all comparison greater is that deliverance which the saints experience from the enemies of their salvation: and, when their triumphs are complete, they will have proportionably greater reason to sing, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty!" Dreadful have been the sufferings which multitudes have endured from the antichristian powers. But it is not from a mere human foe that they have been rescued, but from the great dragon, that old serpent, the Devil, and from all his hosts. Nor is it from a mere temporal death that they have escaped, but from everlasting death in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone. Nor is it by a mere exercise of power that this deliverance has been effected for them, but by the incarnation and death of God's co-equal, co-eternal Son; from whence it is that they sing, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty;" "just and true are thy ways, Thou King of Saints:" for, as Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel, was their King, and took them under his own immediate government, so is "the Lord God Almighty our King," even "the King of all the saints," that ever have been or ever shall be saved. It is "the Mighty God," who, by the wonders he has wrought for us, is become the "the Prince of Peace."] 2. The perfections of God displayed in it— [Most cruel had been the conduct of Pharaoh towards the children of Israel: and God had repeatedly declared, both to him and to Israel themselves, that he would deliver them out of his hands. When therefore Pharaoh, with all his host, was destroyed in the Red Sea, Moses particularly noticed the correspondence between his impiety and the judgments inflicted on him: "The enemy said, I will pursue; I will overtake; I will divide the spoil; my soul shall be satisfied upon them: I will draw my sword: my hand shall destroy. Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters." But view the perfections of God in the work of redemption. Verily, "God knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished!." Or, take a more comprehensive view of it: see Justice, not merely as honoured by the atonement made for sin, but as demanding salvation, if I may so speak, for those for whom it was offered; demanding it, as due to him who made that atonement, and as due to those who trust in it for their acceptance before God. See Truth also fulfilling all the promises of God to his believing people, and making the very rage of their enemies the occasion of displaying more abundantly in their behalf his power and grace. Not even Mercy itself will appear more glorious to Isai. ix. 6. h Exod. xv. 9, 10. i 2 Pet. ii. 9. the redeemed soul in heaven, than will these once hostile perfections of justice and truth: for whilst the saint was in his unconverted state, these were the perfections which most loudly called for the judgments of God upon him; but, on his believing in Christ, they instantly became his advocates, and from thenceforth will remain through eternal ages his greatest security. As the Lord Jesus is "faithful and just to forgive him his sins," so will he be in confirming to him that forgiveness for ever and ever. Here I must particularly call your attention to the correspondence between the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Moses sang, "Who is like unto thee, O God, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders k?" So, in the words following my text, God's holiness is acknowledged; "Thou only art holy;" whilst, in my text itself, all the other perfections of the Deity are magnified and adored.] The song of the redeemed proceeds yet farther in strains, II. Of prospective exultation and triumph How forcible is the appeal which they make to the whole universe! [It is particularly said of the Israelites on that occasion, that "when they saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord and his servant Moses'." And certainly we cannot suppose, that there was so much as one among them that was not deeply impressed with the mercy vouchsafed unto him. And shall there be found one amongst those who profess to have been redeemed by Christ, "who will not fear him, and glorify his name?" It is said of the converts in the millennial age, that "they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter daysm." And indeed it is impossible to contemplate this goodness, and not desire to give up ourselves entirely to him. Such a surrender of ourselves to him must appear to all " a reasonable service"." Having been "bought with such a price," even "with the precious blood of that spotless Lamb"," what can we think of for a moment, but to "glorify him with our bodies and our spirits which are his??" k Exod. xv. 11. 1 Exod. xiv. 31. N. B. This is the chapter appointed to be read on Easter-even, which marks the suitableness of the subject to that day. m Hos. iii. 5. 。 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. n Rom. xii. 1. P 2 Cor. vi. 20. 