For a law fhall proceed from me, &c. The law and the judgment may denote the doctrine and precepts of the gospel, which are made known to all men, according to the commandment of the eyerlafting God, for the obedience of faith. The gospel is fometimes called the law by our prophet, because it contains an explicit declaration of the good pleasure of the almighty Sovereign of heaven and earth, because it was promulgated by divine authority, and urges, by the most perfuafive arguments, the belief of the record it contains and fubjection to all the commands of its glorious Author. With great propriety, therefore, it is denominated the law of faith, the royal law, the perfect law of liberty, and the law of truth. -With no lefs juftice is the gofpel fpoken of by the name of judgment; inafmuch as it is the word of equity, truth, and righteoufnefs; which contains the unerring rule whereby men ought to decide on whatever relates to God, to their neighbour, and themfelves, and whereby they diftinguish true from falfe religion. Befides, it exhibits a wonderful difplay of the wisdom and prudence, the equity and rectitude, of the divine administration in the economy of falvation, and in the overthrow of every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of the Son of God. -This law was foretold to proceed from the Meffiah, who hath therein manifefted his infinite holiness, wisdom, and grace; who hath repaired the injured honour of the divine government, and revealed a fair, beautiful creation, a new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteoufnefs.-This judgment was to have its fixed refidence in the Church, which, though transferred from one place or kingdom to another, fhall continue to abide with men while fun and moon endure. The inhabitants of this earth can no more prevent its progrefs and continuance, by their greatest combined efforts, than they can hinder the fun from thining, the wind from blowing, and the rain from falling. Comfortable truth! The Son of God, who is faithful and true, will make his judgment

judgment to rest for a light of the people. His gofpel, which is the inftrument he employs to enlighten the nations, fhall conftantly impart to them highlyufeful interefting difcoveries of the most important objects. He will thereby convey to them the knowledge of the glory of God; he will fhew them the malignant nature, and dreadful confequences of fin; he will exhibit himfelf to them as an all-fufficient Saviour; he will grant them the promife of the Holy Spirit; and make his word to be a light unto their feet, and a lamp unto their path. By thefe and other glorious privileges, the difciples of the Lord fhall be animated to walk with chearfulness and alacrity in the ways of God, fo as to adorn the gospel, verify their profeffion, and demonftrate to the world the excellency of his religion.-Do you, my friends, endeavour faithfully to improve the light of the gospel with which you are favoured, and to get your hearts and lives thereby habitually influenced. Diligently ftudy, not only the promises and privileges which it contains, but every part of the duty it inculcates, toward God, toward yourselves, and toward your families, your friends, and your enemies, with the view of getting your temper and conduct conformed to the whole will of God. Take heed that you be not partial in the law of the Lord, refpecting fome precepts, and rejecting others contrary to your inclination or intereft, but be folicitous that the light of the gospel may irradiate your minds, and illuminate every ftep in your lives.

5. My righteousness is near: my falvation is gone forth, and mine arms fhall judge the people the ifles fhall wait upon me, and on mine arm fhall they truft.

The Meffiah announces, in thefe words, the expected introduction of his righteoufnefs and falvation, of which the Gentiles were to become partakers.Righteoufnefs may here denote the faithful accom

plishment

plishment of God's promises, whereby his juftice, veracity, and other attributes, were manifefted in the redemption of his people. The aftonishing benignity and condefcenfion which the Son of the Highest difplayed, in his perfect obedience to the will of God, and in the fufferings he was to fuftain for the deliverance of his Church, whereby he fulfilled all righteousness, and obtained falvation for thofe who were ready to perish; which, in the words often used on this fubject, conftitutes the righteoufnefs of finners, in virtue whereof they acquire right to eternal life and glory. This precious benefit is affirmed, by its great Author, to be near; as the time fixed by infinite Wisdom for its revelation approached, and was nigh at hand in his fight with whom a thoufand years are as one day, and inafmuch as it was placed fully in the view of those to whom these prophecies were delivered. -My faluation is gone forth. The falvation of Jefus Chrift includes deliverance from fin and all its direful confequences, with an indefeafible right to the incorruptible inheritance referved for the faints, and a progreffive meetnefs for the enjoyment of that eternal felicity. It is a deliverance not only from prefumptuous, but from fecret fins, from fins of the heart as well as of the life. It is a deliverance from the deftructive influence of iniquity, from its contaminating pollution, its awful punishment, and at last from its very exiftence. It is a deliverance from every enemy, and from all evil, accompanied with a glorious elevation to the full and everlasting enjoyment of the most exquifite happiness and dignity. confequence of the righteousness of the Meffiah being near, this falvation is faid to have gone forth, diffufing its benign influence among the inhabitants of the earth. The expreffion feems to allude to the fun in the firmament, who, after he appears in the morning, is faid to go forth in his circuit to the ends of heaven. He gradually afcends higher and higher, and fhines with increafing fplendor, until he arrives at the brightness of noon. In like manner, the falva

