e प 24 Therefore, as the fire devoureth || behold, they shall come with speed swiftly. the stubble, and the flare consumeth the chaff; so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. h 16. Am. 2:9. g 1 Sam. 15 23,26. 2 Kings 17: Ps. 50:17. 14,15. Neh. 9:26. Jer. 6:19. 8:9. Luke 7:30. Jobn 12. 48. Heb. 10:28, 29. 30:12. 2 Sam. 12:9,10. Luke 10:16. Arts 13:41. 1 Thes. 4:8. i Deut. 31:17. 32:19 22. Kings 13:3. 22:13-17. 2 Chr. 33 16. Ps. 106:40. Lam. 2:1 16.4. 21:24. 2 Kings 9:37. Ps. m 9 12,13,17,21. 10.4. Lev. 26: n 11:12. 18:3. Jer. 51:27. clear the guilty, and to condemn the righteous; 27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them; none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken. 28 Whose "arrows are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: 29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea, they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none shall deliver it. s 11:5. 45:1,5. 1 Kings 2:5. Job u Ps. 45:5. 120:4. Jer. 5:16. Ez. x Judg. 5:22. Jer. 47.3. Mic. 4: y 31:4. Gen. 49 9. Num. 24:9. Mic. 5:8. a Ps. 93.3.4. Ps. 50:22 Jer. 6:23. 50:42 Ex. 10-21-23. b 8:22. 13:10. Jer. 4:23-28. Lam. 3:2. Ez. 32:7,8. Joel 2: 10. Am. 8:9. Matt. 24:29. Luke 21:25,26. Rev. 6:12. 16:10,11. Or, distress. Or, when it is light it shall be dark in the destructions there of. The flame, &c. (24) "The tongue of fire." thus depriving him of the benefit of his right-(marg.) The flame, because it is in the shape eousness, and treating him as a criminal. of a tongue, and so it is called metaphorically. (Notes, 28:7,8. Ex. 23:6-9. Prov. 24:23--25. The disparted tongues, as it were, of fire, 31:4--7. Am. 2:6--8. Hab. 2:15-17.) (Acts 2:3.) which appeared at the descent of V. 24, 25. On account of all these enor-the Holy Spirit on the apostles, give the sanie mous crimes, and because the people had de-idea; that is, of flames shooting diversely into spised, and contemptuously rejected, the law pyramidal forms, or points like tongues.... The of God, and his messages by the prophets; prophet has in this place given the metaphor he denounced most tremendous vengeance its full force, in applying it to the action of against them, which would consume them as 'fire, in eating up and devouring whatever "the tongue of fire" does the stubble and chaff; 'comes in its way, like a ravenous animal, (marg.) and waste them as the blossom with- 'whose tongue is principally employed in takers and vanishes, when the root of the plant 'ing his food.' Bp. Lowth. is become rottenness; alluding to the simile of V. 26-30. This animated description seems "a pleasant plant:" (Note, 7.) and their man- to predict the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, gled dead bodies would be cast out and be as rather than that of Sennacherib.--When the dung (marg.) in the midst of the streets.-The Lord iifted up his ensign, or gave the signal, first calamities by the Syrians and Israelites, as by a hiss or whistling sound, the executionin the reign of Ahaz, may be here intended, ers of his vengeance would come, with inconwhich were so terrible, that the hills trembled: ceivable celerity, from the most distant counand perhaps they were attended by earth- tries: (Note, 7:17--19.) being eager for the quakes. (Notes, 7:1,2,4-6. 2 Chr. 28:5--8.) expedition, and being prospered by God him"The mountains and the earth itself are often self, they would meet with nothing to retard 'said to tremble at God's judgments; (See Jer. them, and would lose no time through indo'4:24. Mic. 1:4. Hab. 3:10. Ps. 77:18. 114:7.) lence or weariness. 'As the scoffers had 'which expressions allude to the trembling of challenged God to make speed and hasten his 'mount Sinai, when God came down upon it; 'work of vengeance; so God now assures (Er. 19:18.)... and because these particular 'them, that with speed and swiftly it shall Judgments are an earnest of the general come.' Bp. Lowth. (Note, 18,19.) Being fuljudgment, when the whole frame of the worldly armed for the battle, their horses' hoofs, 'shall be dissolved.' Lowth. (Notes, Ex. 19: (which were not then shod with iron, as in 16--20. Hab. 3:3-10. Rev. 20:11-15.) The modern times,) should be wonderfully preterrible attendants and effects, however, of served, as if made of flint, and their chariots these judgments, failed of bringing the people should run with the rapidity of a whirlwind; to repentance; and they were insufficient to their rage and boldness would resemble those appease the righteous indignation of God: in- of lions, young or old, or lionesses, and they somuch, that he predicted still further and would meet with no effectual resistance, when more dreadful vengeance, in that remarkable they came to seize upon their prey. In short, and often repeated clause, "For all this his an- they would be as terrible to the Jews, as the ger is not turned away, but his hand is stretch-roaring of the sea to the shipwrecked maried out still." (Marg. Ref.