prediction intimation was given, that Jehovah was certainly to appear among men, that he might become their Inftructor and Saviour, and make known his righteousness and falvation to the house of Ifrael. -Let us diligently liften to his voice, who, according to this promife, once fpake on earth, and who now speaketh to us from heaven, until we know that the Son of God is come, by his giving us an underflanding to know him that is true, even his Son Jefus Chrift.

7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings. of good, that publifheth falvation, that faith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Our prophet, having contemplated by the Spirit of revelation, the Son of God clothed with human nature, dwelling among men, transported with the delightful profpect, he exclaims, with rapture and admiration,-How beautiful upon the mountains, &c. The mountains may denote thofe places of eminence from whence the good tidings were delivered, or thofe kingdoms, provinces, and cities, wherein facred truths were diffeminated by the Meffiah. His feet being mentioned, rather than his lips or mouth, may intimate, that in every movement he was comely and graceful; that his affections, converfation and conduct were well ordered, and perfectly corresponded to the doctrines he taught; and that his activity in preaching the gospel was uniform and unwearied, fo as to attract the admiration of the beholders.-There was a wonderful propriety and beauty in all the actions he performed, when he went about doing good, and was employed in collecting, inftructing, and comforting thofe who attended him. His prefence was to them what the fun is to the natural world, what the rain is to the mown grafs; it truck tranfgreffors

greffors with awe, it rejoiced the hearts of his fervants, it diffused uncommon folemnity throughout large affemblies, it commanded veneration, and produced the most furprifing effects. At his appearance and approach, diseases and death were removed, ignorance and perplexity were dispelled, majefty, meeknefs and compaffion were exhibited in all their lovely forms. With what reverence, then, ought we to adore, with what willingness obey, and with what cheerfulness confide in this glorious perfon, whofe tranfcendent beauty is here celebrated, and whose incomparable grace is exhibited in a moft amiable point of view, in the following particulars :

That bringeth good tidings of good; or that publisheth the gospel, which is the name given to the doctrine of Jefus Chrift, by Mark and Luke, and the other infpired writers who recorded the hiftory of our Lord's incarnation, life, fufferings and death, with his fubfequent exaltation, and the fublime truths which he taught. They were therefore called Evangelifts, who preached and propagated the most agreeable news that ever reached the ears of mankind, groaning under the bondage of corruption, the yoke of the ceremonial law, oppreffed by a fenfe of fin, and liable to condemnation and wrath. What good tidings doth the gospel contain? Life is offered to them who are worthy of death, liberty to those who are in captivity, redemption to the enslaved, pardon to the guilty, and falvation to those who are ready to perish. They who are effectually called by grace, are taught to expect the most honourable and glorious immuni ties, not only in this prefent ftate, but in the future world. The tidings are of good, the most fubftantial and fatisfying good; acceptance with God, accef; into his prefence, the care of divine Providence, the affiftance, direction, and comforts of the Holy Spirit, with everlasting life and glory in the world to come. These things are indubitably excellent, and made known by Jefus Chrift and his faithful fervants to the

children

children of men. Thefe ineftimable benefits, exhibited in the gospel, impart to those who humbly receive them the peace of God, that paffeth all underftanding, a hope that maketh not afhamed, and a joy unfpeakable and full of glory.

That publifheth peace, who every where publicly proclaims, with audible voice, this ineftimable benefit, even to the rebellious who are fupplicating mercy, reconciliation, and friendship with God, whom they had offended,-harmony and concord with the celeftial inhabitants, good will and love among brethren on earth, tranquillity and comfort to the troubled heart, and who points out the way of peace, whereby it is restored and established, by which men may arrive at the full and everlasting enjoyment of this precious bleffing.-That publifheth falvation, glorious deliverance from fin, from the powers of darkness, from mifery, death and deftruction, and the attainment of liberty, fanctity and confolation here below; until it fhall be confummated in the poffeffion of all that felicity, which renovated human nature is capable of enjoying, in conformity to the image of God, in the prefence of his glory. Hence the doctrine of Jefus Chrift is emphatically denominated the Gofpel of peace and of falvation.'—That faith unto Zion, thy God reigneth. His power and providence extendeth over all, he governs and difposes of every creature in the univerfe. In a peculiar manner he rules over the fubjects of his fpiritual kingdom, who dwell under his fhadow, and yield to him a willing cheerful obedience. He reigns over them, not with a rod of iron, whereby he breaks in pieces the power of his enemies, but with a golden fceptre of love. From his throne of grace he difpenfes mercy to pardon their fins, grace to help them in all their fervices and conflicts, with every bleffing fuited to relieve their neceffities. The Lord is not only their Saviour, but their king. The word of Chrift is therefore denominated the Gofpel of the kingdom, Mat. 4. 23.

