prey. But the claim of right, must be asserted by that might, by which the Almighty Deliverer is able to subdue all things to himself. Without the exercise of his omnipotent might, the bands of death will never be burst asunder, nor his captives brought forth from their dark abodes. The Divine Redeemer who interposed in infinite love to pay the ransom, comes forth in his boundless might to effect the deliverance of his redeemed. His promise shall be fulfilled,—“ I will ransom them from the power of the grave. I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be thy plagues,—O Grave, I will be thy destruction!" This enemy, the last which the Christian shall have to encounter-the last from whose power he shall be freed-is not the least terrible of those of whom the Redeemer has said, that he will tread them in his anger, and trample them in his fury. The ravages of death have at one time or another suffused all faces with tears. Even the rude and savage men who have exulted to lend themselves to do the work of death in deeds of war and violence, have felt bereavements, or been in melting moods, when death has wrung from them the silent tear. The people of God have hearts softened by grace. That blessed influence destroys not, but refines the sensibilities of nature. Tears are for a state of sorrow. The promise which we now contemplate, shall receive its fulfilment in a state where there shall be no more sorrow nor death. Its influence is felt, however, in this valley of tears. It extracts the most pungent bitterness from the tears which must here fall, and changes them from the burning tears of despair into those of solemn tenderness, such as are shed at the parting of dear friends, who part in the hope of meeting again in happier circumstances, to part no

more.

In the discussion of this subject, three points claim our attention.

I. The might of the enemy over whom the predicted conquest is achieved.

II. The victorious conflict of the Omnipotent Conqueror. III. The progress and consummation of his victory, as it is shared and enjoyed by his people, in their triumph over the last enemy through him.

I. The might of the enemy.

1. In death we contemplate an enemy of most malignant energy.

In taking a survey of the hostilities waged by this enemy against our nature, we must comprehend more in our view than merely his final stroke. The original sentence of death passed on fallen man, consigned him not only to corruption and dust, but to all that prepares the way for that mournful consummation-to disease in all its varieties, and to all the sorrows and calamities of a wretched life. The penalty being incurred, the enemy thenceforward seized on man's nature as his legitimate prey. We are scarcely formed, when it commences those malignant assaults, which it will never terminate till our bodies be reduced to the dust whence they were taken. It arms against us the violence and irregularity of the elements. In war, and earthquake, and pestilence, it rides forth on its pale horse; and its course is tracked with its victims. Its approach to each of us, in one mode or another, is sure, is always hastening; and no charm can beguile its aim, no shield defend us from its shafts. It follows us from infancy, is daily prevailing against our equals in years, and speedily makes sure of the few who reach old age. It is insatiable, like the grave which follows it, and never says-" It is enough!" It is relentless and inexorable. It will accept of no ransom, listen to no entreaties, be moved by no tears. It respects no rank, nor age, nor class, nor condition of mankind. A portion of every class, selected according to no rule which man can trace, form its daily victims, leaving often the distressed and comfortless to drag out a prolonged wretchedness for a season, while the powerful and

distinguished, the prosperous and the youthful, are hurried away, and trodden as all speedily are in the dust.

It is an enemy to our happiness. It spares not the most beloved of our friends, whom we love as our own souls, and in whose life ours is bound up; it impairs the sweetness of every relation and enjoyment; it withers all by its touch. The grim aspect of the King of Terrors ever before us, appals us, damps our mirth, and deadens our pleasure. However religion may draw from its approach motives to active usefulness, it is in itself no friend to the usefulness of man. By the desolations which it is continually effecting in the human family, throughout all its relations, it creates much work for benevolence to perform-it spreads much misery— requiring for its relief the labours of philanthropy, and much sorrow calling forth the sympathies of those who know how to speak a word in season to the weary, and to comfort the mourner; but it is also continually cutting off the useful in the midst of their usefulness, and drying up the sources where want was supplied, and misery relieved. It quenches, in rapid succession, those luminaries in whose light the Church for a season rejoiced-it silences the tongues whose office and delight it was to speak to men the things of God— it paralyzes the hands which laboured for God's glory and man's benefit-it hides in darkness and silence those who praised the Lord in the land of the living. Though overruled, through redemption, for the good of the souls of multitudes, it is in itself no friend to the soul. It rends asunder with violence the constituent parts of man's nature—severs the soul from its endeared union with the body-expels it from its much-loved mansion-dismisses it from all the privileges and opportunities of time-hurries it before the judgment-seat, whence, if not interested in redemption, it behoves to be cast into everlasting burnings. To the soul whom it finds in that condition, it proves not indeed the last enemy, yet a dreadful one, pursuing it into the jaws of the second death.

2. Death is an enemy whose conquests extend universally. It is continually prevailing against our race; and as we spring up, we fade away before its power. Our fathers, where are they?-the prophets, do they live for ever? Under the wheels of its triumphal chariot, it has crushed all past generations in the dust. The conquerors of nations, equally with the vilest slaves, it has "trodden down as straw is trodden for the dunghill." Often as a new generation has peopled the earth, it has mowed them down, and reaped anew the harvest of the world. Its work of destruction is never intermitted. The gates of its prison-house are open night and day, and are crowded with interminable captive hosts. The pathway to these abodes, is "the way of all the earth." This sad mansion is "the house appointed for all living." Who does not mourn some one of his own relative circle already departed thither? Who can tell how soon himself shall depart? "Behold the end of all living, and let the living lay it to his heart."

3. It reigns in triumph, and has the foundations of its empire deeply and strongly laid.

Death reigned from Adam to Moses before the giving of the law. Under the dispensations of the law and of the gospel, it has equally continued to reign. Over the mansions of the dead it has erected its dark throne, and stretched out its gloomy sceptre. It holds under its dominion the nations which have in often renewed succession peopled the earth. The glory and the pomp of those who have boasted of universal empire, have with themselves descended to the dust. Unlike the foundations of earthly empire which are unstable as the sand, the basis of the dominion of this conqueror is deep and mighty. It is the righteous appointment of God, our offended Sovereign and Judge, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." This appointment is founded deep in the principles of the divine government. Sin is rebellion against God; death is the doom merited by rebellion.

"The wages of sin is death." What chiefly renders the awful visitation appalling, is, that it proceeds from the just wrath of God against us on account of sin. "We are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. Thou hast set our iniquites before thee-our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. For all our days are passed in thy wrath." That in the augmenting distresses which precede dissolution, the cloud of the divine displeasure appears thickening and darkening, and the strokes of the divine anger becoming heavier, till the moment when in death we fall into the hands of the living God, causes death to assume a terrible aspect, and tends to inspire the soul with fearful forebodings of what is to follow. Who shall question the commission of this Destroyer written in the sanctions of the divine law, which the attributes and prerogatives of the Eternal Sovereign necessarily uphold, or attempt to destroy his power derived from the divine arm engaged in executing the law? ("The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin," namely, as that sting, "is the law" thus upheld.) Here lies the mystery of the victory achieved over death. It could not be effected in opposition to the law, nor at its expense. Only he who could satisfy the law for the guilty, could vanquish death.

II. The victorious conflict of the Omnipotent Conqueror. When we consider the nature and the foundation of the power of this universal enemy, it becomes apparent what behoved to be the nature of the conflict by which the great Deliverer was to accomplish the destruction of his empire, and extinguish his existence.

1. The mighty Saviour behoved himself to grapple with death, endure its agonies, and fall by its stroke. The law which annexes death to sin as its punishment, is the strength of sin viewed as the sting of death. Ere sin could cease to lend to death a destroying sting, sinners behoved to be released from the grasp of the condemning law. This release