-Note, 9:13—17.) ner; who looking towards the land can see no way of escape, and who is surrounded with || from popery, that the awful sentence may not PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. V. 1-7. V. 8-17. grow rich with rapidity, and add one possesMen are commonly deemed happy, who sion to another, as if they would appropriate the whole earth. But covetousness is idolatry: and it is generally attended by fraud and oppression of the poor, which God abhors; and whilst many envy the prosperous wretch, the Lord denounces an awful woe upon him. Providence may, perhaps, deprive him of his wealth, or render it a burden to him: God, however, will speedily require his soul, and then whose will all his riches be?-Nor are the luxurious and intemperate less obnoxious to divine vengeance. Notes and P. O. Luke 12:13 -21. 16:19-26.) How many are there who inflame themselves with excessive indulgence, and gratify every sense, as if their only business on earth were to pamper the body, and there were no other use to be made of their time and substance! Men, engaged in such sensual courses, "regard not the works of the LORD, nor consider the operation of his hands:" the wonders of creation, providence, and redemption are alike unnoticed by them: nay, they observe not his terrible judgments, and expect not his threatened vengeance. The prevalence of such impiety and vice brings desolating judgments on kingdoms, which reduce all ranks to the most abject misery: and no tongue can express what multitudes both of the honorable from their pompous feasts, and of the mean from their licentious revels, descend into hell, "which enlargeth herself, and openeth her mouth without measure," to swallow up the multitudes who continually become her prey. In that dreadful place there will not be so much as "a drop of water to cool the burning tongue" of those, who here "fared sumptuously every day." But, while the impious profligates are abased to the lowest misery and contempt, "the LORD of Hosts will be exaked in judgment, and God that is holy will be sanctified in righteousness." In every case he will also provide for the meek and humble, and feed both the bodies and souls of his people. Whilst they, who truly love our God and Savior, endeavor by every proper means to do good to men, they primarily seek his glory: and they discern and adore his justice in the dispensations, which disgrace and afilict those, with whom they are most intimately connected.--Such as are favored with the word and ordinances of God, and the encouragements of his gospel, stand in a peculiar relation to him. The tendency of these advantages is to render them fruitful in good works: this the Lord requires of them, and nothing else will satisfy him and when they bear the wild grapes of hypocrisy, impiety, and iniquity, instead of "the fruits of the Spirit," "in all goodness, righteousness, and truth," they are nigh unto destruction. Indeed the case is so plain, that if the fact were so stated in a parable, that self-love could be fully precluded, sinners must be induced to give judgment against themselves: and at the day of judgment, when sentence shall be given on all the workers of iniquity, the criminals will universally perceive, that every attempt to justify their conduct is entirely useless. Those excuses, by which many now pacify their consciences, will then appear futile and desperate; as they charge the blame of man's wickedness on God, and vindicate all the crimes which can possibly be committed. (Notes, Rom. 2:4 -6.3:19,20.) But, as "all things pertaining to life and godliness" are proposed to us by the gospel, and we are commanded to ask what we will, that it may be given to us; the sinner's persevering wickedness will be found to arise from his enmity to God, aversion to his service, and contempt of spiritual blessings; and it will appear, that he would not consent to the mortification of his lusts by the special grace of God. So that it may with propriocy be inquired, 'What more could have been done 'for these men, that has not been done for Wherever we turn our eyes, it is lamentable 'them? Indeed the Lord is not bound to af- to observe what pains men bestow in pursuing ford his rebellious creatures any advantages: the vanities of the world, and in gratifying but if he graciously vouchsafe them, and men their lusts, and in drawing down the judgwill "rebel against the light," or take encour-ments of God upon them: and what prodigious agement to sin from the truths of the gospel; excesses of impiety and iniquity men gradually their guilt will be peculiarly aggravated, and arrive at! Every sin needs some other to conthey may expect to be doonied to everlasting ceal it, to secure the success of it, or to defray unholiness and misery. (Mark 11:14,21. Note, its expense. Youthful lusts lead to depredaRev. 