ments;—with moft reviving encouragements to the faithful fervants of the Most High, derived from the agreeable profpect of better times, after deserved calamities fhould be inflicted on the unfaithful and rebellious, and the promised bleflings of divine grace communicated. 2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD hath fpoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The bleffed God is here introduced, entering a folemn charge and public complaint againft his difobedient people, on account of their bafe neglect and ingratitude, to the truth and equity of which the whole world is fummoned to attend and bear witness. The word tranflated heavens may be derived from one that fignifies a name of honour and dignity; and fo it intimates, that the heavens are the most beautiful, glorious, and renowned part of creation. It may be compounded of an adverb of place, and a word fignifying waters; and then it informs us, that God hath therein laid up large ftore of waters, which he feafonably communicates to this earth. It may be deduced from a word that fignifies height or elevation, in refpect of place; and ferves to remind us of what is obvious to view, that the heavens are the highest and most lofty parts of the univerfe: or it may come from one that fignifies to be aftonifhed; instructing us, that if we steadily contemplate the heavens, we fhall have good reason to be filled with wonder at the immenfity and beauty, the magnificence and regularity of that fpacious fabric. -The word rendered earth feems to be derived from one that fignifies to run, to be in a state of activity and motion; and may denote, that this earth is in continual motion; that men, and its other inhabitants, in performing their several functions, are in perpetual acti . vity. Thefe different parts of creation, with their numerous inhabitants, are here folemnly invited, to attend to the important truth the prophet is about to declare. Ye celestial fpirits, who are the spectators of human actions, and contemplate the conduct of men, listen to the astonishing reprefentation now to be laid before you! Ye men of God, to whom this earth is given for a poffeffion, who are endued with the principles of juft perception and found judgment, men of every character and condition, who feel the influence of truth and equity, hearken to the word of the Lord! And ye in the inferior ranks of creation, who, though incapable of understanding and judgment, perform your operations according to the laws given you, witnefs, as you can, the unbounded kindness of Jehovah toward his people, and their wretched ingratitude toward him! This folemn manner of addrefs is frequently used by the prophets, to · awaken diligent attention to what they are about to deliver. With a fimilar introduction Mofes begins his fublime fong, recorded Deut. xxxii. in which he teftifies against the Ifraelites for their disobedience ، Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will fpeak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.' The mighty God, by the prophet David, fummons all mankind to attend to his appeal *. And the prophet Jeremiah, expoftulating with the Jews, as to their unnatural revolt from God, exclaims in thefe words, Be aftonifhed, O ye heavens, at this, and be hor، ribly afraid, be ye very defolate, faith the Lord +. The heavens and the earth are here invited, to bear, and give ear. The latter of thefe expreffions ferves to explain the former, whilst the repetition of the call points out the high importance, and indispenfable neceffity, of compliance with this requifition. The words of the wifeft of men often deserve but little regard, whereas the dictates of eternal wisdom 6 6 ; and and truth justly merit the closest application of mind of which we are capable; and the call being directed to us in particular, demands our ferious attention, and prompt obedience.Let us then turn away our eyes and ears from feeing and hearing vanity, and hearken diligently to him who caufeth us to hear his glorious voice. Let us earneftly fupplicate the God of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the Father of glory, to give us the fpirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, that the eyes of our minds being enlightened, we may be thoroughly acquainted with the things freely given us of God. This is highly requifite to our profiting by the fcriptures; for we read, that when our Saviour, after his refurrection from the dead, expounded to his difciples the writings of Mofes and the prophets concerning himself, he opened their understandings to underftand the fcriptures: and fince his exaltation into glory, he fends down his Holy Spirit, according to his promife, to lead his followers into all truth; which ought to animate us with the reviving hope of obtaining his gracious illumination and affiftance. That we may reap fubftantial benefit from what God hath spoken, let us be folicitous to get it deeply impressed on our hearts, ftudying to become intimately acquainted with it, delighting in the difcoveries it presents to our view, and laying it up in our hearts, fo as to be fuitably influenced by it at all times, that we may fhew ourselves, not forgetful hearers, but doers of his word +.' For the Lord hath fpoken. The word Jehovah, which in this, and many other places of fcripture, is tranflated Lord, fignifies, that he is, and was, and is to come, and denotes the peculiar manner of existence which is proper to the Moft High God, who alone is felf-exiftent. All other beings derive from him their life and breath, and all things; whereas his exiftence is neceffary and independent, as the name Jehovah imports. It is impoffible that we, who are finite dependent creatures, can comprehend the idea expreffed by this word, as we are utterly unacquainted with neceffary infinite exiftence. Indeed we cannot properly defcribe, in what manner any material object exifts with which we are converfant; and therefore it would be the higheft prefumption, to pretend to explain the existence of God, who is an infinite eternal Spirit. Though exalted far above our most raised apprehenfions and praises, and highly provoked by our ingratitude and difobedience, he hath vouchfafed. to speak to us. The learned Dr. Lowth, bifhop of London, in his new tranflation of this prophecy, renders this expreffion, "For it is Jehovah that speak"eth;" for which he gives this reafon in his Notes, There feems to be an impropriety of demanding "attention to a speech already delivered;" and no doubt there is, had the difcourfe been already delivered to the perfons who are addreffed. Both tranflations feem equally proper, and the reafon of attention is equally good, according to the view in which you confider the words. Hear, and give ear, for (according to our version) the Lord hath spoken to me what I am about to communicate to you, and therefore it deferves the fame regard as if you had received it by an audible voice from heaven: or, agreeable to the new tranflation, for it is "the Lord that fpeak"eth;" though you hear only the voice of a fellow mortal, the words come from the Eternal God, who ftretched out the heavens, and laid the foundation of the earth. We have here a remarkable instance of that metaphorical kind of speech which frequently occurs in fcripture, wherein the faculties of men are attributed to God, and his manner of acting, otherwife unknown to us, is expreffed by a sensible familiar image. Jehovah hath spoken to men in various ways; fometimes by forming a diftinct audible voice in the air, as at the baptifm of our Saviour; and at other times through the medium of the prophets, as in the cafe before us. In whatever manner the Lord spake to our prophet, the fact is here afcertained in general terms, he hath fpoken.Though this declaration immediately refers to the prophecy contained in this chapter, we may confider it as extending to all the predictions of this book. This affords a powerful argument, to engage our closest attention to the fubject on which we are entering. It is Jehovah who fpeaks to us, by the prophet Ifaiah, on matters of the highest importance, in which we are deeply interested; and therefore we ought to attend to them with the utmost diligence and care. I have nourished and brought up children. Thefe, and the following words, contain the heavy charge which God, by the prophet, brought against his profeffing people of old, wherein he contrafts the diftinguifhing favours he had conferred upon them with their undutiful conduct toward him. The people primarily intended, whom God nourished and brought up, were the Jews, to whom our prophet was fent with this meffage, to whom pertained the adoption and the covenants, the glory, the giving of the law, and the promises. They were repeatedly spoken of under the defcription of children, and encouraged, by the confideration of this character, to the performance of their duty. With this view their lawgiver affured them, Ye are the children of the Lord your God' and when recounting the benefits which the Lord had conferred upon them, and would farther bestow, he thus addressed them in the fong, recorded Deut. xxxii. Is not he thy Father that bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee.' - From this intimate relation, they were taught to expect the certain accomplishment of the precious promifes that were given them; for God thus fpeaks, by the prophet Jeremiah, I will caufe them to walk * Deut. xiv, 1. by |