conceive, is a manifeft proof of the trut my explanation; being an exact retaliat for as they had placed their fole happiness cating, drinking, and feafting; it is but ju that, instead of their tables having been fumptuously fupplied, they should then fu hunger and thirft; and that the true ferva of God, who endured all the miferies of captivity in penury and want, fhould then and drink. And, as it is customary at th feafts, to fing and rejoice, and be merry: Prophet fays, "Behold, my fervants fhall joice, but ye shall be confounded; Behold, 1 fervants shall fing, for gladnefs of heart; b ye fhall cry aloud for grief of heart; and in t anguish of a broken fpirit fhall ye howl.

And, as a person of nice honour, valu that, more than his life; he informs then that as a punishment for their tranfgreffion their Glory shall be changed to shame'; ver 15th. "And ye fhall leave your name for curfe to my chofen: for the LORD God fha flay you; and his fervants fhall he call b another name". Thus, will the righteous b diftinguished from the wicked, not only i corporeal bleffings, as in eating and drinkin in plenty of the fruits of the holy land; bu

alf

also in their name, and fame: for at the
time of the redemption, the righteous will
be easily distinguished from the wicked, the
good from the bad; and truth from falle-
hood because the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the LORD and therefore,
"Whofo bleffeth himself upon the earth,
fhall blefs himself in the God of truth: and
whofo fweareth upon the earth, fhall fwear
by the God of truth." They will not then
flatter and praise the wicked, for their very
vices, as is now done by fawning Sycophants,
who fervilely cringe and flatter them, be-
cause they are rich, or in high author-
ity;
No Such things will then not be;
but whoever praises another, will do it
folely on account of his being a true fervant
of the God of truth; and whoever, fhall
have occafion to fwear, will fwear by the
God of truth and therefore, no falfehood
will be in their mouth, nor deception in
their heart: "Because the former troubles
are forgotten; and because they are hidden
from mine "For while in captivity,

eyes.

they falfely flattered the vices of the rich; when, as the Prophet fays,

Habak. 1. 4.

"The wicked

compaffed

compaffed about the righteous.

But at

redemption, it will not be fo; for the for troubles being all forgotten; nothing truth will then exist.

mind

The Prophet then, in grand, fublime, lofty language, proceeds to defcribe the exa ed happiness that the nation is to enjoy their restoration; verfe 17. &c. "For b hold, I create new heavens, and a new earth and the former (ones) fhall not be r membered, neither shall they be brought any more. Commentators have di fered much concerning the meaning of th new heavens, and a new earth: but it is clear that by this magnificent expreffion, the Pro phet meant nothing more, than a renewal o the divine favour, and a recommencement of an uninterrupted ftate of profperity: for as the diffolution of the heavens &c. denotes the ruin of the world politic &c. (See, Vol 1ft page 164 and 213 &c.) So does the creation of new heavens and earth, denote happiness and profperity. But I prefume, that we need not long remain in doubt concerning the Prophet's meaning; as he himself explains it prefently after: for having in the latter part of the verfe, obferved, that, the former should not

n

S

But at the

the forme

thing bet

ime, and

he exalt

enjoy a

For be

earth;

be re ght to

e dif

f the

lear,

Pro

al of

of,

as

he

be remembered, &c. And which properly denotes, that the troubles and afflictions which they had experienced for ages, fhould be entirely forgotten: immediately tells them the reason why they should be thus forgotten; because of their joy and exultation in that which he fhall create; and which will be, Jerufalem a subject of joy, &c. verfe, 18. &c. "But ye fhall rejoice and exult for ever and ever (in that) which I create for lo! I create Jerufalem a (fubject of) joy, and her people of gladness. And I will exult in Jerufalem, and rejoice in my people." Hence, it is manifeft that this creation, will be the happiness of the nation, both spiritual and temporal. For God's exulting in Jerufalem, denotes the residence of his divine presence again among them; as alfo the return of the fpirit prophecy and his rejoicing in his people, denotes the happiness of their temporal state: and that they shall no more go into captivity; neither shall they experience any more trouble or affliction: for, "There shall not be heard any more therein, the voice of weeping, or the voice of distressful cry." Nay, even the weeping and mourning that is ufually made for the VOL II.

K

dead

dead, will not be heard among them: verfe 20th. "No more fhall be thence infant short lived; nor an old man who h not fulfilled his days: for he that dieth at hundred years, fhall die a child and finner that dieth) at an hundred yea shall be (deemed) accursed. And they f build houses and fhall inhabit them; a they fhall plant vineyards, and fhall eat t fruit thereof. They fhall not build, a another inhabit; they fhall not plant, a another eat." This is the reverse of wh Mofes denounced against them for their di obedience: (Deut. xxviii. 30.) "Thou sha build an house, and thou shalt not dwe therein; thou shalt plant a vineyard, and sha not gather the grapes thereof*.

In the latter part of the verfe, and the fo lowing one, the Prophet fhews how the two promises; viz, their longevity, and th enjoyment of their labour, fhould be accom plished; for of the firft, he says, "For a

th

* This denunciation of Mofes, it is well known hat been exactly fulfilled: it therefore ought to be confidered as an earnest of the full accomplishment of what the Propho here foretells of their future happiness, at their restoration.