applicable to the 42d chapter of Ifaiah, compared with the 49th. As in chap. 49. it is faid of the perfon there mentioned, that God "would give him for a light to the Gentiles, and a covenant to the "people, that he might establish the earth ;-and "that he might fay to the prifoners, Go forth; "and to them that fit in darkness, Shew your"selves;" and in a particular manner the ifles, and people afar off, are called to listen to him: fo as to this 42d chapter, it foretells of the eminent perfon it treats of, that God "would give him for a covenant of the people, for a light of the "Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out "the prisoners from the prifon, and them that fit "in darkness out of the prifon-houfe, y 6. 7.;" that he "would bring forth judgement to the Gen"tiles, 1." And more particularly it is foretold, that the ifles would wait for his law, ✯ 4. ; and the prophet exhorts "the ifles and their inhabi"tants to fing unto the Lord a new fong;" and again a little below exhorts men to "give glory "unto the Lord, and declare his praife in the i"flands," 10. 12. Though the converfion of the kings of the Gentiles is not mentioned fo exprefsly here as in the chapter formerly confidered, yet it is plainly implied in the divine threatenings pronounced against . idolatry. It is foretold, y 17. that "they fhall bẹ "turned back, they fhall be greatly afhamed that " trust in graven images, that fay to the molten icc mages, Ye are our gods." In other prophecies, as well as this, threatenings against idolatry are mixed fometimes with the promifes of enlightening of the Gentiles; the strong expreffions made use of in thefe threatenings plainly denote fuch an overthrow of the Heathen idolatry, as fuppofes its being deprived of the countenance of authority. Before the times of the gospel, the enemies of the true religion had fo far prevailed as to hinder the enlightening of the the nations. In the 13th and 14th verfes of this chapter God fpeaks of himself as "prevailing against his enemies;" and for that end "going forth as a "mighty man, stirring up jealousy like a man of war; after having long held his peace, been still, "and refrained himfelf *." These and the like expreffions, here and in other prophecies, evidently point out an important revolution in the world in favour of the true religion, vaftly different from any fuch converfion of particular profelytes as might have been brought about by any Jewish king or prophet before the coming of Christ. The fingular magnificence of ftyle by which the prophets defcribe what God was to do when he would enlighten the Gentiles; their expreffions a bout the greatnefs of the change he was to produce, the greatness of the obftacles he was to remove, the extraordinary difplay he was to make of his power and glory, the great fupport he was to give to the particular perfon who was to be the light of the Gentiles, the folemn manner in which they introduce their predictions on this fubject, and the triumphant exclamations they mix with them, or annex to them, calling to all the ends of the earth, and sometimes to heaven and earth, to fing and rejoice on account of the great and glad tidings they were proclaiming: all these things fhew that it is not merely the converfion of fome particular profelytes they are fpeaking of, but that converfion of nations which is known to have been the peculiar effect of the gospel. We have remarkable inftances of this fingular magnificence of style in this fame 42d chapter, particularly in the following fentences. "Be"hold my fervant whom I uphold, mine elect in "whom my foul delighteth: I have put my fpirit "upon him, he shall bring forth judgement to the "Gentiles. Thus faith God the Lord, he that * See Acts xvii. 30. "created the heavens, and ftretched them out; he "that fpread forth the earth, and that which co"meth out of it; he that giveth breath to the "people upon it, and spirit to them that walk "therein: I the Lord have called thee in righteouf"nefs, and will hold thine hand, and will keep "thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, "for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind "eyes, to bring out the prifoners out of the pri"fon.