vants; but he will utterly destroy his enemies, when the proper time arrives.-In working. Note, Prov. 2:7. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. V. 1-13. V. 14-29. in despising the message of God. Such men ripen apace for destruction: the Lord will teach them by other methods; "for judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools." Indeed, evil is before all, who refuse to hearken to the proposals of mercy in the gospel, and to seek the holy rest and All that glory and beauty, of which men are consolations, which God has provided for the proud, will prove a mere "fading flower:" and weary and heavy-laden sinner.-It is very that affluence which is considered as a crown painful for the minister of Christ to reflect, and ornament, frequently tempts to excess, and when he is endeavoring to instruct, convince, thus disgraces its possessor.-They, who are warn, persuade, alarm, or encourage his hear "overcome by wine," are overcome by Satan; ers; that numbers of them will thence take ocfor all drunkards are his slaves, and must sink casion "to go and fall backward, and be brounder the final wrath of God, except they re- ken, and snared, and taken." He must, howpent.-The Lord will abase all the proud; but ever, go on, even though scorners be found they, who pride themselves in wickedness, among rulers, whether in church or state, bewill be rendered peculiarly contemptible.-ing satisfied that he speaks according to the When the Lord determines to execute ven- word of God. geance on the ungodly, he has many and mighty instruments at his command, who readily When we declare the vengeance of the Lord bear down and destroy all before them. Hap- against all those who "trust in refuges of lies," py then are they alone, who glory in the Lord we should expect to hear loud clamors against of hosts himself! His favor and image, com- our bigotry and want of charity; and scornful munion with him, and communications from infidels will divert themselves, and each other, him, suffice to enrich the poorest and to enno- even with the most scriptural denunciations of ble the meanest; they form "a crown of glory hell and damnation. They have no fears in and diadem of beauty," superior to any dis- that respect, and deride those who have, as tinctions and decorations of earthly monarchs men of narrow, weak, and superstitious minds: and conquerors; and thence his people derive and they speak and act, as if indeed "they had wisdom, strength, and courage, for every ser- made a covenant with death, and were at vice and for every conflict. Thus some are agreement with hell," and were secured against qualified for the ministry, and others for the the vengeance of God; having made those magistracy; and others to defend their coun- things their refuge, which we are as sure, are try, or lay down their lives in the cause of God. lies and falsehoods, as that the Bible is the (Notes, 2 Cor. 12:7-10. Phil. 4:10-13.)-Whilst truth of God. He has laid one Foundation, the Sovereign of the world leaves some guilty and no man can lay any other; this is tried, apnations to fill up the measure of their iniquí- proved, and precious; and "he that believeth ties, and gives them up to ruin; he raises up shall never be confounded." But let men coneminent reformers, and preserves a remnant trive and endeavor whatever they please: if of believers, in other nations, whose prayers they do not build on this Foundation, and be and labors prolong their tranquillity. Yet not interested in the incarnate God and Saevery attempt to promote true religion has vior; if his person, character, and offices be not hitherto been attended with unspeakable dis- precious to their souls; their hopes will be couragement. Even under the most scriptu- found delusion and presumption; the storm of ral means of grace, multitudes have continued death and judgment will "sweep away their ungodly; and have copied the example of the refuges of lies, and overflow their hidingopen enemies of God, rather than that of his place;" their "covenant with death shall be most honored servants. And alas! the nomi- disannulled;" and the execution of the rightnal ministers of religion have frequently been cous sentence of God, according to his holy the ringleaders in impiety and scandalous in- law, will be so dreadful, that the very report temperance: and when they are "swallowed of it is sometimes, even now, intolerably vexup of wine," no wonder that they wander outatious to them. For whatever men trust to, of the way, teach false doctrine, stumble in judgment, are blind guides, and go before those to the pit of destruction, whom they have misled by their erroneous teaching, and hardened by their flagitious example. Thus excess and riot become common, till