troduction which I have read to you from the prophecy of Isaiah is very happily chofen.

If, as fome eminent commentators fuppofe, the prophet had any reference, in this paffage, to the return of Ifrael from Babylon into their own land, his principal object was › undoubtedly of much greater importance. Indeed their deliverance from captivity, and their state afterwards as a nation, do not appear to correfpond with the magnificent images employed in the following verses. For though they rebuilt their city and temple, they met with many infults and much орроfition, and continued to be a tributary and dependent people. I fhall therefore wave the confideration of this fenfe.

The eye of the prophet's mind feems to be chiefly fixed upon one august Personage, who was approaching to enlighten and blefs a miferable world; and before he defcribes the circumstances of his appearance, appearance, he is directed to comfort the mourners in Zion, with an affurance, that this great event would fully compenfate them for all their forrows. The ftate of Jerufalem, the reprefentative name of the people of God, was very low in Ifaiah's The people, who in the days of

time.

Solo

Solomon were attached to the fervice of God, honoured with fignal tokens of his prefence and favor, and raised to the highest pitch of temporal prosperity, were now degenerated, the gold was become dim, and the fine gold changed. Iniquity abounded, judgments were impending, yet infenfibility and fecurity prevailed, and the words of many were ftout against the Lord. But there were a few who feared the Lord, whofe eyes affected their hearts, and who mourned for the evils which they could not prevent. Thefe and these only were in strictness of speech, the people of the Lord, and to these the meffage of comfort is addreffed. Speak to Jerufalem comfortably, fpeak to her heart (as the Hebrew word is) to her very cafe, and tell her that there is a balm for all her wounds, a cordial for all her griefs in this one confideration, MESSIAH is at hand. In the prophetic style things future are described as present, and that which the mouth of the Lord has fpoken' of as fure to take place, is confidered as already done. Thus the prophet rapt into future times contemplates the manifestation of MESSIAH, the accomplishment of his great undertaking, and all the happy confequences

of his obedience unto death for men, as though he stood upon the fpot, and with John the harbinger of our Lord (whose appearance he immediately describes) was pointing with his finger to the Lamb of God that taketh away the fin of the world.

This comfortable meffage confifts of two parts. First, the removal of evil; her warfare is accomplished, her iniquity is pardoned. Secondly, A promise of good more than equivalent to all her afflictions; the hath received at the Lord's hand double for all her fins.

I. Two ideas are included in the original term, tranflated warfare.

1. A ftate of fervice connected with hardship, like that of the military life *.

2. An appointed time, as it is rendered in Job +.

These ideas equally apply to the Mofaic difpenfation. The spirit of that institution was comparatively a spirit of bondage, distance and fear; and the ftate of the church while under the law, is resembled by the Apostle to that of a minor, who though he be an heir, is under tutors and governors, and differeth but little from a fervant, until the time ap† Job vii. 1. and xiv. 14. pointed

* Numb. i. 3.

pointed of the Father *. The ceremonial law with respect to its inefficacy is styled weak, and with respect to the long train of its multiplied, expenfive, difficult and repeated appointments, a yoke and burden. But it was only for a prescribed time. The Gospel was defigned to superfede it, and to introduce a state of life, power, liberty and confidence. The blackness and darkness, the fire and tempeft, and other circumstances of terror attendant on the promulgation of the law at Mount Sinai +, which not only struck the people with difmay, but caufed even Mofes himself to fay, I exceedingly fear and quake, were expreffive of its defign; which was not to lead the people of Ifrael to expect peace and hope from their best obedience to that covenant, but rather to convince them of the neceffity of a better covenant established upon better promises, and to direct their hopes to MESSIAH, who was prefigured by all their facrifices, and who in the fulness of time was to make a complete atonement for fin, by the facrifice of himself. Then their legal figurative constitution would ceafe, the fhadows give place to the substance, and the true wor+ Heb. xii. 18-22.

* Gal. iv. 1-4

shippers

fhippers of God would be inftructed, enabled and encouraged to worship him in spirit and in truth; no more as fervants, but in the temper of adoption, as the children of God by faith in the Son of his love.

There is a confiderable analogy to this difference between the Law and the Gospel, as contradiftinguished from each other, in the previous diftrefs of a finner, when he is made fenfible of his guilt and danger as a tranfgreffor of the law of God, and the fubfequent peace which he obtains by believing the Gofpel. The good feed of the word of grace, can only take root and flourish in a foil duly prepared. And this preparation of the heart*, without which all that is read or heard concerning MESSIAH, produces no permanent good effect, is wholly from the Lord. The first good work of the Holy Spirit, upon the heart of fallen man, is to convince of fin. He gives fome due impreffions of the majesty and holiness of the God with whom we have to do, of our dependance upon him, of our obligations to him as our Creator, Lawgiver and Benefactor; then we begin to form our estimate of * Prov. xvi. 1. + John xvi. 9:

duty,