For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.
Ver. 5. For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire] Igneus qui et cominus arceat et eminus terreat (Theodor.). The Church (Christ's garden) may seem to lie open to all incursions and disadvantages; but as it hath a well within it, Song of Solomon 4:15, so it hath a wall without it, yea, round about it, better and stronger than that about Babylon, or Susa in Persia; the stones whereof were joined together with gold, as Cassiodorus testifieth. The Lacedaemonians were forbidden to wall in their city of Sparta; as being sufficiently fortified by the valour of the inhabitants. The Hollanders will not wall the Hague, though it have 2000 households in it; as desirous to have it counted rather the principal village of Europe than a lesser city. China is said to be surrounded with a strong wall of stone; and England with walls of wood, sc. a powerful navy. But what is all this (either for defence or offence) to a wall of fire? who dare venture to scale such a wall? It is not valour, but madness, to fight with a flame. Fire is terrible to the fiercest creatures, as lions, leopards. Shepherds and travellers were used to guard themselves by making great fires round about their night lodgings to keep off wild beasts. Some think the prophet alludeth to that custom; others, to the angels guarding of Paradise with a flaming sword, that is, saith Lactantius, with a wall of fire (Instit. lib. 2, cap. 13.) The Church may sit and sing, "We have a strong city: salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks," Isaiah 26:1. He "maketh his angels spirits, his ministers a flame of fire," Hebrews 1:7. These met and ministered unto Jacob at Mahanaim, making a lane for him, as the word importeth, Genesis 32:1. These fiery chariots and horsemen appeared for Elisha by whole legions, 2 Kings 6:17, and do still pitch their camp round about the godly, Psalms 34:7. (These are the watchmen over the walls of the new Jerusalem, and of the mountains about the same, Isa 62:6) Who, therefore, cannot but be safe, as being guarded by the peace of God within them, and by the power of God without them, through faith unto salvation.
And will be the glory in the midst of her] God is the Church's both bulwark and beauty; her muniment and ornament. His presence, his worship, his grace, his protection, is that tower in the midst of her, Isaiah 5:2, that golden head of the picture, that tower of the flock, and stronghold of the daughter of God's people, Micah 4:8. Hence the ark is called the glory, Romans 9:4,5, and all comforts without it but Ichabods, 1 Samuel 4:20. Hence Judea is called the glorious land; and heathens are brought in saying, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law?" Deuteronomy 4:6,8. Surely as Samson's strength and glory lay in his hair, so doth the strength and glory of our land consist in the true religion, and God's sincere service; which if it should be shaved and deprived of, though every shower were a shower of gold, saith a divine, every stone in the land a pearl, every beggar an honourable senator, every fool as wise as Solomon, every weakling as strong as Samson; yet our wealth, honour, strength, wisdom, and glory are gone, and we shall sing a doleful Miserere ditty with Phineas's wife, Ichabod, The glory of England is gone; for religion is gone.