I hid not my face from shame and spitting.] Another instance of the utmost contempt and detestation. It was ordered by the law of Moses as a severe punishment, carrying with it a lasting disgrace; Deut. xxv. 9.

Among the Medes it was highly offensive to spit in any one's presence, Herod. i. 99; and so likewise among the Persians, Xenophon, Cyrop. Lib.

i., p. 18.

"They abhor me; they flee far from me; They forbear not to spit in my face." Job xxx. 10.

"And JEHOVAH said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days?" Num. xxii. 14. On which place Sir John Chardin remarks, that "spitting before any one, or spitting upon the ground in speaking of any one's actions, is through the east an expression of extreme detestation." -Harmer's Observ. ii. 509. See also, of the same notions of the Arabs in this respect, Niebuhr, Description de l'Arabie, p. 26. It so evidently appears that in those countries spitting has ever been an expression of the utmost detestation, that the learned doubt whether in the passages of Scripture above quoted any thing more is meant than spitting, - not in the face, which perhaps the words do not necessarily imply, - but only in the presence of the person affronted.

But in this place it certainly means spitting in the face; so it is understood in St. Luke, where our Lord plainly refers to this prophecy: "All things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished; for he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated, and spitted on, emptusqhsetai, "xviii. 31, 32, which was in fact fulfilled; kai hrxeanto tinev emptuein autw, "and some began to spit on him, "Mark xiv. 65, xv. 19. If spitting in a person's presence was such an indignity, how much more spitting in his face?

Is. 50:1-3 Those who have professed to be people of God, and seem to be dealt severely with, are apt to complain, as if God had been hard with them. Here is an answer for such murmurings; God never deprived any of their advantages, except for their sins. The Jews were sent int Babylon for their idolatry, a sin which broke the covenant; and the were at last rejected for crucifying the Lord of glory. God called of them to leave their sins, and prevent their own ruin. Last of all, the Son came to his own, but his own received him not. When God calls me to happiness, and they will not answer, they are justly left to be miserable. To silence doubts concerning his power, proofs of it ar given. The wonders which attended his sufferings and death, proclaime that he was the Son of God, Matt. 27:54.

Is. 50:4-9 As Jesus was God and man in one person, we find his sometimes speaking, or spoken of, as the Lord God; at other times, a man and the servant of Jehovah. He was to declare the truths whic comfort the broken, contrite heart, those weary of sin, harassed with afflictions. And as the Holy Spirit was upon him, that he might spea as never man spake; so the same Divine influence daily wakened him to pray, to preach the gospel, and to receive and deliver the whole wil of the Father. The Father justified the Son when he accepted the satisfaction he made for the sin of man. Christ speaks in the name of all believers. Who dares to be an enemy to those unto whom he is Friend? or who will contend with those whom he is an Advocate? Thus St Paul applies it, Rom. 8:33.

Is. 50:10,11 A child of God is afraid of incurring his displeasure This grace usually appears most in believers when in darkness, when other graces appear not. Those that truly fear God, obey the voice of Christ. A sincere servant of God may for a long time be without view of eternal happiness. What is likely to be an effectual cure in thi sad case? Let him trust in the name of the Lord; and let him sta himself upon the promises of the covenant, and build his hopes on them Let him trust in Christ, trust in that name of his, The Lord ou Righteousness; stay himself upon God as his God, in and through Mediator. Presuming sinners are warned not to trust in themselves Their own merit and sufficiency are light and heat to them Creature-comforts are as sparks, short-lived, and soon gone; yet the children of this world, while they last, seek to warm themselves by them, and walk with pride and pleasure in the light of them. Those tha make the world their comfort, and their own righteousness their confidence, will certainly meet with bitterness in the end. A godl man's way may be dark, but his end shall be peace and everlastin light. A wicked man's way may be pleasant, but his end and abode for ever will be utter darkness __________________________________________________________________

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