anchor of their hope, and their help in the day of trouble.

We have waited for thee, to whom we direct our prayers, and will look up. We wait for thee the God of falvation, who feasonably difpenfes affiftance and relief, according to the neceffities of thy humble fuppliants. This devout employment which does honour to God, and expreffes the lively expectation of his faints, occupies and regulates the entire frame of their minds, refpecting the difpenfations of providence, and the accomplishment of God's promifes. Having explained this becoming temper, when treating of the grateful acknowledgment of the church recorded chap. xxv. 9. I fhall not at present refume the fubject, but proceed to confider the request immediately fubjoined.

Be thou their arm every morning, &c. The church intercedes, not only for themselves, but for their brethren, employed in counteracting the hoftile defigns of their enemies-Entreating that the Lord of hofts, who muftereth the armies of battle, might by his invincible power (which is frequently the import of the arm of Jehovah mentioned in fcripture) fupport and defend them in executing their enterprises; that he would endow them with heroic courage, fkill, and prudence; that he would preferve them from difcord, and every thing that might prove a reproach to the good cause in which they were embarked; that he would render their way profperous; and enable them to vanquish their formidable adverfaries. Such feems to be the import of the request which they were folicitous might be granted every morning. The noble defenders of the truth being every day exposed to new difficulties and dangers, they would daily require new interpofitions of divine providence in their behalf, which are entreated to be early and feafonably afforded to them; that light may arife upon them amid the darkness of affliction and calamity.-Our falvation alfo in the time of trouble. The faints requeft that Almighty God would be pleased, not only

to

to fupport and protect by his omnipotent arm, their companions engaged in their defence; but that he would grant them complete deliverance from the troubles with which they were diftreffed. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord; it is his peculiar prerogative, and he alone can bestow it. He raises up faviours whom he employs as inftruments to rescue his people from their foes, and by whom he conveys to them this inestimable bleffing; but on him alone entirely depends their efficacy and their fuccefs. Truly ' in vain is falvation hoped for from the hills and 'the multitude of mountains * from the greatest means, and the moft powerful human affiftance. In 'the Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael.'-In this excellent prayer, dictated by the Spirit of grace, which is well adapted to our circumftances, let us all cordially unite, efpecially in troublous times. Fresh occafion of renewing our applications to the throne of grace is every day adminiftered. Our temporal interefts, what relates to life, to health, to friends, to profperity, to adverfity, and above all, our spiritual concerns, and the welfare of the church of God, fuggeft the propriety, the neceflity of calling often on the Lord. Our fafety and happiness depend wholly upon him, and are intimately connected with the conduct of thofe over whom we have no influence and therefore reafon and fcripture require that we frequently beg of God to be gracious unto us.

3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled at the lifting up of thyself the nations were fcattered.

The remarkable interpofition of Jehovah in favour of his afflicted people, as the happy effect of the preceding fervent fupplication, is immediately fubjoined. The tranflation of the firft part of this verse given by the learned Dr Lowth, feems preferable to our English verfion, which is very obfcure. The VOL. III.

L

* Jer. iii. 23.

Bishop

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Bishop renders it, From thy terrible voice, the peo'ple fled. According to this interpretation, the words exhibit a lively image of a fudden general alarm, occafioned by fome awful tremenduous voice, proceeding from the Moft High, whereby the enemies of his people, who were aflembled in great numbers, affrighted and aftonished, fled in confufion with the utmost precipitation. Being in this manner intimidated, they were wholly difperfed and entirely routed. In confequence of this wonderful interpofition in behalf of the church, we may adopt the words of a beautiful hymn addreffed to God, At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hafted away *.'

