a figure of the Jerufalem that is above, which is the mother of us all, they may be understood here not only in their literal, but in their figurative fignification, denoting the church of God under the new and better difpenfation of his grace. This is the obvious meaning of Judah and Jerufalem, in several places of the prophetic writings; as in the following paffage, where the Lord God promifes, That when he fhall perform "the good things he hath fpoken of to the houfe of Ifrael and the houfe of Judah, in thofe days Judah 'fhall be faved, and Ifrael fhall dwell fafely. Notwithstanding there are in the prophecies before us, fome things relating to Ephraim, to Egypt, to Tyre, and to other nations, Judah and Jerufalem are the chief subject of which they treat; and, it must be remembered, these laft-mentioned places include not only what was literally fo called in ancient times, but the church of the Living God under the New Testament, to which we profeffedly belong. This interefts us more nearly in this portion of fcripture, on which we are now entering, than many are apt to imagine; and fupplies us with a powerful argument to engage our ferious attention. In the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiab, kings of Judah. The time during which each of these kings reigned is particularly mentioned in fcripture history; and, when added together, make one hundred and twelve or thirteen years. It is evident, Ifaiah must have exercifed his prophetical office during the whole time in which jotham and Ahaz fat upon the throne, being thirty-two years t... From what we read in this prophecy, it appears, that he continued in his office until the fourteenth year of Hezekiah; and fuppofing he was appointed to it fo late as two years before Uzziah died, he muft have acted in the character of a prophet at least forty-eight years. Some have been of opinion, that he continued * Jer. xxxiii. 16. + See 2 Chron. xxvii, 1. and xxviii. 1. about about fixty years in the prophetical office, and lived to the reign of Manaffeh: under whose wicked government, according to tradition, he was put to death, being fawn afunder for pretended blafphemy; having declared, that he faw the Lord fitting upon his throne, high and lifted up, and for the fharp reproof admini ftered to the princes of Ifrael, from the tenth verse of this chapter. Under kings of fuch oppofite difpofitions and characters, our prophet would no doubt experience very different treatment, and his inftructions would meet with very different entertainment. Whilst Jotham and Hezekiah, who were good kings, fat on the throne of Judah, Ifaiah would certainly enjoy much of their fupport and countenance in the execution of his important office: whereas in the time of Ahaz, remarkable for his impiety, he probably fuffered much discouragement and oppofition from that wicked prince, who fhut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and erected altars to idols, notwithstanding all the divine eloquence our prophet employed in. ftemming the torrent of corruption.Let us remember, what is addreffed to Ifrael is also spoken to us; that the Lord God is addreffing us from his holy temple; and therefore it becomes us, with reverence, to attend to this fure word of prophecy, and to im prove it, through the divine bleffing, for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and inftruction in righteousness, that, like men of God, we may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. The prophecy recorded in this chapter ftands fingle, and unconnected with thofe which follow; and affords a beautiful fpecimen of the prophet's elegant and forcible manner of writing. It contains a warm remonftrance against the heinous crimes, and abounding corruptions, of the perfidious and hypocritical, profeffing people of God;moft animated exhortations to repentance, and a speedy return to duty, drawn from the contemplation of their prefent calamities, and imminent danger of defolating judg ments; ments;with most reviving encouragements to the faithful fervants of the Most High, derived from the agreeable profpect of better times, after deferved. calamities fhould be inflicted on the unfaithful and rebellious, and the promised bleffings of divine grace communicated. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD hath fpoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The bleffed God is here introduced, entering a folemn charge and public complaint against his difobedient people, on account of their bafe neglect and ingratitude, to the truth and equity of which the whole world is fummoned to attend and bear witnefs. The word tranflated heavens may be derived from one that fignifies a name of honour and dignity; and fo it intimates, that the heavens are the most beautiful, glorious, and renowned part of creation. It may be compounded of an adverb of place, and a word fignifying waters; and then it informs us, that God hath therein laid up large ftore of waters, which he feasonably communicates to this earth. It may be deduced from a word that fignifies height or elevation, in respect of place; and ferves to remind us of what is obvious to view, that the heavens are the highest and moft lofty parts of the univerfe: or it may come from one that fignifies to be aftonifhed; inftructing us, that if we fteadily contemplate the heavens, we fhall have good reafon to be filled with wonder at the immenfity and beauty, the magnificence and regularity of that fpacious fabric.The word rendered earth feems to be derived from one that fignifies to run, to be in a fate of activity and motion; and may denote, that this earth is in continual motion; that men, and its other inhabitants, in performing their feveral functions, are in perpetual acti D vity. vity. These different parts of creation, with their numerous inhabitants, are here folemnly invited, to attend to the important truth the prophet is about to declare. Ye celeftial fpirits, who are the fpectators of human actions, and contemplate the conduct of men, liften to the aftonishing reprefentation now to be laid before you! Ye men of God, to whom this earth is given for a poffeffion, who are endued with the principles of juft perception and found judgment, men of every character and condition, who feel the influence of truth and equity, hearken to the word of the Lord! And ye in the inferior ranks of creation, who, though incapable of understanding and judgment, perform your operations according to the laws given you, witnefs, as you can, the unbounded kindness of Jehovah toward his people, and their wretched ingratitude toward him! This folemn manner of addrefs is frequently ufed by the prophets, to awaken diligent attention to what they are about to deliver. With a fimilar introduction Mofes begins his fublime fong, recorded Deut. xxxii. in which he teftifies against the Ifraelites for their difobedience; Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.' The mighty God, by the prophet David, fummons all mankind to attend to his appeal *. And the prophet Jeremiah, expoftulating with the Jews, as to their unnatural revolt from God, exclaims in thefe words, Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very defolate, faith the Lord f. The heavens and the earth are here invited, to hear, and give ear. The latter of thefe expreffions ferves to explain the former, whilft the repetition of the call points out the high importance, and indifpenfable neceffity, of compliance with this requifition. The words of the wifeft of men often deferve but little regard, whereas the dictates of eternal wifdom * Pfalm I. 1. f Jer. ii. 12. and and truth justly merit the closest application of mind of which we are capable; and the call being directed to us in particular, demands our ferious attention, and prompt obedience.Let us then turn away our eyes and ears from feeing and hearing vanity, and hearken diligently to him who caufeth us to hear his glorious voice. Let us earnestly fupplicate the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, to give us the fpirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of our minds being enlightened, we may be thoroughly acquainted with the things freely given us of God. This is highly requifite to our profiting by the fcriptures; for we read, that when our Saviour, after his refurrection from the dead, expounded to his difciples the writings of Mofes and the prophets concerning himself, he opened their understandings to under ftand the fcriptures: and fince his exaltation into glory, he fends down his Holy Spirit, according to his promife, to lead his followers into all truth; which ought to animate us with the reviving hope of obtaining his gracious illumination and affiftance. That we may reap fubftantial benefit from what God hath spoken, let us be folicitous to get it deeply impreffed on our hearts, ftudying to become intimately acquainted with it, delighting in the difcoveries it prefents to our view, and laying it up in our hearts, fo as to be fuitably influenced by it at all times, that we may fhew ourselves, not forgetful hearers, but doers of his word t.' For the Lord hath Spoken. The word Jehovah, which in this, and many other places of fcripture, is tranflated Lord, fignifies, that he is, and was, and is to come, and denotes the peculiar manner of existence which is proper to the Most High God, who alone o felf-exiftent. All other beings derive from him their life and breath, and all things; whereas his exiftence |