true light, which was to arife and fhine upon that people. In the regions of Judea did the light of the gofpel fhine forth, after the appearance of the Sun of righteousness, with healing under his wings; and therefore, when the apoftle Matthew mentions our bleffed Saviour's going to refide at Capernaum, which is upon the fea-coaft, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim, he immediately adds, that it might be • fulfilled which was fpoken by Efaias the prophet, faying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the fea beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people which fat in darkness faw great light and to them which fat in the region ⚫ and fhadow of death, light is fprung up *.' Thofe parts of the land of Ifrael which had fuffered much in former vexations, being honoured with the prefence and inftructions of the Meffiah, the dimnefs and obfcurity was not fuch, at the time to which this prediction refers, as it was in times of lighter afflictions. Hence we learn, that when gentle corrections prove ineffectual for reforming a perfon or people, God, who is righteous in all his ways, proceeds to inflict fevere judgments; and the greater the crimes for which he afflicts, the greater is the punishment that he executes. This circumftance, which is worthy of your ferious attention, ought to restrain you from perfifting in fin, and continuing in. your tranfgreffions.

2 The people that walked in darknefs, have feen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the fhadow of death, upon them hath the light fhined.

These words reprefent the happy change which was to be introduced, by the promifed Mefliah, into the land of Galilee, at the time to which this prophecy

* Matth. iv. 14, 15, 16.

refers,

refers, as a bleffed prefage of its extenfion unto all the earth.- -Concerning the people it is affirmed, that they walked in darknefs. Darkness cannot here denote the absence of natural light, and muft not be understood in the literal, but in the figurative sense, in which it is often ufed in fcripture, to fignify a ftate of ignorance, fin, and mifery. Until the great light, here intended, is feen, people remain deftitute of fpiritual knowledge, and a proper acquaintance with the truths of the gofpel, which feem to them enveloped in obfcurity. Ignorance, like a vail, continues upon their hearts, until the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift, who is the image of God, fhine into their minds. In this uncomfortable ftate, they act under the influence of corrupt principles, emphatically called the power of darkness, committing thofe enormous tranfgreffions which are justly denominated the works of darkness. From hence arise diftreffes and miseries of various kinds, which terminate in utter darkness, and everlasting wo, unless prevented by the illumination of the true light.In this condition the people are defcribed as walking, which, in the word of God, frequently denotes the whole course of man's life, in which every action makes a step toward that everlasting state to which we are journeying. Walking is a voluntary motion, the confequence of preceding choice, and deliberate refolution, very different from that which proceeds from violence, when one is drawn, or compelled by force. This circumftance affords a juft reprefentation of those who are in darkness, who, as the wife man obferves, leave the path of righteoufnefs, and walk in the way of darknefs; who rejoice to do evil, and to whom the ways of fin are pleafant. Walking is a continued motion, in which one ftep regularly follows another, until the ground intended is gone over. In this re

fpect alfo, it exhibits a juft view of people in darknefs, who ceafe not to do evil, are ever repeating their finful actions, and renewing their tranfgreffions

against

against the Almighty. Once more, walking is a progreffive motion, by which a traveller ftill goes forward, until he arrives at the end of his journey. In like manner, those who are in darknefs proceed as it were down-hill, from evil to worse, until, if divine mercy interpofe not, they are irrecoverably loft.The people are farther described in the following

words:

They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death. Of all the events that can befall mankind in this prefent world, death is the most awful and terrible. It separates the foul from the body, with which it was intimately connected; and deprives it of all the excellencies and advantages of which it was poffeffed. It pulls down in a moment the curious fabric of na ture, and extinguishes life, the greatest of all temporal bleffings. The countenance is then changed, the ftrength is diffolved, purposes perish, learning and wisdom come to nought, and every natural and acquired accomplishment depart for ever. There is no knowledge, labour, or device in the grave, whither we are hafting. Death puts a final period to mens worldly businesses, connections, and enjoyments, and to all our opportunities of improvement and fervice. It diflodges the human foul from its former beloved habitation; and introduces it into a state of confummate happiness or mifery, of which the perfon's prefent choice, temper, and practices, hath laid the foundation this gives it a ftill more folemn afpect, and more awful appearance. As the fhadow gives an exact reprefentation of the object by which it is formed, by the fhadow of death, may be meant the image. of death, exhibiting, in dreadful forms, this object of difmay and terror. To dwell in the land of this fhadow, denotes that fuch was the deplorable condition. of its inhabitants, that they afforded an exact resemblance of death, by which men are deprived of all

