.

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about my hill, a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her increase, and the earth shall yield her fruit."a

ple;

These promises are both for pastor and peothe pastor shall be able to teach with knowledge and understanding; his soul shall be replenished with fatness; his teaching shall be as a seasonable shower of blessing, that shall make the people fruitful.

The people must apply these promises, that God would give them able teachers; and that they may find their ministry blessed unto them, according to these promises; that they may be fed with knowledge and understanding, that they may be satisfied with goodness, and that their teaching may be seasonable showers of blessing to make them fruitful; as it is promised that the trees shall yield their fruit. How much are God's ordinances to be desired, by which he doth convey so many blessings unto his people! Let us give him no rest, till he furnish Jerusalem with all her ordinances and officers.

If thou enjoyest grace, or means of grace, and fearest the losing of them.

"Upon all the glory shall be a defence. And there shall be a tabernacle of a shadow in the

a Ezek. xxxiv. 26, 27.

day-time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from the storm and from the rain.a

"I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.b

"His place of defence shall be the munition of rocks; bread shall be given him, his water shall be sure,"c

Hast thou any glorious grace, or means of grace? Arm thyself with the power of God, in his promises; for the devil will use all his forces and subtilty to deprive thee of them. Hast thou a glorious minister, and pure ordinance? Do glorious graces begin to spring in thine heart, and thou secst no means to defend them? Apply, "Upon all thy glory he shall be a defence: his defence shall be a munition of rocks."

Seest thou a heart of sin in thyself, or the rage of the wicked, that causeth thee to fear the loss of them? Apply, "There shall be a covering for a shadow in the day from the heat." Doth the devil raise up storms, or outward persecutions? Apply, "The defence and covering shall be a place of refuge, and covert for the storm and for the rain."

Fearest thou the subtilties of thine enemies; that, unawares, when thou thinkest not on them, they will surprise thee, and steal thy blessing from thee? Apply, "I the Lord will keep it night

a Isa. iv. 5 6. b Isa. xxvii. 3. c Isa. xxxiii. 16.

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