In

tion of Jefus Chrift, which at first appeared as a lamp that burneth, the light that it emitted being confined to the land of Canaan, progreffively advanced and became more luminous and brilliant, until it enlightened all the regions of the earth. This falvation, the knowledge and acquifition whereof was to extend to all nations, like the path of the juft, fhineth more and more unto the perfect day.Since, then, the righteousness of the Son of God is brought near in the gofpel, and openly fhewed in the fight of the heathen, fince the Lord hath made known his falvation, let us be convinced of the infeparable connection that fubfifts between thefe important benefits. Deeply fenfible that there is no falvation but by righteousness, and that wherever there is righteoufnefs there fhall be falvation, let us diligently feek the kingdom of God, and his righteoufnefs, and frequently exprefs before him our fervent defires for the falvation of Ifrael that goes forth from Zion, in which the upright fhall rejoice, and all the fons of God fhall fhout aloud for joy

And mine arms fhall judge the people. The omnipotence of God our Saviour, operating by the miniftry of the gospel, for the converfion and falvation of finners, and the punishment of impenitent tranfgreffors, may be fignified by the figurative expreffion here ufed. The divine power is fometimes fpoken of in scripture as the finger, the hand, the arm, and the arms of Jehovah, according to the purposes for which it is exerted; and in proportion to the difplays of his providence and grace, given in the protec tion or deliverance of his people, in vanquishing or deftroying their enemies. Or the divine power manifefted for these purposes, Mofes the fervant of the Lord thus fpeaks, in the beautiful eulogium he pronounced upon Ifrael before his death: The eter'nal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlafting arms *.' Here our prophet foretels, that the Meffiah was to employ his mighty power in

* Deut. xxxiii. 27.

judging

CHAP. LL. judging his people, in ruling the nations, in determining their future deftiny, in fupporting the interests of his Church, in defending and remunerating his faithful fubjects, and in punishing those who refuse to fubmit to his fceptre of righteoufnefs. The whole of his administration, in providence and grace, fhall be conducted with almighty energy, as well as confummate equity. It is added,-The ifles fhall wait upon me, &c. By the ifles may be meant, as in chap. xlii. 4. the Gentile nations who for ages prior to the advent of the great Redeemer, were immerfed in ignorance, fuperftition, and idolatry, and addicted to many enormous crimes and abfurd practices. Having made known to them the appearance of the Son of God, the doctrine which he published, and the falvation of which he is the author, they were to renounce their abominable customs, their expectation was to be directed towards him, their dependence was to be placed on his power, grace, and faithfulness, and all their hope of falvation was to be founded on his mediation and promises,And on mine arm fhall they trust. They shall rely on bis almighty power for all thofe important benefits which are neceffary to prefent fafety and eternal happiness. Committing themselves to him who is mighty to fave, they fhall put their confidence in his compaflion and omnipotence, for every bleffing he ftands engaged to beftow on those who believe and obey him-According to this prediction, the inhabitants of many of the iflands in Afia, Africa, and Europe have been favoured with the gofpel of the grace of God, and been inftructed in the faving ability and tender mercy of Jefus Chrift, who hath become the object of their expectation and truft. Let us thereby be encouraged patiently to wait, and firmly to confide in him who is the defire of all nations, the God of falvation, who is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the fea.

6. Lift