Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 57

Verse 15

DISCOURSE: 989
THE MAJESTY AND HOLINESS OF GOD

Isaiah 57:15.—Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy: I swell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

THERE is nothing more vain than creature-confidence: it is sure to provoke the displeasure of God, and ultimately to disappoint ourselves. On the contrary, an humble affiance in the Lord will secure to us his effectual aid: it will avail for the weakest of the human race, and prove sufficient under the most arduous circumstances. The testimonies of Scripture to this effect are numerous and decisive [Note: Jeremiah 17:5-8.]. In the passage before us God reproves the Jews for forming alliances with heathens; and, having derided their vain hopes, and declared the security of those who should trust in him, issues a solemn proclamation for the direction and comfort of his Church in all ages; “Thus saith,” &c.

In these words we behold,

I.

The character of God—

The perfections by which God is pleased to characterize himself in this place were peculiarly calculated to expose the folly of those whom ho was reproving, and to dispel the fears of those whom he designed to comfort. He mentions,

1.

His majesty—

[In delineating the greatness of any created being, we are enabled to convey some just ideas by comparing one thing with another; but in speaking of the Deity there is no room for comparison: the universe is but as an atom, and the whole period of its existence but as a point, before him. He is not only high and lofty, but exclusively “the high and lofty One.” He fills all space; he exists through an unsuccessive eternity. In attempting to declare him, we do but “darken counsel by words without knowledge.” There are indeed in Scripture some representations given us, whereby we may attain such knowledge of him as our weak capacities are able to recieve [Note: Isaiah 40:12; Isaiah 40:15; Isaiah 40:17; Isaiah 40:22; Isaiah 66:1.Psalms 104:1-3; Psalms 104:1-3. 1Ki 8:27.Jeremiah 23:21.]; but it is very little that we can conceive of him, through all the images in heaven and earth were exhibited in their brightest colours and in the most energetic language. The Scripture itself tells us that “his greatness is unserchable [Note: Psalms 145:3.] can we sum up our knowledge of him better than in those expressive woeds of Moses, “From everlasting to everlasting thou art God [Note: Psalms 90:2.].”]

2.

His holiness—

[The “name” is that whereby any person is known, and, us applied to God, comprehends every thing whereby he is known to men. The porfeetions of his nature, the works of his hands, the dispensations of his providence, and the declarations of his grace, all are holy [Note: Psalms 145:17. His hiding of his face occasionally, even from his dearest people, is no exception to this. See Psalms 22:1-3.]”. And us he is holy in himself, so he cannot endure any thing which is defiled by sin; “he is of pufer eyes than to behold iniquity [Note: Habakkuk 1:13.].” Indeed holiness is the very perfection that stamps a worth and excellence on all the other attributes of the Deity: without holiness his wisdom would be craft, his power tyranny, his mercy a weak, indiscriminate, or partial favour. Glorious as he is in every porfection, he is declared more especially to be so in holiness [Note: Exodus 15:11.]; and the angels in heaven make it the more immedinate subject of their incessant praises [Note: Isaiah 6:3.Revelation 4:8; Revelation 4:8.]. God himself is pleased to distinguish this perfection in a poculiar manner by making it the pledge of his fedelity in a most solemn oath [Note: Psalms 89:35.]; nor does he less surpass all created beings in holiness than he does in greatness and majesty: “There is none holy as the Lord,” says the Seripture [Note: l Sam. 2:2.]; and again, “Thou only art holy [Note: Revelation 15:4.].”]

But, notwithstanding he is so great, that “the heaven of heavens cannot contain him,” and so holy, that “the very heavens are not pure in his sight,” yet will he “humble himself to behold the things in heaven,” and to “dwell with men on the earth.” This will appear by considering,

II.

The objects of his love—

After the description which he has given of himself we shall not wonder that the great objects of his regard are,

1.

The holy—

[Heavon is a region of holiness, in which not even the angels, after they had transgressed, were suffered to dwell. All that remain there are holy as God is holy. The saints too that are around the throne are all “equal to the angels themselves [Note: Luke 20:36.].” Once indeed they were defiled by sin; but they were washed from their sin in the fountain of Christ’s blood; and were renewed after the divine image by the Spirit of their God. Amongst these God “dwells in the high and holy place;” and though “their righteousness cannot profit him,” yet he accepts the tribute of their praise, and scatters among them in rich profusion the tokens of his love. The cup of every one amongst them overflows with joy; and the “weight of glory,” with which their heads are crowned, is commensurate with their ability to sustain it. Hence is heaven justly called, “The habitation of his holiness and his glory [Note: Isaiah 63:15.].”]