-I am the LORD, that is my name, and my "glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold, the former "things are come to pafs, and new things do I de"clare: before they fpring forth I tell you of "them. Sing unto the Lord a new fong, and his "praife from the end of the earth: ye that go ૯ down to the fea, and all that is therein; the "ifles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wil"derness, and the cities thereof, lift up their voice. "Let them give glory unto the Lord, and de"clare his praife in the iflands," &c. It would be unreafonable to object, that the peculiar loftinefs of the eaftern ftyle, frequently magnifying things above their real greatnefs, may account for thefe high expreflions, without fuppofing any more extenfive converfion of the Gentiles than what fometimes happened under the Old Teftament. Defcriptions of divine power can never be too lofty. It can never be proved, that the fcripture any where gives fuch defcriptions of it, as thofe now cited, in order to magnify any ordinary or inconfiderable event. We fee here, the prophet first gives a large and fublime defcription of the power of the Molt High, manifefted in the creation of the univerfe, and of its inhabitants; on purpofe to fhew his fufficiency to execute certain great defigns, in which he was to employ one eminent perfon, whom he would give to be a covenant to the people, and a light of the Gentiles; that he might open the blind eyes, and bring prifoners out of the prifon; and produce thofe happy changes which are exprefsly called new things, (which cannot be faid of the converfion of particular profelytes); fuch new things that the prediction of them would clearly demonitrate prefcience: "Behold, new things do I "declare; before they fpring forth I tell you of "them :" new things that would restore to the true God the religious honours that had been facrilegiously given to idols; new things that would produce new fongs to the Lord, and devout tranfports in the cities of the wilderness; by which must be meant, according to the context and other parallel prophecies, the cities of the Gentiles; and particularly in the islands, which name, as good interpreters have obferved, was given by the Jews to remote nations feparated from Judea by the fea. II. Some predictions relating to the enemies of him who was to be the light of the Gentiles, are implied in the above-cited threatenings against the abetters of idolatry: and when it is faid, in y 4. "He fhall not fail, nor be difcouraged, till he have "fet judgement in the earth; and the ifles fhall "wait for his law," it is plainly enough intimated, that he would meet with fuch oppofition as might difcourage and difappoint other perfons in any undertaking, but would by no means have that effect on him. But whereas mere general expreffions about the enemies of the eminent perfon in view might be applicable to idolatrous Heathens as well as to unbelieving Jews, the clofe of this chapter speaks very plainly, not of the former, but of the latter. In y 19. and 20. the prophet speaks of the blindness of certain perfons, whom he calls God's fervants and meffengers: fuch titles are not applicable to Heathen, but to Jewish teachers and rulers; who both profeffed themfelves to be God's fervants and meffengers, and were indeed appointed to fuch offices, notwithstanding their mal-adminiftration. nistration. When it is faid of these people, y 20. "Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth not," it is implied, they would have abundant means of inftruction, and conviction, but would inexcufably misimprove them. Three times in one verfe (the 19th) they are called blind. The following context not only foretells extraordinary defolations that were to come on those perfons; but plainly intimates, that notwithstanding the previous warnings given them, they would not confider the true caufes of their calamities. Thus in y 24. 25. it is faid, "Who gave Jacob for "a fpoil, and Ifrael to the robbers? did not the "Lord, he against whom we have finned? for they "would not walk in his ways, neither were they " obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath pour"ed upon him the fury of his anger, and the "ftrength of battle and it hath fet him on fire "round about, yet he knew not; and it burned "him, yet he laid it not to heart." The greatnefs of the calamities here foretold, prove that these expreffions, “He knew not," and, "He laid it not "to heart," cannot fignify, that they would be infenfible of these calamities, but that they would not acknowledge and confider the true caufes of them. : To fhew the clearness of this prediction, it is proper to obferve, that its being meant of the unbelieving Jews, is not only evident from the abovementioned title, of God's meffengers and fervants, given to those the prophet speaks of in y 19.; but that the thing is put beyond all question by y 24. which gives them the name of Jacob and Ifrael. If it be objected against applying y 19. to the Jewish teachers or rulers, that that text fpeaks only of the Lord's meffenger and fervant in the fingular number; it is fufficient to obferve, on the one hand, that y 18. which is the introduction to this prediction, speaks of blind and deaf perfons in the plural |