22:10-12.) Nations and churches also, tion, lying, perjury, perhaps to murder; (Notes, who abuse their privileges, may expect to be Prov. 1:10-19.) corrupt practices lead to infideprived of them: the Lord will "take away del principles; and thus men sin away fear, the hedge" of his unfruitful vineyard, "and it shame, and remorse, till they set God at defishall be eaten up." "He will lay it waste, that ance by their blasphemies; and they can be it shall not be pruned or digged; there shall convinced of the truth of his word, only by his come up briers and thorns;" and he will even hastening his threatened vengeance; and then "command the clouds that they rain no rain too late they know it, and become sensible of upon it." Whatever delight he has taken in their own madness and folly. In the mean any company of Christians: if they, or their time, they continue to "call good evil, and evil posterity, degenerate from that faith and pu- good, to put darkness for light, and light for rity, which once distinguished them, and be- darkness, and bitter for sweet, and sweet for come generally addicted to covetousness, op- bitter:" it is evidently the tendency of their pression, or any other vices; we may shortly discourse and writings, to confound the most expect to hear woes denounced against them, important distinctions, and to prejudice men's or judgments executed upon them. Few, if minds against the truths, precepts, and ways any, of the descriptions of professed Christians of the Lord: and their self-sufficiency, and the in our land, are unconcerned in this observa- arrogant and supercilious manner, in which tion: may we all be zealous and repent, and they behave to believers, mark them out, as do "the first works" of the zealous reformers, exposed to the additional woe, denounced on VOL. IV V. 18-30. [25 those, "who are wise in their own eyes and of God, revealed to all mankind.' Bp. Lowth prudent in their own sight." Whilst many, in The Lord appeared to the prophet, "sitting on this respect, "glory in their shamne;" others, of a throne," as in a human form; for he ther a different description of rebels, can pride "saw the glory of Christ, and spake of him." themselves in being "mighty to drink wine,|| (Notes, Ez. 1:26–28. 43:2—5. John 12:37-49.) and men of strength to mingle strong drink:"|| "No man hath seen God at any time; the only as if their ability, through habit or constitu- begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Fation, to waste the gifts of God, to inveigle ther, he hath declared him." (Note, John 1:18.) others to drunkenness, and to take that oppor-It was the unanimous sense of the ancient tunity of imposing on them and defrauding 'church, that all the divine appearances in the them, would plead an excuse for their excess! 'old Testament, were made by the Son of God, Woe be unto such men, and woe to that na- by whom all the affairs of the church were tion, in which they obtain authority; for it 'ordered from the beginning.' Lowth.—The cannot be expected, that they should scruple "throne high and lifted up,' seems to have to commit the most flagrant injustice, when been the place of the mercy-seat, over which their own lucre requires it. But while men the glory of the Lord used to appear, and where thus "cast away the law of the LORD, and de- he reigned, as the God of Israel and of the spise his holy word;" they become fuel for the whole earth: and as an exterior symbol of his fire of his indignation, and destroy the very Majesty, "his train," or the skirts of his robes, root of all their own prosperity: and after he filled the whole temple.-"Above," or rather has smitten them, and their carcasses are torn over against, this throne, stood the Seraphim, in the streets, or lodged in the grave, "his an- the burning ones, the most glorious of the anger will not be turned away, but his hand will gelic orders, glowing with the holy flame of dibe stretched out still," to "destroy both body vine love. They stood, as employed in celeand soul in hell."-The earth itself will indeed brating his praises, and prepared to execute his tremble, and flee away, when he shall summon mandates.