Isaiah 3:26

REFLECTIONS

READER, while these humbling views of Israel's transgressions are before us, let us bring home the affecting subject to our own hearts, and we shall find cause to cry out with the apostle: Are we better than they? No! in no wise; for the scripture hath concluded all under sin. We all partake in one common fallen nature, which in no instance, either in Jew or Gentile is free from sin. Reader, it is profitable at the reading of every chapter, and upon every renewed view of the subject, to have this in remembrance. May God the Holy Ghost, give us both to see and to know, and to have grace to make such improving reflections upon all we read concerning sin, that our own hearts may be affected in the consciousness of our own transgressions, while reading of the transgressions of others, and in the general punishment, when the Lord of Hosts doth at any time take away the stay and the staff; our bread and our water; not of the necessaries of life only, in the bread that perisheth in using, but of the spiritual life, without which, we perish forever: may we hear the rod; and who hath appointed it! Blessed Lord! let all thy chastisements be sanctified, and lead our hearts to thee, and not from thee; for thou art the Lord our God, amidst all our rebellions and all our backslidings.

And, Lord, in all thy dispensations, such as this chapter sets forth to thine Israel, still manifest thyself to us, as thou didst to them, that thou art the God of Israel, and hatest putting away. And though the departure from our God is general, in which the mighty man and the man of war, the child, and the ancient, are all alike involved in the transgression; and though the brother of the house of our Father after nature, cannot heal, neither clothe, nor be our ruler; yet, precious Jesus, thou art a brother born for adversity: therefore be thou, our ruler, and let all our ruin be brought under thy hand, and we shall be saved.

And will the Lord give grace to the daughters of Zion of the present hour, that while reading, in the conduct of those of the ancient house of Israel, the immodest conduct which became so offensive in the eyes of the Lord, they may have grace to make use of an apparel, suited to the humble followers of the blessed Jesus. Lord! give everyone among those, who name the name of Jesus, to study a modesty of dress suited to the Christian profession, and may they be adorned as the King's daughter, all glorious within. Oh Lord! do thou clothe our souls with thy robe of righteousness, and we shall be then but little concerned how our sinful bodies are adorned: but having, food and raiment, be content. Lord, do thou enable us all to put off the old man, which is corrupt, according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind: And do thou put on us the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.