that is esteemed excellent and defirable in this world.

Or the expreffion may fignify, that they were fub

jected

jected to the power and influence of death, expofed to anxious fears and uneafy diftractions of mind, wherewith people are feized in times of imminent danger, when they know not how foon they may become a prey to this king of terrors. Though the land here spoken of, was exceedingly fruitful and pleafant, yet, on account of the miferable condition of its inhabitants, who were involved in fpiritual darkness, dead in trefpaffes, and liable to death of the worst kind, it is faid to be the region or fhadow of death. In this refpect, it afforded a juft reprefentation of the whole earth, which is become fubject to the dominion of this univerfal conqueror, and in which we every where behold the images of death.The people of this description,

Have feen a great light upon them hath the light fhined. The light here intended, is not that which is called natural, which is the life, the beauty, and glory of the univerfe, whilst it discovers the immense variety of objects wherewith it is ftored, manifefts the evils and dangers to which we are exposed, and enables to difcern innumerable circumftances that, without it, muft have eluded our fagacity. By an eafy figure, the term light, in the facred oracles, is employed to exprefs that divine light whereby fpiritual darkness is expelled, and the minds of men are illuminated, quickened, and invigorated. From the application of the prophet's words to the Meffiah, by the apostle Matthew, in the forecited fourth chapter and fixteenth verfe of his gofpel, it is evident, that they were fulfilled by the appearance of our blefied Saviour, whofe perfon and doctrine are here intended. As a divine perfon, he is eternal, effential, and uncreated light, the brightness of the Father's glory; as Meffiah, he is the true light which was to come into the world, to be the glory of his people Ifrael, and a light to enlighten the Gentiles. Under this beautiful defcription, he was foretold by the prophets; under this fublime character, he is fpoken of

by

by the apostles; under this inftructive figure, he speaks of himself. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me, fhall not walk in darkness, but fhall have the light of life*. His heavenly doctrine is emphatically denominated, by the apoftle Paul, the light of the glorious gofpel of Chrift +.' This great light, when it fhines into the minds of men, effectually difpels the mift of ignorance, error, and fin, that forms the darknefs in which people walked previous to its appearance. It displayeth the wif dom, love, and righteoufnefs of Jehovah in the redemption of tranfgreffors, and layeth open to view the way of peace, into which our feet ought to be guided. Moft juftly does the perfon and gospel of Immanuel merit this character; for, like the light of the natural world, they are objects truly glorious, and pleasant to contemplate, exhibiting the wonders of God's purpofes, providence, and grace. The propa gation of the gospel, when at first the day-fpring vifited this earth, was amazingly rapid in its progrefs; like the rays of light, quickly extending itself over the face of the whole inhabited world. The light of the gofpel, like that of the fun, fhines at all times with bright and inextinguishable luftre, though not in all places at the fame time. Though the light emitted by the Sun of righteousness shine around men, like that which proceeds from the fun in the; firmament; to perceive its excellence and glory, to behold the wonders it reveals, and to reap benefit from the difcoveries it affords, the eyes of our understandings must be opened. Those who are thus illuminated have indeed feen a great light, which of all things appears to be the most admirable and the most excellent, whilft it enables them to difcern thofe important objects which are most neceflary to be contemplated and fecured. Let us, my friends, give thanks to the Father of lights, who hath made light to arife upon * John viii. 12.

+ 2 Cor. iv. 4.