-Each of them had "six wings; with its inhabitants before his tremendous judg- twain he covered his face;" an emblem of his ment-seat. Even in this world, he will never inability stedfastly to behold, or fully to combe at a loss for instruments of his vengeance. prehend, all the glory of the Lord, and of proAt his signal, they will come from the ends of found reverence and adoring awe. "With the earth with unabated force and speed: when twain he covered his feet;" denoting humility, he gives commission, all resistance is vain: as conscious that he and his services were unand as we know not how soon all earthly worthy the notice of the Lord, or even of the comforts and confidences may fail us, and sor- other Seraphim in the presence of the Lord. row and despair may overwhelm us; let us "And with twain he did fly" representing diligently seek the well grounded assurance, prompt celerity and alacrity in executing the "that when flesh and heart shall fail, God him- will of God. At the same time they sang aloud, self will be the Strength of our heart, and our responsive to each other, "Holy, holy, holy, is Portion for ever." the LORD of hosts." (Notes, 30:8-14. Ex. 15: 11,20.21. Num. 6:23-26. Rev. 4:6-8.) This threefold repetition has, generally and justly, been deemed to refer to the three divine persons in the Trinity; and to the holiness displayed in the great work of redemption. For the Seraphim seem to celebrate the Lord's holy hatred of sin, as displayed both in the salvation of the gospel, and in the punishment of its opposers; in which respect, "the whole earth," as well as the heavens, has been or will be, "filled with his glory." (Note, 40:3-5.-While this solemn hymn of praise was echoed from one to another of the angelic worshippers, the posts, or pillars of the porch, of the Temple shook at every response, and the whole house was filled witli smoke, or thick darkness, as when it was dedicated by Solomon. (Note, 1 Kings 8:1014.) NOTES. CHAP. VI. V. 1--4. It may be inferred, from the first verse of this book, that Isaiah delivered some prophecies before the death of Uzziah: but he was at this time more solemnly commissioned to the prophetical office, and prepared for the proper execution of it.-This august symbolical vision of the glory of the Lord is described as made at the temple; the several interposing veils being removed out of the way: for the vision specially related to those times, when "the way into the holiest was made manifest." "The Lord upon the throne, 'according to St. John (12:41.) was Christ; and "the vision related to his future kingdom, when the veil of separation was to be removed, and 'the whole earth was to be filled with the glory || 8 c 5 T Then said I, Woe is me! for I am l 8 Also I heard the voice of the LORD, undone; because I am a man of unclean saying, Whom shall I send, and who will lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people go for us? Then said 1, Here am 1; of unclean lips: for "mine eyes have seen send me. the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the Seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips: and "thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. r Ex. 33:20. Judg. 6:22. 13:22. | † Heb. and in his hand a live Ex. 4.10. 6:12,30. Jer. 1:6. Matt. 12.34-37. Jam. 3:1,2. t 29:13. Jer. 9:3-8. Ez. 2:6 8. 33:31. Jam. 3:6-10. u 33:17. Rev. 1:5-1. x 2. Dan. 9:21-23. Heb. 1:7, 14. y Lev. 16:12. Heb. 9:22-26. z Jer. 1:9. Dan. 10:16. a 43:25. 55:5,10. Matt. 9:2. 9 And he said, 'Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. k 10 Make the heart of this people i fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. m b Gen. 3:8-10. Deut. 4.33- -28. c Ex. 4-10-13. 1 Kings 22:20 d Gen. 1:26. 3:22. 11:7. e Matt. 4:20-22. Acts 20:24. § Heb. Behold me. 65.1, 29:13. 30.8--11. Ex. 32:7-10. Rom. 11:8. his worship and ministry, as well as apprehensions respecting the future. 'ferings, placed near the porch of the temple, 'where the vision appeared.' Lowth. The sacred fire from the altar represented the sacrifice of Christ and its effects: and the live coal applied to the prophet's lips, denoted the assur grace, to cleanse away pollution, to kindle the flame of divine love in his heart, and to fit him for the execution of his office with zeal and fervency, and ensure his gracious acceptance in so doing. (Notes, Jer. 23:28,29. Matt. 3:11,12. Acts 2:2,3.) Laid it upon my mouth. (7) ‘To signify that 'all the gifts and graces that purify the mind, and enable us for the discharge of any partic'ular function, come from God.' Lowth. (Note, Er. 4:11,12.)-Thy sin purged.] "Expiated." Bp. Lowth.