mirable powers whereby men are distinguished from the inferior creation, feem to exceed us in fagacity on many occafions, and from them we receive many inftructive leffons. The ox, though a dull heavy animal, the afs, though to a proverb remarkable for its ftupidity, yet know their owners who are kind to them, and the crib of their masters where they are fed. There is a peculiar force in the comparison, wherein the bleffed God defcribes his people, as acting not only beneath their dignity, but in a manner worfe than the beafts, even the moft ftupid among them. Though thefe creatures are fed, not for their own but for their mafters benefit; though they are not treated as children, but as beafts of burden; though they are deftitute of reafon, and oppreffed with labours; yet they are not infenfible to their benefactors, and the kindness fhewn them: whereas the pofterity of Ifrael, admitted, by the favour of God, to be his peculiar people, and promoted to the higheft dignity, acknowledged not the Lord their God, but forgot him, and defpifed his commandments. A Heathen writer obferves, "That men endued with the noble gift of reafon on that account far excel all the brute "creation; and therefore it becomes them to labour "with their utmoft vigour, not to pafs their life in "filence as cattle, which nature hath formed grovel ling, and fubject to the belly *." In the language of a Chriftian, it becomes them to employ their reafon in acknowledging God their Maker, in diligently tracing effects to their caufes, in prudently attending to the connection of the means with the ends to which they ought to be fubfervient.To this becoming exercise let us be excited by all the bleffings of divine providence we enjoy; and, in a peculiar manner, let the people of God, whom he hath redeemed by the blood of his Son, created for himself that they may fhew forth his praife, and enriched with the Salluft. cap. 1. Bell. Catil. manifold manifold bleffings of his grace, employ themselves with reverence and gratitude in his fervice, and the pleafing contemplation of his glory. But Ifrael doth not know, my people doth not confider. The knowledge here meant muft be that which is attended with love, approbation, and delight, in which fense it must be understood in feveral places of fcripture; as where it is faid, 'The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous*, i. e. he approves of it, and delights in it. The confideration here mentioned is nearly of the fame import with the knowledge spoken of, and intimately connected with it; denoting that ferious meditation, frequent recollection, and affectionate remembrance, which is often inculcated in the word of God. This is the important duty recommended to Ifrael by Samuel the prophet, where he thus fpeaks, Confider how great things the Lord hath done for you t.' Several ancient verfions agree in adding the word me to this verfe; which points out the object of this knowledge and confideration, the perfon corresponding to the proprietor and mafter fpoken of in the foregoing words, namely the bleffed God himfelf. The import then of the charge contained in this verfe feems to be, that Ifrael, whom Jehovah had chofen from among all the nations of the earth to be his peculiar people, did not love, honour, and worship him, their conftant Preferver, their generous Benefactor, and fupreme Lord, from whofe unmerited bounty all their comforts flowed, and on whom all their falvation depended. They did not contemplate his glory, they did not meditate on his wonderful works, they did not highly efteem his favour, they were not afraid of his righteous displeasure, nor did they view him as the glorious Author of all the prosperity and fafety they enjoyed. By their ingratitude, idolatry, and *Pfal. i. 6. Note on the words. + 1 Sam. xii. 24. See Dr. Lowth's other other finful practices, they renounced the facred obligations whereby they were bound to ftudy the knowledge and obedience of the Living God. He had not dealt with any nation as with them, having preferved them by his kind providence, he inftructed them by his fervants in the knowledge of their duty, he intrusted them with his holy laws, promifed and reprefented to them in figures and types, that great falvation which the Melliah was to obtain for all people in the fulness of time. What amazing ftupidity and ingratitude thus to requite the Lord, who by his benefits excited them to know and confider him! -Let us not think that this conduct was peculiar to God's ancient people. In nothing do we inore refemble them, than in their indifference toward God, their infenfibility of the divine goodness, and ingratitude for his mercies. If we are acquainted with our hearts, and attentive to our conduct as individuals, we will acknowledge the refemblance; and if we confider our character and behaviour as a people, we must see that the charge I have opened may be brought against us with equal justice, as against thofe to whom it was primarily directed *. 