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النشر الإلكتروني

Entered in Stationers hall.

BODLEIAN LIBRARY

12 25

OXFORD

LECTURES

ON THE

PROPHECIES OF ISAIAH,

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

THE fourth fection of our Prophet's second dif

Prophecies, commences with the chapter now before us, and extends throughout the whole of chapter thirty-fecond. The portion of that beautiful variegated oration to be confidered at this time, seems to have been primarily addreffed to the Ephraimites and the Jews, at that critical period, wherein alarmed by their dangerous fituation, an embafly was difpatched by the Ifraelites into Egypt, requesting the affiftance of that powerful kingdom. In delivering the meffage wherewith he was intrufted, Ifaiah again admonishes the perfidious people to whom he was fent, of their extreme folly and danger in applying to the Egyptians for that affiftarice and defence which they might have had from God, infinitely more wife and powerful. This criminal conduct he sharply reproves, and fhews that the falvation of the people of God does not depend on worldly policy, but on divine protection. He then fubjoins comfortable affurance of effectual fuccour being granted to those who, looking above an arm of flesh, VOL, III.

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placed their confidence in the living God. To excite terror in the wicked and profane, he denounces awful threatenings of the moft direful calamities whereby the kingdom of Ephraim was to be overthrown. To cherish in the fervants of the Most High the lively expectation of the bleffings of divine grace, in the most perilous condition of the church, he explicitly declares, that they were to be plentifully enjoyed in the laft days.-This elegant prophetic difcourfe may be diftributed into two parts, in the firft of which, now to be confidered, the Prophet expofes the egregious folly of the Ifraelites, in requefting the affiftance of that nation who, in former times, had inflaved and oppreffed their fathers. For this purpose he contrafts the wifdom and power of Jehovah, with the wisdom and power of the Egyptians; he exhibits an illuftrious inftance of the divine protection to be afforded to the citizens of Jerufalem, when befieged by the Af fyrians; and, having invited them to return to God, he foretels the total deftruction of the formidable enemies of Judah.

CHAP. XXXI.

O to them that go down to Egypt for

W° help, and stay on horfes, and trust in

chariots, because they are many; and in horfemen, because they are very ftrong: but they look not unto the Holy One of Ifrael, neither feek the LORD.

Our Prophet introduces the fubject which he was to treat, by denouncing against the perfons whofe conduct he reprobates, thofe complicated calamities that demonftrate the displeasure of the Almighty against perverfe tranfgreffors, thofe terrible judgments

which they incur who put their trust in man in whom there is no help. The odious crime whereby the Ephraimites became expofed to the awful punishment threatened against them, is described nearly in the fame terms with those employed in the preceding chapter. Diftrufting the Lord God, who in times past had been their defence and deliverer, and placing foolish confidence in the power of Egypt; they folicited from thence affistance in the prefent critical fituation of public affairs. Though they well knew, or might have known, that a horfe is a vain thing for fafety, neither shall he deliver any by his great ftrength; yet they viewed the military force, the cavalry and chariots of war they expected from Egypt, as their stay in the feafon of impending danger. Put not truft in men of low ⚫ degree who are vanity, nor in men of high degree 'who are a lie.' If you confide in human aid, you fhall certainly be deceived or disappointed; you fhall be ashamed or vexed; you fhall feel the effect of the curfe connected with fuch impious conduct. We may apply to men for help, but we must take heed that we truft not in creatures whofe breath is in their noftrils. The fin here threatened was highly aggravated by the following circumstance :

But they look not unto the Holy One of Ifrael, &c. Infenfible to their own infufficiency and indigence, they did not furvey, in the exercife of believing contemplation, the perfections, the promises, and providence of God; nor did they recollect, with fuitable difpofitions of mind, the intimate relations in which they stood connected with him whom they ought to have honoured and fanctified.Neither did they feek the Lord; they requested not with earneftnefs his direction, affiftance, and protection, his favour and support. Indifferent to the important benefits which they ought to have been folicitous to obtain, they did not afk them from God with faith and fervency, with integrity and uprightness, with humble dependence, perfevering continuance,

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and lively hope of fuccefs.-Would you, my bre thren, escape the miferies denounced in this verse; truft not in the creature, which is only as a bowing wall, and a tottering fence; reprefs that confidence which might withdraw your hearts from God, and terminate in your difgrace and ruin. If you lean on the creatures as a staff, they will pierce your hand like a broken reed; if you take fhelter in them as in a rock, they may fall upon you and prove your deftruction. He that trufteth in vanity, vanity shall be his recompenfe. In every difficulty and danger, have recourfe to God for fupport and deliverance, whofe fecret powerful operation moves the hearts, the tongues, and hands of men. • Better it is to truft in God than to put confidence in man,' who may be unable or unwilling to help, or be cut oft before he can convey to us any fubitantial relief.

2 Yet he alfo is wife, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words; but will arise against the house of the evil doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

In this verse, sharp reproof is administered to those who, depending on human aid, neglect to acknowledge God. To convince them of their folly and prefumption, they are inftructed, that the wisdom, the power, and faithfulness of Jehovah, being infinitely superior to the excellencies poffeffed by people of the greatest celebrity, render him the moft proper object of confidence. The Egyptians were anciently confidered by neighbouring nations as a wife, political, and powerful people; they were long held in high estimation, on account of their learning and acquaintance with many useful arts and fciences. Admitting that they justly deferved this refpectable character, yet it ought to be remembered, that he who giveth wifdom, muft himself be wise, he who teacheth man knowledge, fhall not he ⚫ know?' He is the only wife God, whose wisdom

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