in weakness, I will raise in power; what is sown in corruption, I will raise in incorruption; what is sown a natural body, I will raise a spiritual body. This very flesh of yours, this corruptible flesh, shall put on incorruption; and this mortal shall put on immortality; death shall be swallowed up in victory, and mortality of life. Fear not, O my children; come and I will show you the enemy that you dreaded: see, here lies the king of terrors, like Sisera in the tent, fastened to the ground, with the nails struck through his temples. Behold the grateful_present, the head of your enemy in a charger: I bequeath you your conquered adversary, and make over death as your legacy. O death, where is thy sting? Where now is thine armor, wherein thou trusted?b come, my people, enter into your chambers; come to your beds of dust, and lay you down in peace, and let your flesh rest in hope,d for even in this flesh shall you see God.e O ye slain of death, I will redeem you from the power of the grave, and fashion those vile bodies like unto the glorious body of your exalted Redeemer. Look, if you can, on the sun when shining in his strength; with such dazzling glory will I clothe you, O ye of little faith."

x 1 Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. y 1 Cor. xv. 53. z 2 Cor. v. 4. 1 Cor. xv. 54. a 1 Cor. iii. 22. b 1 Cor. xv. 55. c Isa. xxvi. 20. d Isa. lvii. 2. e Psalm xvi. 9. xix. 25. 26, M. f Psalm xlix. 15. g Phil. iii. 21. h Matt. xiii. 43.

4. From the dungeon of eternal darkness.

From the terrible dungeon of eternal darkness do I hereby free you. Fear not, you shall not be hurt of the second death. You are delivered from the wrath to come, and shall never come into condemnation.j The flames of Tophet shall not be able to singe the hairs of your head; no, nor the smell of the fire pass upon you. Stand upon the brink, and look down into the horrible pit, the infernal prison, from whence I have freed you. See you how the smoke of their torments ascendeth for ever?! hear you the cursings and ravings, the roarings and blasphemies?m What think you of those hellish fiends? Would you have been willing to have had them for your companions and tormentors ?" What think you of those chains of darkness? Or of the rivers of brimstone, of the instruments of torment for soul and body, of those weepings, and wailings, and gnashings of teeth? Can you think of an everlasting banishment, of "Go ye cursed ?" Could you dwell with everlasting, could you abide with devouring fire ?P This is the inheritance you were born to ; but I have cut off the entail, and wrought for you a great salvation. I have not appointed you to wrath; but my thoughts towards you are thoughts of peace.s

i Rev. ii. 11. Rom. viii. 1. j1 Thes. v. 10. John v. 24. k Dan. iii. 27. 1 Rev. xiv. 11. m Matt. xxv. 30. n Matt. xxy.

41. o Matt. viii. 12. p. Isa. xxxiii. 14. q Eph. ii. 3.

1 Thes. v. 9. Jer. xxix. 11

III. Our protection from all enemies: 1. From the arrests of the law.

Here I deliver you your protection. From all your enemies I will save you; I grant you a protection from the arrests of the law; your surety hath fully answered it." My justice is satisfied, my wrath is pacified, my honor is repaired. Behold, I am near that justify you;w who is he that shall condemn you?

2. From the usurped dominion of the powers of darkness.

I will tread Satan shortly under you, and I will set your feet in triumph upon the necks of your enemies. Let not your hearts be troubled, though you must wrestle with principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world: For stronger is He that is in you, than he that is in the world: He may bruise your heel, but you shall bruise his head."a Behold your Redeemer, leading captivity captive, spoiling principalities and powers, and triumphing over them openly in his cross,b See how Satan falleth like lightning from heaven; and the Samson of your salvation beareth away the gates of

t2 Kings xvii. 39. u Gal. iii. 13. Rom. iv. 10. v Dan. ji. 24. 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. w Isa. 1. 8. x Rom. xvi. 20. y Eph. vi. 12. z1 John iv. 4. a Gen. iii 15, b Col. ii. 15 c Luke x. 18,

hell, posts and all, upon his shoulders, and setteth them up as trophies of his victory! How he pulleth out the throat of the lion, and lifteth up the heart of the traitor upon the top of his spear; and washeth his hands and dyeth his robes in the blood of those your enemies!

3. From the victory of the world.

Neither its frowns nor its flatteries shall be too hard for your victorious faith.e Though it raise up Egypt, and Amalek, and Moab, against you, yet it shall never keep you out of Canaan.* Be of good comfort, your Lord hath overcome the world. Though its temptations be very powerful, yet this upon my faithfulness will I promise you

that none shall come upon you, but what you shall be able to bear. But if I see such trials (which you fear) would be too hard for your graces, and overthrow your souls, I will never suffer them to come upon you; nay, I will make your enemy to serve you; and do bequeath the world, as part of your dowry, to you.h

d Isa. Ixiii. 1, 2, 3. 33. g 1 Cor. x. 13.

el John v. 4. Gal. i. 4. f John xvi. h1 Cor. iii. 22.

*It was an excellent saying of Eusebius Emesenus "our fathers overcame the torrents of the flames, let us overcome the fiery darts of vice." Consider that the pleasure and sweetness that follow victory over sin, is a thousand times beyond that seeming sweetness that is in sio.

4. From the curse of the cross.

Afflictions shall prove a wholesome cup to you; your Lord hath drunk the venom in his own body, and what remains for you is but a healthful potion, which, I promise, shall work for your good.j Be not afraid to drink, nor desire the cup should pass from you;, I bless the cup before I give it unto you; drink you all of it, and be thankful; you shall find my blessing at the bottom of the cup to sweeten the sharpest afflictions to you. I will stand by you in all conditions, and be a fast friend to you in every change;" In the wilderness I will speak comfortably to you; and in the fire and in the water, I will be with you. I will be a strength to the poor, and a strength to the needy in his distress; a refuge from the storm, and a shadow from the heat,P when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Your sufferings shall not be a cup of wrath, but a grace-cup; not a curse, but a cure; not a cup of trembling, but a cup of blessing to you ;-they shall not hurt you, but heal you. My blessing shall attend you in every condition. I say, not only blessed shall you be in your basket, and blessed in your store, but blessed shall you be in your poverty, and blessed shall you be in your straits. Not only blessed

k Job. v. 17. 1 Matt. Psalm xciv. 12. n Isa.

i Psalm cxix. 71. j Rom. viii. 28. xxvi. 26, 27. m Jam. i. 12. v.11. xliii. 2. o Hos. ii. 14. p Isa. xxv. 4. q Heb. xii. 6, 7, 8, r Psalm cxix. 67. ■ Gen. xxvi. 3. t Gen. xxviii. 15,