no place is clean from filthiness; men's "ears are turned away from the truth, and are turned unto fables;" and the few who are able and willing to teach the people knowledge, and to cause them to understand doctrine, find them alienated, and entirely unteachable; having the incapacity, levity, and heedlessness of children, without their simplicity. In such circumstances, the most scriptural and rational method of inculcating divine truth, by repeated plain instructions, and particular cautions, warnings, and exhortations, excite disgust: and those who are too much engaged in excess or dissipation, to bestow any pains to understand the word of God, absurdly set up for critics; and censure or ridicule the ablest ministers, who give themselves wholly to their work! To Krep themselves in countenance, they watch tomething in the language or gestures of the minister, which they can misrepresent and deride; and thus they quiet their consciences for justification, except the righteousness of Christ; or for wisdom, strength, and holiness, except the regenerating and new creating influences of the Holy Spirit; or for happiness, except the favor of almighty God; will be found "a bed which is shorter, than that a mar. can stretch himself on it, and a covering which is narrower, than that a man can wrap himself in it." Let sinners then fear becoming mockers, lest they be bound in the strong cords of their own iniquity; for the Lord has unalterably decreed the destruction of all ungodly men, throughout the whole earth.-But men presume because God spares them from day to day: not knowing that he has his method and seasons of operation; and knows how to deal with all his creatures, as may best answer the purposes of his glory. For he, who gives natural wisdom to the husbandman. (as well as spiritual wisdom to the believer,) is himself "wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working." He has not yet made all ready for the great day of account: and sinners have not yet filled up the measure of their crimes, nor performed their part in the universal plan of him, "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will;" and therefore they are spared. CHAP. XXIX. The Jews are resudden destruction of the besiegers, 1-1. proved for their insensibility and hypocrisy, and threatened with judgments, 10-10. A promise of happier times, 17-24. 3 And I will camp against thee round e A prediction of the distress of Jerusalem by a siege; and of the about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee. 4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust. 'W OF OE to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt: "add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. 2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel. 5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multib 5:25-30. 10:5,6,32. 17:14. 24 tude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff d 2 Kings 18:17. 19.32. 24:11,12. | Heb. peep, or chirp.-See on Mic. 6:6,7. 1-12. 33:7-9. 86:22. $7:3. c 34:6. Ez. 22:31. 24:3—13, 39: 13. His people are not yet fully purified from their sins, and have not yet sufficiently shewn the power of his grace; and therefore they are kept in tribulation. But "he knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the wicked to the day of judgment to be punished." (Note, 2 Pet. 2:4-9.) The visible church is his husbandry, and professed Christians are the corn of his floor, mingled with the straw and chaff: but he knows how to make a separation by means of trials and persecutions; he will so moderate these, that they shall do his people no harm; when their end is answered they shall cease; his "wheat shall be gathered into his garner, but the chaff shall be burnt with unquenchable fire." (Note, Matt. 3:|| 11,12.) NOTES. 25:1-4. Ez. 21:22. Matt. 22: 7. Luke 19:43,44. 8:19. f 10:16-19. 25.5. 31:3,8. 37.36. e 2.11-21. 3:8. 51:23. Ps. 44: g 17:13. Job 21:18. Ps. 1:4. 35.5. 25. (in which sense the word is taken in the third 'verse;) implying that the enemy should dis'tress it in the same manner.' Lowth. of divine justice in the punishment of sin; so should Jerusalem be filled with slain men, and consumed with fire by the avenging justice of God.-This will not allow us to interpret the chapter exclusively of Sennacherib's invasion. He distressed Jerusalem, but did not render the city like the altar of burnt-offering. ""It shall be unto me as the hearth of the great altar."