Nor making manifest the judgment already passed on Satan, the prince of this world. And that Satan was indeed judged was clearly shewn by the power exercised over him by the believers of old, who cast out devils from numbers that were possessed, and trod under foot all the power of the enemy3. was he driven only from his dominion over men's persons, and over the minds of thousands, but the very kingdoms of this world became the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ. The altars where the devils used to receive the erring homage of the multitudes whom they deceived, were razed to the ground, and the fairest portion of the earth is wrested from the hand of him who boasted that he could dispose of its kingdoms as he would, and adjudged to his righteous Conqueror. But, in truth, since He and His Apostles with one voice foretold the judgment to come, every sign of Divine power accompanying and enforcing their testimony, every proof that God was with them, was a fresh proof of the eternal judgment. Yet our Lord seems here chiefly to mean the visible signs that judgment had begun to be executed upon Satan, by casting him out of a Luke x. 19. b Rev. xi. 15. his usurped possession, and by breaking his power upon earth. It remains for us in the first place to believe this testimony, to attend to this reproof of the Holy Spirit, to renounce sin, to seek the true righteousness, to prepare for the eternal judgment. But we have more to do than this. For it is by us that the world must at this day be reproved of these things. It is by us that sin ought to be condemned on earth, and righteousness set forth, and His power known Who stands on our behalf at the right hand of the Father, even so that by His power manifested in us, men might be assured that the true righteousness is to be found in Him. It is by our freedom from the power of temptation, our firmness against the threats of evil, our severity against all manner of wickedness, that the judgment to come is to be kept before men's eyes. Let us only believe that the power of God is upon earth now, that the Spirit of Christ is with us now, that His work is to be done in us now, and that it is no less than our Lord has in these words declared it to be. It is to be a real work, and it is to be a manifest work. Far be it from the ministers of the lowly Jesus to recommend ostentation and display. But they must press upon all Christians their bounden duty to shine as lights in the worlde. They must press on them the necessity of looking well that the light that is in them, the principle that guides their steps, be not darkness, be not any selfish seeking of honour, profit, or pleasure; but that they walk in the lighte, that is, in love to God and man, which has nothing to hide, save some of the tenderer branches of charity, and them only from the rude breath of the world, not from the light of conscience. If we are not witnesses for God on earth, if we will not obey His Spirit that strives in us to make us so, we are like salt that hath lost its flavour, and shall be cast out and trodden under foot. But He will raise up His witnesses in His own good time. Let us be content with the little works He has assigned to us, and not leave them undone because they seem but small matters, remembering that he that is faithful in a few things shall one day be set over many things". And so shall that sin which we now see but witnessed against, be one day seen naked and c Phil. ii. 15. e John i. 7. d Matt. vi. 23. g Matt. xxv. 21. condemned in the eyes of men and Angels; that righteousness which we now see but feebly proclaimed, and set forth in a few and faint examples, shall shine forth in the royal and priestly glory of Christ our King and Saviour; and that judgment which men hear of and forget, shall be seen and felt in the fulness of eternal joy, and the terrors of eternal fire. SERMON XXIV. PREACHED BEFORE THE UNIVERSITY ON THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY, 1838. HABAKKUK ii. 4. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by faith. : THE Word of God is full of wisdom and instruction. Every text has its own truth to imprint on the soul, and sometimes in a few words many rays of heavenly light shine forth at once. Every part is to be heard and read with the prayer and the humble hope that we may win from it eternal gain. But next to the very words of our Blessed Lord, those passages challenge our especial attention, which are common to the Old and New Testaments. Chosen, not in vain, from the rich treasury of ancient Revelation, they are polished and set, and placed where they may best reflect the glory of Him, Who is set forth as the Eternal Light of Life in the Old and New Testaments. And the attentive and reverent reader will learn much |