2.

The humble—

[As God loveth holiness where it is perfect, so he loves the desire after it where it is yet imperfect. “The humble” are they who have a just sense of their weakness and sinfulness; and “the contrite” are they who deeply bewail their state before God. Not that they mourn merely on account of the judgments they dread; but principally on account of their having so debased their own souls, and so “grieved the good Spirit of their God.” Yea, if they be truly humble, they most of all lothe and abhor themselves, when they are most assured that God is pacified towards them [Note: Ezekiel 16:63.]. Such penitents, whatever they may have been in past time, are no less the objects of God’s favour than the angels themselves; yea, if there were but one such person to be found on the face of the whole earth, God would fix his eyes on him with pleasure and complacency [Note: Isaiah 66:2.]. He would listen to his groans with parental tenderness, and treasure up his tears in his vial, as the most valuable monuments of true contrition [Note: Psalms 56:8.]. He would bind up the wounds which sin had made, and pour the oil of joy and gladness into the disconsolate soul. Well he knows that nothing but his presence with the soul will fully satisfy its desires, or answer the purposes of his love: on this account he will lift up the light of his countenance upon it: as he formerly dwelt in the tabernacle by the visible symbols of his presence, so will he condescend to dwell invisibly in the contrite heart, making it his habitation, on purpose “that he may revive” and comfort it.]

This subject will enable us to rectify some mistakes which very generally obtain in the Christian world:
I.

That God is pleased with those who are pleased with themselves—

[It is common for moral and sober persons to think that God entertains as high an opinion of them as they do of themselves; and to despise the poor and contrite as weak enthusiasts. But what warrant have they for their presumptuous confidence? Can they find any declaration of God in their favour? Has he ever said that he would dwell with them? Even in heaven there are no self-admiring thoughts entertained either by men or angels [Note: The cherubim veil their faces and their feet while they serve God, Isaiah 6:2. And the glorified saints cast their crowns at the feet of Jesus, as unworthy of the honour conferred upon them, Revelation 4:10-11.]; how much less then can there be any ground for such a disposition on earth! The Scripture tells us, it was not the proud Pharisee, but the sell-condemning Publican that “went down to his house justified.” And to all eternity will it be found true, that “he who exalteth himself shall be abased, and that he alone who unfeignedly humbleth himself, shall ever be exalted.”]

2.

That a consciousness of guilt is a ground for concluding that God is our enemy—

[Sin doubtless renders us obnoxious to the Divine displeasure: but it is sin unrepented of, and not merely sin committed, that shall condemn us. “The broken and contrite heart God will not despise [Note: Psalms 51:17.],” and the more contrite we are, the more reason we have to hope that God is reconciled towards us. But there are some, who, contrasting their own meanness and sinfulness with the majesty and holiness of God, are ready to say, “There is no hope.” Let not such persons however be discouraged: for “though God be high, yet will he have respect unto the lowly [Note: Psalms 138:6.];” yea, he not only will dwell with such persons, but actually does dwell with them: this is God’s own assertion in the text; and it is our duty, as well as our privilege, to believe him.]

3.

That the exercise of serious and deep repentance will deprive a man of all the comforts of life—

[Repentance will doubtless deprive us of all pleasure in sin. But is there no other source of happiness than sin? May not all the gratifications of sense, and all the comforts of society, be enjoyed in a way of righteousness, as well as in the ways of sin? But even supposing we were deprived of these, would not the presence of God in our souls compensate for the loss of them? Is it nothing to have God “manifesting himself to us as he does not unto the world,” yea, “dwelling in us, and reviving us” with the consolations of his Spirit! or does a man stand in need of a taper, while he enjoys the light of the meridian sun? Away then with all ungrounded jealousies on this head. Let us seek to experience the comforts of religion, instead of ignorantly asserting that there are none to be found. And, instead of reprobating the communications of grace and peace to the soul as enthusiastic and absurd, let us pray that we ourselves may be “the temples of the Holy Ghost,” “the habitation of God through the Spirit” for ever and ever.]

