TH PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. HE Lord God having fharply reprimanded, by our prophet, his profeffing people, for the fins they had committed in his worship, and inculcated, by the most forcible motives, the fanctification of the Sabbath, he proceeds to reprefent the enormous crimes that prevailed among them at the period to which he especially refers, ver. 1-8.-This defcription is followed by mournful complaints of the deplorable confequences with which their iniquities were attended, that rendered their condition truly forlorn, and feemingly almost paft recovery, ver. 9— 15. When in these diftreffing circumftances, and the Church apparently stood on the brink of ruin, expecting nothing but immediate deftruction, unless extraordinary Divine interpofition prevented, the Son of God, their Saviour and avenger, appears for their deliverance, ver. 15, 16.- -This glorious and mighty One is introduced as an illuftrious hero, furnished for the enterprize with fuitable clothing and armour, prepared to decide the controverfy between the Church and their adverfaries, and to execute awful vengeance on those who oppreffed them, ver. 17, 18. -In confequence of this event, a large acceffion was to be made to the Church of God, by the converfion of the Gentiles throughout the world, whilst the enemies of his kingdom fhould be effectually oppofed by eminent men, who were to be raised up by the Spirit of God, ver. 19-The chapter concludes with an explicit affurance, that the great Redeemer would make himself known to his fervants by his power and prefence; that his word and covenant, with the operations of his Spirit, were to be perpetuated throughout all ages, ver. 20 and 21. CHAP. CHAP. LIX. BE EHOLD, the Lords hand is not shortned, that it cannot fave; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. The first part of this chapter I confider as premarily directed to the Jewish Church under the Old Teftament, delineating the corrupt ftate to which they were reduced not long after their return from captivity at Babylon. I confider it alfo as addreffed especially to the Church of Jefus Chrift under the new œconomy of grace, reprefenting their deplorable condition fome time after their egrefs from mystical Babylon, when, their zeal having abated, they gradually fell into the practice of enormous crimes, which were fucceeded by manifold calamities. In this forlorn state, they are affured, that the true cause why they were not affifted and delivered was not any deficiency in the power of Jehovah, who is omnipotent and unchangeable. Think not that the everlasting God, the Lord, who, with a ftrong hand and stretched-out arm, wrought redemption for his people of old, is now become faint, that his ftrength is impaired or exhausted, and that he cannot rescue you from the evils in which you are involved: he is as perfectly able now to effect falvation for his people as in any former period of time. This reviving truth you ought attentively to contemplate and review. Imagine not, that the reason why he hath not granted your requests, is becaufe he hath not hearkened to your prayers.-Neither is his ear heavy that it cannot bear. The omnifcient God is perfectly well acquaint with your neceffities and fupplications, and is always ready to afford relief to thofe who call VOL. IV. Rr upon upon him in truth. He hath heard the prayers offered to him in all generations, nor does he now difregard the defires of the humble, but is ftill as willing to answer their requests as in any former age. If then your petitions are not granted, this is not to be attributed to any laffitude or deficiency of knowledge, power, or compaffion in the bleffed God. The reafon must be fought for in yourselves-there you may find it; and, left you perceive it not, it is specified in the following words. 2. But your iniquities have feparated between you and your God, and your fins have hid bis face from you, that he will not hear. The tranfgreffions of the people of God are the real cause why he doth not anfwer their fupplications, and fend them deliverance. Such trying dif penfations are not to be afcribed to his inability to fave, to his incapacity to hear, or to his averfion to effect your deliverance, but they proceed from your trefpaffes, which feparate between you and your God that you profeffedly worship, who hath been your protector and guide, your inftructor and deliverer, who hath given you all the good things you ever received or do enjoy. Like a thick cloud, which intercepts the rays of the fun, and hinders them from extending their benign influence to the objects whose profperity and fruitfulness are thereby promoted, the fins of men, which are oppofite to light, truth, and equity, coming between God and them, prevent the comfortable enjoyment of the Divine favour, and the aniwer of their prayers. And your fins have bid bis face from you. The face of God may denote his gracious countenance, whereby he manifefts his good will and kindness toward his people, and affords them pleafant difplays of his grace and glory. This is hid when difpleasure appears in his difpenfations, when he withholds the teftimonies of his love and tender regard, when he conceals from their view the defigns of his operations, and the purpofes he is about to accomplish-When he delays to fend answers to their prayers, and withholds the communications of his mercy, and the confolations of his Spirit, which impart fatisfaction and joy to the mind. Sins are the procuring causes of all these bereavements and diftreffes; they separate between you and God, the infinite, eternal fountain of all good; they diffolve the intimate union that fhould fubfift between God and the creature, and effectually prevent the enjoyment of the good things which God is ever ready to impart to the obedient and faithful. Aban don then all your iniquities, which, if perfifted in, will terminate in your final feparation from the prefence of the Lord, and the glory of his power, according to the awful fentence which fhall be pronounced on impenitent tranfgreffors at the day of judgment. 3. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity, your lips have fpoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverfeness. This, and the five following verses, contain a moving defcription of the prevailing fins, which provoked God to hide his face from his people.Inftead of clean hands, washed from wickednefs, they are polluted with the innocent blood which you have ini quitoufly fhed. The expreffion may refer to those unjuft wars, reciprocal injuries, and acts of violence, wherein human blood had been fpilt. Every fin contaminates and corrupts the minds of men; but of all the crims committed against man, murder contracts the deepest defilement, and leaves on the conscience an indelible stain; it expofes to awful judgments, and fo pollutes the land wherein it is committed, that it cannot be cleanfed but by the blood of him that that shed it. And your fingers with iniquity. By fraudulent tranfactions and violent dealing, you have deprived others of their juft rights, and alienated their property from the purposes to which it was deftined. Your actions and aims have been directed to accomplish the most iniquitous defigns-Your lips have spoken lies, which are an abomination to the Lord, who poffeffes unchangeable veracity, and who hath ftrictly prohibited falfehood and deceit. In your discourses, difputes, and converfations, instead of ftudying moderation, equity, and candour, you have misrepresented thofe from whom you differed in fentiment, you have treated them with hatred rancour, and envy; you have traduced their character, and charged them with fupporting erroneous opinions, by frivolous arguments, and imputed to them confequences they rejected with abhorrence.-Your tongue bath muttered perverfenefs. You have privately faid things inconfiftent with reafon, truth, and juftice. Regardless of the authority of God, the reproofs of providence, and the remonftrances of confcience, you have frowardly endeavoured to counter. act the order the Moft High hath established, to calumniate his fervants, and to blend pernicious errors with facred truths. 4. None calleth for juftice, nor any pleadeth for truth they truft in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Our prophet proceeds in the enumeration of the fins that were prevalent among those that profeffed to be the people of God.-Juftice, which confifts in giving to every one his own, is an excellent virtue, which produces the moft falutary and valuable fruits. This complaint intimates, that justice had in great measure deferted the Church, that there were but very few that defired her return and refidence among |