The occafion which gave rife to the following prophecy is here farther explained.-The alarming news had reached the court of Ahaz of the above-mentioned alliance, and the hostile designs of the confederate nations against the throne and kingdom of Judah. Their intention in going to war against Jerufalem feems to have been, to dethrone Ahaz; and, in his room, to fet up king over Judah, a fon of Tabeal, one of the family of Tabrimmon. The Hebrew word ufed to exprefs the connection formed between the king of Ifrael and the king of Syria, intimates, that the one kingdom refted upon the other; and that they firmly relied upon cach other's affiftance, which they had mutually agreed to furnish. Though this was, with out doubt, a very ftrong confederacy, it was a very unnatural league. Pekah, king of Ifrael, though profelfedly a worshipper of the true God, and nearly connected with Judah, in order to fubjugate that kingdom, formed an alliance with Rezin, king of Syria, their inveterate enemy, an idolatrous Heathen prince, who reigned in Damafcus. The houfe of David had often yielded to the fuperior force of thefe kingdoms, when feparately attacked by them; and now that they had united their strength, and intended to fall upon the Jews, and to affault their me tropolis, they had just reason to fear their joint efforts would be crowned with fuccefs. Their timidity, at this time, might be greatly increased, by the recollection of the terrible judgments to which they had expofed themselves by their enormous tranfgreffions. In thefe dangerous circumftances, the court of Ahaz, and the inhabitants of Jerufalem, were greatly alarmed, and filled, with confternation and dread.Would you then, my brethren, not be afraid of evil tidings, let your hearts be fixed, trufting in the Lord: in this exercife, you may expect to enjoy the most agreeable ferenity of mind, amidst the ill reports you may hear, and the troubles with which you may be vifited.

And

And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. Both prince and people, having heard of the intended invafion of their country, were feized with difmaying fears of the approaching enemy; in confequence, of which, a univerfal commotion was vifible through all the land of Judah. The righteous fhall never be moved: he is not afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trufting in the Lord whereas wicked men are terrified at imaginary dangers, and the report of threatening calamities. The apprehenfions of impend ing defolation feem to have ftruck the king and people of Judah with a panic, and to have filled them with perplexity and timidity. The effects were, they became credulous of the worit reports that were circulated, fufpicious that matters were worfe than reprefented; their own weakness increased; the power of those from whom they apprehended danger was magnified; the faculties of their minds were enfeebled, and rendered unfit for devifing means of fafety; and their vigour was fo enervated, that they became incapable of executing schemes that might have been formed for their relief. This general perturbation of mind, arising from the above report, is here illuftrated by a beautiful fimilitude. On account of its powerful operation and univerfal influence, it is compared to the strong effects which the wind produces upon the trees of the forest, when it blows with violence. Perfons of all ranks and conditions were bended by its mighty influence, and were moved by its force, which proved fuperior to all oppofition. This tremour and confternation was felt not only by thofe who were naturally of a weak and timid difpofition, but by those alfo who were more ftout and coura gious.- -Deeply sensible of the distress and danger arifing from the state of mind here described, let us get our hearts established, with grace, and diligently

* Pfal. cxii. 7.

beware

beware of those finful practices which give occafion to difmay and terror in the feafons of alarm. Parti cularly, let us guard against fecurity and prefumption, which have often proved fatal to multitudes. Unex pected dangers easily surprise and distress; whereas when known, and looked for, they may either be prevented in their approach, or we may be provided for them against the time of their appearance. Proper expectation, and fuitable preparation, will either weaken them, or ftrengthen us; render them lefs capable of hurting us, or us more able to fuftain them: whereas every calamity that finds us indulging in fin and fecurity, will thereby acquire confiderable advan tage over us.

3 Then faid the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jafhub thy fon, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the high-way of the fullers field.

