high God was not only to defend his people from the hoftile defigns of their implacable adverfaries, but to lay them proftrate on the ground, in the fight. of those whom they meditated to destroy. The troops which marched against Jerufalem were to be entirely routed, fo that they fhould not be able to execute the enterprife which they had formed against that city. This wonderful event was not to proceed from the fword or military prowefs of a mighty or of a mean man, or of any man whatever. Not human, but divine power, was to be employed in executing this direful deftruction. The angel of the Lord fent forth for this purpofe was the agent who cut off and totally defeated the Affyrian army, according to the prediction of Hofea, I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will fave them by the Lord their God, and will not fave them by bow, nor by fword, nor by battle, by horfes, nor by horfemen *'-But he shall flee from the fword. Senacherib king of Affyria, who is doubtless the perfon of whom the Prophet fpeaks, ftruck with confternation and terror at the rapid devastation made among his officers and foldiers, was to flee with the remains of his forces, that efcaped the avenging hand of the angel of the Lord, into his own country, terrified left he and his followers might fhare in the general calamity.And his young men fhall be difcomfited. The ftouteft and most courageous of his troops, who were most remarkable for intrepidity and valour, overwhelmed by fear and difmay, were to feek for fafety by a precipitate flight; in their way homeward they were to be difperfed, and many of them to perish.-O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: Let God arife; let his enemies be fcattered; let them alfo that hate him flee before him; as fmoke is driven, drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, let the wicked perish at the prefence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God, who giveth trength and falvation to his people.

9 And

9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes fhall be afraid of the enfign, faith the LORD, whofe fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerufalem.

The prophetic defcription of the entire defeat of the Affyrians, is here continued, and the abfolute certainty of the event is folemnly confirmed. Senacherib, abashed by the terrible havock made among his forces, and confounded at the view of his deplorable condition, paffing the frontiers of his dominions, was to feek for refuge in the first fortress he could reach, where he might think to enjoy a safe retreat.-Accordingly, history relates that this proud vain-glorious monarch, diftreffed by extreme timidity, and inflamed with exceffive rage, did not halt until he arrived at the ftrong city of Nineveh, where he had a citadel and a palace. During his refidence there, his tyranny and cruelty having become intolerable, he was flain with the fword by his two fons, when employed in doing homage to Nifroch his god. -And bis princes fhall be afraid of the enfign. The great men and the officers who had narrowly efcaped the general calamity, were afterward terribly frighted on feeing an enfign or ftandard, which reminded them of their once perilous circumftances, or alarmed them left it might have proved a fignal to purfue and deftroy the shattered remains of the difperfed army to which they belonged.—The prediction thus concludes:

Saith the Lord, who poffeffes omnipotence and faithfulness to accomplish his promises and threatenings, and who will not fail to do as he hath said. -Whofe fire is in Zion, continually burning upon the altar which is placed in the facred temple, built by divine appointment on the mountain which bears that name. Or the expreffion may allude to the peculiar people of God inhabiting that mountain, who, in prophetic language, are fometimes fpoken of under this fymbol. The houfe of Jacob, faith

Obadiah,

Obadiah, fhall be a fire, not only to communicate light and warmth unto the world around them; but to confume the wicked, who are compared to drofs and ftubble. In this fense, alío, the fire of the Lord was in Zion; and the Affyrians who had formed the defign of extinguishing it, were flain and deftroyed. And bis furnace in Jerufalem. A furnace is fitted up for the purpose of melting gold, filver, and other useful metals, in order to feparate them from the alloy with which they are intermixed, and to prepare them for the different uses to which they may be applied. In this view, it fignificantly reprefents thofe trying afilictions whereby God is pleafed to purify his people from their corruptions, to divide the precious from the vile; thofe who on account of their excellence and purity resemble choice filver, from thofe who are worthlefs and contemptible, like the worft refufe. In Jerufalem this furnace was kindled by the fire of divine wrath, in order to refine the inhabitants from thofe heterogeneous mixtures of hypocrify and wickednefs which fpoiled their beauty and utility. With this peculiar defcription of the character of Jehovah, the first part of this prophetical discourse concludes, in which the upright fervants of the Moft High are affured of perfect fafety, even in perilous circumftances, and the utter deftruction of their formidable enemies is foretold. When affailed by their potent adversaries, God will be their friend; when ftraitened, he will grant them enlargement; when in jeopardy, he will fend them deliverance.-Let us then unite in finging the triumphant fong of the fervant of the Lord, compofed in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, which ends thus: 'I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and fing praises unto thy name. 'Great deliverance giveth he to his king, and theweth mercy to his anointed, to David and to his • feed for evermore *.'

* Pfal. xviii. 49, 50.

PRELIMI

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

WE

E now proceed to confider the second part of this prophetic oration, contained in the chapter before us. It commences with a graphical defcription of the important benefits to be enjoyed by the people of God, under the aufpicious reign of an illuftrious, pious prince, the equity of whofe government, and the felicity of whofe fubjects, are highly celebrated, ver. 1, 2.-It foretels, in beautiful figurative language, the conversion of many to a prudent difcrimination of the ways of God, and the excellency of fpiritual objects, v. 3, 8.-It reprefents in ftrong colours the terrible calamities whereby the Jewish nation were to be diftreffed, v. 9, 14-After which, it enumerates fome of the precious bleffings which, in subsequent periods, were to be conferred on the church; fuch as the effufion of the Spirit, the converfion of the Gentiles, the righteoufnefs, the peace, and the happiness of the people of God. These topics we purpose to difcufs in the order in which they are here placed.

CHAP. XXXII.

BEHOLD, a king fhall reign in righteouf

nefs, and princes fhall rule in judgment.

These words contain a fhort pleafing defcription of the profperous adminiftration of an eminent prince, renowned for the equity of his government. His amiable character, and that of his princes, is delineated in terms truly fignificant.-The fubject is introduced in a manner admirably fuited to excite the clofeft attention, Behold a king. Contemplate with fuitable emotions of mind, one poffeffed of royal mag

nificence

nificence and splendour. See an illustrious perfon invested with a crown, dignified with a fceptre, elevated to a throne, exalted to fupreme dominion, exercifing fovereign authority, holding extenfive property, prefiding over a numerous people, whofe liberty, profperity, and tranquillity are established by the clemency and juftice of the monarch. View him enjoying all the prerogatives belonging to royalty; magnificence, riches, power, retinue, with the dutiful homage of loyal fubjects; and displaying from time to time the moft fplendid triumphs. Fix your thoughts especially on the rectitude of his government-Who fhall reign in righteousness. The word is emphatical, denoting that he shall exhibit every virtue which can adorn the royal character, and contribute to the felicity of his kingdom. He fhall use the prerogatives of majefty with great moderation, wifdom, and equity; he fhall perform toward his fubjects the duties of a wife legiflator, a just ruler, a kind parent, and upright judge; exhibiting before them laudable examples of piety and virtue, of goodness and beneficence. In all the affairs of government, he fhall act with clemency and equanimity, he shall do juftice with impartiality, he fhall diftribute judgment without corruption throughout his dominions, having no refpect to perfons. What an ineftimable bleffing is fuch a prince, not only to the nation over which he reigns, but to the church, and to the world! How extenfive the benign influence of his authority and example, who hath at heart the welfare of his people, who adopts the best measures to fupprefs deceit, violence, and all manner of iniquity; to maintain the safety of the empire, to enrich and felicitate all who live under his government.

Do you afk of whom speaketh the Prophet? Had he in his view any particular prince, when delivering this prediction? Hezekiah king of Judah feems to have been the illuftrious monarch pri marily intended; concerning whom it is written,

• He