is neceffary and independent, as the name Jehovah imports. It is impoffible that we, who are finite dependent creatures, can comprehend the idea expreffed by this word, as we are utterly unacquainted with neceffary infinite exiftence. Indeed we cannot properly defcribe in what manner any material object exifts with which we are converfant; and therefore it would be the higheft prefumption, to pretend to explain the existence of God, who is an infinite eternal Spirit. Though exalted far above our most raised apprehenfions and praifes, and highly provoked by our ingratitude and difobedience, he hath vouchfafed to fpeak to us. The learned Dr. Lowth, bishop of London, in his new tranflation of this prophecy, renders this expreffion, "For it is Jehovah that speak"eth;" for which he gives this reafon in his Notes, "There feems to be an impropriety of demanding "attention to a speech already delivered;" and no doubt there is, had the discourse been already delivered to the perfons who are addreffed. Both tranf lations feem equally proper, and the reafon of attention is equally good, according to the view in which you confider the words. Hear, and give ear, for (according to our verfion) the Lord hath spoken to me what I am about to communicate to you, and therefore it deferves the fame regard as if you had received it by an audible voice from heaven: or, agreeable to the new tranflation, for it is "the Lord that fpeak"eth;" though you hear only the voice of a fellow mortal, the words come from the Eternal God, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. We have here a remarkable inftance of that metaphorical kind of fpeech which frequently occurs in fcripture, wherein the faculties of men are attributed to God, and his manner of acting, otherwife unknown to us, is expreffed by a fenfible familiar image. Jehovah hath spoken to men in various ways; fometimes by forming a diftinct audible voice in the air, as at the baptifm of our Saviour; and at other

times through the medium of the prophets, as in the cafe before us. In whatever manner the Lord fpake to our prophet, the fact is here ascertained in general terms, he hath spoken. Though this declaration immediately refers to the prophecy contained in this chapter, we may confider it as extending to all the predictions of this book. This affords a powerful argument, to engage our closest attention to the subject on which we are entering. It is Jehovah who fpeaks to us, by the prophet Ifaiah, on matters of the highest importance, in which we are deeply interested; and therefore we ought to attend to them with the utmost diligence and care.

I have nourished and brought up children. These, and the following words, contain the heavy charge which God, by the prophet, brought against his profeffing people of old, wherein he contrafts the distinguifhing favours he had conferred upon them with their undutiful conduct toward him. The people primarily intended, whom God nourished and brought up, were the Jews, to whom our prophet was fent with this meffage, to whom pertained the adoption and the covenants, the glory, the giving of the law, and the promises. They were repeatedly spoken of under the description of children, and encouraged, by the confideration of this character, to the performance of their duty. With this view their lawgiver affured them, Ye are the children of the Lord your 'God' and when recounting the benefits which the Lord had conferred upon them, and would farther bestow, he thus addreffed them in the fong, recorded Deut. xxxii. Is not he thy Father that bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee.' From this intimate relation, they were taught to expect the certain accomplishment of the precious promifes that were given them; for God thus fpeaks, by the prophet Jeremiah, I will cause them to walk

*Deut. xiv. I.

• by

by the rivers of waters, in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Ifrael, and Ephraim is my firft-born *. In every respect did Jehovah act toward that people as a wife and tender-hearted father, never failing to perform all the duties arifing from that endearing relation which were fuitable to their condition. Their adoption, however, was only external and typical of that gracious fpiritual adoption, to which all the peculiar people of God are admitted under the New Teftament.

This inftructs us, who are profeffedly the children of God, in a higher fenfe than those against whom the accufation before us was originally laid, of our intimate concern in what is here written.

Thefe expreffions, I have nourished and brought them up, may be confidered, as including all thofe innumerable benefits which Jehovah conferred on the pofterity of Abraham, from the time he formed them to be his people, until they reached their full ftature, in the days of David and Solomon. Notwithstanding the means employed to crush and opprefs them, he increased and multiplied them exceedingly; he watched over them with a parent's care, and provided for them with a parent's liberality; he conducted them fafely through the dangers of the defert; he fed them with bread from heaven, and water from the rock; he protected them from their numerous powerful enemies; he inftructed them by his fervants, by his ftatutes and judgments, and his good Spirit; he chaftened them from time to time, as a father doth his children; and honoured them with the fymbols of his gracious prefence. After having thus trained them up under tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the Father, and affigned them the glory of all lands as their inheritance, he elevated them to a moft flourishing and profperous condition in the days of David, and Solomon his fon, fubduing their

* Jer. xxxi, 9.

enemies

enemies before them, and investing them in the pof feffion of the promised land, from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates. Having erected among them the most magnificent ftructure that ever beautified this earth as the place of his worship, and establifhed among them the moft excellent laws and facred inftitutions for their benefit, he advanced them to the highest pitch of wordly fplendour and glory, under the reign of the wifeft of men, and the greatest of princes that ever fwayed a fceptre; fo that they became the admiration and envy of furrounding nations. In this manner, he afforded them a lively inftructive reprefentation of the invaluable spiritual privileges he confers on his children under the New Teftament, who enjoy the fubftance of all the good things thereby typified. This diftinguished honour belongs to all you, who, being born of God, are his obedient children, growing up in all things to the ftature of perfect men in Chrift Jefus.

And they have rebelled against me. What an ungrateful return to their gracious Father for fuch multiplied kindneffes! What an affecting fcene does this accufation present to our view! The expreffion denotes, that they not only forfook him, and renounced his fervice, but they oppofed him, and became his adverfaries. In what numberlefs inftances did the men of Judah rebel against the Lord, by oppreffing the poor, the fatherlefs, and the widow, by perverting righteousness in judgment, by practifing deceit and violence, by committing forbidden impurities, and dealing perfidioufly with God. The charge may refer, in a particular manner, to the abominable idolatries to which they were greatly addicted, which contained a profeffed public denial of the true God, joined with an avowed contempt of his glory and authority. This fpirit of defection from the God of their fathers very early discovered itself on various occafions, as in the inftance of Korah and his company, and many others I ftay not to mention. Toward

the

the conclufion of Solomon's reign it began to appear anew; and under the reign of his fon Rehoboam it grew more prevalent and confpicuous, until that memorable period in which we are informed, That

prince forfook the law of the Lord, and all Ifrael with him,' as we read, 2 Chron. xii. 1. Still it increafed to the days of Ahaz, when it arrived at fuch a prodigious height, that the public worship of the Living God was neglected, the temple was profaned, reverence and obedience to Jehovah were laid afide, the priests and Levites joined the bulk of the people in the revolt, the external beauty of their worship was loft, and exchanged for the most odious fuperfti tion and abominable practices. What complicated wickedness is contained in such conduct, which exhibits to view the vileft ingratitude, the most infolent pride, the most fottifh ftupidity, and the highest contempt of God's fupreme authority and multiplied favours!It deferves our special attention, that the history of the posterity of Jacob, to which I have now referred, is a mirror which holds up our character and behaviour, and represents them to the life. Like them, brethren, in numberless inftances, as a church and nation, and as individuals, we have rebelled against the Lord, who hath nourished and brought us up. Our iniquities teftify against us, and bear evidence to the truth and juftice of this heavy charge, with which it becomes us to be deeply affected.

3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his mafters crib; but Ifrael doth not know, my people doth not confider.

In these words the fubject contained in the former verfe is amplified and illuftrated, the infenfibility and ungrateful conduct of the profefling people of God is represented, as worse than that of the moft ftupid animals toward thofe who feed them. The ox and the afs, though deftitute of understanding, and thofe admirable