At this critical time, in which the king of Judah and his people were agitated with perplexing fears, and overwhelmed with dread of the rumoured advance of the formidable confederate army of Ifrael and Syria, the Lord orders our prophet to go forth with his fon, and meet the king at the place here mentioned.In what manner Jehovah delivered this command to his fervant, it is unneceffary curiously to inquire: it was fo given as not to leave him the leaft room for hefitation or uncertainty who spake to him, or what he faid on this occafion. Ahaz was one of the moft wicked princes that ever fat upon the throne of Judah. He was an idolatrous king, who, in the several cities of his dominion, made high places, to burn incenfe to other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers. In the time of his distress, inftead of acknowledging his tranfgreffions, and returning to the Lord, he trefpaffed more and more against him. His daring impiety, and obftinate perfeverance

in fin, is thus emphatically defcribed by the writer of the Second Book of Chronicles: This is that king Ahaz; or, as the words in the Hebrew denote, He was always Ahaz. Many other princes have, like him, wrought wickedness, but afterward have repented of their crimes, and defifted from their evil ways; but this king fignalized himself by his continuance in fin, and his inflexibility in the practice of the moft enormous tranfgreflions. To this notorious finner the most high God was graciously pleased to fend a condefcending meffage, by the prophet Ifaiah, who was accompanied with his fon Shear-jafhub; whofe name being interpreted, fignifies, a remnant shall return. The name of this child was prophetic of a very remarkable event, which our prophet was now fent to announce to Ahaz and his people. This circumftance points at the propriety of the divine command, which required Ifaiah to take with him his fon, who was a pledge of the certain accomplishment of the promifes which his father was about to deliver in the execution of his commiffion.How nobly difplayed are the grace and compaffion of God, in fending the following meffage to fuch a wicked prince, and profligate people, whom he might juftly have delivered to the will of their enemies! Let us earneftly feek to enjoy his favour, who is a prefent help in the time of need; and then may we hope to fecure his merciful interpofition in our behalf, in the feafon of perplexity and danger.

At the end of the conduit of the upper pool, in the high-way of the fullers field. This was the place which God appointed for Ifaiah's interview with king Ahaz. Upon the top of mount Acra, on which stood part of the city Jerufalem, was the fountain of Siloam, anciently called Gihon. From this fountain there were two conduits, for conveying the water into two pools or refervoirs; one of which was called the Upper Pool, or the Pool of Solomon, for whofe ufe and

pleasure it was probably formed; and the other was called the Lower Pool,' the Pool of Siloam, or the Pool of Bethesda, remarkable for the fovereign virtue of its waters*. The former feems to have been defigned for fupplying the king's gardens with water, and the latter for the ufe of the citizens of Jerufalem. Near the conduit which ferved to convey the water into the upper pool, was fituated the field where cloth was cleaned and whitened, called on that account the Fullers Field. To this place of great refort there was made a caufey or high-way, which paffed not far from the end of the conduit. There the prophet was to meet Ahaz; who, at that time, might be viewing in what manner the water could be beft conducted for the benefit of the inhabitants, and kept from being ufeful to the enemy in cafe of a fiege.In this circumftance, we have a ftriking proof of the foreknowledge of God, who hath the moft accurate view of all his creatures, and all their actions, whether past, prefent, or future. The moft contingent events are perfectly foreseen by him, to whom all his works are known from the beginning. Many inftances of this ^ occur in fcripture. Nothing could be more accidental than the death of Ahab king of Ifrael, who was killed by an arrow fhot at a venture in battle; and yet this circumftance was foretold, 1 Kings xxi. 19. And in the words before us, God informed Isaiah of the particular spot where he would meet the king, and have an opportunity of delivering to him the meffage with which he was intrufted. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us; it is high, we cannot attain to it. Let us humbly adore, and love, and serve him, who poffeffeth it in full perfection, and employs it for the benefit of his people.

4 And fay unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be faint-hearted, for the

* See Nehem. iii. 15. and John ix. 7.

two