Verses 17-18

DISCOURSE: 990
GOD’S MERCY TO THE HOST OBSTINATE SINNERS

Isaiah 57:17-18.—For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his hit ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, and to his mourners.

THE wickedness of man and the mercy of God mutually illustrate each other. There is no greater aggravation of sin than the circumstance of its being committed against a God of infinite goodness and compassion: nor is there any thing that magnifies the love of God more, than the unworthiness of the object towards whom that love is exercised. This observation is suggested to us by numberless passages of Scripture, in which a contrasted view of man’s depravity and God’s mercy is presented before our eyes: nor shall we ever find more ground for this observation, than in the words which we have just read. In this we may see,

I.

The controversy which God has with sinners—

Iniquity, however secret the commission, or specious in its appearance, is hateful and abominable in the sight of God—
[There is no sin more frequently concealed from the view of those who harbour it, than covetousness. It assumes the names of prudence and economy; and, under the semblance of a care for one’s family, is too generally regarded as a virtue. If it do not instigate us to the violation of common honesty, or totally deaden all the feelings of humanity, it is applauded by others, and serves as a foundation for self-approbation and self-complacency. But the love of money is the root of all evil [Note: 1 Timothy 6:10.]: it is a base lust, it is the vilest idolatry [Note: Colossians 3:5.]: it sets up mammon in preference to God; and must therefore of necessity provoke the Lord to jealousy. But we are not to confine our views to this particular sin: this indeed was predominant among the Jews, as it is amongst us; but it is here mentioned only as indicating the general depravity that prevailed amongst them.]

While God notices it with abhorrence, he shews, by many visible marks, his indignation against it—
[God is not an unconcerned spectator of iniquity: delighted as he is in exercising mercy, he is not inattentive to the demands of justice, or indifferent about the honour of his holiness. On the contrary, he is “wroth,” and justly wroth, with the workers of iniquity; nor does he fail to manifest his displeasure against them. He “hides himself” from them, withdrawing those gracious influences which he had at any time bestowed, and withholding those communications of light and strength, which he might otherwise have imparted to them. He “smites them” either with temporal or spiritual calamities. Perhaps he visits them with sickness in their own persons, or trouble in their families, or distress in their circumstances: and if they would inquire of God, they might find the cause of their calamities to be some hidden abomination which he is punishing [Note: See Act 12:23 and 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 11:32.]. Perhaps the judgments are rather of a spiritual nature: he “heweth them by his prophets,” and at the same time smites them with judicial blindness and obduracy [Note: Hosea 6:5.Isaiah 6:9-10; Isaiah 6:9-10. Exodus 14:4.]; he gives them over to their own delusions [Note: Isaiah 66:4.]; he seals them up under final impenitence and unbelief [Note: 2 Thessalonians 2:11.Romans 1:24; Romans 1:24; Romans 1:26; Romans 1:28.]. These strokes are terrible in proportion to the insensibility with which they are received; and the less the sinner’s apprehension of danger is, the more awful is the judgment inflicted on him.]

But Divine chastisements, unattended with the operations of grace, never produce the desired effect—
[Notwithstanding ten successive plagues, Pharaoh continued to harden his heart against God. Thus it is with sinners in general: they either relent not at all, or, like metal taken out of the furnace, relapse immediately into their former state of obduracy. For the most part, “though God strikes them, they will not grieve; though he even consumes them, they refuse to receive correction; they make their faces harder than a rock, and refuse to return [Note: Jeremiah 5:3.].” “They are mad upon their idols; so that though, like Ezekiel’s followers, they delight to hear the word, they will not do it, but still yield to the corrupt bias within them [Note: Ezekiel 33:31.]; too many of them, instead of being reclaimed by God’s chastisements, continue, like Ahaz, to trespass yet more and more against him [Note: 2 Chronicles 28:22.].]

Now then how shall this controversy be brought to a successful issue? it can only be in,

II.

The way which he takes to terminate it—

One might well suppose that God, who sees iniquity in all its aggravations, would give vent to his indignation by destroying those who commit it—
[On some occasions God has signally interposed to execute vengeance on the sinners of mankind [Note: Num 16:31-32. 1 Corinthians 10:1-10.]. And it is a miracle of mercy that he endures any with such long-suffering and forbearance. When he sees both his mercies and his judgments despised, and that his endeavours to reclaim sinners issue in nothing but disappointment, we might well expect him to swear in his wrath, that such daring transgressors should never enter into his rest.]

