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calleth his land, and upon the mountains in that country, where his troops were to be trampled under foot. The words denote the entire conquest of the Affyrian power, and the triumph of God's ancient people over that formidable enemy. After this great event,

Shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. The yoke, to which the inhabitants of Judea were subjected, and the burden laid upon them by the Affyrians, was to be removed. Having spoken of this yoke and burden, when treating chap. x. ver. 27. where the prophet seems to have had in view, the fame event of which he here speaks, I hope it is unneceffary to repeat what was then faid. In few words, the people of Judah were to be delivered from the yoke of servitude, and the burden of tribute which the king of Affyria had exacted from them. This prediction was fulfilled by the wonderful flaughter made among the Assyrian army, which had marched against Jerufalem, in consequence of which the Jewish nation were refcued from the oppressive yoke which they had fuftained.

26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

To give still more folemnity to this prophecy respecting Affyria, and to obtain the greatest credit to what he had delivered, Ifaiah fubjoins the reasons on which faith might rest, in the affured expectation of the accomplishment of these predictions. The purpose which is here intended, is the counsel or dectee of Jehovah that extended to the whole earth; i. e. to the whole Assyrian empire, which was then probably, as the Roman empire afterward was, rec koned to comprehend all the world: or the expreffion may be designed to fignify all the states and kingdoms

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kingdoms of the earth, which, like Affyria, were to attack the people of God, and molest them in the enjoyment of their important privileges. And this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations. This almighty arm of the Lord is in continual readiness to execute his determined purpose upon all the nations of the earth, who follow the example of Affyria in wickednefs, and particularly in their perverse opposition to the interests of the church of God. The destruction of the Affyrian power, affords an instructive warning to the kingdoms of this world, of the danger to which they expose themselves, by injuring those whom God hath taken into his gracious protection. The fame omnipotent arm, which broke in pieces the Affyrian, is still stretched out, to punish all the nations who obstinately persist in disturbing and distressing the peculiar people of God.

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27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

As the purpose of God is irrevocable, so his power is irrefistible. The purpose of the Lord of hosts is not like the purposes of a man, that may lie, or the fon of man, that may repent. It is not like the refolutions formed in the cabinet of an earthly prince, which may be laid aside for reasons of state; nor doth it resemble the fluctuating determinations of the tribunes of the people, which may afterward be overruled. The purpose, of which our prophet speaks, was unalterably fettled in the court of heaven, and therefore cannot be frustrated. It is the counsel of him who is wife in heart, and mighty in strength, who will assuredly perform all the promises and threatenings which he hath delivered by his fervants. His hand is ftretched out, and who shall turn it back, and avert the stroke which the arm of Omnipotence is lifted up to inflict. No created power is

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able to ward off the blow, or to prevent it from being given. The great Disposer of all events clearly difcerns all human connections, consequences, and defigns, so that his purpose cannot be defeated, nor his providence counteracted. We have now finished a cursory view of the awful threatenings denounced against Babylon, and confidered the infallible certainty of the predictions relating to that great city, the metropolis of Affyria, which are here folemnly confirmed. However improbable the foretold events might appear to many in the days of Ifaiah, time hath fully verified the prophecy. Having contemplated the total overthrow of the literal Babylon, which was a figure of the destruction of mystical Babylon, comprehending the numerous society of wicked and worldly men, who, under the prince of darkness, indulge in all manner of tranfgreffion, and act as the avowed enemies of God's people; let us look forward, with faith and hope, to the happy period, when it shall be proclaimed concerning this adverse power, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and shall no ' more arife.'

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PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS.

WE are now arrived at the second prophetical

discourse, contained in the second part of these prophecies, which relates to the future fortunes of the Philistines, a people frequently mentioned in facred history. They were the pofterity of Ham, one of the fons of Noah. The country which they inhabited was called Philistia, or Palestina, and was fituated to the westward of Judea, toward the fea. They poffefsed five principal cities, whose names were Afhdod, Gaza, Askelon, Gath, and Ekron*, each of which was governed by a lord or princet. Dagon was the chief idol whom they served, and to others they professed to do homage: they neither acknowleged, nor worshipped the God of Ifrael. Being a martial people, they were perhaps the greatest enemies of the posterity of Jacob, against whom they entertained an inveterate enmity, and with whom they were often at war. For a long period of time, many battles were fought between Israel and the Philistines, which terminated with various success, as God, in his providence, interposed, either to chasten his people, by their means, for their fins, or, in righteousness, to punish their enemies for their wickedness. The Philistines, on the one fide, often vanquished and diftressed the Ifraelites. In the days of the Judges, when the children of Ifrael forsook the Lord, and served him not, the anger of the Lord waxed hot against them, and he fold them into the hands of the Philiftines, who vexed and oppressed them eighteen years ‡. Not long after, for the fame reason, he delivered them into their hands for forty years. In the time of Samuel the prophet, they smote the Ifraelites with a very great flaughter; for there fell of Ifrael thirty thousand men, and the ark of God was taken ||. In

* See I Sam. vi. 17. † See Josh. xiii. 3. ‡ Judges x. 7, 8.

Şam. iv. 10.

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another battle, after Saul afcended the throne of Ifrael, they flew that prince, with his three sons; the Ifraelites fled, and the Philistines came and dwelt in their cities *. The Ifraelites, on the other fide, frequently conquered and fubdued the Philistines. Samfon distressed them greatly; and, with his own hand, flew prodigious numbers of them †. While Samuel judged Ifrael, they sustained some confiderable losses. They were, in a special manner, feverely handled by David, the king of Ifrael, who, with his own hand, flew their champion, and repeatedly obtained fignal victories over them. Uzziah, long after, demolished the walls of their strong cities, and built towns among the Philistines. These continual wars rankled the minds of both nations, and confirmed the implacable hatred which subsisted between Ifrael and the Philistines from generation to generation.

In the verses now to be confidered, our prophet, in the name of God, denounces against the Philistines the distressing calamities whereby they were afflicted, first by Hezekiah, and afterward by the king of Affyria. Having diffuaded them from foolish joy, and vain glory, which, in a short time, was to be exchanged for forrow and lamentation, he assures the pious, distressed Jews, that they should enjoy tranquillity and security, under divine protection, in the midst of the extreme danger to which they were to be expofed. In this manner God was pleased, by a new argument, to confirm the faith of his people in his providential government, who disposes of the fate of nations, and takes a friendly care of his people in every condition.

*1 Sam. xxxi. † Judges xiv. 15, 16. ‡ 2 Sam. v. 8, .

CHAP.

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