plications before him, and bleffed his name who made heaven and earth. They extolled and praised him with pfalteries, harps, and cymbals, and in songs compofed by the fweet fingers of Ifrael, Mofes, Deborah, David, Afaph, and others.-This house was burnt up with fire, which was thrown into it by fome of the foldiers in the army of Titus, after the first and second temple had ftood about 1130 years.-And all our pleafant things are laid waste. Our pleasant land, which was the glory of all lands, our fumptuous houses, wherein refided the gay and affluent, our rich vineyards, gardens, and fields, our goodly furni ture, and the coftly utenfils belonging to the temple, with our pleasant acquaintances and friends-These, all thefe, are laid wafte and deftroyed. Juftly may we fay the joy of our heart is ceafed, our dance is turned into mourning; the crown is fallen from our head; wo unto us that we have finned *..

12. Wilt thou refrain thyfelf for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very fore?

The penitent Jews conclude their fupplications by humbly expoftulating with God, that he would confider their defolate condition, and arife and plead their cause. Wilt thou, O righteous Judge of all the earth, decline any longer to appear for our deliverance, now that thy beloved land is defolated, thy cities laid wafte, thy temple buried in ruins, and thy once highly-favoured people fcattered among the nations, under evident tokens of thy displeasure? Shall the injuries and the contempt they have fuffered for a long period remain longer unnoticed by thee, to whom belongeth recompenfe?-Wilt thou hold thy peace, and not interpofe in behalf of the pofterity of thy fervants, after having obferved them and their interefts defpifed and trampled upon for many ages? Hold not thy peace, O God of our praise; speak and

Lam. v. 15, 16.

act,

act, we beseech thee, for the conviction of our adverfaries, and the relief of thy afflicted people, and let us not evermore be the objects of fcorn and derifion, We prefume not to prefcribe what thou shouldest fay, or what thou fhouldeft do. We leave these things entirely to thy infinite wisdom and righteoufnefs; but this we earnestly request, that thou wilt not afflict us, very fore for a long period of time. Build up Jerufalem, gather together the outcasts of Ifrael. O Lord our God, turn our captivity, and have compaffion upon us; return and gather us from all the nations whither thou haft scattered us*.

Deut. XXX. 3.

PRELI

TH

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

-Our

HE penitent among the Jews having complained to Jehovah of the feverity of his judgments toward them, he is introduced in this chapter, vindicating the ways of his providence, and defending the confummate rectitude of his difpenfations. He begins by fhewing, that he had invited into the communion of his Church thofe heathen nations which had not hitherto called upon his name, from whence might be clearly evinced his infinite readiness to fhew mercy to tranfgreffors-And that the people who had been called by his name, by forfaking him, and obftinately perfifting in horrid wickedness, in abominable idola. tries, and deteftable hypocrify, became the objects of his righteous vengeance, and are fet forth as an example of his juft feverity againft fin, ver. 1-5. The reafons of this Divine procedure are next specified, which display at once the riches of his grace, and the righteousness of his adminiftration, ver. 6, 7.prophet then proceeds to fhew, that all the pofterity of Abraham were not to continue under the wrath of the Almighty, that a remnant of them, according to the election of grace, fhould be faved, to whom the promises made to their progenitors were to be accomplished, ver. 8-10-To convince the perfidious and incorrigibly wicked of the atrocity of their crimes, he difcribes the awful punishment which they are destined to fuffer, ver. II, 12.After which he reprefents, by a ftriking contrast, the remarkable difference of the ftate of the upright worshippers of Jehovah, and that of the idolatrous, fuperftitious, and wicked; in confequence whereof the name of God was to be honoured over all the earth, ver, 13—16.The chapter concludes with an elegant defcription of the felicity and glory of the Church of God, when he fhall difclose the riches of his grace, and liberally confer upon them the most precious benefits, ver. 17-25.

CHAP.

I

CHAP. LXV.

am fought of them that asked not for me: I am found of them that fought me not: I faid, behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

The Lord God justifies his procedure in calling the Gentiles into the communion of his Church. The apostle Paul quotes these words, with fome variation, in his epiftle to the Romans *, when treating of the vocation of the Heathen to the enjoyment of the privileges contained in the gofpel. The apoftle thus introduces the citation: Efaias is very bold, and faith, I was found of them that fought me not; I • was made manifeft unto them that afked not after 'me. Our prophet, endowed with a noble, heroic fpirit, and acting with undaunted intrepidity in the fervice of God, afferted the truth before us, notwithstanding he well knew the Jews could not endure with patience this doctrine, at which they were greatly offended. The philofophers among the Gentile nations were engaged in fearching for the wifdom of this world, that cometh to nought. The common people were employed in pursuing earthly objects, fuited to gratify their corrupt inclinations; whilft thofe who pretended to more religion than others, were occupied in attending to fuperftitious rites and foolifh ceremonies. God was not in all their thoughts; for, according to Divine teftimony, there is none that ⚫ understandeth and feeketh God t. None that feeketh him with the whole heart, with fervour and diligence, as he requires. Though he fent them rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, and filled their hearts with food and gladness, that they fhould feek him, if haply they might feel after him and find him, they knew him not, nor glorified him as God. ↑ Pfal. xiv. 2.

Chap. x. 20.

But

But after it pleased God to reveal himself to them by the miniftry of the gospel, and to pour out his Spirit from on high, what a mighty change enfued. Sinners of the Gentiles fought, with earneftness and affiduity, acquaintance with the word and falvation of the Lord, and inquired early after God.

I am found of them that fought me not. Such is the aftonishing goodness and grace of Jehovah, that he hath manifested himself to those who asked not for him, and who were not folicitous about his falvation. The Divine conduct toward the heathen nations verifies this comfortable truth; and memorable inftances of individuals, who experienced this mercy, are record. ed in Scripture, and impreffed on the minds of many, which ferve to illuftrate and confirm what is here af ferted. Need I mention Saul of Tarfus, and Zaccheus the publican, as having found that falvation which they did not feek to obtain. Indeed the fountain of mercy was disclosed when we enquired not for it, and the refreshing streams iffuing from that bleffed fource are fometimes conveyed to those who seldom, if ever, requefted the benefits they impart.-If the Lord is found of them that fought him not, if he answers before they call, what may not be expected by those who afk, and feek, and knock. Seek then, brethren, the Lord with earneftnefs and importunity, affured that they who are thus employed, shall not want any good thing *.

I faid, behold me, &c. The Lord, having manifested himself to the heathen world, repeatedly calls upon them, by the miniftry of the word, to fix their attention upon him. Turn away your minds from every object that would attract your thoughts, and steadily contemplate the glorious proofs I have fet before you of my infinite majefty and adorable grace, who, though highly exalted above all bleffing and praife, waits to be gracious, and exalted in fhewing mercy. Acquaint yourselves with me, and be at peace, and thereby good shall come unto you. Look unto me, all the ends

Pfal. xxxiv. 10.