66 And have we not abundant encouragement to do so? Look at the Israelites at the Red Sea. How many of them perished in the sea? Not one. And how many of their enemies escaped destruction? Not one; The waters covered them; there was not one of them left." And shall it not be so with those who commit themselves to the guidance of the Lamb? Will not He also "make the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?" Yes, "they shall go over dry-shod." As the Hebrew Youths in the furnace "had not so much as the smell of fire pass upon them," so shall the whole body of the redeemed escape from their trials without even the shadow of an injury sustained by them. We cannot conceive a greater disparity than between Pharaoh with his "six hundred chariots of war,' and the unarmed hosts of Israel with a million of women and children to protect: but God was on their side: and God is on our side too: and "it is not his will that one of his little ones should perish." It matters not how numerous or potent our enemies may be let us only fear "the King of saints," and confide in him; and we shall soon "behold them all dead upon the sea-shore "."] What the redeemed in their song inculcate as so reasonable, they look forward to as certainly to be accomplished in due season throughout the whole earth [This is very particularly insisted on in the song of Moses: "The people shall hear and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed: the mighty men of Moab, trembling, shall take hold upon them: all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall on them: and the Lord shall reign for ever and ever." So shall our adorable Redeemer be feared throughout the whole earth, as it is said in the words following my text, "All nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments (thy saving truths) are made manifest." The obligation to fear and glorify our blessed Lord is becoming more extensively known: and the time is not far distant now when it shall be universally known and universally acknowledged. The wonderful works that he has wrought shall not be heard so partially and with such indifference as they now are the glad tidings of redemption shall be carried to the utmost ends of the earth, and "all flesh shall see the salvation of God:" "All kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him." Blessed prospect! worthy to be a Ps. cvi. 11. t Matt. xviii. 14. Η δικαιώματα. Isai. li. 10. u Exod. xiv. 30. s Isai. xi. 15. celebrated by the heavenly hosts! and worthy of the incessant attention of every child of man!] And now let me ASK, Who will not fear and glorify our redeeming God? [Are any of you who are here present prepared to say, that he does not deserve this tribute at your hands? What would you have thought of an Israelite who should have ⚫ made such an assertion at the Red Sea? And, if you would have condemned him as a graceless and ungrateful wretch, what must you think of yourselves, who have experienced such infinitely richer mercy at his hands? O come; come and stand upon this sea of glass: behold its waves all calmed and smooth as crystal itself: see the coruscations of the cloud, and the impress of the Deity himself upon it: reflect on what has been wrought for you. Ponder the height and depth and length and breadth of the incomprehensible love contained in it: take your harps: tune them to the songs of the redeemed above: begin the song of Moses and the Lamb: join, with however feeble notes, the choir above: and look forward to the day when you shall strike your harps even as they do; and your notes shall be heard as loud and as melodious as any of theirs. O blessed day! "Look for it: hasten to it." It is but a little time longer, that you have to contend with principalities and powers. Your victory over them is sure: and shall speedily be consummated. Your enemies are following you indeed, as Pharaoh did, saying, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil: my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them." But, in a little moment, "God will blow with his wind; and the sea shall cover them: and they shall sink as lead in the mighty waters." To the weakest amongst you all, is this consolatory message sent: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesss. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing: and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought." May this glorious consummation speedily be accomplished! Even so, Amen, and Amen!] z Exod. xv. 9, 10. a Isai. xli. 10-12. VOL. XXI. P MMDXX. REPENTANCE. Rev. xvi. 9. And they repented not to give Him glory. THROUGHOUT this chapter, the Apostle is speaking of the seven last plagues which were to be poured out upon the earth by the instrumentality of seven different angels, each of them having a vial of wrath committed to his hands for that purpose". As no man can with certainty determine the periods and the events to which these prophecies refer, I shall forbear to speak of them, any further than to observe, that God would by these afflictive dispensations bring men to repentance; but "they repented not to give Him glory." The same, alas! may be said of too many amongst ourselves: for whose benefit I propose to consider the subject of repentance, and to commend it to them, I. As giving glory to God I conceive that all will readily acknowledge that they need repentance; so that I need not at present enter upon that point, or endeavour to convince any that it is their duty to repent. But the true light in which repentance should be viewed is not generally seen it is regarded only as a means of averting wrath: whereas it should be considered as "giving glory to God." Sin has greatly dishonoured God: it, in fact, pours contempt on every perfection of the Deity, saying, "Tush, God shall not see; neither will the Almighty regard it." Repentance, on the contrary, honours God, and "gives glory to Him;" 1. As an omnipresent and omniscient God [Repentance, if it be really genuine, enters into all the secrets of the soul, and spreads them before God; acknowledging, that God has seen them all, and that he will surely call us into judgment for them Now, I entreat you, brethren, to honour God in this view; and, like Achan, to "give glory to Him, confessing" before him what no human - a Rev. xv. 1, 7. |