of the Holy Spirit, and rendered mild and peaceable, they shall familiarly feed together on the fame fimple provifion, and be nourished by the doctrines of the gospel, which fhall be most agreeable to their taste, and fuited to yield them fatisfaction.

And duft fhall be the ferpents meat. The ferpent, though beautiful, is a very fubtile, malicious, poífonous creature, and on these accounts may denote those who, though they affume an agreeable external appearance, are very artful and defigning men, lying in wait to deceive, and, under various fpecious pretexts, difcover implacable malice at the fervants of God, whom they endeavour to feduce into ruin, and to hurt by their deadly poifon. Such people shall have duft for meat; they fhall feed upon those things which are as incapable of yielding fubftantial fupport and real fatisfaction, as the duft of the earth. The expreffion may fignify, that the perfons intended shall in a fpecial manner, be fubjected to the curfe denounced Genefis iii. 14.-that they fhall be reduced to an ignominious condition, wherein they fhall experience the unfatisfactory nature of whatfoever they choose for their portion. Feeling the insupportable weight of the Divine malediction, acting under the deftructive influence of ignorance and error, inftigated by violent vicious propenfities, in a state of deep depreffion, they fhall have recourfe for fupport to the most trivial and contemptible objects.They fball not hurt nor deftroy, &c. To concludeThat the happiness of the kingdom of God may be complete, it shall be free from every pernicious, deftructive annoyance; the holy mountain of God fhall not be molested, or injured by fierce, infolent, and cruel enemies. And this agreeable security shall not be confined to fome particular place, but shall be extended to the whole large community of the faithful. To give certainty to the predicted events, and to excite the pleafing expectation of their accomplishment in due feason, thefe folemn words are added, Saith the Lord.-This prophecy, expreffed mottly in a negative

a negative form, comprehends more than it feems at first fight to include; and is intended to affure the fervants of Jefus Chrift, that the time approaches wherein they fhall be preserved from external violence and internal difcords, and be bleffed with the undisturbed enjoyment of all that is requifite to their felicity.Such, my brethren, are the new heavens and the new earth, which the Lord God hath promifed to create out of the diforders and confufions which abound among the nations of this world. This glorious, happy state of the Church of God, fhall be gradually introduced, and established by the omnipotence of Jehovah, whilst many alterations and defolations may precede the completion of this great work.

As

workers together with God, we befeech you to cooperate with him in the way of his providence, in attendance on his ordinances, and in the obedience of his commandments.-And may the Lord be with you, and never fail nor forfake you. Amen.

PRELI

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

OUCH is the connection and refemblance between

the portion of prophecy contained in the preced ing chapter, and that which is recorded in the one now to be confidered, that the latter may be viewed as the amplification and the illuftration of the former, Having foretold the rejection of the Jews, and the vocation of the Gentiles, laiah proceeds to obviate an objection, which might be urged in the profpect of these great events. It might be faid on the abolition of the Mofaic œconomy, that the magnificent temple built on mount Zion, which had been erected and repaired at an immenfe expence for the worship of Jehovah, would be neglected and the house deserted. The Lord God introduces the folution of this difficulty, by intimating that he hath a far more fuperb and glorious habitation, better fuited to his infinite Majefty and amiable condefcenfion, than a temple made with hands, ver. 1, 2.He then declares, that the facrifices prefented to him in that houfe by the wicked and hypocritical, were no lefs odious in his fight than the detestable crimes committed against the precepts of his law, on account of which awful judgements are threatened, ver. 3, 4.He next proceeds to comfort his upright worshippers, who for his fake had fuffered many injuries, inviting them to rejoice in the great fuccefs that attended the vocation of the Gentiles, which is spoken of in the figurative language of prophecy, ver. 5-9.-After which he exhorts his fervants, who love the profperity of his Church, to unite in teftifying their gratitude and joy for the abundance of precious bleffings wherewith he would enrich them, ver 10-14.—This is followed by an awful denunciation of terrible calamities, which fhall be inflicted on the wicked and disobedient, and an explicit affurance that he will bring his chofen people to the enjoyment of delightful intercourfe with himself

and

and their brethren, in the exercises of his worship ver. 15-21. In the conclufion, all the promises fcattered throughout these prophecies are ratified and confirmed by Jehovah, who folemnly teftifies, that in due time he will perfect the new heavens and the new earth, that the inhabitants of the world, behold. ing his glory, may be induced to honour and worship him who makes his Church a praise in the earth, ver. 22-24.

TH

:

CHAP. LXVI.

HUS faith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my reft?

The Lord God refolves the difficulty which might arife to fome people on being informed of the deftruction of the Jewish temple, and the abolition of their œconomy. The fubject is introduced by an expreffion that is truly fublime and full of majesty, which intimates his eternal, immutable existence, his infinite grandeur and magnificence. The words are quoted by Jefus Chrift in his fermon on the mount, when diffuading from profane fwearing. They are referred to by the first Chriftian martyr Stephen, in his difcourfe before his death t; and by the apoftle Paul, when preaching to the men of Athens t. They are not to be literally, but figuratively understood, as reprefenting the immenfity, fovereignty, and dominion of the Creator and Governor of the universe, whose presence fills both heaven and earth.-Heaven is my throne, where

Mat. v. 34, 35,

† Acts vii. 49. ‡ Acts xvii. 24.

my

my glorious excellencies are moft confpicuously dif played; where l exercise my authority over the universe; where my fervants fee my face, and, with unceafing delight, celebrate my praises; and where they participate of the most refined pleafures and joys. How exquifitely beautiful and fplendid that throne which is fo nobly adorned, and illuminated by confummate wisdom, and where perfect happiness and harmony reign for ever! Had we even the diftant profpect of viewing this royal refidence of the Moft High, curiofity and expectation fhould excite vigorous endeavours to attain this diftinguished honour.

And the earth is my footstool, entirely under my fubjection and at my difpofal, which I use according to my good pleasure, and where lefs brilliant manifeftations of my prefence and glory are exhibited. The universe, comprehending the heavens and the earth, is my habitation, the immenfe theatre whereon I display, in different ways and degrees, my excellency and majefty.-Whilft we admire the conveniencies and beauties of the footftool of Jehovah, whereon we refide, let us beware of clinging to it with our best affections, of rejoicing in it as our portion, or mourning for the lofs of earthly things, as if our chief felicity were gone, and thus render them impediments in our way to the heavenly manfions. Let us often elevate our thoughts to the throne of God; let us approach him with humility and reverence; let us walk before him circumfpectly and unblameably, and obey him with alacrity and cheerfulness.

Where is the house that ye build unto me? This queftion was anciently directed to hypocritical profeffors among the Jewish people, who, having decorated the temple, which of old was confecrated to the worship of Jehovah, rejected the glorious gospel of the Son of God, unconcerned to get their hearts purified by faith, and to have their lives governed by his laws. To perfons of this description, whose minds were occupied about the grandeur of the material temple, little folicitous as to the adorning of the hid

den