Desolate left alone forfaken of all implyed in the 6. and 7. verses And add to this the Reproaches of the enemy ver 8. which is a very sore affliction It 's a Day wherein enemies not only Reproach but are Mad against the Afflicted through hatred and malice having lost the right use of their reason they become Mad against him and these are Sworn against him to the taking away his life v. 8. comp with v. 20. It 's a Day of the Groaning of Prisoners a Day wherein Prisons are filled with the Afflicted vers 20. It 's a Day wherein some of the Afflicted are Appointed to Death or become the Children of Death as the margent of some Bibles hath it ver 20. Yea It 's the Day wherein Sion shall become so Desolate that her Buildings her Assemblies and Societies shall be broken to Peices her Stones scattered here and there and her Cement Crumbled into dust this is strongly implyed vers 14. of all her Buildings there 's only the Stones and the Dust left Agreeable to this is that of Isaiah Isa 1 2 and 4. verses speaking to the City where David dwelt that City which the Lord did Chuse out of all the Tribes of Israel to put his Name there 1 Kings 14.21 A Professing People that Kill Sacrisices are full of Right Outward Performances in matters of worship which yet the Lord hared they were a trouble to him and he was weary to bear them because of their Pollution in Morrals as the complaint is throughout the first Chapter yet saith God I will Distress Ariel and there shall be Heaviness and Sorrow and it shall be unto me as Ariel And thou shalt be brought down and shall speak out of the Ground and thy speech shall be low out of the Dust and thy voice shall be as of one that hath a familiar Spirit out of the Ground and thy speech shall whisper out of the Dust This City is brought into this State of Heavines and Sorrow of Lowness and Distress by reason of her Hypocrisie complainned of vers 13. but immediately before the Day of her visitation wherein the Lord will turn his hand upon her Enemies that fight against and Distress her and Destroying them Deliver her by his Thunder and Earth quakes and great Noise with Storm and Tempest and the flame of Devouring Fire Thus much surely the 6 7 and 8. verses tell us How far this may or doth concerne us I leave it to serious Consideration Lastly It 's the Day wherein the Afflicted are in this sad Desolate condition quite Destitute of any help from any under Heaven implyed in the 17. verse Yet This the Time the set Time for God to Arise and to have Mercy upon Sion For by this Time Sion is so Purged and Purified that she can offer up an Offering of Righteousness which is Pleasant unto the Lord as Malachy speaks she is enabled to Pray such a Prayer as the Lord will Reward and not despise and hearing her cry he Arises to have Mercy upon Sion he appears in his Glory and Saves her out of all her Troubles so that the Heathens fear the Name of the Lord all the Kings of the Earth his Glory 15 16 17. verses So that as the Sin of Jacob may sometimes be so Circumstantiated that it engages the Lord for his Gloriessake nor to pass it by but to Deal with him in wrath and Displeasure and as the stubborness of Jacob in his Sin may sometimes make his Affliction Long and Great So when the Affliction hath wrought its desired Effect humbled him and brought him to Gods soot though it bring him never so low and make him never so destitute even to the Dust that to the Eye of Reason he can never rise again yet then is the Time for God to arise and to have Mercy upon his Chosen The Lord having broken the Impure Buildings of Sion and separated the precious stones from the Vile and Winnowed its Dust by the rough wind of his sury from the defiling attoms among it now is the Set Time come for God to arise to have Mercy upon Sion and hear their cry and the groanings of the Prisoners and to lose those that are appointed to death now will the Lord appear in his Glory to Build up Sion for this is that State of Sion which the servants of the Lord will take Pleasure in and Favour Such is Gods Love to Jacob that when he seems to Cast him off in wrath and displeafure hiding his face from him yet then he Chuses him afresh as it were I have chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction when the fire of affliction hath Refined Jacob burnt up his Drosse and his Tin then in this refining furnace the Lord Chuses him to be his For mine own sake even for my own sake will I do it for how should my Name be polluted and I will not give my Glory unto another As the Lord will not Save nor Deliver Jacob but at such a Time and in such a Way wherein he may save his Glory too so his Glory is as much and more engaged to Save and Exalt Jacob as ever it was to Afflict him and cast him down I will not give my Glory to another nor suffer my name which is called upon by thee to be polluted