give eafe under the preffure of affliction. Remember the words of the wife man, A friend loveth at all ⚫ times, and a brother is born for adverfity*.' That is the time in which acts of kindness are most acceptable and useful; and we are born for the very purpose of relieving and comforting our afflicted and injured brethren.

David,

Hide the outcafts, bewray not him that wandereth. In the country of Moab there were many caverns, where perfons might take refuge from thofe who ha raffed them, and hunted after them with hoftile intentions. To these caves and dens, in time of danger, many of that people, and fome from other nations, particularly from among the Ifraelites, reforted for fafety. Elimelech, and his wife Naomi, in the time of scarcity in their own country, went into the land of Moab until the famine had ceased. when perfecuted by Saul, brought his father and mother to the king of Moab, until he should fee what God would do for him. And, in after-times, when the kingdom of Judah was diftreffed by their ene mies, not a few of that people fled to the land of Moab, whom the Moabites ungenerously brought forth from their lurking places, and delivered up to the hands of them that fought their life. The prophet therefore, with great propriety, directs them to hide the outcasts, who were obliged to flee from their own country, to feek for that fafety in a foreign land which they could not find at home. Allow them to hide themselves in places where they may enjoy a fafe retreat from danger, afford them an agreeable afylum, entertain them with kindness, and protect them from the hostile power of their enemies. Do not discover to those who would injure them where they lie concealed; and, on no account whatsoever, betray them into the hands of those who seek their life.

4 Let mine outcafts dwell with thee, Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the fpoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the fpoiler ceaseth, the oppreffors are confumed out of the land.

The generous conduct recommended in the fore, going verfe, is here enforced by a powerful confideration. The outcafts, whom our prophet particularly intended, and to whom he claimed protection from Moab, were those who were expelled from the land of Judah, and fled to them for covert from the face of the fpoiler, when their own country was to be invaded by their enemies. Thefe he required them, in a special manner, to treat with lenity and hofpitality, and to permit them to enjoy undisturbed refidence in their territories-for this good reafon, The extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceafeth, &c. What is here affirmed was literally accomplished, when the power of Affyria, by which the land of Judea had been spoiled, oppreffed, and confumed, was destroyed by the righteous vengeance of the Almighty. The certain profpect prefented to the Moabites, of that important predicted event, fhould have effectually determined them to comply with the salutary advice contained in the preceding verfe, and repeated in the first part of the one before us. When that great empire, which had disturbed and molested the nations of the earth, fhould be overthrown, the kingdom of Judah was to rife to importance and glory, fo as to be highly respected by the neighbouring ftates. In this view, it was the unqueftionable duty and interest of ́ Moab, to treat the exiles of Judah with tenderness and compaffion, to avoid every thing that might incur their displeasure, and to do every thing that tended to conciliate their favour and friendship.In the event to which this prophecy primarily referred, we behold an inftructive reprefentation of a ftill more glorious conqueft over the great spoiler and oppref

for

for of mankind, who hath diftreffed them by his grievous yoke, to be accomplished by the breath of God's mouth, and the brightness of his coming, when he fhall destroy them that deftroyed the earth. Did you believe as you ought, that this interefting period is faft approaching, you would not, in the smallest degree, injure thofe whose wrongs the Son of God will then avenge, who will render tribulation and wrath to them that trouble them.

5 And in mercy fhall the throne be established, and he shall fit upon it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and feeking judgment, and hafting righteousness.

These words fuggeft a powerful motive to induce to, the diligent performance of the duties which our prophet had inculcated in the foregoing verfes.-The throne which he had more immediately in view, was that of Hezekiah, king of Judah, which, in fome respects, was typical of the far more glorious and eternal throne of the Meffiah. This throne, the enfign of majesty and authority, whereon Hezekiah was feated, fhould be established, after the abolition of the oppreffive, adverse power whereby it had been often affaulted, fo that none of its enemies would be able, by their strongest efforts, to shake the firm foundations upon which it refted. It was to be confirmed and perpetuated in mercy; the great mercy of God promised to the patriarch David, to whom the Lord faid, His feed fhall endure for ever, and his throne as the fun before me "'-in the mercy and clemency of that illuftrious prince, difplayed among his fubjects-and by the duties of mercy, beneficence, and charity, which were to be practised by the people. And he hall fit upon it in truth; according to the truth of Jehovah, pledged in his faithful promises made

to his fervant David, concerning his family and kingdom; and in the exercife of truth and integrity of heart, as to which this pious prince appealed to God, in the prospect of death: Remember now, O Lord, I befeech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy fight.In the tabernacle of David. By which feems to be intended, the palace belonging to the kings who defcended from that illuftrious hero, called by him, 'The tabernacle of his houfet.' The restoration of this house, after its decay, was foretold in these words, by the prophet Amos: In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, ⚫ and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of

up

• old t.'

Judging, &c. Three things are mentioned in the following words, which were to occupy the attention of the prince whose throne was to be established. The firft is, judging; deciding, with the utmost impartiality, and without refpect of perfons, on the various causes that might be brought before him for his determination.- -And feeking judgment. The expreffion denotes, that the prince, who is the fubject of this prophecy, in pronouncing fentence upon the parties who were to be fifted at his tribunal, would perform his royal function with the utmost attention and affiduity, accurately inquiring into the conditions of his people, and carefully investigating the circumftances relative to every matter on which he was to deliver his judgment.--And hafting righteousness: taking care that all his decifions fhould be executed with the greatest dispatch and alacrity, that righteousness, like the mighty waters, might speedily run its courfe through all his dominions. Caufes brought for judgment should not be protracted; juftice fhould not be delayed; fentences fhould not be deferred; nor was

*Ifaiah xxxviii. 3. + Pfal. cxxxii. 3. + Amos ix. 11.

the

the execution of them to be retarded.Thefe predictions were remarkably verified in Hezekiah, king of Judah, who is reprefented, in fcripture, as having been one of the best kings that ever reigned over the pofterity of Ifrael: After him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were • before him *.' He was eminently remarkable for his strong attachment to truth, juftice, and righteousnefs, and other virtues which give dignity to a prince, as is abundantly evident from the hiftory of the Old Teftament. After the wonderful deftruction of Sennacherib's army, his throne was established according to this prediction; he was refpected by his fubjects, and honoured by neighbouring nations.

What is here affirmed concerning the throne of Hezekiah, may be justly applied, and indeed most properly belongs, in a much higher sense, to the kingdom of Jefus Chrift. This is a circumftance which will be contemplated with real pleasure by all who love him in fincerity. In his kingdom, to which, I fuppofe, Ifaiah looked forward by the fpirit of prophecy, the foregoing predictions receive a fpiritual accomplishment, as their ultimate completion. To the Meffiah, a throne is given; and this throne is established in mercy and grace, as it is written, Prov. xx. 28. Mercy and truth preserve the king, ⚫ and his throne is upholden by mercy.' It is there fore emphatically styled, by the writer of the Epistle

to the Hebrews, The throne of grace;' from whence he dispenses to his people, with the utmost generofity and liberality, the most valuable bleffings. Upon this throne he fits, who is perfectly free from all guile and diffimulation; who is truth itself, and in whom the predictions delivered by the prophets receive their fulfilment.He is enthroned in the true and heavenly tabernacle, which the Lord, and not man, hath built, where he reigns

2 Kings xviii. 5.

as