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Vers. 19. Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corne, and wine, and oile; and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen.
The second promise sheweth, that in answer to their prayers, he will provide liberally for them in things of this present life, to their satisfaction, and the taking away of their reproach. Whence
learn, 1. God will prove his affection to penitents by reall effects, and may answer them in the very particular which they seeke, when it good for them; And particularly, he may give plenty to them, to let them see that piety is the shortest cut, even to do well, outwardly; for so much is held out in this promise subjoyned to the former, wherein he satisfieth their desire, and evidenceth his jealousie and pitie. I will send you corne, and wine, and oile. 2. Mercies unto penitents and supplicants are twice mercies, both in themselves, and in that they are the answer of prayers, and do evidence his love to them, and interest in them; for so this mer∣cie cometh, the Lord will answer and say, and that unto his peo∣ple. 3. Mercies are also sweet, when we see Gods hand in them; And it is especially to be remarked, when he who formerly had smitten, begins to deale favourably, and when his hand makes an admirable change from great distresse and want, to great abun∣dance. Therefore doth he owne this mercie, and prefix a behold to it; Behold I send you c••rne &c. 4. Penitents get their mercies first by promise, that so their faith may be tried, and they may have the advantage of spiritual exercise, even about tempo∣ral favours; And that the mercie, when it cometh, may be so much the sweeter unto them: Therefore is their plenty first held out in a promise, I will send, (or, I am sending) you corne, &c. 5. Penitents mercies will be satisfactorie, by their getting abun∣dance of them, or a blessing with what they get, and by their con∣tentment and quiet of minde with what they enjoy, which the simple favour of it self could not produce, for, and ye shall be satis∣fied therewith. 6. As reproach is a very sad affliction, especial∣ly when it ariseth upon Gods hard dealing, giving occasion to e∣nemies to be insolent; So however the Lord will smite his impe∣nitent people, and see to his own glory another way; Yet in due time, he will take away the visible marks of his displeasure from penitents, and so remove the occasion of their reproach; There∣fore, albeit before this time, he had justly given them over to the sad trial of reproach, yet now he promiseth, I will no more make you a repraach among the heathen.