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DISSERTATIONS

that is the Babylonians, who deftroyed the

first temple: "recompenfe to his enemies; which denotes the Romans, who deftroyed the fecond temple: and as for the distant isles, who were not at the deftruction of either the first, or fecond temples; yet, would he requite them in fuch a manner, for the corrupt and bco perverse tenets, which they held; and their evil deeds, in the perfecution of the nation; -201 911 as that, They from the weft shall revere the reinstri name of the LORD, and they from the rifingdotered of the Sun, his glory: when he shall come like a river ftraitened in its courfe, which a mighty wind driveth along." The Prophet

thus compares the punishment of the enemies said of darwit 910 of the nation, to the violence of a storm in a narrow fea, where the fury of the tempeft, fuddenly drives the veffel towards the fhore,

TA

and it is instantly dafhed to pieces; but which is not the cafe where there is fea room; for then the veffel may ride out the ftorm, and escape the danger of shipwreck, even fo will it be with the nations, and they will by no means be able to ward off, or escape the coming calamity.

Having in this manner, defcribed the pu

* Heb. A wind of the LORD.

nishment

nishment of the nations, he proceeds to speak of the redemption of Ifrael; verfe 20, " And the Redeemer fhall come to Zion; and to those that return from tranfgreffion in Jacob, faith the LORD." By the expreffion, And the Redeemer fhall come to Zion; the Prophet meant those, that through all their fufferings and perfecutions, made open profeffion of their faith, and were always known by the name of Jews: and by thofe that return from tranfgreffion; he meant fuch as had apostatized, through fear of perfecution, but secretly in their hearts, adhered to the truth: for these, are really the tranfgreffors in Jacob *; but who will nevertheless, be gather

ed

*Not as Bishop Lowth has tranflated it, "And shall turn away iniquity from Jacob, "by miferably mangling and torturing the text, to make it read as St. Paul cites it in Romans 11. 26. This, may properly be termed the accommodating fyftem; and which has been carried to a great length by Chriftian Writers, as I fhall fhew at large in a future publication, already noticed in this work; I fhall therefore, only obfërve at prefent, that another Christian, also tranflates it thus : (See a New Tranflation of Isaiah by a Layman) and who goes farther than the Bishop, by reading from Zion, instead of t☛ Zion; and feems furprised that the Bishop did not fee the ne ceffity of correcting the first part of the verse, as well as the end of it, fo that it might be more conformable to the Apostle's

citation;

ed to the nation at the time of the redemp. tion, as mentioned Volume Ift. page 31. &c.

The Prophet then proceeds to inform us that, the covenant which God had made with them, and the prophecies delivered by the Prophet, fhould never depart from them, fo as to become null and void; but shall furely this.

be accomplished, verse, 21, "As for me,

is my covenant with them faith the LORD; my fpirit, which is upon thee, and my words,

citation; but if these learned Criticks had been thoroughly acquainted with the idiom of the language, and acted fairly and honestly, they would not have feen any neceffity for correcting either the one part, or the other, any more than the Tranflators of the common reading did: for they have very properly expreffed the fenfe of the Hebrew, " And unto them that turn from tranfgreffion in Jacob. " And to which, Eufebius agrees; although, it is to be fuppofed, that if the text had been corrupted, he had far better means of discovering it, than the present tranflators. Note, The Lay Tranflator, has made another pretty alteration, (all in the accommodating ftyle) in verfe 21. where he reads, "when I fhall take away their fins "; but which is not to be found in the Hebrew. This he acknowledges in his Note on the place; I fhall give it in his own words without any comment, and leave it to the candid reader, to form what opinion he pleases on the subject. "Thefe words feem to be loft from the Heb. and Lxx. They are in Rom. 11. 27. joined with the former part of this verfe, and stand there as a part of the citation”.

words, which I have put in thy mouth; they shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy feed, nor from the mouth. of thy feed's feed, faith the LORD; from henceforth for ever. Thus are we affured that the Law of Mofes, which is the covenant God made with the nation, as alfo the prophecies delivered by the mouth of the Prophets, shall never depart from the nation, but remain as an everlasting witness of their future restoration; and, as this was an absolute promife, without any condition annexed to it; he immediately begins to publish the good tidings of the flourishing state of the nation, as the confequence of that glorious promife, Chapter Lxth, verfe ift. "Arife, be thou enlightened; for thy light is come; And the glory of the LORD is rifen upon thee." The first part of this verfe, denotes the redemption and salvation of the nation; and the latter part, the return of the divine presence among them, as aforetime in the temple, &c.

In verse 2d, he compares the calamity and affliction of the nations, to darknels; and the falvation of Ifrael, to the glory of the LORD, that will then abide among them; and men.

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tions the calamity firft, because, the punishment, of those who perfecuted the Jews, will precede their redemption. "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth; and thick darkness the nations: but upon thee fhall the LORD arife and his glory upon thee shall be confpicuous.

"

In verfe 3d. &c. he informs us that, the confequence of this will be, that the nations will all flow to them, in order to be inftructed in the Law of the true God; as the Prophet has faid elsewhere, (Chap. ii. 3. ) " And many peoples fhall go, and fhall fay: Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD; to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, &c. He alfo informs us, that not only the nations would come, but their kings likewife; And farther tells them that, when they fhall fee all thefe gathered together they will be afraid; as thinking that they are affembled to war against, and opprefs them; and therefore they will fear; but when they find that the nations, are come to do homage to them, their fear, will be turned to Joy; and which accounts for the different terms made ufe of by the Prophet, as will be feen presently. "And the nations

fhall