-Some suppose it' (the name Ariel) 'to be taken from the hearth of the great altar of burnt-offerings, which Ezekiel plainly calls by the same name; and that Jerusalem is here 'considered as the seat of the fire of God, IN, 'which should issue from thence to consume his enemies; comp. 31:9.' ... Ironically, 'Go on year after year, keep your solemn feasts; yet know that God will punish you for your hypo'critical worship. ... Probably delivered at the 'time of some great feast when they were thus CHAP. XXIX. V. 1, 2. The subject of this employed.... It shall be ... all on flame, as it 'and the four following chapters is the invasion was when taken by the Chaldeans; or covered 'of Sennacherib; the great distress of the Jews with carcasses and blood, as when taken by the 'while it continued; their sudden and unex-Romans; an intimation of which more distant 'pected deliverance by God's immediate inter-events, though not immediate subjects of the position in their favor; the subsequent pros-prophecy, may, perhaps be given in this obperous state of the kingdom under Hezekiah; 'scure passage.' Bp. Lowth. (Note, Ez. 43:13 interspersed with severe reproofs, and threats-17, v. 15.)-The city which David besieged, 'of punishment, for their hypocrisy, stupidity, 'infidelity, their want of trust in God, and their "vain reliance on the assistance of Egypt, and 'with promises of better times, both immedi- V. 3, 4. Sennacherib sent an army, under 'ately to succeed, and to be expected in the Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh, against Je'future age. ... Though the matter is various, rusalem; but no intimation is given that they 'and the transitions sudden, yet the prophet closely besieged the city: (Noles, 2 Kings 18: 'seldom goes far from his subject.' Bp. Lowth. 17–25. 19:8.) and it is expressly said that SenJerusalem is here called "Ariel," which signi- nacherib should not encamp against it. (37:33.) fies the lion of God: and some think that it re- Again, when the Assyrian chiefs approached fers to the standard of Judah, which is said, Jerusalem, Hezekiah sent ambassadors to though with little probability, to have been a them; yet they made no bumiliating submislion; or to Christ the Lion of that tribe, or to the sions, but having heard Rabshakeh's insulting strength of the city. (Notes, Num. 2:2. Rev. 5: and blasphemous menaces, they answered him 5-7. But probably, it relates to the altar of not a word. (36:31,32. Note, 2 Kings 18:36,37.) burnt-offering, which consumed the sacrifices, No doubt numbers of the Jews were extremely as a lion devours his prey. Perhaps the Jews dejected, and ready to make any submissions: sometimes called the city by this name; and but the language of these verses seems to imtrusted that it would prevail against every as-ply, that the city should be closely environed sailant, because of the sacrifices there offered. But though David had taken it from the Jebusites, fixed his residence there, and removed the ark of the covenant thither; yet God denounced a woe against it. And though the people continued from year to year to observe their solemn feasts, and to multiply their sacrifices; yet the Lord would surely distress the city, and fill it with trouble and sorrow; and it should be unto him "as Ariel." As the altar, flaming with the sacred fire, consuming the oblations, and surrounded with the blood and carcasses of the sacrifices, was a typical display and at length taken, and laid even with the ground: and, in this full meaning, the prophecy had its accomplishment, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Chaldeans; and after wards by the Romans.-It is very natural to suppose, that many of the surviving Jews, when thus reduced to extremities, would in the most abject manner beg their lives of the haughty conquerors.-Instead of their former confident and presumptuous language, they would express themselves with the most timid and servile entreaties, and doleful complaints: like those that had familiar spirits, who affect ed to speak in a feeble, shrill, whining tone, as if from the belly; or as if the voice came up out of the earth, while they lay grovelling on the ground. (Vote, 8:19.)-As one that hath a familiar spirit. (4). Note, Num. 21:10. 9 T Stay yourselves, Pand wonder; 'cry ye out, and cry; they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets, and your trulers, the seers hath he covered. 11 And the vision of all is become unto you, as the words of a book "that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed. X 12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. 13 Wherefore the Lord said, " Forasp 1:2. 33:13,14. Jer. 2:12. Hab. 2 Thes. 2:9-12. 1:5. Acts 13:40,41. Rev. 17:† Heb. heads. 3:2,3. Mic. 3:1. *Or, take your pleasure and q 10. 19:14. 28:7,8. 49:26. 51:21, r 14. 6:9,10. 1 Sam. 26:12. Ps. Or, letter. u 8:16. Dan. 12:4,9. Matt. 11:25. 13. 11. 16:17. Rev. 5:1,5-9. 6:1. y 18. 28:12,13. Jer. 5:4. Hos. 4:6. John 7.15,16. z. 10.6. 48:1,2. 58: 2,3. Ps. 17:1. Jer. 3 10. 5:2. 