4 Ah finful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a feed of evil doers, children that are corrupters, they have forfaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Ifrael unto anger, they are gone away backward. *Should the illuftrations here given of this paffage of feripture appear feeble and inadequate to the importance of the fubject, the Author, fully fenfible of the jullice of this remark, begs leave to inform the candid Reader, that this is the firft chapter of the Bible of which he tried to give an expofition. Though this part of his commentary might have been much improved, he determined, for reafons that seemed to him fufficient, to prefent thefe Lectures to the world in nearly the fame drefs in which they were delivered from the pulpit. With this apology he truits that at least some of his Readers will be fatisfied. Of those who may ftill complain, he wishes that fome perfon of fuperior abilities may be induced to write a better expolition of thefe prophecies. After After the fublime introduction recorded in the foregoing verfes, the prophet begins his difcourse with an affecting defcription of the deplorable ftate of the Jewish nation refpecting their moral conduct. On this fubject he enters, in the form of a complaint or lamentation, with a mixture of juft indignation, expreffed by the word Ab. In this fenfe the prophet Ezekiel ufes this expreffion, where he thus fpeaks, Ah Lord God, wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Ifrael?'Ifaiah addreffes them under various defcriptions, finful nation, devoted to the practice of iniquity, and addicted to every fpecies of tranfgreffion. Though God had adopted them to be his children, exalted them to heaven in privileges, and commanded them to be holy as he is holy, they committed with greedinefs all manner of iniquity, infomuch that as a people they richly deferved this character. Viewing them in their national capacity as rulers, and thofe that were ruled, as teachers, and those that were taught, one with another, in refpe&t to the worship of God, the administration of justice, the practice of righteoufnefs and charity, this was a juft description. What fhame and reproach does this character reflect on that people, who were indebted to God for ex; lting them above others, delivering them from the hands of their enemies, and entering them into covenant with himfelf! How very different their condition from what it would have been, had they obeyed the voice of the Lord, and kept his teftimonies! Inftead of a finful nation, they would have been a peculiar treafure unto him above all people, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. The prophet farther characterizes them, as A people laden with iniquity. As the corruption and wickednefs which crept in among this people was very extenfive, and pervaded all ranks, fo it was exceedingly aggravated. Sin is here reprefented, with * Ezek. xi. 13. great great propriety, as a burden which vexes the confciences of men, oppreffes their minds, retards them. in the performance of their duty, and by its infupportable weight is ready to crush them to the lowest hell. Under this grievous load the whole creation. is faid to groan and travail in pain even until now; and those who are fenfible of it complain, that it is by far too heavy for them to bear. Laden with this intolerable weight, they must have been in a moft deplorable condition, groaning under the most wretched fervitude, apprehenfive of being vifited by the feverest calamities. A feed of evil doers, the degenerate offfpring of parents who were eminent in tranfgreffion, the fervants of divers lufts and pleafures. They were defcended from those who did the works of their father the devil, and diftinguished themselves by their perverse continuance in evil doing. Unaffected with the divine goodness, unawed by the divine authority, unconcerned about approaching judgments, like their fathers, they walked in the counfels of their evilhearts, gratifying their unfubdued corrupt difpofitions. Of the justice of this character the writings of Mofes and the prophets afford us many lamentable proofs, which I reckon unneceffary at present to adduce.—Children that are corrupters, degenerated from the faith and practices of their renowned anceftors, and fo widely different from their pious forefathers, that they could no longer be known for the pofterity of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob. Having become corrupt themfelves, they alfo corrupted others; the fatal influence of their bad example, like a dangerous contagion, extended itfelf far and wide. They were not only finners before God themselves, but they were the feducers of others; they were not only actuated by the god of this world, but they were become agents who were employed in his intereft. This character correfponds to the history in which we read, That under the reign of Jotham the • people 6 |