therefore will I not suffer thee to be cut off but chuse thee in this thy Low Estate Deliver thee and save thee Isa 48.9 10 11. compared with the 14. verse Wherefore seeing we have such evidences of the Love of God in all his dispensations towards his Jacob let uâ— not be discouraged let nor our Spirits droop and faint under our Burdens but let us lay aside every Weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the Race of suffering that is set before us looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith who for the Joy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set down at the ight hand of the Throne of God For the Day of Deliverance is at hand nothing hinders it but our own Sin The Lord is fully ready prepared to save Jacob to deliver the Captives of the Mâ—ghty and the Prey of the Terrible to contend with him that now contends with thee and Save thy Children Isa 49.25 he is only waiting till Jacob is ready prepared to be Delivered the Time wherein Deliverance may be a thâ—rrow Salvation indeed that he may nor be put to an after-work of Refining Jâ—câ—b and sweeping his house with the Beesoms of his wrath but that he may bestow Peace and Glory upon him and set a Defence upon it that may never be raken away again For a sinall moment have I forsaken thee but with Great Mâ—ciâ—s will I gather thee In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a Moment but with EVERLASTâ—NG KINDNESS will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer For this is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more goe over the Earth So have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee nor rebuk thee For the Mountains shall epâ—rt and the Hills be removed but my KINDNES SHALL NOT DEPART from thee neither shall the COVENANT OF MY PEACE BE REMOVED saith the Lord that hath Mercy on thee Isa 54.7 8 9 10. verses THE END
P. 15. l. 20. r. brought forth P. 19. l. 6. r. this Same P. 20. l. last leave out that P. 21. l. 4. leave out But. P. 22. l. 12. r. his People and l. 32. r. lead them P. 27. l. 15. r. One another and l. 27. r. shall P. 28. l. 6. leave out own P. 32. l. 36 r. rebellious part P. 34. l. 11. r. It is that and l. 33. r. He shall P. 36. l. 25. r. give thee P. 37. l. 22. r. he may P. 42 l. 30. r. yeelded P. 45. l. 10. leave out will P. 47. l. 40. r. this is GOOD NEVVS OR VVINE and OYLE Poured into the Wounds of SINNING and DISTRESSED IACOB c. Isa 27.6 7 8 and 9. Verses He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with Fruit. Hath he smitten him as he smote those that smote him or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the East wind By this therefore shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the Fruit to take away his sin THESE last dayes this last part of the time of this old World in the beginning of which our Lot is fallen to Be is that part of time in which all the Brophesies in Scripture except those that particularly relate to the World to come the new Heavens and the new Earth will have their compleat performance it 's the time in which they all meet as the lines of the Globe in the Center Hence it is that the Lord doth so complain of his Peoples Deafness and Blindness and checks them for it Isa 42.18 19 20. Hear ye DEAF and look ye BLIND that ye may see Who is BLIND but my Servant or DEAF as my Messenger that I sent Who is BLIND as he that is perfect and BLIND as the Lords Servant Seeing many things but thou observest not opening the Ears but he heareth not Notwithstanding the light of a multitude of Prophesies shining round about him Jacob is still Blind notwithstanding the Voice of strange Providences performing Prophesies sounds in his ears yet this Blind Servant of the Lord is still Deaf he opens his ears but he hears not notwithstanding he sees the wonderful Works of God performing the Words of God yet through Blindness he observes not the Lords meaning in them he observes not that which the Lord would have him to observe and doth so plainly hint out to him by his Word and Works he sees not the Way the Lord would have him to Walk in hears not the Voice that cryes This is the Way walk in it Therefore doth the Lord complain with an Admiration Who is BLIND but my Servant DEAF as my Messenger Who is BLIND as he that is perfect and BLIND as the Lords Servant To clear Jacob's Eyes to take away those thick scales of darkness that through various kinds of distempers and temptations are grown upon them that they may See and to open his deaf Ears that he may Hear the Lord will deal with Jacob according to the tenour of these words I have chosen to treat of It seems necessary before I come to the Words that I mind two things The Time to which and the Persons to whom this Prophesie in a special manner belongs In the 24 25 26 and 27. Chapters is a continued uninterrupted Discourse