come. They are thofe whom the Lord, by his divine power accompanying the gospel, hath turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of fins, and inheritance among them that are fanctified. Such are the converts of Zion, concerning whom it is foretold, They fhall be redeemed. To redeem, is to buy again that which was alienated from its proper owner, by fale or mortgage, and to reftore it to its rightful poffeffor; in which fenfe it is used, Lev. xxv. 25. refpecting the poffeffion of a poor brother. It allo fignifies, to rescue by force; or, by paying down a ransom, to deliver from captivity and flavery, and to restore to liberty and happiness. In this manner the children of Ifrael were redeemed from their bondage in Egypt, and afterward from their captivity at Babylon; which deliverances were typical of the redemption of the spiritual Ifrael of God from their fpiritual fervitude and captivity, and their introduction to the glorious liberty of the fons of God. Though the redemption foretold might have a primary reference to fome temporal deliverance of the Jewish ftate, to me it appears, that this is one of the paffages wherein (as a learned, and justly celebrated writer obferves), "the infpired prophets immediately employed, and perhaps believing themselves to be folely employ"ed, in predicting the occurrences of the Jewish ftate, were at the fame time preluding, as it were, to the perfon and difpenfation of Jefus; the Holy Spirit which infpired them bearing out their * expreffions, and enlarging their conceptions, beyond the worth and fize of those objects which came directly in their view *." Let us then fix our attention on the fpiritual and eternal falvation of the people of God, which feems to be here chiefly intended. This redemption naturally fup. 66 * Dr. Hurd on Prophecy, Serm. iii. pofes, poses, that those who are the objects of it are in a itate of fpiritual fervitude to corruption and fin, and led captive by the god of this world, agreeable to the defcriptions given in fcripture of their condition prior to their redemption. It certainly implies, that Zion is hereby delivered from all her iniquities, and their dreadful effects; from all her enemies, and their deftructive power; and invested in the poffeffion of the moft glorious privileges, in the most astonishing, and at the fame time endearing manner, through the gracious interpofition of the Son of God. This, brethren, is not the release of an oppreffed nation from defpotic tyranny: nor does it relate to the erection of a mighty empire, under a renowned earthly prince. It is another, and far more glorious deliverance, in comparison of which all the noblest achievements of the greatest heroes are as nothing. Hereby chofen men are refcued from eternal ruin, fin is deftroyed, death is abolished, principalities and powers are conquered, and human nature is purified, and exalted to the image and enjoyment of God. This is the great redemption in Ifrael, which was spoken of by all the holy prophets which have been fince the world began, typified under the former difpenfation, expected and defired in every age until these last days, when it was effectuated, not by fuch corruptible things as filver and gold, or fuch unavailable things as thoufands of rams, or ten thousands of rivers of oil, but with the precious blood of Chrift. This prediction then was fulfilled, when, by his death, he obtained eternal redemption for us; and it continues to receive ftill farther completion, when, by the ministration of the gofpel, and the agency of the Holy Spirit, the converts of Zion are interefted in the bleflings of this redemption. May this be our happiness! Let this be our chief concern! With judgment, and with righteoufnefs. The temporal deliverance which God was to work for his ancient people, primarily intended, was to be executed with, or in judgment, in the exercise of strict juftice, punishing the incorrigibly wicked, and delivering the upright. And with righteoufnefs, by the faithful accomplishment of divine threatenings and promiles.The fpiritual redemption of Zion, the principal fubject of this prediction, is obtained with judgment, in the full fenfe of the expreffion. It is acquired, not in a rash and precipitant manner, but is the refult of wife counfel, and mature deliberation it is executed in perfect confiftency with the rights of the ftricteft juftice and equity, according to the determination of the righteous judgment of God; and it is purchased, by inflicting thofe awful punishments to which the converts of Zion had exposed themselves by their tranfgreffions, on Jesus Christ, the bleffed Author of this redemption, who came to give his life a ransom for many. This admirable work is much infifted on, both in the prophetic and apoftolic writings; where we are taught, That he made his foul an offering for fin;' and 'that he became an offering for fin, that we might 'be made the righteousness of God in him +.'