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And as I apprehend the time of his imprisonment is drawing near, we may fuppofe the enemy will proportionably beftir himself, so that he may do all the mischief he can.

5. Ir feems, toward the clofe of this laft temptation, there will be a general drawing together of the faints, as it was the case with the Ifraelites before their departure out of Egypt. And this univerfal gathering may haften on that general confpiracy against them which will prove the final overthrow of their enemies. As iniquity will begin to abound in the aliens, so their love will wax cold; and that may be one cause why the faints may draw together, being sweetly influenced by the love they bear to each other. This general confluence is called The camp of the faints: but, then, this camp may be of very great extent, even fome thousands of miles. For I apprehend the number of inhabitants upon the earth will be far greater than the earth could support in its present ftate; fo that the camp of the faints will confift of many millions, who will be alive, and caught up together, in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; fo be for ever with the Lord *.

6. HOWEVER, previous to this divine rapture, a gene. ral onset will be attempted. The grand murderer will have infufed enmity into the hearts of his unwary devotees, and a determination to expel the faints from off the face of the earth. No doubt but fome plaufible reason will be affigned for this last outrage-no doubt but conqueft and poffeffion will fill their minds with great and high expectations, nearly to refemble Gods, the old

I Thef. iv. 17.

bait

bait which fo well fucceeded before, and, therefore, may prove a fatal engine to their eternal deftruction. I apprehend Jerufalem will be the beloved city, and thither all the tribes of the Lord will fet their faces, fo that the Holy Land may be the special refidence of the glorious King of Sion, where his tabernacle will be eminently fet amongst men; and the fuburbs of that city will be of vast extent, where the faints will have their laft abode upon the prefent earth. However, it seems that this beloved city, and holy camp, will be furrounded, as is ufual in great fieges, and, very likely, the enemy will affure himself of an eafy conqueft, and refolve none fhall efcape. Perhaps the boasting bombaft of his old vaffal may be refumed again; I will purfue, I will overtake, I will divide the fpoil: my luft fhall be fatisfied upon them; I will draw my fword, my hand fhall deftroy them *.

7. BUT as that ancient tool of Satan was fuddenly deftroyed, and funk like lead in the mighty waters,-fo will the primne leader of all mischief be overthrown, and fhall fink in the lake which burns with fire and brimftone for ever. Therefore all his rage shall fall upon his own head, and his violent dealing upon his own pate, while they that truft in the Lord fhall be like Mount Zion, which never can be moved, but ftandeth faft for ever. None can pluck Chrift's sheep out of his hand.-In this laft and critical juncture it may be faid, The Lord your God fhall fight for you, and ye shall bold your peace-He will quell the raging foe, and his own right hand fhall gain the final victory, that the glory may redound to him for ever.

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8. FIRE is the weapon which the Almighty makes ufe of the true emblem of his awful indignation-and by it the bodies of the infurgents are destroyed, as water did the Egyptians of old. For now, the heavens being fet on fire, fhall be diffolved, and the elements melt with fervent heat ; the earth, aljo, and the works therein, fhall be burnt up. O how inconceivably dreadful! that the bodies of thofe poor finners must be confumed, and raised to life again, only to hear their final doom pronounced, and then to fuffer the vengeance of eternal fire!-Now the finners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness will furprize the hypocrites: Who among us fhall dwell with devouring fire? Who amongst us fhall dwell with everlasting burnings ?-Dreadful inquiries indeed!-O may the fire of love expel the fire of wrath, anger, luft, and every finful and fenfual appetite out of our fouls, before we drop into the fire of everlafting torments !

9. But here is a final ftop put to the grand oppreffor, and here his fury is for ever stayed. He is finally caft out, and eternally configned to the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; where the beaft and the false prophet, his old trusty servants, are, and thall be, for ever! Thus the season of probation, for men and devils, will be finally With regard unto the former, a ransom has been paid for them. God has become incarnate, and hath bled for human offences. The Holy Spirit has performed his heavenly office, in convincing, and fuch as have obeyed him he hath been a never-failing spring of confolation unto; but others have done defpight unto this

over.

fpirit

fpirit of grace, and, confequently, to them there only remaineth a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation from the Lord.

10. WITH regard unto the fallen angels, it is likely, their probation was paft before man was created; and what overtures of mercy they had, after their fall, is an entire fecret to us. We are very fure their wife Creator deals with them in a way perfectly confiftent with every divine attribute, and will certainly do that which is right.. Very likely, alfo, their judgment is paft, fo that nothing remains but to put the final fentence in execution. They have given fufficient proof of unrelenting hatred both to God and man-to every thing which bears the refemblance of goodness, and, therefore, the fire prepared for them is their juft and long-deserved merit; fo` that the Sovereign Lord must be juft, thefe, his avowed enemies, being judges.

11. BUT if Satan fo prevailed among the angels, as to caft a third part of thofe morning-ftars into perdition, and if he deceived our parents in paradife, and, as it appears, will be fuccessful even in the Millennium,-what abundant reafon have we to watch, and pray, left we enter into temptation! What need to keep on the whole armour of God, to ftand faft in one fpirit, and to quit ourfelves like the followers of the Captain of our Salvation.-God will be our refuge and strength, a prefent help in time of trouble. Of old, they overcame by the blood of the Lamb; * and that is the way which we must overcome. We are all weakness, and cannot ftand a moment of our. felves:

Z 3
*Rev.xii. II.

felves let this excite each to lay hold of his ftrength, fo that we may stand in the evil day. I judge we are drawing near the end of the Sardonian state, and, very probable, the Philadelphian fucceffion will fhortly dawn; and, perhaps, in that ftate, he may make a hellish pufh at the faints before his imprisonment. If fo, we have need to keep a good look out-looking up to our Living Head for grace-to help in time of need.

"Stand, then, in his great might,

With all his ftrength endew'd;

And take-to arm you for the fight

The Panoply of God."

So fhall the victory be fure, all opposition shall fall before us-fo fhall we go from conquering to conquer, till more than conquerors-through Him who loved us.

SERMON

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