12:2, 42:2-4,20. Ez. 33.31-33. Matt. 15:7-9. -Thou shalt be visited, &c. (6) "From JEHOVAH God of hosts, there shall be a sudden visitation." Bp. Lowth. V. 7, 8. The transient joy, sanguine hopes, and speedy ruin of the enemies of the Jews, V. 5, 6. These verses' (5-7.) 'contain an and of the church, are here represented by a 'admirable description of the destruction of very beautiful simile. A man, who, being hun'Sennacherib's ariny, with a beautiful variety gry or thirsty, falls asleep, and dreams that he 'of the most expressive and sublime images: is eating or drinking, seems to enjoy much 'perhaps more adapted to shew the greatness, pleasure from the visionary gratification: but 'the suddenness, and horror of that event, than it soon vanishes; and, his craving wants and 'the means and manner by which it was effect- faintness continuing when he awakes, his dis'ed. Comp. 30:30-33.' Bp. Lowth. The pre- appointment aggravates his uneasiness. Thus dictions seem also to relate to all the subsequent the multitude of the nations, who, through succalamities of the Jews, till the final ruin of Je-ceeding generations fight against mount Zion, rusalem.-Sennacherib's invasion formed the where the altar, or worship of God, is estabfirst fulfilment; and many circumstances, in the lished, have their enmity gratified by transient plain and full meaning of them, belong to that successes; and, as it were, dream with pleasure event: but the prophet might be led to use lan- and triumphant exultation of effecting the deguage, which was afterwards exactly accom-struction of the church: but the delusion soon plished, but could be understood only in a more vanishes, and leaves them disappointed and general and qualified sense, concerning the miserable. "The Assyrians had swallowed up distresses occasioned by those invaders.-Sen- 'Jerusalem in their imagination; but God should nacherib's army, composed of various nations, 'suddenly disappoint all their hopes, and send all strangers to God and Israel, terrible for them away empty and confounded." Lowth. courage and ferocity, and insolent through (Note, Ps. 73:18-22, v. 20.) Not only was success, seemed innuinerable as the dust: yet Sennacherib's army at once destroyed, and his they would be driven away as the chaff, and sanguine hopes thus frustrated; but the Asvanquished by a single blow "at an instant, syrian, Babylonian, Macedonian, and Roman suddenly." (Notes, 2 Kings 19:35. Ps. 46:6. empires, successively, declined and came to 48:4-8.)-Their approach to Jerusalem was, ruin, after they had fought against mount Zion: however, a visitation from God, and occasion- and thus it must be with every nation and ined terror and alarm, like thunders, earth- dividual, which engages in that unequal conquakes, storms, and tempests, and was de- test. (Notes, Zech. 12:2-5. 14:1-3,12—19.). structive as a devouring fire. Or, the Assyrian V. 9-12. The Jews were here earnestly ariny may be meant; called "thy strangers;" (5) called on to pause, reflect, be amazed, and cry and the sudden and dreadful slaughter of a out as in bitter anguish, on account of the hundred and eighty-five thousand men at once, judgments which were coming on the nation. by the angel, may be predicted. (Notes, 10:28 Or ironically, "Take your pleasure and riot." -34. 17:12-14. 30:29-33.)-Perhaps there is (Marg. and Marg. Ref. *) They were, and also an intimation that the Jews, not duly prof- would be, intoxicated with presumption and iting by their deliverance from the Assyrians, false doctrine, and rendered insensible to their would afterwards be destroyed in this man- danger: and the Lord would make them drink ner. The last siege and taking of Jerusalem of the cup of his indignation, till they staggerwas attended by dreadful thunders, earth-ed as drunken men. (Marg. Ref. q.-Note, 51 quakes, &c. (Marg. Ref. i.—Note, Zech. 14:4,5.) || 17-23.) Because they despised his word, and much as this people draw near me with their || clay: for shall the work say of him that mouth, and with their lips do honor me, made it, He made me not? or shall the but have removed their heart far from me, thing framed say of him that framed it, and their fear toward me is taught by the He had no understanding? i 45:11. Ps. 94:8,9. k 63:18. Hab. 2.3. Hag. 2.6. Heb. 10:37. 1 32:15. 35: 1,2. 41:19. 49:5,6. 55: n 10-12,24. 35:5. 42:16-18. Acts 26:18. 2 Cor. 3:14-18. 4.2-6. Eph. 1:17-19. 5:14. 1 Pet. 2:9. Rev. 3:18. o 61:1. Ps. 259. 37.11. 149.4. Zeph. 2:3. Matt. 5:5 11.29. Gal. 5:22,23. Eph. 4:2. Fhil. 2:1-3. Jam. 1:21. 3:13-18. 1 Pet. 2:1-3. † Heb. add. p 41.17,18. 57:15. 66:2. Ps. 9: 18. 12.5. Zeph 3:12-18. Matt. 53. 11:5. 1 Cor. 1:26—. 29. Jam. 1.9 2:5. q 41:16. 61.10, Hab. 3:18. Phil 3:1-3. 