-It is added, that the redemption of Zion fhall be with righteousness, with the richeft difplays of the confummate righteousness of Jehovah; for the declaration of which, God fet forth his own Son to be a propitia tion, that he might be just, and the justifier of him 'who believeth in Jefus,' as it is written, Rom. iii. 25, 26. Redemption is the bleffed fruit of the everlafting righteoufnefs of Jefus Chrift, which he brought in by his obedience even unto death; hence it is faid, To be obtained through the righteoufnefs of "our God and Saviour, Jefus Chrift . And it is enjoyed by the citizens of Zion, in the exercises of righteousness, in which they yield to God the obedience of faith, and that unlimited fubjection to his authority which he requires.This is truly an * Isaiah liii, 19. † 2 Cor. v. 21. 2 Pet. i. 1. intereft. interefting fubject, which I wish you would study. much, and endeavour to acquire an experimental acquaintance with. It is a fubject which, if you indeed relifh, you will find to be exceedingly agreeable and useful; which may be always contemplated with new pleasure and profit, and which, after your utmost efforts, cannot be exhaufted. And if you are the redeemed of the Lord, keep ever in view the great defign of your redemption, that ye may be unto God a peculiar people, zealous of good works, and live under the habitual impreffion of the manifold obligations you are brought under, by this character, ta ferve and glorify God. 28 And the deftruction of the tranfgreffors and of the finners fhall be together, and they that forfake the LORD fhall be confumed. We are now arrived at the laft part of this elegant, prophetical difcourfe, which defcribes the punishment to be inflicted on the adverfaries of God, who contemn the redemption of Zion. Of thefe, three claffes are mentioned, whofe characters feem to be in fome measure diftinct, because the prophet foretels that their deftruction fhall be together. The tranfgreffors are thofe who, having perverfely renounced their dutiful fubjection to the divine authority, and wickedly forfaken the inftituted worfhip and ordinances of Jehovah, followed thofe fuperftitious and idolatrous practices, whereby they provoked to anger the Holy One of Ifrael.The finners are fuch as, having gone aftray from the paths of righteoufnefs, have entered into the ways of impiety and wickednefs; who, regardless of advancing the glory of God, aim no higher than to promote their worldly honour, intereft, or pleasure. By them that forfake the Lord, may be intended, those who, having apoftatized from their former profeffion of fidelity in the fervice of the Living God, in the duties of his worship, and the obedience obedience of his commands, embraced the most dangerous errors, and were addicted to the most abomi. nable practices. These characters, which I ftay not farther to illuftrate at prefent, though fomewhat different, are evidently very fimilar; and the fame deftruction fhall be the certain portion of them all.Attend then to the description you have now heard, and diligently compare your character and conduct with it; that fo you may be affisted in estimating your spiritual condition, with which it is of great importance that you be intimately acquainted, in order to your improvement by the gofpel, and its facred inftitutions. And the deftruction of thefe fhall be together, and they fhall be confumed. The Hebrew word tranflated de ftruction, is derived from one that fignifies, to break in pieces things that are hard. In a metaphorical sense, it is applied to denote contrition of heart, whereby it is broken in pieces, and its natural pride and obduracy is fubdued. It is alfo ufed to fignify, any calamity, ruin, or deftruction, which reverfe the condition of thofe on whom they feize. Of these there are two forts; those that are inflicted on men in this world, fuch as the fword, famine, and peftilence, which bring on temporal deftruction; and those which are called fpiritual judgments, as they respect the fouls of men, and are inflicted partly in this, and chiefly in the future world. Both these may be included in the prediction before us; for the expreffion contained in the latter part of the verfe affures us, that perfons of the above defcription fhall be confumed together. Whilft the Governor among the nations corrects his own people in measure for their fins, to make them fenfible, that it is an evil and bitter thing to depart from him, he fends awful destruction on tranfgreffors and finners, and those who forfake him. Whilft the former adopt the fpirited language of the apostle Paul, We are troubled on every fide, yet 'not diftreffed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ' perfecuted, but not forfaken; caft down, but not deftroy |