of what great things the Lord will do for and among his People That it hath a particular and peculiar Relation to the last times and that these dayes wherein we live are those last times I suppose will be readily granted and therefore I need not use words to prove it And that this Prophesie hath Relation to the Gentiles I suppose is as clear not onely the Prophet's speaking of the Isles of which the natural Seed of Jacob had no possession but the Work of God it self treated of makes it evident This Earth which the Lord saith he will Empty in the 24. Chapt. some would restrain to these Islands but I would rather say we are to understand by it the whole Antichristian Earth Babylons Earth the old Serpents Earth in which he is bruising the Heel of the Womans Seed Both because we find the Prophet speaking of the utmost parts of the Earth in the 16. ver of the 24. Chapter and because he positively saith in his 28. Chapt. which hath Relation to this time also I have heard from the Lord God of Hosts a Consumption even determined upon the whole Earth But many particulars in these Chapters tell me also That this Work of God here spoken of shall have its beginning in the Islands and from thence issue forth to the other parts of the Earth therefore saith the Prophet Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the WORLD with Fruit. Further This People to whom this Prophesie doth belong are a People that having been afflicted formerly by their Enemies the Serpents brood have encountered Smitten those Enemies of theirs Hath he smitten him as he SMOTE those that smote him Again They are a People that at present are under the Smitings of their former smitten Enemies Hath he SMITTEN him as he smote those that smote him And that which strengthens me in interpreting these smitings to be the smitings of these two Seeds against each other is what the latter part of the Verse speaks Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him I can see no reason why these smitings may not be the smiting of the two Seeds of each other as well as the slaying here mentioned is their slaying of each other Again They are a People that foreseeing the rising up of these their old Enemies to smite them afresh endeavour to prevent them and bring them under in the 26. Chap. 17 and 18. Verses Like as a Woman with child that draweth near the time of her delivery is in pain and cryeth out of her pangs so have we been in thy sight O Lord. We have been with child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth wind we have not wrought any deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the world fallen Out of a deep apprehension of the evil approaching great anxiety of Spirit and pain of Heart puts them upon earnest endeavours to bring down the Enemy that is arising to hinder the old smitings again But all will not do nothing is brought forth but wind no deliverance is wrought in the Earth the Inhabitants of the world fall not but instead thereof they fall themselves to the death Thy DEAD men shall live c. So that now I suppose I may without presumption say This is our Scripture belongs to us as a teaching Lesson particularly appointed for us at this day to learn The Words contain the Work the
Lord will perform upon Sion and Jerusalem till which is performed he will not punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria nor burn the Rod with which he is scourging and correcting his People for their unchild-like carriage towards him their Father In which there is 1. A sore Affliction Verse 7. 2. A Cordial to bear up the heart of Jacob from sinking under the severity of the Rod V. 8. 3. The Cause of it Sin implyed in Ver. 9. 4. The End of this Affliction which is two-fold 1. To take this Sin away expressed Ver. 9. And as the proper effect of this 2. To cause Jacob to take root and Israel to blossom and bud Ver. 6. 1. It 's a sore and dreadful Dispensation not only smiting but smiting to blood not only drawing blood letting out a little bad blood but the very Life blood SLAYING Hath he SMITTEN him as he smote those that smote him Or is he SLAIN according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him It 's the same manner of smiting with which Jacob in former times smote his Enemies It 's the same manner of slaying as Jacob shall after he comes out of this cleansing Dispensation slay his Enemies withal For though the Prophet speaks here in the Present tense ARE SLAIN yet of necessity we must refer it to the future for we cannot rationally conceive slain men can slay men Therefore we must look upon this as one of those Scriptures wherein the Lord is pleased to call things that be not as though they were as the Apostle speaks and that out of a gracious design to strengthen our Faith signifying thereby the certainty of the thing that it 's as certain as if it were