thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light* &c. Even the Jews, to whom God had revealed the doctrine of his holy word, and on whom he conferred many fubftantial advantages, were blinded by false prejudices, and involved in grofs ignorance of divine things. Hence our Lord declared, that the Pharifees were blind leaders of the blind +;' they like other people, were deftitute of fpiritual understanding of the way of falvation, and unacquainted with the mystery of the gofpel.-Now Jefus Chrift was fent to open these blind eyes, to reftore fight to thofe who are fpiritually blind; that they may behold the glory of Jehovah displayed in his works, that they may fee the perfection and excel. Jence of his law, the exceeding finfulness of fin, their perithing condition by tranfgreffion, the excellence of the Saviour, and their abfolute need of his righteoufnefs and Spirit.-That they may difcern the precioufnefs of God's promises, the beauties of holiness, the hope of their calling, and the riches of the glory of the inheritance of the faints in light. Such are the glorious objects feen by the blind eyes when opened.

To bring out the prifoners from the prison. This expreffion may relate more especially to the Jews, who before faith came, were kept under the law, fhut up unto the faith which was afterward to be revealed: i. e. Until the promised Redeemer, the great object of the faith and hope of the church, made his appearance; they were kept in fafe cuftody, or guarded by the law, as princes by their life guards or fortreffes by their garrifons. They were hut up, clofely confined; as prifoners in a goal, they were not at liberty to go out, or to do what they pleased; and no way was left open for their deliverance or elcape, but that of faith in Jefus Chrift, who was revealed in the laft time. Under the strongest obligations punctually to obferve the rites and commandments enjoined by the law, every tranfgreffion expofed Gal. iii. 23.

Acts xxvi. 17, 18. + Mat xv. 14.

So

pofed them to farther punishment, and fastened more clofely on their minds, the consciousness of fin, and the curfes denounced against it. Such was the forlorn state of the prifoners whom the fervant of Jehovah was to redeem from under the law, and to bring forth from their confinement, that they might receive the adoption of fons*.-And them that fit in darkness out of the prifon boufe. This claufe of the verfe, may have a particular reference to the Gentiles, who are defcribed as fitting in darkness, being not only destitute of fpiritual light, but of eyes to difcern the light, the excellence and importance of divine truths.-Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in us, becaufe of the blindness of our heart. deplorable was our ftate, that like perfons clofely confined in prifon, from whom the light is excluded, we had not the light of falutary truth to make manifeft fpiritual objects; nor yet the power of spiritual difcernment. Such was our doleful condition, that we were enflaved by ignorance and error, fubject to diverfe lufts and pleafures, fettered by the bonds of iniquity, haraffed with dread of deferved punishment, forcibly detained in thraldom by the prince of this world, and unable to extricate ourselves; when God's righteous Servant was fent to our relief, that he might bring us into a state of light and liberty, happiness and comfort.-O Lord, bring my foul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.

8 I am the Lord, that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praife to graven images.

These words announce the glorious character and prerogative of the living and true God. The expreffions, which are indeed fublime, plainly intimate, that Jehovah is the only true God, and that the true God alone is Jehovah. Contemplate with veneration, VOL. III. S s

and

and awe this great and dreadful name, which is exalted above all bleffing and praise, that is excellent in all the earth, terrible among the heathen, and good before his faints. A learned critic in the Hebrew language hath obferved, that the characters which denote the three different tenfes, are expreffed in the name Jehovah. The letter fod, at the beginning, being characteristic of the future tenfe; Vau, in the middle, of the participle prefent, and He, at the end, of the time paft*. The apoftle John, hath unfolded its import in the description he gives of the glorious perfor, from whom he intreats grace,and peace to the churches, Who is, who was, and who is to come,' (Rev. i. 4.) By this appropriate name, God proclaims his real felf-existence, that he is eternal, independent, unchangeable; and therefore he will moft certainly accomplish all the promises he hath made to the Meffiah and the church; whereby his righteousness, grace, veracity, and other attributes fhall be demonftrated. When we think of the dif ficulties attending the work affigned to the Mediator, of delivering and enlightening Jews and Gentiles, how pleasant and reviving to reflect, that the omnipotent Jehovah hath engaged to accomplish it. O Ifrael, truft then in the Lord; ye that fear the Lord, truft in the Lord, and he fhall bring it to pafs.

