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rage to our commanders and foldiers, and continue our unanimity, that we may not feel these dreadful evils.

2. See what a happy change the gofpel makes in the state of nations, when it is cordially received. God would fhow favour to Egypt; and this is defcribed, not by replenishing their rivers, multiplying their fifh, increafing their trade, and establishing their concord; but by the spread of true religion among them; banishing idolatry and fin; difpofing men to receive the gofpel; to give themselves to the Lord, and worship him according to his inftitution. We may learn from this paffage, what improvement we are to make of the gofpel; to be thankful for Chrift, that Saviour and great one; publickly and boldly to profess our relation and regard to him, and cultivate that peace and love which he requires of his people. Let us, both in our focial and private conduct, fhow that the gospel has this effect upon us; and we should earnestly pray that it may ⚫have the fame effect upon others, even upon all mankind; and that by the more plentiful effufion of the spirit in the latter day, God may again fay, Bleffed be Egypt my people, and Affyria the work of my hands, and Ifrael mine inheritance.

CHAP. XX, XXI.

A type prefiguring the shameful captivity of Egypt and Ethiopia. This happened between the time that the Affyrian army took the defenced cities of Judah, and when they befieged Jerufalem, which was about three years.

'IN

N the year that Tartan, (mentioned with Rabfbakeh, 2 Kings xviii. 17.) came unto Ashdod (when Sargon, that is, Sennacherib, the king of Affyria fent 2 him,) and fought against Afhdod, and took it; At the fame time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, faying, Go and loose the fackcloth from off thy loins, which thou hast worn as a mourning habit for the fins and calamities of Judah and Ifrael, and put off thy fhoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked, that is, with3 out an upper garment, and barefoot. And the LORD VOL. V.

faid,

faid, Like as my fervant Ifaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years [for] a fign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia; not three years, but three days, to reprefent three years; or it may be rendered, for a three years' fign, that is, for a type or example of three years; 4 So fhall the king of Affyria lead away the Egyptians prifoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with [their] buttocks, or hind parts, uncovered, to the fhame of Egypt, who were a 5 very proud people. And they fhall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory; the nations that trufted in them, and who had great expectations from the Ethiopians and Egyptians, particularly 6 Ifrael, fhall be ashamed of their weak allies. And the inhabitant of this ifle, or country, fhall fay in that day, Behold, fuch [is] our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Affyria: and how fhall we escape? we have no way to escape, now the Affyrians have fuch fuccefs against thefe nations.

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CHAP. XXI. The burden of the defert, or plain, of the fea; that is, Babylon, which lay upon the rivers, and had large lakes like feas about it. As whirlwinds in the fouth pass through, come fuddenly, irrefiftibly, and carry all before them, [fo] it. cometh from the defert, which 2 lay between Perfia and Babylon, from a terrible land. A grievous vifion is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, or, is dealt treacherously with, and the fpoiler spoileth, or, is fpoiled; Babylon is repaid in her own coin. Go up, O Elam: befiege, O Media; all the fighing thereof have I made to cease, that is, the fighing of the captive Ifraelites and others. 3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth. I was bowed down at the hearing [of it;] I 4 was difmayed at the feeing [of it.] My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure, when I used to take my repofe, hath he turned into fear 5 unto me." Prepare the table, watch in the watch

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tower,

1 Some understand this of the prophet's concern for their calamities; I rather think it is a defcription of the terror of Babylon, especially of Belshazzar, when the city was taken.

tower, eat, drink; while you prepare your table, and are feafting in luxury, ye shall hear a fudden cry; arife, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield, that they may be beau6 tiful and ferviceable, and the darts may easily flip off. For thus hath the Lord faid unto me, Go, fet a watchman, who may difcern the approaching danger, and let him de7 clare what he feeth. And he faw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, or horfes, that is, the commanders in chief, Cyrus and Darius, a chariot of affes, or mules, thạt is, the Perfians, [and] a chariot of camels, the Medes, who made use of them; they were both joined in this expedi8 tion; and he hearkened diligently with much heed: And he cried, A lion; or, the watchman cried as a lion, with a terrible voice, at the fight of the danger approaching, and faid, My lord, I ftand continually upon the watch tower in the day time, and I am fet in my ward whole 9 nights; I am very careful to obferve what passes: And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he, that is, the commander in chief, answered and said, Babylon is fallen, Shall furely fall; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken 10 unto the ground. O my threshing, and the corn of my floor; referring to the Ifraelites, who are reprefented as God's corn, in oppofition to chaff and ftraw; they shall be oppreffed yet preferved; that which I have heard of the LORD of hofts, the God of Ifrael, have I declared unto you for your comfort.