The

The words I have been confidering are cited by the apostle Paul, in his epiftle to the Romans, to prove the neceffity of the Divine miffion of those who preach the gofpel. Treating of the vocation of the Gentiles, and the means employed by infinite wifdom for this purpose, he clearly evinces, that falvation is the peculiar happiness of those who call on the name of the Lord-that to attain this inestimable benefit, faith is indifpenfibly requifite, that hearing the gospel is neceffary to faith, that preaching must precede hearing, that in order to preaching there must be a Divine miffion, and that fuccefs in this work entirely depends on the power and bleffing of God. This reafoning he establishes by quoting the verse before us, and by applying it to minifters of Jefus Chrift, who are employed and honoured by him in publishing peace and falvation. How beautiful

(fays he) are the feet of them,' &c.

8. Thy watchmen fhall lift up the voice, with the voice together fhall they fing: for they shall fee eye to eye, when the Lord fhall bring again Zion,

Our prophet proceeds ftill farther to exprefs his admiration in contemplating the pleafing scene exhibited to his view.-Public teachers of the people of God, who take heed to themselves and to their flocks, who watch for the fouls of men as they that must give account to God, who, in the exercise of active vigilance, warn them of approaching evils whereby they may be injured, who awake them from indolence and fecurity, who guard them against danger, and diligently endeavour to promote their fafety and happiness, are emphatically denominated Watchmen, of whom it is foretold-They fhall lift up the voice, speaking the word of God with confidence and boldnefs, fhewing the people of God their tranfgreffions, roufing from inactivity, inviting them to partiVOL. IV. cipate

I

cipate of the choiceft bleffings, and directing them in the path of life. Deeply impreffed with the importance of the truft repofed in them, they were to deliver their inftructions in a clear audible manner, with much fervour and earneft nefs.-With the voice together fall they fing. All the minifters of Jefus Chrift, being animated by the fame fpirit of love and joy, and agreeing in fentiment and doctrine, all with harmonious confent faying in effect the fame things, they fhall cordially unite in celebrating the praises of their common Lord, for his wonderful works to the children of men, for the good tidings they are intrufted to publish, and for the happy effects which, through his prefence and bleffing, are thereby produced. How pleafant, how comely for the fervants of God, who dwell together in unity, to join together in expreffing their love, gratitude, and joy, to the Father of Mercies and God of all comfort, for his ineftimable benefits!

For they fhall fee eye to eye. The expreffion plainly intimates the clear and fatisfying manifeftations of the prefence and glory of Jehovah to be enjoyed by his fervants, at the period wherein the foundations of the Meffiah's kingdom were to be laid and established. As feeing face to face, and converfing mouth to mouth, denote the closest interview and most familiar converse, so seeing eye to eye may fignify the intimate, bright difcoveries of the grace and glory of God, wherewith his people, and particularly the watchmen of the Church, were to be favoured at the time to which this prediction refers. With their bodily eyes they were to behold the aftonishing miracles performed by the Son of God, and the precious gifts conferred on the Church by the Holy Ghoft, with the awful judgments inflicted on their enemies. With the enlightned eyes of their minds, they were to contemplate, with pleafure, the fpiritual benefits whereby they were adorned and felicitated. They were to fee the glory of the Lord and the excellency of our God, which were then to be revealed, and thofe