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obtain. And having this hope, and this only, my mind and affections require daily, as their aliment of life, the evidence of its truth, and that I shall obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead.

And whilst I rejoice in this hope, and acknowledge my indebtedness to its influence, I cannot forget my companions in the same pursuit. Beloved, never faint, be of good courage, you are running for more than an angel's prize.

And who will be our company in this heavenly race? O ye ruined children of men, who are perishing with a perishing world! we long for you all. In the name of Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, and the Lord of the world to come, we invite you all to be our companions, in self-denial, in labor, in suffering, and in patience; if by any means we may attain unto the resurrection of the dead, that blessed hope, at the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.

LECTURE IV.

THE BATTLE OF THAT GREAT DAY OF
GOD ALMIGHTY.

For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.-ISAIAH Ixiii. 4.

VENGEANCE and grace are glorious attributes of the Lord: he claims them as his unalienable rights, saying, my mercy—my grace; and, vengeance is mine-to me belongeth vengeance, and recompense.

These properties of Jehovah, bright in themselves, gloriously set off and brighten each other: therefore, infinite wisdom, in concerting a plan for the display of divine perfections, ordained that these should be displayed together; and that the day of vengeance and the year of the redeemed should bear the same date-the day of vengeance beginning and opening the year of the redeemed.

When, therefore, the earth was corrupt before God, and filled with violence; and the church was reduced to one family, and that undoubtedly

the utmost hazard of being destroyed-surrounded by a world of ravening wolves; the day

of vengeance slumbered not-the flood swept away the world of the ungodly; but an ark was prepared a year of the redeemed came-and God wrought great salvation for his little church.

And when the Lord saw the affliction of his people in Egypt, and came down to deliver them, he came also to judge that nation, which had afflicted them; it was equally his errand to punish the Egyptians and to save Israel. Vengeance and mercy-destruction and salvation-were in his heart; and were each displayed in the infliction of plagues upon the Egyptians, from which Israel were exempted, and in the slaughter of the first-born, whilst the houses of Israel were passed over. Each was gloriously magnified in the overthrow of Pharaoh and his host in the sea, whilst Israel, in the same path, safely passed through; and each was sweetly celebrated, in one song, on the triumphant shore-The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation-Pharaoh and his host hath he cast into the sea-thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

Also, when the iniquity of the Amorites was full, and the Lord went forth, with his sword drawn in his hand, to consume and destroy them from off the face of the earth; even then, he marched before his chosen tribes, to find them a place of rest-great and goodly cities which they builded not-houses full of all good things which they filled not-wells of water which they digged not-vineyards and olive-trees which they planted not a land flowing with milk and honey.

Judah had long groaned in captivity in Babylon; their loins were filled with pain, they were

bowed down and dismayed; for their pleasure was turned into fear. Then said the Lord, go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth. And he saw chariots and horsemen; and he hearkened diligently with much heed. And he cried, A lion: my Lord, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. Then follows the kind language of redeeming love to the poor, despairing, captive church, O my threshing, and the corn of my floor. Thou hast been threshed as the wheat, and for thy sake Babylon has been threshed as the straw and chaff, that thou might est be threshed out of it; therefore, as Babylon is fallen, the year of my redeemed is come. Babylon being cast out as the straw and chaff, thou shalt be saved as the corn of my floor-with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, and will gather thee as wheat into my garner.

This vengeance and grace were both executed by Cyrus, as we may read in his commission: Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus-Subdue nations— loose the loins of kings-break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron-for Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine electCyrus is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built; and to the temple, thy foundation shall be laid.

Esau hated Jacob, because the Lord loved him; and the children of Edom were the most implacable enemies to Israel and Judah, who said, in the day of the destruction of Jerusalem,

raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof; and also stood in the paths, to cut off the feeble, scattered inhabitants, flying from the fire and sword of the Chaldeans. Wherefore, the Lord, when about to turn again the captivity of Zion, visited Edom, and first showed himself to his people, as their Savior, coming from thence, all over stained, as though he had been treading in the wine-fats of Bozrah; but, according to his own account, it was Edom's blood that sprinkled his garments and stained all his raiment. He came travelling in the greatness of his strength, like a mighty conqueror from the field of battle, reeking with the blood of the slain.

Saviors

And in this apparel he is glorious; for by speaking in righteousness he shows himself to his people willing and mighty to save. shall come upon mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau. Edom's destroyer is Judah's deliverer.

God's vengeance against the Jews, when, for rejecting their Savior and King, wrath came upon them to the uttermost, was connected with, and the evident means of, that wonderful spread of the gospel among the Gentiles in all the earth, which then, as never since, was carried to the ends of the world, and was preached to every creature under heaven.

And the promises of the great day of the redeemed the approaching glorious jubilee-are all preceded by threatenings of the day of vengeance.

That the battle of that great day of God Almighty, spoken of in the sixteenth chapter of the Revelation, will precede the millennium, is gen

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