At the lifting up of thyself the nations were scattered. The lifting up, or exaltation of Jehovah, may denote the glorious difplays which he gave of his majesty, power, and righteousness, in the difperfion and overthrow of the inveterate enemies of his upright fervants, who were driven away as chaff before the wind. How highly elevated above all oppofition, doth God appear, when he infatuates and turns their counfels into foolishness; when he deprives them of wisdom and prudence, fo that their folly becomes confpicuous! What incomparable majesty and grandeur doth he manifeft, when he bereaves them of judgment and understanding, fo that they act under the influence of rage and fury, like madmen, who mifapply their great itrength to mifchievous purpofes-When he ftrikes them with terror and confternation, divests them of fpirit and courage, fo that they become weak and timid. Thus difpirited, mifguided, and difarmed, their hands cannot perform their enterprises. By few difpenfations of providence is God fo greatly magnified as by the difperfion of the nations which are adverse to the interefts of his kingdom. He thereby fhews to the world, that he is high above all gods, that he is mightier than the tumults of the people; that no obftacles can refift his pow

*Palm civ. 7.

er;

er; that no fubtilty can efcape his obfervation, or prevent the accomplishment of his defigns. In fuch difpenfations, mercy is magnified, power is admired, wisdom is adored, righteoufnefs is vindicated, and faithfulness is celebrated.-Let us then improve feafons of affliction, and impending danger, in earnest fupplication to God, who is a ftrength to the needy in his diftrefs. In times of this fort, the Ifraelites, and afterwards the difciples of Jefus Chrift, were moft inftant in fuccefsful prayer. Every trouble reminds us of God, and every fignal deliverance whereby he is exalted, affords a powerful argument and encouragement to feek the Lord, and his ftrength, and his face for evermore.

4 And your spoil fhall be gathered like the gathering of the caterpillar: as the running to and fro of locufts fhall he run upon them.

In these words, which feem to be directed to those who had spoiled the people of God, they are informed, that in confequence of their conqueft and flight, their spoils fhould be collected by thofe whom they had formerly rifled and plundered.-The fubject is illuftrated by two fimilitudes, with which Ifaiah's countrymen were well acquainted. The firft is taken. from the infect called the caterpillar, which appear in vaft numbers promifcuously without obferving any order, and direct their courfe into fome field that is planted or fown, and fastening on its fruits or corns, they gather and confume whatever affords them fupport and provifion. In like manner, the Ifraelites refcued from the power of their oppreffors, were to convene, without regard to order, in great multitudes; that they might feize upon the booty of those who had spoiled and robbed them. As caterpillars tear off the leaves from the trees, and the blades from the fhrubs and the corns, devouring and collecting for their own ufe whatever they find agreeable; fo the pofterity of Jacob, were to gather in the camps and fields of thofe who had plundered them, whatever seemed

to

to be valuable and useful, that they might employ it to their own purposes. As caterpillars feed in the fields whereon they alight, without fear of molestation or injury, and perfevere in their deftructive operations, until every thing conducive to their advantage is confumed; fo the Ifraelites were, without dismay, to lay hold of the pillage of their adverfaries, from which they would not defift until it was altogether collected. As the running to and fro of locusts, &c. The fecond fimilitude is taken from the infect called the locuft, which having long legs, runs hither and thither with great agility in thofe places where it frequents. Their fwift irregular motions are here mentioned, as prefenting a fignificant emblem of the inhabitants of Canaan, running with rapidity, in every direction, with the fpoils of their oppreffors, which they had gathered at their pleasure, every one taking that part of the pillage that feemed to him moft defirable.The happiness and joy felt by the conquerors of a defeated army, who after a ftrong and dubious conteft, having obtained the victory, find great fpoil, represents the ftill greater felicity and triumph which the fervants of God experience in the treasure of his bleffed word. The gain, the joy, and the comfort which it imparts to those who fearch into its hidden ftores, are inexpreffible, and far exceed whatever refults from the moft glorious conqueft, and the collection of the moft valuable spoils on earth. Permit me, therefore, to embrace this opportunity of calling you to afpire after the high gratification derived from the teftimonies of God, by the upright among men.

Though the prophecy under confideration hath been applied by fome learned commentators to the Affyrian invafion of Judea, and the fubfequent judgments inflicted upon thefe implacable enemies of the people of God; I rather fuppofe, that our prephet, who had already predicted thefe important events, treats in this excellent discourse, of the dreadful perfecution raised by the Syrians against the church of God, their happy deliverance from oppreflion, and

the