Gracious audience and answer to the requests prefented to God is entreated, by the confideration of the fhort space they had poffeffed the land appointed to be their inheritance. The posterity of Abraham, who were confecrated to the fervice of Jehovah, and denominated a holy nation, are doubtless the people here intended. They held the poffeffion of Canaan but for a little while, in comparison of the long time they have been exiled from that country. Though Joshua, the fon of Nun, conducted them thither, exterminated many of the inhabitants, and divided by lot that good land among the tribes of Ifrael, yet they did not enjoy it undisturbed until the reign of David their king. Under his goverment, they fubdued all the nations from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates, and conquered all that extenfive region. Not long after Solomon, the Son of David, mounted the throne of Ifrael, troubles began to arife, and in a little time the Lord cut them short, and fent into captivity those who inhabited the land fituated beyond Jordan. Afterward, Tiglath Pilezer fubdued those that dwelt in the northern parts of the land and carried them captive to Affyriat. In a fhort time the kingdom of Judah was vanquished, and great numbers were carried captives to Babylon, from whence many of them never returned. From all which circumstances the truth and justice of what is here faid plainly appears.

Our adverfaries have trodden down thy Sanctuary. The fanctuary may either denote the temple built on mount Zion, to the honour of Jehovah, which hath this defignation given to it, 2 Chron. xxix. 8.-Or it may fignify the land of Canaan at large, which bears this name in the fong of triumph, recorded Exod. xv. 17. In both fenfes, what is here affirmed is certain. Those who were adverfe to the peace and profperity of the pofterity of Ifrael, have not only deftroyed and buried in ruins the facred edifice, erected for the worship of the Lord God at Jerufalem,

2 Kings x. 32.

+ 2 Kings xv. 29.

Jerufalem, but they have debafed the ordinances inftituted among them; and reduced themfelves to great mifery and contempt, polluting, by idolatry and wickednefs, the land promised to their fathers. Hence the mournful complaint of the afflicted Church, when bewailing the alienation of their inheritance, the profanation of God's fanctuary, and the defolation of the beloved city. They have caft fire into thy fanctuary, they have defiled the dwelling-place of thy ⚫ name, cafting it to the ground.' When we reprefent in our prayers, (faith the pious Dr Horne, ⚫ commenting on Pfal. Ixxix. 1.) the fufferings and humiliation of the Church, we take an effectual ' method of wakening the compaffion, and recalling ⚫ the favour of heaven. Every redeemed foul is the ⚫ inheritance, the temple, and the city of God. • When fin enters and takes poffeffion, the inherit⚫ance is alienated, the temple defiled, the city defo•lated.'

19. We are thine, thou never barest rule over them, they were not called by thy name.

The diftinguishing privileges wherewith the child.' ren of Ifrael had been favoured, are adduced as another argument, whereby they entreat that God would regard their fupplications. We are thine, O Lord, not only by creation, but by redemption; thou gaveft men for us, and people for our life. We are thine alfo by profeffion, having folemnly avouched thee to be our God, and devoted ourselves to thy fervice. We are therefore encouraged to fupplicate, that thou wilt in mercy regard our prayers, and rescue us from the deplorable circumftances wherein we have long remained. Thou never bareft rule over them. Thou haft not exercised that paternal autho❤ rity over other nations, nor afforded them that kind protection which we have experienced in times paft. Or the words may intimate, We are become as those VOL. IV.

30

over

over whom thou never didft bear rule, being difperfed, neglected, and defpifed.-They were not called by thy name. The defcendants of Abraham and Jacob, under the former œconomy, were honoured with the appellations of the people, the servants, and children of God, and by these defignations they were diftinguished from all the nations of the earth. The expreffion may also import, that as God's name was not called upon them, fo they called not on his name, but lived without him in the world. We therefore look up to thee, (fay they) for that relief and deliverance which thou haft taught thy people to expect, and that we hope thou wilt in mercy beftow.-The intimate relation fubfifting between God and his peculiar people, fuggefts ftrong encouragement in their fupplications at the throne of grace. The Lord God is more ready to give good things to them that ask him than earthly parents are to give to their children. They may be poor, niggardly, or hard-hearted; whereas the treasures of our heavenly Father are inexhaustible, his liberality is unbounded, and his compaffions never fail. We are thine, we are called by thy name, and we call upon thy name, earnestly requefting that we may be faved, according to thy word, to the praise of thy glory.

PRELI

A

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

THE

HE portion of our prophet's fifth discourse, which is now to be confidered, exhibits, in ftrong colours, the peculiar care of Divine providence, manifefted toward great part of the Jewish nation. Fervent fupplications are prefented to Jehovah, that he would appear gloriously for their falvation, and gratify the expectations of mercy and favour, which they were taught to cherish under the new economy of grace, ver. 1-4.They next proceed to vindicate the ways of God, to acknowledge their fins and miferies; and, renouncing dependence on themselves, they take encouragement from the contemplation of the Divine goodness, ver. 5-7.—After which they deprecate the wrath of God, whereof they had felt the dreadful effects, humbly imploring his tender compaffion may be extended toward them, ver. 8, 9.

-The chapter concludes with a forrowful lamentation, and complaint of the calamities they had long fuftained, which are followed with an earnest entreaty, that God would extricate them from their afflictions, ver. 10-12.

CHAP.

CHAP. LXIV.

H that thou wouldst rent the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy prefence.

In the requests which are here presented to God, he is confidered as a great and powerful monarch, refiding amid ineffable fplendor and glory, having the heavens for his throne, from whence he is entreated to defcend, that he may illuftriously display his Divine excellencies in the falvation of his people. In other places of Scripture he is addreffed in fimilar figurative language, taken from the memorable condescending exertions of his power and providence, manifefted when he delivered his people from bondage in Egypt, and publifhed his law from mount Sinai. Thefe actions, which poffefs a confpicuous place in the history of the Hebrews, were accounted by them the moft fplendid and magnificent exhibitions of grace and omnipotence, and to them therefore they frequently allude. Indeed, the imagery borrowed from thefe illuftrious events is fo grand and fublime, that the human mind cannot conceive any thing more noble and dignified. In reference, then, to these wonderful appearances of Jehovah, he is requested to inflict righteous judgment on the enemies of his people, and to appear in his glory for their deliverance. The prayer, dictated in allufion to the tremendous fcene exhibited on mount Sinai, expreffes intense defires, that the Lord God omnipotent would manifeft his gracious prefence among them, and difplay his Divine perfections in their favour-That he would demonftrate his power and glory, by fuch providential difpenfations as might furmount every obftacle that lay in the way of their falvation, and afford them vifible proofs of his gracious regard.

* As in Pfal. xviii. 7, 8. and xcvii. §.

That