44. rejected his salvation, he had "poured upon In the days of Christ, they were very tenacious them the spirit of deep sleep," and given them of their forms: but by the traditions of the elup to judicial blindness; and especially their ders they "rendered the commandment of God prophets, rulers, and teachers of every de- of none effect;" and almost all their religion scription, were covered with darkness, as if consisted in superstition, formality, and byhood-winked: so that the visions or prophecies pocrisy. (Note, Matt. 15:7-9.) The Lord which were sent them, though plain enough would therefore proceed again to do a marvelin themselves, were utterly inexplicable to lous work: he would entirely give up their them. (Vote, 6:9,10. 28:9-11. Mic. 3:5-7. Acts teachers and counsellors to be infatuated to 28:23-29. 2 Cor. 2:12-16. 2 Thes. 2:8-12.) their ruin; leave Jerusalem to be desolated; Their learned men, when asked to interpret and cast off the Jews from being his people. them, being blinded by prejudices and passions, (Notes, 9-12. 6:9,10. 28:21,22. Jer. 8:8,9. John excused themselves on account of the book 9:39-41. 1 Cor. 1:17-24.) All schemes to hide being sealed: intimating that the predictions their iniquity, or to varnish over their malice were so enveloped in obscurity, that, if there under specious pretexts, as if they could imwere any meaning in them, it could not be dis- pose on God and hide their character from covered. And the poor alleged their want of him; all their perversions of his word, to establearning, as the reason of their contempt and lish their own traditions; and all their opposiinattention: so that in fact "the oracles of God" tion to his counsels, to support their own aubecame of no use to them. The apostle ap- thority and reputation, would be as ineffectual, plies this to the state of the Jews in his days: as if the potter's clay could attempt to disan(Note, Rom. 11:7-10.) and doubtless it had its nul, or find fault with, the work of him who principal accomplishment, when the chief wrought it. They could no more resist his priests, scribes, Pharisees, and Jewish nation, will, than the clay could that of the potter: he rejected and crucified their promised and long could as easily defeat their schemes, as the expected Messiah, and persecuted his apostles potter alters the shape of the clay. They could and disciples; and in the state of that nation to no more succeed in their enterprises, when this present day; whilst, with the scriptures of God rejected them, than the clay could bethe prophets in their hands, and being conver- come a vessel by its own energy: or change the sant in the letter of them, the book is so sealed, shape into which the potter cast it, whether he that neither the learned nor unlearned among had formed it a "vessel unto honor or to disthem can discern, that they were fulfilled in honor." (Marg. Ref.-Notes, 5:18,19. 45:9-11. Jesus of Nazareth.-'Prejudice doth as much Jer. 18:1-10. Rom. 9:19-23. 2 Tim. 2:20-22.) 'hinder the learned from understanding God's "The most refined arts of their deep politi'word, as ignorance doth the unlearned. Lowth. 'cians, shall not avail their authors nor be able V. 13-16. Many of the Jews, through sue- to preserve them from God's judgments: and cessive ages, adhered to the external worship their learnedest men shall lose their judgment of God, and thus "honored him with their lips:" and discretion. This threatening was rebut in general their hearts were alienated from 'markably verified under the gospel, when him, through the love of sin and worldly their crucifying Christ out of fear of the Rothings; and their religion was induced, or reg-'man power, brought the Romans upon them: ulated, merely by regard to human authority. Thus, in the days of Hezekiah, and their other pious kings, they adhered to the temple-worship and kept their solemn feasts; but when "the precept of man" no longer called them to V. 17.-19. These verses seem wholly to the sanctuary, they turned from it to idolatry.relate to the rejection of the Jewish nation, and their learned Rabbies ever since have minded little else, but fabulous stories, and their Cabbalists have vented trifles for profound mysteries.' Lowth. * e d 24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. a 44:21-26. 45:17,25. 46:3,4. 49: | c 5:16. 8:13. Lev. 10:3. Matt. b 19:25. 43:21. 45:11. 60:21. e 10,11. 