But he determines rather to save them by an exertion of sovereign and almighty grace—
[Jeremiah informs us, that, when God knew not, as it were, how to restore the backsliding Israelites, so as to put them among the number of his children, he adopted this resolution; “Thou shalt call me, my Father, and shall not turn away from me [Note: Jeremiah 3:19.].” Thus in the passage before us he says, “I have seen his ways, and (what? will destroy him utterly? No:) will heal him.” What marvellous condescension! what unbounded mercy! How should it melt the most obdurate heart! God will apply the balm of Gilead to the consciences of sinners; “he will heal their backslidings and love them freely.” Nay, further, he will take them by the hand, and however far they may have strayed, he will bring them back unto his fold, and “lead” them in safety to his heavenly kingdom. Nor will he leave them destitute even of present “comforts:” the peace and happiness, which they have in vain sought for in the ways of sin, he will give in the paths of righteousness und true holiness.]

It is to be remembered, however, that he will first make them “mourn” for their transgressions—
[While sinners continue obstinate, it is not possible that they should obtain favour with the Lord. God must altogether deny himself before he can receive the impenitent. He has declared that all must repent, or perish [Note: Luke 13:3.]; and that it is in a way of weeping and supplication that he will lead them to himself [Note: Jeremiah 31:9.]. It is the broken and contrite heart alone that he will not despise [Note: Psalms 51:17.]. He says, “Only acknowledge thine iniquity:” and when his time is come for subduing a sinner to the obedience of faith, he will “take away his stony heart, and give him a heart of flesh [Note: Ezekiel 36:26.];” he will first “give him repentance; and then remission of sin [Note: Acts 5:31.].” He will cause him to become a mourner in Zion; and then will give him beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness [Note: Isaiah 61:3.].]

This subject may lead us to observe,
1.

Of what importance it is to search out the hidden corruptions of our hearts!

[Covetousness is a sin of which scarce any persons in the world acknowledge themselves guilty: nor, however much they be under the power of it, do they see any occasion for humiliation before God, provided they be free from gross and scandalous offences. But the predominance of that, or any other vile affection in the heart, may fill God with wrath against us, and cause him to “hide his face” from us for ever, und to “smite” us with his heaviest judgments. Should we not then be afraid of “speaking peace to ourselves, when there is no peace [Note: Jeremiah 6:14.]?” Should we not beg of God to give us increasing views of those chambers of imagery, where ten thousand abominations lurk unseen [Note: Ezekiel 8:6-15.]? Should we not with all diligence search our hearts, to find whether there be any way of wickedness allowed within us [Note: Psalms 139:23-24.]? Let there be a holy jealousy in every breast: and let the utmost care be used, lest we deceive ourselves to our eternal ruin.]

2.

How necessary is it to notice the dealings of God towards us!

[If we meet with temporal afflictions, we should regard them as sent by God; and though they are tokens of love to his people, yet are they indications of wrath to his enemies; and, whether we be converted or not, they have a voice which it becomes us to hear with attention and reverence [Note: Micah 6:9.]. If we are visited with spiritual judgments, if God hides his face from us in the ordinances, and withholds the influences of his Spirit, we should still more earnestly inquire, wherefore God contendeth with us [Note: Job 10:2.]? Perhaps we should find that God is “wroth” on account of our pride, ambition, worldliness, or some other hateful lust; and that, as he would not hear the Jews even “when they made many prayers, because their hands were full of blood,” so some cursed abomination has provoked him to withdraw from us. If we perceive no particular trial, either temporal or spiritual, we must not even then conclude that all is well, since it is the very nature of spiritual judgments to blind the eyes, and sear the conscience, and harden the heart. Of this we may be sure; that whether our outward circumstances be prosperous or adverse, they are equally calls and invitations from God; and are intended as incentives to gratitude and humiliation. Let us then both notice and improve his works of providence and grace; let us improve them by obeying him that calls, and “turning unto him that smites us.”]

3.

How thankfully should we accept the present offers of his mercy!