-Covered, that is with an atonement. (Note, Ps. 32:1,2, v. 1.) V. 5. This glorious and awful vision of the divine Majesty, and the exalted worship of the Seraphim, overwhelmed the prophet with a V. 6, 7. The Lord was pleased to encourage sense of his own sinfulness; and his humiliation his dismayed servant by a symbolical action of was attended with great dismay. (Notes, Judg. a Seraph, who flew to him with a live coal tak13:18-22. Job 40:3-5. 42:1-6. Dan. 10:4-9.en from off the altar. "The altar of burnt-ofLuke 5:1-11, v. 8. Rev. 1:12-20.) If these glorious spirits thought humbly of their exalted services; what would become of him, who had presumed to speak to JEHOVAR, and in his name, with unclean and unhallowed lips? He had denounced woes on others: (Notes, 5:8-ance given him of pardon, and acceptance in 23.) but he now perceived himself liable to the his work, through the atonement of the promsame condemnation; not only for his other sins,ised Messiah; and the communication of divine but also as "a man of unclean lips;" as one, who had used his tongue, (which had often spoken vain and sinful words,) in declaring the message of God, and had mixed much evil with his very worship, and prophesying. He was sensible also that he "dwelt among a people of unclean lips," the sinfulness of whose worship he did not fully discern, till "his eyes had seen the King, the LORD of Hosts:" and, having measured himself by others, he never was before so sensible of his own unworthiness, and unfitness for the prophetical office, which he now feared would only end in his and their condemnation. The Septuagint translation of this verse is very V. 8. The Lord would not send his message striking. And I said, O wretch that I am! for to the people by one of the Seraphim, but by a I am pierced through; because being a man,|| prophet like themselves: and he openly inquirand having unclean lips, I dwell in the midst ed, whom he should send; who was willing to of a people having unclean lips; and I have undertake the service. The expression, “Who 'seen with mine eyes the LORD of hosts.' (Note, will go for us?" corresponds with several othRom. 7:22-25.)-"Alas for me, for I am struck ers which have been already noticed. (Notes, 'dumb." He immediately gives the reason, Gen. 1:26,27. 3:22-24. 11:6–9.) ‘So God speaks 'why he was struck dumb; because he was a in the plural number, Gen. 1:26, which is justly 'man of polluted lips, and dwelt among a peo- thought to imply a plurality of divine persons. 'ple of polluted lips; and was unworthy, either For it cannot be said with any probability, that to join the Seraphim in singing praises to God, God is described in Genesis, as advising with, 'or to be the messenger of God to his people. or communicating his purposes to the angels, Bp. Lowth. (Nole, Rom. 3:19,20.)-'In these which is the fancy of the Rabbins: because the 'words therefore he deprecates the undertak-'history of the creation takes no notice of aning of the prophetical office. What the 'prophet here calls "unclean," Moses (Ex. 6: 12.) styles "uncircumcised lips;" where he excuses himself from a like employment, both 'from his own incapacity, and from the cold 'reception he was like to meet with among the 'Israelites.' Lowth. (Notes, Ex. 4:10-14. 6:12. Jer. 1:6-8. Zech. 3:1-4. Matt. 10:19,20. Luke 21:12-19, v. 15.) It, however, appears from the next verses, that the prophet expressed consciousness of guilt, as to the past, even in ... 'gels; and consequently there is no ground for interpreting any text in the first chapter of 'Genesis, with relation to them.' Lowth.-And now the prophet, who was before "struck dumb," or greatly dismayed, being assured of assistance and acceptance, and warmed with zeal for the glory of God, readily answered, "Here am I; seud me." He would go on any message, to any person, or any whither, whatever hardship, difficulty, and peril attended it. V. 9, 10. This awful passage is quoted, or (John 12:40.) so that it becomes insensible.' referred to, six times in the New Testament; (Marg. Ref. g.-Notes, Matt. 13:13,14. John 12: 37-41. Acts 28:23-29.) which shews that the vision had relation to the rejection of Christ by the Jews, and their consequent calamities even to this day; as well as to the men of that generation, to whom the prophet was sent.-It is remarkable, that the verbs here are imperative; but they are not so in any quotation in the New Testament. The Septuagint also render thein in the future, while many other futures, V. 11, 12. The prophet did not object to the in passages not dissimilar, are rendered in the service assigned him; or question the justice imperative or optative in that version.