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who are convinced of the law as tranfgreffors. The Evangelif Luke hath trafmitted to us a valuable fpecimen of what is here affirmed*. Whilst he was infulted and tortured on the cross by his enemies, he uttered this compaffionate requeft: Father, for'give them, for they know not what they do.' The efficacy of this prayer was experienced by thousands, who, on the day of Pentecoft, were converted by the ministry of the apoftle Peter. This interceffion of Jefus Chrift, exemplified at confiderable length in the 17th chapter of John, is conducted by him for the most benevolent purposes, that tranfgreffors may obtain the remiffion of fins, that they may be kept from evil, that their prayers may be answered, their fervices accepted, and that the Comforter may be fent to abide with them continually.-Bleffed be the Lord God of Ifrael, who hath vifited and redeemed his people, and who hath performed the mercy promised unto the fathers. Let the praises of the Lord our God fill heaven and earth; let them Occupy the hearts, the mouths, and the lives of all in the churches of Jefus Chrift, who gave himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify us unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Chap. xxiii. 34.

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PRÈLI

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

HAV

AVING described, in the preceding part of this discourse, the profound abafement and complicated fufferings of the Meffiah, with their causes, circumstances, and confequences refpecting himself, Ifaiah proceeds in this chapter to delineate more particularly the fruits and effects of his obedience and paffion, to his afflicted, depreffed Church, that greatly needed to be comforted.-In the na ne of the Lord God, he exhorts them to lay afide the fadness and forrow wherein they had indulged tor long time, to be glad and rejoice, on account of the vaft increase of their numbers, and the large extenfion of their territories, ver. 1-3.-He then points out the foundation on which depend these and the other advantages they enjoyed, namely, their intimate relation to God, the invariable conftancy of his favour, and his unchangeable affection for his people, ver. 4-8.-The fubject is then amplified and illuftrated, by the extraordinary fymbol of the covenant into which God was pleafed to enter with his fervant Noah, ver. 9, 10.-This is accompanied with predictions and promises, delivered in figurative language, wherein, under various images, expreffive of beauty, ftrength, and magnificence, the Church are affured that they fhall be elevated to distinguished honour and dignity; that they fhall be favoured with Divine inftruction, internal tranquillity, and defence against their enemies, who might endeavour to moleft and diftrefs them, ver. 11. to the end of the chapter.

CHAP.

SING,

CHAP. LIV.

ING, O barren, thou that didst not bear break forth into finging, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the defolate, than the children of the married wife, faith the Lord.

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The Church of God are here called upon to exprefs their joy, in the strongest manner, on account of a happy change to be made in their condition. For a confiderable time prior to the death of the Meffiah, they had not brought forth spiritual children unto God, and, in refpect of the small number of the faithful who believed the promises made unto the fathers, they are faid to have been barren. They had not been honoured to produce a numerous fpiritual pofterity to the Lord Jefus Christ, nor had they experience of the pain and labours, which afterward they were acquainted with, when they travailed as in birth, until he was formed in them, until they became members of the household of God, and heirs of eternal life. In this forlorn state, they are invited to testify joy and gladness by every proper expreffion, fuch as grateful fongs of praife and triumphant exclamations, celebrating the riches of that glorious grace whereby multitudes were born to God.-What pleafing emotions arise in the devout mind from contemplating the agreeable alteration, fpecified as the ground of their exultation and joy.

For more are the children of the defolate, &c. These words are cited by the apoftle Paul, to confirm his affertion, that the mother of all Christians, whether called from among Jews or Gentiles, is the Jerufalem which is above, being far fuperior to the city that bare that name in the land of Ifrael.--That they VOL. IV. R Gal. iv. 27.

all

1

all belong to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem, to which the believing Hebrews had actually come, and wherein they refided, together with Jefus Chrift, their compaffionate Saviour. The Gentile Church, which had been early efpoufed to the Lord God, in the days of Noah and his faithful defcendants, are reprefented, by the defignation given them, as in a very forlorn condition. They had long been forfaken and left in the state of a defolate woman, who could not be expected to have children, until she was brought unto the family and houfe of her husband. After that memorable period expired here alluded to, the fpiritual children born to God from among the Jewish nation, which for ages had been folemnly joined in covenant to Jehovah, and whofe hufband he acknowledged that he was indeed, were very few in comparison of thofe who fprung up among the Gentiles. From them the Church received a large acceffion, a very numerous fpiritual progeny, far exceeding what had been known under the former difpenfation, as we learn from the hiftory of the Acts of the Apoftles. To the one hundred and twenty difciples that were in Jerufalem, by means of the apoftle Peter's two fermons there were added at least about five, probably eight thoufand fouls, who were foon joined by multitudes both of men and women. A great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed, vaft numbers were every where converted and added to the Church. In this manner was the prediction before us fulfilled, the confideration whereof ought to excite every Chriftian to gratitude, joy, and praise.

2. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them ftretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: fpare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes.

The

The extraordinary increase and enlargement of the Church, which was every where to be fpread abroad among the Gentiles, is exhibited under the beautiful, well-known emblem of a tent, that requires to be extended, in order to afford a cover to thofe who may come into it for fhelter. There is a manifeft allufion either to the heirs of promife, who anciently fojourned in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles, looking for a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God; or to the tents erected in eaftern countries, for the accommodation of the more opulent people, which are not deficient of any convenience requifite to the comfort of those who occupy them. Those who live in tents plainly fhew that they have not a fettled place of refidence, but expect afterward to arrive at a more permanent abode; that, notwithstanding they poffefs different apartments, they form but one community, which are thereby cherished and protected from the injuries that might befal them. On these, and other accounts, they afford an inftructive reprefentation of the ftate of the Church in this prefent world, who are required to enlarge the place of their habitation. Hitherto their limits had been circumfcribed to the land of Canaan, but now, on account of the vast acceffion of converts, their boundaries were to be greatly enlarged, their curtains, the peculiar privileges they enjoyed, were to be widely extended, and the means whereby they became established on the Divine Omnipotence and faithfulness, were to be fo extenfively diffused, that no place or nation on the face of the earth fhould be exempted from fharing in the benefits belonging to the kingdom of God.Spare not, &c. Withhold not faith and hope from the promises of Jehovah, which are fupported by his power and veracity; but, affured of their accomplishment, be not deficient either in the vigour or continuance of your efforts, for giving full effect to this encouraging exhortation; take heed that ye be

* Heb. xi. 9.

not

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