[Now, notwithstanding all our “frowardness,” the voice of mercy sounds in our ears. But how vain will it be to wish for one such promise in the eternal world! God will not then say, “I will heal him;” but, “I have seen his ways, and will execute vengeance on him to the uttermost.” Now God would “comfort us” if we turned to him with “mourning;” but then, though we weep and wail ever so much, he will not vouchsafe to us one glimpse of his favour, or the smallest possible mitigation of our pain. Let us then entertain a grateful sense of his unspeakable kindness. Let us “turn to him with weeping and with mourning.” Let us humble ourselves in the dust before him; and pray, that, where sin has abounded, his grace may much more abound [Note: Romans 5:20.].]

Verses 20-21

DISCOURSE: 991
NO PEACE TO THE WICKED

Isaiah 57:20-21. The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

WE need not wait till a future life in order to discern the difference between the righteous and the wicked: it is plainly discoverable now in their conduct; nor is it less so in the inward frame of their minds. To a superficial observer indeed the wicked may seem to have the advantage; they being light and gay, while the righteous are often weary and heavy-laden: but God, who sees through the veil of outward appearances, affirms the very reverse of this to be true. We shall,

I.

Confirm this divine assertion—

There certainly is a kind of peace which the wicked may, and do, possess—
[By the “wicked” we are not necessarily to understand, those who are vicious and profane; but all persons who are not devoted to God in the habitual exercise of righteousness and true holiness. And when it is said that such persons have “no peace,” we must not imagine that they have no comfort or satisfaction in earthly enjoyments; for they are full of life and spirit; they shake off what they call melancholy; they banish all thoughts of God, and indulge in conviviality and mirth [Note: Isaiah 5:11-12.]; and, as far as animal gratifications can conduce to happiness, they are happy. Neither must we suppose them wholly destitute of what they mistake for peace: they often persuade themselves of the safety of their state, and in a very confident manner assert their relation to God as his children [Note: John 8:39; John 8:41.]. Having fixed the standard of duty according to their own mind; and finding that, for the most part, they attain to what they deem a sufficient measure of religion, they “speak peace unto themselves, when alas! there is no peace [Note: Jeremiah 6:14.]” —]

But of the peace of the gospel they are wholly ignorant—
[The peace, which our Lord gives to his faithful followers, and which he emphatically calls his peace [Note: John 14:27.], is very different from any thing which an unregenerate man has ever experienced. It consists in a well-grounded hope of acceptance through Christ;” and in “the testimony of our conscience” that we are walking agreeably to his mind and will. This peace is not a blind persuasion contrary to all the declarations of God’s word, but an humble confidence founded upon the sacred oracles, and a joyful expectation that God will fulfil his gracious promises. Now such a peace as this, the wicked never feel: they do not seek it; they would not even accept it upon God’s terms, because they would not submit to have their conduct regulated by his holy law: indeed they account the experience of it to be the height of enthusiasm, and suppose that they who profess to have attained it are actuated by pride, and blinded by delusion. Can it then be any wonder that such persons should never enjoy this peace themselves?]

The truth of this assertion will more clearly appear while we,

II.

Shew the grounds and reasons of it—

We need not look further than the text to find ample materials for confirming the declaration before us: for it asserts that the wicked are in a state absolutely incompatible with true peace. “Like the troubled sea they can never rest” by reason of,

1.

Depraved appetites—

[However eminent for piety men may be, it is certain they will find much occasion for sorrow on account of their inward depravity: but they strive to mortify their lusts; they resist them in their first rise; and pray to God for strength to subdue them: whereas the wicked, however moral they may outwardly appear, encourage the growth of their vile affections: instead of repressing inward impurity, they enjoy the company, they relish the conversation, they read the books, they frequent the amusements, which have a tendency to foster their corruptions; and, though from prudential considerations they impose a restraint on their actions, they will harbour evil thoughts without resistance and without remorse. The same may be said respecting their worldliness, their ambition, and every other evil appetite. As the Apostle says of the impure, that they have “eyes full of adultery, and that they cannot cease from sin,” so, whatever else be the predominant passion of their hearts, they cease not from the indulgence of it; but yield to it as far as they can consistently with the preservation of their character in the world. How then can they possess peace, whose hearts are so disturbed and defiled by their depraved affections? —]

2.

