fin against their God, Second, that they will not any more rebel against the house of David; but will dutifully fubmit to the government of the Meffiah; the king whom God will raise up for them.

And; as the redemption was not to take place till after a long period of time; the Prophet obferves, verfe 10th. "Therefore, fear thou not, O my fervant Jacob, faith the LORD; and be thou not dismayed, O Ifrael; for, behold, I will fave thee from afar." This does not denote diftant countries, as the generality of Commentators have understood it; but properly denotes a remote period of time; as in chap. xxxi. ver. 3d. and as if the Prophet hereby informed them, that the redemption would not be to those that were carried captive; but to their pofterity: as he observes prefently after, "And thy feed from the land of their captivity:" He farther informs us, that after they are redeemed: they fhall no more be terrified with wars, or any other calamity, as in the latter member of the verfe. "And Jacob fhall return, and shall be at reft; he fhall also be wholly at eafe, and (there) fhall (be) none (to) make (him) afraid."

In verfe 11th, The Prophet mentions the reason, why none will make them afraid. "For I (am) with thee, faith the LORD, to fave thee; though I fhall make a full end of all the nations, whither I have dispersed thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee, but I will correct thee in measure; and will not altogether confume thee.”

The Prophet then proceeds to speak of the great fufferings and miferable afflictions of the nation, ver. 12th. &c. "For thus faith the LORD, Thy bruife (is) defperate, thy wound (is) grievous. (There is) none that Judgeth thy cafe to be curable; (and therefore,) no healing medecines are applied to thee." This figurative description of the dreadful state of the nation, is truly pathetic; and withal carries with it the moft manifeft proof of the truth and verity of prophecy; as it has been fo exactly fulfilled in every particular: indeed, their wound is fo defperate, that it is deemed incurable; fo that no one even attempts a cure for them. They have been fo dreadfully perfecuted, maffacred, and destroyed by thousands and tens of thousands ; and have continued fo many hundred years in captivity, that they almost despair of ever be

ing redeemed: nay, fo defperate is their cafe, that their friends confider them as already dead; and therefore, verfe 14th. "All thy friends have forgotten thee, they feek not after thee." And I must acknowledge, says the Prophet, that they have drawn a very juft conclufion of the state of thy case, according to all human appearance; "For with the stroke of an enemy have I fmitten thee; a fevere chastisement:" But this was, "Because thy iniquity (was) abundant, (and) thy fins were numerous." And therefore, "Why crieft thou because of thy bruife, (and that) thy fuffering is without remedy? (Since it is) because thy iniquity (was) abundant, (and) thy fins were numerous, have I done thefe things unto thee. Nevertheless, all they that devour thee, fhall be devoured, and all thine enemies, fhall all of them go into сарtivity; and they that spoil thee shall become a fpoil, and all them that plunder thee will I give up to plunder. For I will restore. health unto thee, faith the LORD; although they have called thee an Outcaft; Zion, she whom no one feeketh after," Although the nations have confidered thee as irrecoverably loft; and that there was no help for thee

thee from God: yet, will I by my particular providential care reftore thee; after all thy friends have defpaired of thy cure.

The Prophet having thus fpoken of the redemption of the nation, under the figure of the cure of a perfon, whofe recovery was defpaired of; he now proceeds to explain the figure, verfe 18th. &c. "Thus faith the LORD; Behold,. I will reverse the captivity of Jacob's tents, and and upon his dwelling places will I have compaffion: and the city* shall be builded upon its heap, and the palace shall be re-eftablished upon its (former) plan. And out of them shall go forth thanksgiving, and the voice of them that are joyous;" For they will return thanks to God, for their deliverance, and the redemption of their fouls. And, although they are greatly diminished during the captivity; fo that they remain but as two or three berries on the top of the uppermost bough: yet, fhall they then increase exceedingly, as is faid, "And I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished." And, as

plot.

Jerufalem which will be built on its ancient ground
The Temple.

during the captivity, they were greatly degraded, and brought very low; he affures them, that they fhall then be raised to honour. "And I will raife them to honour, and they shall not be brought low. And his children. shall be as aforetime, and his congregation fhall be established before me;" They will be fuch as fear the LORD, and think on his name: for their being as aforetime, denotes their extraordinary increase; and their being established, denotes their righteousness.

In the latter member of the verfe, he again fpeaks of the punishment of the nations ; “And I will punish all those that oppress him.” And, as during the continuance of the fecond temple, they were in fubjection, either to the Perfians, Greeks, or Romans, who had their officers there to govern; the Prophet therefore informs us that, at the time of their redemption, it will not be fo: verfe 21 ft. "And his prince fhall be of his own race, and his governor fhall proceed from the midst of him." Not as was Herod, &c. who were of the race of the Idumeans: neither will they be like them; who by their cruelty and wickedness were eftranged from God: as mentioned in the latter member of the VOL II. Τ verle