the gracious promises contained in the se ral prophecies delivered by this prophet ; firft, the falvation of the nation, the retɩ of the divine prefence, and the fpirit of p phecy among them: fecond, the prom that they are not to go into captivity mor third, the deftruction of the nations that h perfecuted them all which promifes, it iñanifeft, have never yet been accomplishe not at their return from Babylon: for the they did not enjoy any fuch happinefs; b after great, I may Tay almost continued tro bles and affliction, they were again carri into captivity, in the moft miferable cond tion; and in which, they have continued this day: neither were any of these gloriou promises fulfilled in the time, or in the per lon of Jefus, for about forty years after h death, their government was destroyed b

the Romans: which is a manifeft proof, tha

bas

he could not be the promised Meffiah, tha is to redeem the nation; and under whom they are to enjoy all the happiness, bot Spiritual and temporal, contained in the promises.

Before I take leave of this important pro phecy, I must say a few words, by way o obfervation

obfervation, on what Bishop Lowth, has
advanced concerning the perfon introduced,
as stained with treading the wine-vat. In his
Note on chapter lxiiid, as well as in his præ-
lections, (7. and 30) he represents the
perfon thus introduced, to be the Meffiah.
He confiders the interlocutors in this paf-
fage, to be the Meffiah and a Chorus: but
though he confidently afferts it; yet, does
he not offer any reafens in fupport of his
opinion nay, I am convinced, he was not
able to advance any one folid argument in
fupport of his hypothers. This, I trust,
will appear to demonftration, when we con-
fider, First, that in chapter xxxivth, the
Prophet fpeaks of the vengeance which God
will take on Edom and Botfrah, in which the
sword of the LORD is reprefented as fatiated
with blood, &c. Second, that in chapter lix,
15. 16. 17. a moft remarkable part of this
paffage is applied to God himfelf, who is re-
presented as uttering nearly the fame words
as here and is alfo reprefented, as putting
on the garments of vengeance.
vengeance. Third, the
expreffion, "For the day of vengeance was
in my heart; and the year of my redeemed
And which perfectly coincides.

was come.

with what Mofes fays in his prophetic Po Deut. chap. xxxii. 35. "To me (i. e God) belongeth vengeance, and recomper at the time that their foot shall flip. T is, when the measure of the iniquity of enemies of the Jews fhall be full, and period of their power is arrived: and whi will be," when the LORD fhall have Jud ed his people." Then, will he inflict veng ance on their enemies; as Mofes farther fay verfe 41ft. "When I whet my glitterin fword, and mine hand take hold of Judg ment; I will render vengeance to mine en mies, and will requite them that hate me. And thus alfo he concludes the Poem, (Se vol. Ift page. 56. &c. )" Caufe his people t rejoice, O ye nations for he will avenge th blood of his fervants, and will render venge ance to his adverfaries: And he will be re conciled to his land and to his people." Ther will the year of his redeemed be come: for as I have frequently had occafion to observe, it is clear from all the prophecies which fpeak of the redemption and falvation of the nation, that the vengeance which God will take on the enemies of the Jews, is to pre cede their redemption. From all which, it

is

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Judg

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is manifeft, that the Bishop's hypothefis is abfurd, and futile: and that this paffage can be applied to none but God himself; being a lofty description of his appearance against the enemies of his people, and the vengeance he will take on their enemies in the latter days, immediately preceding the time of their redemption: and which leads me to take notice of what the Bishop fays concerning the completion of this prophecy. After he had combated the opinion of those interpreters, that suppose, that Judas Maccabeus and his victories make the fubject of it; he observes,

"I conclude therefore, that this prophecy has not the least relation to Judas Maccabeus. It may be asked, to whom, and to what event does it relate? I can only anfwer, that I know of no event in history to which from its importance and circumftances it can be applied: unless perhaps to the deftruction of Jerufalem and the Jewish Polity." But, nothing can be farther from truth than this affertion : for from what hath been faid above, it is clear, that this prophecy has not the most diftant relation to the destruction of Jerufalem and the Jewish Polity; but on the contrary, manifeftly foretells the ex

emplary

cmplary vengeance that is to be taken on enemies of the Jews, and not on the Jew nation. Of this, it appears to me, Bishop himself was fenfible; for he presen after obferves, "But, though this prophe must have its accomplishment, there is neceflity of fuppofing that it has been alrea accomplished. There are Prophecies, whi intimate a great flaughter of the enemies God and his people, which remain to be fu filled: thefe in Ezekiel Chap. xxxviii. an in the Revelation of St. John, Chap. xx are called Gog and Magog. This Prophec of Ifaiah may poflibly refer to the fame or th like event." From all which, it is demon

ftrable, that this Prophecy remains to b fulfilled, and will moft certainly be accom plished at the time of the redemption of the nation, by the true Meffiah.

The thirteenth Prophecy commences verfe 8th. Chap. lxvth, and is continued to the end of the last verse of the fame,

The purport of this prophecy, is to fhew, that, although the children of Ifrael fhould not repent, return, and seek the LORD their God, in this captivity; yet, would he at all events redeem them, when the appointed