28:7. Zech. 12:10. Matt. and the calling of the Gentiles. In a little actly answered this description. Herod, the time, Lebanon would become Carmel; the un-king of the Jews, persecuted Christ as soon as cultivated forest would be a fruitful field: the he was born: the others despised and derided Gentile nations would be favored with the him; they lay in wait to find some accusation abundant sowing of the good seed of "the against him; they watched for his words and word of God," and yield a plentiful harvest of perverted them, and laid snares for him when true converts: at the same time, the field, which he publicly reproved the. sins, being deterhad long been tilled and yielded fruit, would mined to condemn him for any word which be esteeined a forest; that is, the nation of the they could lay hold of; and they turned aside, Jews, would be rejected, and left without the rejected, and crucified this Just One, on the means of grace, to become barren and desert. most frivolous pretences. They behaved in (Notes, 24:13-16. 32:9-15. 35:1,2. 49:5,6. 55: the same manner to his apostles and minis11,12. 65:13-16. Ez. 17:22–24. Rom. 11:16-ters, and were the chief persecutors of the 32.) Then they, who before were deaf to the voice of God, would hear and understand the words of that book, which was sealed up from the unbelieving Jews; (Note, 9-12.) and the poor blind heathens, emerging from their obscurity and darkness, would enjoy the marvellous light of the gospel. (Votes, 32:3-5. 35:5 —7. 42:13—17. Acts 26:16-18. Eph. 5:8-14.) Perhaps the miracles of Christ and his apos--6.) tles, might also be alluded to. Then the teachable, the meek, and poor in spirit, and the poor and afflicted of this world, would rejoice more abundantly in the Lord, because of the wretched condition, from which they had been delivered; nay, they would be more joyful, than believing Jews in general had been. (Marg. Ref. -Notes, 61:1-3,10,11. Zeph. 3:14-17. Phil. 4:1,4.) Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field. (17) "Ere Lebanon become like Carmel." A Mashal, or proverbial saying, expressing any 'great revolution of things; and when respecting two subjects, an entire reciprocal change: 'explained here by some interpreters, I think 'with great probability, as having its principal 'view beyond the revolutions then near at hand, 'to the rejection of the Jews, and the calling of 'the Gentiles.... Carmel stands here opposed to 'Lebanon, and therefore is to be taken as a 'proper name.' Bp. Lowth. V. 20, 21. 'By the terrible one, we are to un'derstand the foreign enemies of God's people; (5. 25:4,5.) and by the scorner, those skeptics 'and infidels, that lived among them and made 'a mock at God's messengers and what they 'said. (Comp. 28:14,22.) ... Who condemn men 'for speaking the truth, as they often served 'the prophets, or for so slight a matter as an 'unwary expression. ... It was the custom for 'the judges to execute their office at the gates of the city. (Deut. 21:19. 22:15. Ruth 4:1,11.)' Lowth.-No doubt this was the case, in the days of Isaiah and at many other times. (Notes, 28: 5-15. Am. 5:10-13.) It is however evident, that when our Lord came, the rulers, priests, scribes, and sanhedrim of the Jews, most ex | Christians, till Jerusalem was destroyed; then that terrible enemy came to nought, and was cut off; and this tended to establish Christianity, and to increase the joy of believers.-The words may also be applied to the subversion of the Pagan persecuting Roman empire, which tended farther to the promulgation of the gospel. (Notes, Zech. 14:1-3. Rev. 12:1 V. 22-24. God did not intend to reject all the posterity of Abraham and Jacob, that these his redeemed servants should be, as it were, ashamed and wax pale. The Jews and Israelites, who embraced Christianity, would acknowledge the converted Gentiles, as the work of God's new creating grace, and as their spiritual children: (Notes, 19:23-25. 41: 8,9. 60:15-22. Rom. i1:11-15. Gal. 3:26-29. Eph. 2:4-10, v. 10.) and their believing descendants would be excited to trust, honor, and worship the Holy One of Jacob, with greater fervency, for this immense accession to the church. Multitudes even of those Jews who had erred in spirit, and murmured against Christ, and malignantly opposed his gospel, would come to a better temper, and understand and receive his doctrine: nay, at length, the whole Jewish nation will be converted to Christ, and re-admitted into the church. PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. V. 1-8. External privileges and distinctions will not exempt from woe, any of those, who are destitute of true godliness. Men may persist in an attendance on wearisome and expensive forms, nay, even on the instituted ordinances of God, and glory in their supposed relation to him, when the whole of their apparent_devotion consists of pride and hypocrisy. When he encamps against the strong holds of his adversaries, they will soon be brought low. Such, as refuse to humble themselves before him in submission to his righteousness, and obedience to his will, will soon be abased to the most extreme distress: and none are more |