household of the faithful, the true Ifrael of God. While he refers immediately to a Prince, who fhould fit on the throne of David, and reign over the house of Judah, he must be understood to designate a Prince of the fame royal ftock, whofe dominion fhould not be circumfcribed either in time or space. These two important views are continually blended through all his prophecies. Repeatedly as he treats of the characters and fortunes of his countrymen the Jews, his vifion almost invariably extends to the Chriftian economy. Whatever be the intermediate object, this ufually constitutes the final aim. Thus in the general prophecy, with which he opens his ministry, after lamenting the degeneracy and corruption of his people, he exhorts them to repentance and amendment of life, as the neceffary means of obtaining the forgiveness and clemency of God. A profpect of so great a change in the hearts and habits of the people he contemplates with prophetic eye in that new Economy of grace and truth, when the fpiritual Sion fhall be redeemed with judgment, and Jerufalem fhall be called the City of righteoufnefs; and he anticipates that happy time in the last ages of the world, when the true Kingdom of God shall be fully established upon earth, when all nations

fhall flow unto it, and fhall pay a willing homage to its righteous and peaceable do

minion °.

Of the fame complexion is the paffage, of which my text is the concluding part. This portion of his prophecies was delivered in the early part of his ministry, as appears from the context, at a time when the realm of Judah was disturbed by the confederate arms of two hoftile Kings. In the height of the terrors, which the Jews then experienced, he gives them affurance of immediate protection from the God of their fathers; and he foretels a change of fortune, to take place before another generation fhould be past, when both these enemies fhould be totally fubdued, and Judah, though diftreffed and reduced to imminent danger, should survive and prosper under the tutelary care of Heaven. Herein he alludes more immediately to the fucceeding reign of Hezekiah, who faw these two confederate states overthrown by the overwhelming stream of the Affyrian power; while he and his people were relieved from this terrible inundation, when it overflowed the land of Palestine, and approached even to the hill of Sion', by the protection of that Almighty

King, who faid unto the deep, Hitherto fhalt thou come, but no further; and here fhall thy proud waves be stayed

But in the clofe of this prophecy he extends his vifion beyond the temporal kingdom and the transitory reign of Hezekiah to a fpiritual kingdom under an eternal King: both which he represents in terms too lofty to be applied to any temporal potentate or dominion, and which could not be fulfilled in any other perfon but in that Anointed of the Lord, who is the final theme of all divine revelation. It is to this clofing portion of the prophecy that I would engage the present attention of this learned Audience.

And here it may be convenient to premise, that our common tranflation of this paffage is neither fo clear nor fo correct, as it is generally found to be; and therefore I fhall refort, as I fee occafion, to a version better calculated to give the sense and spirit of the Hebrew Seer.

In the beginning of this chapter the Prophet had declared, that the land, which was then overspread with gloom, in confequence of temporal calamities, fhould afterwards be gladdened with extraordinary light. Nevertheless there fhall not hereafter be darkness in

Job xxxviii. 11.

the

the land which was diftreffed. Though in the former time, when the prophecy was given, he had debafed the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphthali; yet in the latter time he would make it glorious, even the way of the fea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the nations. Herein he exprefsly points out the region, that in future days would be distinguished by the dawn of the gofpel revelation. For in this region did our Saviour enter upon his divine miffion, in this did he principally exercife his miniftry of grace. To this region therefore do the enfuing words more especially belong; The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, unto them hath the light shined. This undoubtedly applies to him who is called in prophetic language, "The Sun of righteoufnefs with healing on his wings ";" and who was afterwards acknowledged, even in his infant years, at his first presentation in the temple, for "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of his people Ifrael i.”

The Prophet now in different images defcribes the various bleffings that would enfue from this divine vifitant: Thou haft multiplied the nation; thou haft increased their joy.

h Malachi iv. 2.

i Luke ii. 32.

The.

The multiplying the nation was the promise originally given to Abraham, and repeated to the Patriarchs in fucceffion. And though literally fulfilled in the numerous posterity of Abraham by natural defcent, it was most effectually accomplished in the far more numerous progeny by fpiritual birth in those, who were his children by the adoption of grace, and heirs of the promises by the righteousness of faith; that is, in all thofe, who are of the household of the Church of Christ. The promise of this bleffing is repeatedly made in the prophets. Thus to the spiritual daughter of Sion Ifaiah fays, in allufion to the mode of fojourning by the Ifraelites in the wilderness, Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let the canopy of thy habitations be extended; for on the right hand and on the left thou shalt burft forth with increase; and thy feed fhall inherit the nations, and fhall inhabit the defolate cities k. this was to be accomplished in the diffusion of the gospel beyond the pale of Israel, the adoption of the Gentiles into the covenant of promife, and the progreffion of Christian light over all the nations of the earth. In like manner the increase of their joy, the con

* Ifa. liv. 2, 3.

Now

tinual