works of darkness, which never yield any real advantage to themselves, or to the world: on the contrary, to them is to be attributed all the confufion and devastation that hath overfpread the earth.Such were the briers and thorns which were to fpring up in the Jewish church, at the period to which this prediction refers; namely, at the time of the captivity at Babylon, and efpecially at the defolation made by the Romans. Notwithstanding all the advantages they had long enjoyed, many among them refufed to believe the truths of God; or, if they profeffed to receive them, they would not amend their lives; or, if they pretended to fome reformation, they did not perfevere in their profeffion. Their hearts were impregnated with the feeds of corruption, which grew up in great abundance, and brought forth all manner of fin and wickednefs, not only without means, but in oppofition to excellent means of improvement.

I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. This is the fixth, and laft awful judgment, which God here threatens to inflict upon the unfruitful vineyard of the Jewish church. Rain, you know, is the fmall drops of water which fall from the heavens upon the earth, communicating to it that moifture of which it must be poffefed, in order to its conveying nourishment to the feeds which are fown into it, that they may become fruitful. It is frequently fpoken of in a metaphorical fenfe in fcripture; and then it denotes the word of God, to which it is compared, Chap. lv. 10, 11. of this prophecy. The refemblance merits attention. The rain fent from heaven to water the earth, is the effect of the fovereign good pleasure of the Almighty, who claims the gift of this ineftimable blefling as his peculiar prerogative *. In like manner, the word of God is difpenfed as feemeth good in his fight: he fendeth it to one people, and not to another; to one city, and not to another;

* Jer. xiv. 22.

at

at one season, and not at another. The word of God, like fhowers of rain, is fometimes given more gently and sparingly, and at other times more copioufly and plentifully. Like the literal rain, which fructifies the earth, it renders the people of God fruitful in every good work.The prophets and teachers of the Jewifh nation, may be intended by the clouds here mentioned. Their employment was, to collect the word of God, that, being filled with the knowledge of his will, they might diftribute this precious treafure among the church; which, when accompanied with the divine bleffing, rendereth them fruitful in knowledge, faith, and righteoufnefs. Here God threatens, that he will command these clouds that they rain no rain of the word of God upon his vineyard, at the time to which this prediction refers. How awful the judgment! The rain is not more neceffary to the earth, than the word of the Lord to the fouls of men. The great end of divine difpenfations, the future manifeftation of divine glory, the tender care of the Saviour of the church, the weaknefs of our natural faculties for receiving fpiritual things, the feeblenefs of our graces which require continual fupplies, the variety of temptations which must be refifted, all unite in demonftrating the abfolute neceffity of the rain here fpoken of. Truly deplorable then must be the condition of those who seek the word of God, and do not find it; or, having obtained it, read, and do not understand it, nor receive the inftructions and confolations it is intended to convey.This, with the former articles in the prediction, were remarkably fulfilled, in different degrees, at the two memo. rable periods I have marked for the time of their ac complishment. In the manner now defcribed, a righteous God commonly proceeds againft unfruitful. profelfors in his church: in perfect righteoufnefs, he withdraws from them the ineftimable privileges they had ungratefully abufed. This procedure ought to excite us to improve, with the greateft diligence, the

important

important advantages we enjoy, left, by our negle&, we expofe ourselves to fimilar divine judgments with those inflicted upon the Jewish church.

7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hofts is the house of Ifrael, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppreffion; for righteousness, but behold

a cry.

