Isaiah 37

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XXXVII.—The best way to battle the malicious designs of enemies is to be driven to God and our duty by them. And the greatest ought to engage the prayers of Christ’s ministers and saints in their favour. The more pinching our distresses, the more earnest ought to be our supplications. The weakest hopes of mercy should encourage, and the fearful reduction of God’s people should excite us to that duty. When we are ready to despair, God can eminently magnify his power and grace in our deliverance.—God’s proud enemies may hiss against his people, but they cannot hurt them.—And they who attempt to terrify them from their holy profession will soon be made a terror to themselves. Those who delight in war shall have enough of it at last; and their terrors do but presage their ruin. Success ordinarily hardens men in their evil ways, and renders them more and more deliberate in blasphemy. Earnestness and liberty in prayer is of infinite importance in a time of danger. And believing views of God’s leading characters powerfully encourage distressed minds. If he give us inward satisfaction in his promise, we may bear with every possible abuse from men. All our fears of great destroyers ought to drive us to the great God our Saviour: and, when we plead his glory in our own behalf, he will quickly answer our prayers, and manifest that he takes all the injury done to us as done to himself. He will shew himself at once a kind benefactor and almighty protector, who takes notice of all the motions, projects, and speeches, of our enemies. And such as magnify themselves against him and his people do but render themselves contemptible. They will find that there is no standing before his judgments, when they come with his commission to destroy. 2