in present action Poor Jacob goes into by-wayes wayes of his own invention to save his Blood to save his Life and behold he loses it making good that saying of our Lord He that seeks to save his Life shall lose it Sinning Jacob in his Laodicean frame of Spirit cryes out with the sloathful person Prov. 26.13 A Lion is in the Way a Lion is in the Street the Lord would have me pass through and fleeing from this Lion a Bear meets him and tears him and rends him as Amos speaks But lest the drooping Spirits of feeble Jacob should sink and dye under this trying and rending Dispensation under these Bloody smitings his Sin hath brought upon him 2. Here 's a Soveraign Cordial ready to revive him to support him In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it He stayeth his Rough wind in the day of the East wind The Lord hath measured out the Affliction of Jacob and meted it in the measure of Grace and Love The end of all is Grace and Love to Jacob that he may be purged from his Iniquity and his Sin taken away that he may be so far from being utterly destroyed as that he may fill the face of the World with Fruit. Yea this very Affliction these smitings and slayings that pass over him shall have the Love of a Father written upon it he shall be able to read a Fathers Love in and through all It shall not be beyond measure but in measure God will not suffer Jacob to be tempted beyond what he is able to bear as the Apostle speaks But fear thou not O my servant Jacob for I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee though I make a full end of all Nations yet will I not make a full end of thee but will correct thee in measure and will not leave thee altogether unpunished and in the LATTER DAYES ye shall consider it Jer. 30.10,11 24. V. When the Affliction hath shot forth to such a measure to such a degree to the working such an Effect which is humbling for and purging from Sin then will the Lord DEBATE with it When the Lord hath finished his whole Work upon Sion then will he Punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria when the Assyrian Rod would carry on the Affliction of Jacob farther than the Lord hath purposed it shall be then will he Debate with it How will he Debate with it He stayeth his Rough Wind in the day of the East Wind. By this Rough Wind I understand the same with the smitings and slayings before mentioned onely by this difference of expression the Lord would have us to understand the purging nature of the Affliction that the Lord will by this Wind by this Affliction as thorowly purge and cleanse his People from their Sin as the Husband-man cleanses his Corn from its Chaff by winnowing it in the Wind. And this Rough Wind these smitings and slayings this sore Affliction will the Lord stay put a stop to But when and how In the day of the East Wind. In that day in which the Lord hath appointed the East Wind to blow which is when the Rough VVind the smitings and slayings the Affliction hath done its work for which it was sent upon Jacob then in that day will the Lord stay this Rough VVind put a stop to these smitings and stayings take away this Affliction And that by The East VVind We shall see what VVind this is that taking place at its appointed time shall stay the preceding Rough VVind if we look into the Type Exod. 14.21 23. Moses stretched out his hand over the Sea and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East wind all that Night and made the Sea dry Land and the VVaters were divided and the Children of Israel went into the midst of the Sea upon dry Ground and the VVaters were a VVall unto them on their right hand and on their left This East VVind is that which Isaiah saith in his 51. Chapter dryed the Sea the Waters of the great Deep that made the depths of the Sea dividing it a VVay for the Ransomed to pass over and that when the VVaves thereof roared When the Rough VVind the smitings and slayings the present Affliction hath wrought its proper Effect upon Jacob then is the time come and a strong East VVind from the presence of the Lord shall blow and stop the breath of the Rough VVind The Lord will so deal with this Sea of Jacob's trouble the VVaves whereof are roaring upon poor Jacob as that a VVay through the Sea a VVay through the Rough VVind a VVay through the very smitings and slayings of the Enemy shall be made and found out for Jacob to escape And what then The Light of Israel shall be for a fire and his holy One for a flame and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his bryars that are scratching and tearing the flesh of distressed Jacob in one day Chap. 10.17 In ONE day A day known to the Lord even that day wherein he will staying his Rough Wind by his East Wind putting a stop to the Enemie's smiting and slaying of his Jacob healing his VVounds Punish the stout heart of the Assyrian and