fess, that, influenced in some measure with the power of that direction, I studiously avoided whatever might be suggested with the least unsuitableness thereunto with respect either to myself, or others.

It was for Zion's sake that I was willing to undertake this duty and service, rejoicing that I had once more an opportunity to give public testimony to the great concernment of the great God, and our dear Lord Jesus Christ in all the concussions of the nations in the world, and peculiarly in his wonderful providential dispensations in these wherein we live. And here as the sum of all, to use plainness and liberty of speech, I say, If there be any thing, in any person whatever, in these nations, that cannot stand with, that can stand without, the general interest of the people of God pleaded for, let it fall and rise no more: and the Lord I know will send his blessing out of Zion, on whatever in singleness of heart, is done in a tendency to the establishment thereof.

Farther I shall not need to suggest any thing of the ensuing discourse: they who take themselves to be concerned therein, will acquaint themselves with it, by its perusal. I shall only add, if the general principles asserted therein be in your hearts, if in pursuit thereof you endeavour, that in no corner of the nation it may be said, This is Zion that no man careth for; but that those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, and are by faith and obedience separated from the perishing world, following the Lamb, according to the light which he is graciously pleased to impart unto them, and engaged by the providence of God in that work, which he hath undertaken to accomplish amongst us, be not overborne by a spirit of profaneness and contempt of the power of godliness, raging in the earth; that they may be preserved and secured from the re

turn of a hand of violence, and encouraged in the testimony they have to bear to the kingdom of Christ, in opposition to the world, and all the ways which the men thereof have received by tradition from their fathers, that are not according to his mind; you will undoubtedly in your several conditions receive blessing from God. Which also that Which also that you may in all your concernments, is the daily prayer of,

Your humble servant

In the work of our dear Lord Jesus,

JOHN OWEN.

SERMON XII.

What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.—ISALAH xiv. 32.

THE head of the prophecy, whereof these words are the close, lies in ver. 28. In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden:' which gives us the season, and just time of its revelation and delivery. The kingdom of Judah was at that season low, and broken; foreign invasions, and intestine divisions had made it so. An account hereof is given us, 2 Chron. xxviii. throughout; as it is especially summed up, ver. 19. of that chapter: For the Lord brought Judah low, because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the Lord.' Amongst their oppressing neighbours that took advantage at their low and divided condition, their old enemies the Philistines, the posterity of Cham in Canaan, had no small share, as ver. 18. of that chapter: The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country, and of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shocho, with the villages thereof, and Timnah, with the villages thereof, Gimzo also, and the villages thereof; and they dwelt there.'

In this state of things God takes notice of the joy and triumphing of the whole land of Palestina, that is, the country of the Philistines. In that the rod of him that smote them was broken:' that is, the power of the kings and kingdom of Judah, which for many generations had prevailed against them, especially in the days of David, 2 Sam. v. and of Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxvi. 6. and kept them under, was made weak and insufficient for that purpose, ver. 29. Rejoice not thou, whole land of Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken.'

It is no wonder if Palestina, that was to be smitten, and broken by the rod of God among his people, rejoice at their perplexities and distresses, when we have seen men so to do who pretend to dwell in Judah.

To take them off from their pride and boasting, their

triumph and rejoicing; the Lord lets them know, that from the people whom they despised, and that broken rod they trampled upon, their desolation was at hand; though they seemed to be perplexed, and forsaken for a season, ver. 29-31. Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety, and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay the remnant. Howl, O gate, cry, O city, thou whole Palestina art dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.' That it is Hezekiah who is principally intended in these lofty allegorical expressions, that was then rising up from the broken rod of Judah, is evident. He is termed a cockatrice, and a 'fiery flying serpent,' not from his own nature, which was tender, meek, and gentle, wherein the comparison doth not at all lie, nor hold; but in respect of the mischief that he should do unto, the irrecoverable destruction that he should bring on the land of Palestina; which accordingly he performed; 2 Kings xviii. 8. He smote the Philistines even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced cities;' that is, he wasted and destroyed the whole land, from one end even to the other.

It is, it seems, no new thing, that the season of the enemies' rejoicing, built upon the outward appearance and state of things among the people of God, is the beginning of their disappointment and desolation. The Lord make it so in this day of England's expectation, that the rod of it may be strengthened again, yet to smite the whole land of Palestina.

The words of my text are the result of things, upon God's dealings and dispensations before mentioned. Uncertain it is, whether they ought to be restrained to the immediate prophecy beforegoing concerning Palestina, or whether they relate not also to that in the beginning of the chapter, concerning the destruction of the Assyrian, which is summed up, ver. 24, 25. The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand: that I will break the

Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountain tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden from off their shoulders.' It is the ruining of Sennacherib, and his army in the days of Hezekiah, that is foretold. Yea, and this seems to claim a peculiar share and influence into this iπvíkov, or triumphant close; because eminently and signally, not long after, messengers were thus sent from Babylon to inquire of the health, and congratulate the good success of Hezekiah. And well had it been for him, and his posterity, had he given those messengers the return to their inquiry, which was here prepared for him some years before. His mistake herein was the fatal ruin of Judah's prosperity. Let not then that consideration be excluded, though the other insisted on, be principally intended.

The words you see have in them, an inquiry and a resolution thereof. I shall open them briefly, as they lie in the

text.

First, there is an inquiry.

1. ' What shall one:' what shall, or what ought: what is it their duty to do, or to say? or what shall they, upon the evidence of the things done, so do, or say? Either their duty, or the event is denoted, or both, as in such predictions it often falls out.

2. 'What shall one :' that is any one, or every one. The answer spoken of is either the duty of every one to give; or it will be so evident, that any one shall be able to give it. The word one, I confess, is not expressly in the original, but is evidently included in the verb лy; what shall be answered, that is, by any one whatever. There is no more in the translation, than is eminently infolded in the original expression of this thing.

3. What shall one then: that is, in the season when God hath disappointed the hopes and expectations of the enemies of his people, and hath strengthened their rod to bruise them again more than ever. That is a season wherein great inquiry will be made about those things. What shall one then answer? This word also, is included in the interrogation; and much of the emphasis of it consists therein.

4. Answer the messengers:' that is, men coming on set purpose to make inquiry after the state of affairs among