Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 54:10

10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed , but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD, that hath mercy on thee .

Which hath been verified in some Mountains and Hills, that by Earth-quakes, or otherwise, have been removed from their places. But these kinds of absolute expressions are oft times comparatively understood, of which see on Isa. 51. 6. and so the sense is, The Mountains shall sooner depart from their places, than my kindness shall depart from thee. As when it is said absolutely, I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice, it is meant comparatively, I desired Mercy more than Sacrifice, as it is explained in the following clause.

That covenant whereby I have made Peace and Friendship with thee, and have promised unto thee all manner of happiness▪ which frequently comes under the name of peace in Scripture. The sense of the place is, That God will not cast off his Christian Church, as he did cast off the Church of the Jews; and that the New Covenant is established upon better and surer Promises than the Old, as is observed Heb. 8. 6, 7, &c. and elsewhere.

Who doth thus with thee not for thy own merits, but meerly for his own Grace and Mercy.

Marginal references: Ps. 46. 2. Mat. 5. 18.