II

The burden of Dumah, that is, of Idumea, or Edom. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The Edomites were alarmed with the approaching danger, and are here 12 reprefented as eagerly addreffing the prophet. The watchman faid, The morning cometh, and alfo the night; ye fball have peace and respite for a while, but a dark and dreadful night will follow: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come; if ye will enquire, enquire immediately, in good earneft; and come, return to God, join your felves to his people, and fo efcape the threatened destruction.

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The burden upon Arabia. In the foreft in Arabia

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fhall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.* 14 The inhabitants of the land of Temah brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread 15 him that fled. For they fled from the fwords, from the drawn fword, and from the bent bow, and from the 16 grievousness of war. For thus hath the LORD faid unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar, the son of Ishmael, another clan or tribe, fhall fail; within a year all their 17 flucks and power fhall fail: And the refidue of the number of archers, for which this tribe was famous, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, fhall be diminifhed for the LORD God of Ifrael hath fpoken [it.]

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REFLECTION S.

E here fee the vanity of creature dependencies: the expectations of Ethiopia, and of Egypt, the glory of Ifrael, were all difappointed. The fkill of archers, the most numerous forces, and great wealth, are no fecurity to a nation when God determines to punish. Let us learn wifdom by these repeated examples. If we trust in man, and neglect God, or do not make him our chief confidence, he will fuffer us to be disappointed, and he is juft and kind in it. Truly in vain is falvation looked for from the bills and the multitude of mountains; our help is only in the name of our God.

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2. See how foon the carnal mirth of men may be turned into forrow. Another feasonable leffon for us. When the Babylonians were preparing the table, eating, drinking, and making merry, God was preparing flaughter and deftruc tion for them. How fuddenly did confufion and misery come on this fenfual, riotous people! Thus if we tranfgrefs the bounds of temperance and prudence, the night of our pleafure may be turned into fear. Tho' we escape every other enemy, death may come upon us unawares, and the end of

our

k These were the defcendants of Abraham by Keturah. The king of Affyria might attack this people; they used to pitch their tents in fruitful countries, but now they were glad to wander in forefts, and to receive help from their neighbours.

our mirth may be heaviness. Let us therefore never be off our guard, but be peculiarly watchful in seasons of temptation, and remember, that for all these things God will bring us into judgment.

3. God's people are dear to him, and he intends their benefit, even when he corrects them. The church is his husbandry. His people are the corn of his floor, valuable in themselves, and dear to him. He may fee good to threth or bruise them by afflictions, but it is to purify them. Hypocrites are as chaff, worthlefs and contemptible; he takes no concern about them, fuffers them to go on in ease and profperity: but at length they shall be burned with unquenchable fire. Let us then be patient in tribulation, and wait upon God to make all iffue in our falvation.

4. In every time of danger it is our duty immediately to return to God. Minifters, are appointed as watchmen, in the name of God to give men warning of the danger they are in, and the deftruction that is before them; and it is their duty to attend to the warning, to enquire the will of God, and immediately comply with the intimations of it. They must return to him and their duty, if they defire to escape destruction; if they linger, it is at their peril; for tho' every thing may now look bright and pleafing as the morning, yet the night cometh when no man can work, and they will fink into blacknefs of darkness for ever; therefore, to-day, while it is called to-day, let us hear his voice and not barden our hearts.

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CHA P. XXII.

The title of this chapter, as it ftands in our Bible, is a mistake: the former part relates to the invafion of Judea by Sennacherib. in Hezekiah's time; the latter to fome changes in his court.

'T

HE burden of the valley of vifion, that is, of Jerufalem, most of which was in a valley furrounded with mountains. It is called the valley of vifion, because there God was known; it had the fcriptures and the prophets, and other means of feeing, that is, knowing the will of God.

Q 3

What

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