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the goldsmith; and he that smoothed with the hammer, him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the soldering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. 21 Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you. 28 For I beheld, and there was no man, even amongst them, and there was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. 29 Behold, they are all vanity, their works are nothing their molten images are wind and confusion.

CHAP. XLI. The Office of Christ.

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BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for his law. 5 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein; 6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the

Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8 I am the Lord; that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10 Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof fift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. 12 Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.

CHAP. XLIII. God's Favour promised..

BUT now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. 2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 3 For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep rot back bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; 7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created I aim for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him. 11 I, even I am the Lord, and be side me there is no Saviour. 12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there wa is no

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strange god among you therefore ye are my nesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. 13 Yea, before the day was, I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? 15 I am the Lord, your holy One, the creator of Israel, your king.

16 Thus saith the Lord, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters: 18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. 21 This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise. 22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. 23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt offerings, neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. 25 I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. 26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified. 27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed against

28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

CHAP. XLIV. God's Mercy.

YET now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen. 2 Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee, Fear not. 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit and my blessing upon thine offspring. 6 Thus saith the Lord the king of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and besides me there is no God. 23 Sing,

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ye heavens ; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. 24 Thus saith the Lord thy redeemer, I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself: 26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

CHAP. XLVI. Vanity of Idols.

3 HEARKEN unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel. 5 To whom will ye liken me, and compare me, that we may be like? 6 They lavish gold and weigh silver in the balance, and hire a smith; and he maketh it a god they fall down, yea, they worship. 7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth ; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. 9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.

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CHAP. XLIX. God's Love of the Church. LISTEN, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me, 3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain; yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. And now, saith the Lord, that formed me, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. 7 Thus saith the Lord, the redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, Kings shall see and arise; princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel. 8 Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people.

13 Sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth, and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. 14 But Zion said,

The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. 15 Can a woman forget her child, that she should not have compassion? yea, they may forget, yet will not forget thee. 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands. 17 Thy children shall make haste thy destroyers, and they that made thee waste, shall go forth of thee. 22 Thus saith the Lord God,

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