91

SERMON VIII.

THE SUN RISING UPON A DARK WORLD.

ISAIAH, ix. 2.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light : they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

CONTRASTS are suited to illustrate and strengthen the impression of each other. The happiness of those who, by faith in MESSIAH, are brought into a state of peace, liberty, and comfort, is greatly enhanced and heightened by the consideration of that previous state of misery in which they once lived, and of the greater misery to which they were justly exposed. They are not only made "meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the "saints in light,"* but they have been delivered from the powers of darkness. Thus, while they have communion with God as a Father, they contemplate their privilege with a greater pleasure, than they probably could do if they had never known a difference. They remember a time when they were "afar off, without hope, and without "God in the world;" and they remember how carelessly they then trifled upon the brink of destruction. In this deplorable and dangerous situation they were "found of the Lord, when they

sought him not." He convinced, humbled, and pardoned them, and brought them near to himself, into a state of adoption and communion by the

blood of Jesus. The admiration, gratitude, and love, which they feel for this undeserved grace, gives them a more lively sense of the blessings they enjoy. Yea, the thought of what they have been redeemed from (of which they will then have a much clearer perception than at present) will add to their joys in heaven, and inspire such a song of praise as will be peculiar to themselves, and in which the holy angels, who never felt the stings of guilt, nor tasted the sweetness of pardoning mercy, will not be able to join them. They are accordingly represented, in the prophetical vision, as standing nearest to the throne, and uniting in the noblest strains of praise to him who sitteth upon it;* while the surrounding angels can only take part in the chorus, and admire and adore, when they behold the brightest displays of the glory of the wonder-working God, manifested in his love to worthless, helpless sinners.

These opposite ideas are joined in my text. The people who are spoken of as rejoicing in a great light, were, till this light arose and shone upon them, in darkness; walking, sitting, living in darkness, and in the land of the shadow of death. That this passage refers to MESSIAH, we have a direct proof. The evangelist refers it expressly to him, and points out the time and manner of its literal accomplishment. I shall first consider the literal sense and completion of the prophecy, and then show how fitly it applies to the state of mankind at large, and to the happy effects of the Gospel of salvation; which, by the blessing of God, has been the instrument of bringing multitudes of many nations, peoples, and languages, out of a state of gross "darkness, into marvellous light.”‡

*Rev. v. 9-12. † Matt. iv. 15, 16. + 1 Pet. ii. 9.

I. Hebrew words (like many in our own language) have often more than one signification. But only one sense can be expressed in a version. And therefore interpreters and translators frequently differ. Which of the different words, used to express the meaning of the same original term, is most happily chosen, may be sometimes decided by the context. The two words in the first verse of this chapter, rendered " lightly afflicted" and

grievously afflicted," signify likewise, the one to think lightly of, to account vile; and the other, to honour, to render honourable and glorious. Both these words occur in one verse, and are used in these senses, in the Lord's message to Eli, "Them "that honour me I will honour, and they that

despise me shall be lightly esteemed."* Had the same words been thus rendered in the passage before us, the sense of both verses would, I think, have been more plain, connected, and consistent, to the following purport, agreeable to the translation given by Vitringa, and the present bishop of London. "Nevertheless there shall not be dim"ness [or darkness] as in the time of her vexation "or distress. He formerly debased [made light "or vile] the land of Zebulon and Naphtali, but in "the latter time he hath made it glorious, even [the

land] by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, "Galilee of the Gentiles. [For] The people that "walked in darkness have seen a great light," &c. -Such was the afflicted and low state of Galilee previous to the coming of MESSIAH; such was the exaltation and honour it derived from his appear

ance.

1. The land allotted to the tribes of Issachar, Zebulon, and Naphtali, was chiefly included in the

province which, upon a subsequent division of the country, obtained the name of Galilee. The northern part of it, the inheritance of Naphtali, was the boundary or frontier towards Syria, and had been frequently vexed and afflicted, when the sins of Israel brought the armies of their enemies upon them, as frontier countries usually suffer most in times of invasion and war. Particularly this part of the land, called Galilee of the Gentiles, was the first, and most immediately exposed to the ravages of Tiglath-Pileser and Sennacherib. And as the people there were likewise more mixed with foreigners, and at the greatest distance from the capital, Jerusalem, on these accounts Galilee was lightly esteemed by the Jews themselves. They thought "no prophet could arise in Galilee."* It even prejudiced Nathanael against the first report he received of Jesus as MESSIAH, that he lived, and was generally supposed (by those who were content to be governed by popular rumour, without inquiring attentively for themselves) to have been born in Galilee. He asked, with an appearance of surprise" Can any good thing come out of "Nazareth?" They were accounted a rude, unpolished, provincial people. And therefore, when Peter would have denied any acquaintance with his Lord, he was discovered to be a Galileant by his dialect and manner of speech.

2. This despised and least valued part of the land of Israel, was the principal scene of MESSIAH's life and ministry, insomuch that, as I have observed, he was supposed to have been born there; a mistake which his enemies industriously supported and made the most of: for those who could persuade themselves that it was so in fact, would think themselves justified in rejecting his * John, vii. 52. ↑ John, i. 46. ↑ Mark, xiv. 70.

claim; it being one undeniable mark of MESSIAH, given by the prophet Micah," that he was to be "born in Bethlehem of Judah."* He was, however, brought up at Nazareth, and lived for a time in Capernaum, towns in Galilee; but both of so little repute, that, had they not been connected with his history, it is not probable that their names would have been transmitted to posterity.

3. But by his residence there, Galilee was honoured and ennobled. He himself declared, that on this account, " Chorazin, Bethsaida, and "Capernaum" (though probably none of them were more than inconsiderable fishing towns)" were " exalted even to heaven."† Those were highly privileged places which our Lord condescended to visit in person; so likewise are those places where he is pleased to send his Gospel. I have observed formerly, and make no apology for repeating a truth so very important, and so little attended to, that "the glorious Gospel of the blessed God,'t when faithfully preached and thankfully received and improved, renders an obscure village more honourable, and of more real consequence, than the metropolis of a great empire, where this light shineth not. For what are the "dark places of the earth,"§ however celebrated for numbers and opulence, for the monuments of ambition and arts, but habitations of cruelty, infatuation, and misery! 4. Though Galilee was favoured with the Scripture, and with synagogue-worship, and the inhabitants were a people who professed to know the God of Israel, it was a land of darkness at the time of MESSIAH'S appearance. Though they were not idolaters, ignorance prevailed among them. The law and the prophets were read in the synagogues;