still prevail to bind, as often as released, and drag back again into captivity the ransomed prisoners of the Lord.

But here also we experience the mighty hand' and out-stretched arm' of our great Redeemer. "He will subdue our iniquities"."" Sin shall not have dominion over you."-" The Lord knows how to succour them that are tempted.". "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."

The Christian, as is beautifully represented in our baptismal service, is enlisted under the banner of the cross, to fight against sin, the world, and the devil. And the great Captain of our Salvation, it will be found, has opened a way for his ransomed to pass in safety; we follow him to victory and a crown. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a mighty salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of them that hate us."-" That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life."

Contend he may,

Does Satan then oppose? prevail he cannot ! "The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." Does the world distress? "In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."" Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

Is the Christian, through the law of sin that works in his members, bound and dragged captive; and, for very wretchedness, does he cry out for his deliverer? He shall, with Paul," thank God through Jesus Christ his Lord".""Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption: and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities."

Lastly, we are to consider the Redeemer in his peculiar character as the Avenger of the blood of a murdered kinsman. And in this view the sacred Scriptures frequently lead us to consider the redemption, which our Almighty Saviour accomplishes for his people.

It is true indeed that the enemies of the children of God cannot prevail to kill their souls; to separate them from the love of Christ; or to pluck them out of his heavenly Father's hands: but, against their bodies, and in all their temporal concerns and interests in this present life, their enemies, the

Lord so permitting, may prevail; and their ruin, in of men, be complete.

the eyes They shall fall by the sword," as we read in the word of prophecy, "and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days-even to the time of the end."

But by whatever hand these violences shall have been offered, vengeance is sure: "for their Redeemer is strong!" He heard the voice of the blood of the righteous Abel, which the earth had drunk from the murderer's hand; and it appears, notwithstanding the Christian's prayers for their enemies, for they desire not the evil day,—yet in the ears of the Lord of Hosts, their injuries cry aloud for vengeance. For it is said, "" Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you, that he will avenge them speedily ".'

Nay, even the disembodied spirits of God's persecuted people, are represented, as making the same demand on their Judge and Avenger. “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord God, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" And, accordingly, that great and final catastrophe, which we expect at the return of Christ into this world, "when he shall

f Dan. xi. 33.

& Luke, xviii. 7, 8.

h Rev. vi. 9, 10.

punish the hosts of the high ones, which are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth, is called the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion."

The prophecy contained in the sixty-third chapter of Isaiah is most remarkable, and affords a striking representation of the Saviour, in the character of the Redeemer, or Avenger of blood. "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? This, that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Where

fore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the wine-fat? I have trodden the wine-press alone (and of the people there was none with me): for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiments. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of my redeemed is comek"

i Isai. xxxiv. 8.

k The transaction and dialogue in this passage seems to have been a visionary representation, which the Prophet saw. From Edom and Bozrah, the residence of the most troublesome enemies of the Jewish people in that day, and which therefore are used as typical of the abode of the adversaries of the church, wherever that abode may be, when the prophecy shall receive its fulfilment -the Prophet sees one advancing in great state and majesty, like a conqueror returning in triumph, (y, reclinato capite incedens ut victor triumphans.) In answer to the Prophet's inquiry, the character in the vision announces himself, "I that speak in

We find also in some parts of Scripture that the Lord is even represented as sanctifying himself in the enemies of his people when he avenges their cause, as though, after the notion entertained of the redeemers of old, something of pollution or dishonour might seem to attach to his great name, till this vengeance had been executed'. Ah! how ex. tensive may be the meaning of that prayer, which our divine Master has put into our mouths," Hallowed be thy name!”

Again, not only when the people of God fall

righteousness, mighty to save "—I that am faithful to my promise, and am able to perform what I have undertaken. The vision in the nineteenth of Revelations exhibits the same character, and I conceive foretels the same event. "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make

war *."

The glaring colours of the victor's garments had at first struck the Prophet's attention (n, acutus, acris colore, i. c., rubicundus, puniceus †). But on his nearer approach, they assumed the appenrance of the clothes of one that had been treading the wine-fat. And so in the parallel passage in the Revelation, he is said to "be clothed in a garment dipped in blood." The Prophet asks the meaning of this appearance. He is answered, that he has trod the wine-press; treading the wine-press being an emblem of a great slaughter executed upon the enemy. "He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (Rev. xix. 15.) The stains which the Prophet sees are explained, moreover, to be the juice-the 'life's blood' of his enemies. And the Redeemer states the occasion, " And I have polluted ('nbxx) all my garments, for the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redeemed (1) was come."

1 Ezek. xxxviii. 16. 32.

* Ver. 11.

+ Bochart in Simon.