Ungoverned tempers—

[There is indeed a wonderful difference in the natural tempers and dispositions of men, insomuch that one person, notwithstanding his real piety, shall have much to conflict with, while another shall feel comparatively but little temptation to transgress. Still however, the righteous will have peace, because they labour to bring their minds into subjection to Christ, and apply to the blood of Christ fur pardon under every renewed failure; but the wicked have not peace, because they neither cry to the Lord to pardon their evil tempers, nor pray to him for grace to subdue them. Whatever be their besetting sin, they will fall into it as soon as ever a temptation occurs. Is it pride? they will be inflamed at the smallest insult or opposition; and, like Haman, feel no comfort in life, because they are not treated with all the reverence they think due to them [Note: Esther 5:9; Esther 5:12-13.]. Is it envy? they cannot endure to behold the success of a rival; but, like Saul, would be glad to hear that he were brought down, or even that he were dead [Note: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 1 Samuel 19:1.]. Is it covetousness? they shall have no enjoyment of all that they possess, because they have sustained a loss, or been, like Ahab, disappointed in their hopes of attaining something whereon their heart was set [Note: 1 Kings 21:1-4.]. Is it malice and revenge? they shall sometimes be so inflamed by the very sight of their enemy, or even by the recollection of the injury they have sustained, that their very blood shall boil within them, and their rest day and night depart from them. Now what room is there for peace in a bosom that is subject to such continual agitation; and which, like the sea, not only is disturbed by every wind, but the instant it is moved, “casts up nothing but mire and dirt?” —]

3.

An evil conscience—

[Much as they strive to shake off reflection about a future state, they cannot wholly dissipate their fears: in the midst of all their boasted confidence they have some secret misgivings: and if a sickness, which they expect to be fatal, come upon them, they cannot help wishing that their life had been differently spent, and that they might be spared to obtain a better preparation for their appearance before God. Sometimes indeed they do hold fast their delusions to the last, and “God gives them over to believe a lie:” but, for the most part, they both live under the accusations of a guilty conscience, and die under an awful suspense, a dreadful uncertainty about their eternal state. If at any time their minds be awakened to a sense of their true condition, they will tremble, like Belshazzar, when he saw the writing on the wall [Note: Daniel 5:5-6.], or, like Felix. when Paul reasoned with him about righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come [Note: Acts 24:25.]. Is it possible that peace should consist with such a state as this? Or need we any thing more to confirm the testimony of God respecting them, That they have no peace? —]

This subject cannot fail of suggesting to us,
1.

The bitterness of sin—

[Men live in sin under the idea that it will make them happy; but though they “roll it as a sweet morsel under their tongue, it proves the very gall of asps within them [Note: Job 20:12-14.].” It is that which robs us of all solid peace: it is that which renders us altogether incapable of peace, as long as it retains an ascendant over us. We may appeal to the consciences of all who are indulging sin, whether in heart or act. Have you peace? Do you know what it is to have “the love of God shed abroad in your hearts;” to have “the witness of his Spirit” testifying of your adoption into his family; and to look forward with pleasure to your appearance at his tribunal? We are sure that no unregenerate man whatever can answer in the affirmative. And why can he not? is it not on account of sin, sin indulged, sin unrepented of? See, then, brethren, what an accursed thing sin is, which robs you of all that is truly valuable; of pence in life, and hope in death, and happiness in eternity. And will you yet harbour it in your hearts? O flee from it as from the face of a serpent; and let it be the one labour of your lives to mortify and subdue it—]

2.

The excellency of the Gospel—

[Fatal as sin has proved to the present and everlasting welfare of thousands, the gospel offers a full and sufficient remedy. The words before the text are quoted by an inspired apostle in proof that Jesus is our peace, and that having made reconciliation for us through the blood of his cross, he preaches peace to them that are afar off, and to them that are near [Note: ver. 19. with Ephesians 2:13-17.]. Blessed be God, there is efficacy in the blood of Jesus to heal the wounds which sin has made: if it be sprinkled on our hearts by faith, it will purge us from an evil conscience, and speak peace to our souls [Note: Hebrews 10:22; Hebrews 12:24.]. Apply but that remedy, and you snail soon feel its transcendent worth and efficacy. “May the Lord of peace himself” reveal to you his truth, and “give you peace always by all means [Note: 2 Thessalonians 3:16.].” May you be so “justified by faith as to have peace with God;” and may that “peace of God which passeth all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus [Note: Philippians 4:7.]” —]