And my glory will I not give to another, &c. The honour due to his divine excellencies, the esteem, the confidence, and the devout acknowledgments that they justly demand, the Lord God claims as his unquestionable right, which he will not permit to be alienated from him, and afcribed to any other. Nor will he allow the tribute of gratitude, due to his infinite Majefty, to be facrilegioufly transferred to any creature or idol whatfoever. His glory and praife, the richeft gems in his facred crown, he will poffefs alone, and will not part with them to any ufurper. This explicit declaration, affords the strongeft grounds whereupon faith and hope may reft for the fulfilment of the above predictions refpecting the great

*Difertatio Johannes Buxtorfii de nomine.

great Redeemer. It gives the moft ample fecurity which can be defired, that Jehovah will extend his falvation to those, who have ascribed to others his glory and praise, and that in confequence they shall unite in attributing to him alone the honour due to his name. Whilft we render unto man, the things that are man's, let us give unto God, the things that are God's, taking heed that we do not worship and ferve the creature more than the Creator, who is bleffed for ever.

9 Behold the former things are come to pafs, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth, I tell you of them.

Thefe words may be confidered as affording a ftriking proof, that the God in whofe name our Prophet delivered these predictions, is Jehovah. That you may be fully convinced of this important truth, attentively confider the former things that are come to pass, exactly according to the prophecies of God's fervants, not one of them have failed of their accomplishment, all of them are verified. In this expreffion, there may be reference to the wonderful deliverance of Ifrael from the power of the Egyptians, and the conquests they obtained over their powerful enemies, in order to their entering on the poffeffion of the land of Canaan.-And new thing. do I declare, &c. By foretelling approaching events, that are yet to happen, I fet before you farther fatisfying evidences, that the God in whofe name I fpeak, is the Lord. The new things here alluded to, may be the illumination and call of the Gentiles to participate in the falvation of the Meffiah; that great unexpected event, which exhibits a wonderful difplay of the riches of divine grace, and unfolds the mystery hid from former generations, but clearly predicted in thefe prophecies. Prior to the leaft appearance or profpect of thefe events, I announce their certain approach, and inform you of them long before they

take

take place; that you may be constrained to acknowlege the divinity of the God of Ifrael, that you may be fatisfied of the truth of my miffion, and that faith and hope may be excited to expect the fulfilment of what I have declared.-Do you likewife, my brethren, carefully obferve the exact accomplishment of the prophecies, and promifes recorded in this book, that perceiving the intimate correfpondence, betwixt the predictions and the events to which they refer, your faith in the word of God may be confirmed and establifhed.

Io Sing unto the LORD a new fong, and his praise from the end of the earth; ye that go down to the fea, and all that is therein; the ifles, and the inhabitants thereof.

The Lord God having manifefted his name and his falvation to the islands that waited for his law, and having called the Gentiles to fhare in thefe ineftimable benefits, they are invited to celebrate the praises of Jehovah, who conferred upon them thefe precious bleflings. By this dispensation of grace, the moft fubftantial grounds of joy and gladness, of exultation and triumph were afforded them. For a long time, they had been fitting in darkness, and in the region of death; now a great light was arifen upon them, they had been fhut up in the prifon house, detained in the most miserable condition; now liberty, fpiritual, glorious liberty, was proclaimed. Surely then, it well becomes people thus infinitely obliged by the most endearing kindness, to praise their great benefactor and deliverer, and to extol the goodnefs and grace they have experienced. This tribute of gratitude is to be conveyed by finging a new fong; a fong proper for renewed redeemed men to fing, in the new creation or kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and fuited to celebrate new mercies, prefigured by those conferred on Ifrael in former times. The expreffion often occurs in the Pfalms of David, where it denotes

an