have now dwelt upon, and infers from them the final salvation of the righteous, and the final punishment of the wicked. For, says he, if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample to them that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: For, that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds. But what is the inference from all this history of the Divine dispensations-hear it in the words which the Holy Spirit dictated, --The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgement to be punished. Of these same persons he declares also, in the subsequent verses, that they shall utterly perish in their own corruption; that they are cursed children, and that to them is reserved the mist of darkness forever.

But let us pass to a still more striking illustration of our argument, in the deliverance of the church from Egyptian bondage. I have seen, saith God-I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. But why does he announce his purpose from the midst of a quenchless flame, and assure the already heart-stricken Moses, that in communing

with his maker on such a subject he stands peculiarly on holy ground? It is because he is about to show himself mighty to save, and to display, in awful contrast,his redeeming mercy and vindictive justice. The day of vengeance is in his heart, and the year of his redeemed is

come.

As he multiplies the promises of deliverance to his afflicted people, and gives them fresh and frequent tokens of his gracious interposition, he spreads a dark cloud over the heads of their oppressors; and when the salvation of Israel goeth forth as the steady flame of a lamp that burneth, flashes of judgment, ever and anon,fall upon the Egyptians, till they are allured to the spot where God will show his redeeming love, and make his power known on the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction.

The church was here placed in a condition in which it was most honorable for God to interpose. The Red Sea was before them, and their enemies behind. Thus when all hopes of deliverance by human power were cut off, Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you to-day; for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever. The sea was miraculously divided; the armies went forward; and while the Egyptians were overwhelmed in the returning waters, the church of God came forth with songs of deliverance,saying,I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea: The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God and I will prepare him an habitation; my fa

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ther's God and I will exalt him. Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy; who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Now observe the character of this song of Moses. It is a manifest celebration both of the Divine mercy in delivering his people, and of the Divine justice in punishing their enemies. It is the exhibition of a principle which will prevail co-existent with the moral government of God. Thus the apostle John represents to us, that the same kind of scene will be acted over again with a far deeper interest. He tells us that he saw the victorious Church, standing upon a sea of glass, having the harps of God, and they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb; that is, the song of redeeming mercy, and vindictive justice; saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou king of saints-who shall not fear thee, O "Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy.

A similar exhibition of mercy and judgment characterized the Providence of God when the children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan. The church was here blessed with civil and religious freedom. The ordinances of God were established, and temporal mercies flowed like rivers of milk and honey through their peaceful possessions. But the Lord bestowed these signal blessings upon his people by the very means of inflicting judgment upon his enemies. Hear the description which the prophet Habakkuk has given of that wonderful train of Providences, by which God went

forth for the salvation of his people: Thy bow was made quite naked according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Thou didst cleave the rivers of the earth: the mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowings of the waters passed by: the deep uttered his voice and lifted up his hands on high. The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear. Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in thine anger: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed: thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Thus did God bestow signal blessings upon his church by bringing them into Canaan, while, at the same time, he executed judgment upon the inhabitants of the land, for the day of vengeance was in his heart, and the year of his redeemed had come.

We might adduce many more striking instances of favor to the church, from the various deliverances by the Judges, and the restorations of Israel from captivity; and in all of them you should see the same exhibition of justice executed upon the enemies of God. But the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Sampson, and of Jephtha, of David also, who through faith subdued kingdoms, bringing prosperity to the church and dismay upon her enemies.

Passing by all those striking displays of the mercy and the justice of God which were made from the settlement of Israel in Canaan to the coming of Christ, let us inquire if

the same principle prevails in the government of God, under the Christian dispensation. The coming of the incarnate Saviour was itself the richest blessing which the church had then ever enjoyed. But the Prophet spake of him as acting upon the same principle, bringing blessings for his friends, and judgments for his enemies. Isaiah says, speaking in the name of the Messiah, The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. And God, speaking by Malachi, says: Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in; behold he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. These prophecies plainly show that the same principle was to exist under the Christian dispensation; that the wicked were to be punished whenever righteous were blest. Thus when John the Baptist made his appearance he testified of a Saviour who should distinguish between the precious and the vile, and redeem his people with judgment. His language is, And now also the axe is laid at the root of the tree; every tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. He repeats the same thought under another si