This verfe contains a fhort explanation of the chief fubjects mentioned in the foregoing fong, or parable.By the house of Ifrael, is meant all the pofterity of the patriarch Jacob, formed into one great family or fociety. The defcendants of that great man derived this name from a very memorable circumftance, recorded in the hiftory of his life. There once wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day, whom Jacob refused to let go, except he bleffed him. After asking Jacob's name, he faid, 'Thy name shall be no 'more called Jacob, but Ifrael: for as a prince haft

thou power with God and with men, and haft pre'vailed *.' This new and honourable name, which he received after this extraordinary tranfaction, hath been bestowed on his pofterity in all ages. The house of Ifrael compofed the vineyard of the Lord of hosts, on whom he conferred the peculiar prerogatives mentioned in the first and fecond verfes of this chapter, in confequence of which he expected from them abundance of good fruit.You that are attentive cannot fail to remark, that the fame person whom our prophet, in the fifth verfe, called his well-beloved, is the Lord of hofts, of whom he here fpeaks. This mighty Lord, who does in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of this earth, whatever pleaseth him, was the object of our prophet's fupreme affection, and the perfon to whom this fong was fung.

* Gen. xxxii. 24. et feq.

And the men of Judah his pleasant plant. It is evident, as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews remarks, that our Lord fprang out of Judah, the tribe which contained within its boundaries the city Jerufalem, in which refided the kings of Ifrael, and wherein was built the temple of the Lord. After the other tribes had apoftatized from the worfhip of the true God, and compaffed him about with lies, Judah ruled with God, and was faithful with the Moft Holy*." Among the men of Judah, the duties of divine worfhip, and the fruits of righteoufnefs, were found in greater perfection and abundance than among the people of Ephraim. On this account they might have given them the defcription of God's pleasant plants, in whom he much delighted.It is a certain, and, my brethren, it is a comfortable truth, that the Lord loveth them that follow after righteoufnefs; he taketh pleafure in them that fear him, and that hope in his mercy. Let it be your chief ambition to be of the planting of the Lord, in whom he is glorified; and beloved of him, whofe affection is infinitely to be preferred to that of all the creatures,

6

And he looked for judgment, but behold oppreffion; for rightcoufness, but behold a cry. By judgment, may be here meant the knowledge of good and evil, the dif cernment of right and wrong, united with the practice of juftice and equity. In this fenfe it frequently occurs in fcripture; as in the following paffage: Bleffed are they that keep judgment, and he that doth righteoufnefs at all times. The word may not only denote equitable, but alfo mild conduct, mixed with mercy and moderation, in exacting what is due to us by others, in oppofition to rigour, and extreme feverity. Thus it must be understood, where the prophet entreats, Correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, left thou bring me to nothing. In this laft fenfe, it ftands in direct oppofition to the op

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*Hofea xi. 12.

Pfal. cvi. 3.

Jer. x. 24.

preffion

-By

preffion which was fubftituted in its place.righteousness, may be intended that upright and juft conduct which God requires us invariably to obferve in all our tranfactions with one another, fummed up in the perfect rule of equity given by our Saviour: Therefore all things whatfoever you would that men fhould do to you, do ye even fo to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Such righteoufness forms a striking contraft to the fraud and injuftice which gave occafion to the cry of which the prophet fpeaks. He that worketh this righteoufnefs fhall never be moved. Both expreflions feem to be of the fame import: or the former may relate to just fentiments refpecting good and evil; and the latter, to the correfponding practice of those things that are just and equal. After the many important advantages wherewith God had distinguished the people of Ifrael, he looked that they would have received, and underftood the inftructions of judgment; he expected from them the exercises of righteoufnefs, which exalteth a nation, and redoundeth to the praife and glory of God. To these things they were encouraged by many promises of moft defirable bleffings; of which take the following as a fpecimen: That which is altogether juft fhalt thou follow, that thou mayeft live, ' and inherit the land which the Lord thy God giveth theet.' Indeed never did they flourish and profper as when they performed judgment and righteousness: then they experienced the truth of their wife foveeign's excellent obfervations; He that followeth after righteoufnefs and mercy, findeth life, righteoufnels, and honour. In the way of righteoufnefs is life, and in the path-way thereof there is no death .'

But behold oppreffion. The Hebrew word rendered oppre/hon, fignifies a fcab, a wound, or leprofy. As thefe things fpoil the beauty and foundnefs of the hu

Matth. vii. 12. + Deut. xvi. 20. Prov, xii. 28.

Prov. xxi. 21.