-Where and goodness of God in the awful sentence. the word of God is not made effectual, through But he inquired how long this was to be the the regeneration of the Spirit, it gives occasion case. And he was answered, that this would to those very evils, which are most contrary to be the case, till the cities and lands were utterits genuine tendency. (Note, 2 Cor. 2:14-17.) ly desolated, and the inhabitants carried into By opposing the pride, prejudices, and lusts of captivity; (Note, 5:8-10.) and this forsaking men, they become more outrageous; and, by of the whole land would continue for a long producing convictions which are violently re- time. This was verified in the Babylonish sisted, the conscience grows callous: the unea-captivity; but far more emphatically in the final siness thus excited drives men into excess, in- desolations of the temple, and of Jerusalem by fidelity, or furious enmity, for shelter; and when the Romans, and the dispersed and forsaken they are once engaged in open opposition, ob- state of the Jewish nation, now for almost stinacy, and regard to worldly interests, and eighteen hundred years. (Note, Gen. 49:10.) credit among proud and ungodly men, push V. 13. The Lord meant, however, to prethem forward to the most desperate extremes. serve a remnant, like the tenth, or tithes, that Thus the gospel is heard, but not understood: were holy to him. These would return from something of its nature is seen, but the glory captivity, and be converted to the truth, and and excellency of it are not perceived: and men devoted to him, as those holy things which become more and more insensible both to were eaten in his courts by the priests. Nay, promises and warnings; so that "their hearts the nation of Israel, in its lowest state, would are made fat" and unfeeling, their "ears be- be like an oak, or elm, or any other tree, which come heavy, they shut their eyes,” and the is stripped of its leaves, lopped, or cut down: whole tends to their deeper guilt and condem- yet the trunk or root still remains, and has life nation. God frequently leaves them to this in it, and will again shoot forth. Thus the judicial blindness and hardness for their other remnant of believers, during and after the capsins, especially for resisting the convictions of tivity, were a "holy seed," the substance of the their own consciences, and the strivings of his nation, which shot forth again and flourished. Spirit. (Notes, Ex. 4:21. 7:13. 8:15, 14:3,4. Rom. Thus Christ especially, and with him the Jews 9:15-21. 2 Thes. 2:8-12.) This was the aw- who embraced Christianity, and were incorful case of numbers in the days of Isaiah, and porated with the Gentile converts when the of still greater numbers, in those of Christ and nation was rejected, were "the holy seed:" and his apostles: and the Lord, foreseeing this ef- thus the Jews, who shall in future generations fect, and intending to leave the Jews to this become his disciples, are "the holy seed;" the obduracy, "lest they should see with their eyes, substance of the tree, which has been lopped and hear with their ears, and understand with and cut down, but which will at length revive their heart, and convert, and be healed," or and flourish again more than ever. "Though saved; commissioned the prophet to go for this there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this express purpose. The prophets are said to do 'shall undergo a repeated destruction. Yet, things, when they declare God's purpose of "&c." This passage, though somewhat obdoing them. In this sense, Jeremiah was ap- 'scure, has been made so clear by the accom'pointed of God, to "root out and destroy, to 'plishment of the prophecy, that there remains build, and to plant," (Jer. 1:10.) that is, to de- little room to doubt the sense of it. When 'clare God's purpose in these matters. In like 'Nebuchadnezzar had carried away the great'manner Ezekiel says, He was "sent to destroy 'er and better part of the people into captivity 'the city," (Ez. 43:3.) i. e. to prophesy the de- there was yet a tenth remaining in the land, 'struction of it. So here Isaiah is said to hard-the poorer sort, left to be vine-dressers and 'en the people's hearts and to blind their eyes; i.e. to declare this to be the event of his preach'ing; which prophecy should be more signally 'accomplished, when the Jews should reject "the preaching both of Christ and his apostles. "Make the heart of this people fat." This St. John expresses by hardening their heart, husbandmen under Gedaliah. (2 Kings 25: 12,22. Jer. 40:12.) Yet even these, fleeing into Egypt after the death of Gedaliah,... miserably 'perished there. Again, in the subsequent and more remarkable completion of the prophecy, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the disso'lution of the commonwealth, by the Romans. |