SERMON XXXVI.

ARROWS SHARP IN THE HEART OF ENEMIES.

Ps. XLV. 5.

Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the King's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee.

While tyrants are wading to empire through the blood of slaughtered armies, and marching to the music of a nation's groans, there is a Conquerer of a far different sort. He too has his arrows and his two-edged sword, and goes "forth conquering and to conquer;" but his track is not marked with desolation and wo;-his course is not proclaimed by the cries of widows and orphans. Mercy is perched upon his standard, and in his van marches salvation. He wounds but to heal, and kills but to make alive. "On his head" are "many crowns,-and his name is called, The Word of God." When the Gospel was sent forth, then this glorious Conqueror girded his sword upon his thigh, according to the prayer in our context: "Gird thy sword upon

thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty; and in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things." This is a devout prayer for the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom in all the fulness of its blessings and although the idea of severity to enemies may be included, and a full view of the Conqueror as here arrayed may disclose a Monarch marching into a rebellous province, reducing some to obedience and destroying others, yet the idea of mercy plainly preponderates. Although the Gospel, which is the grand weapon employed, may be "set for the fall" as well as "rising-of many," and may prove a "savor of death unto death," yet who does not know that its leading feature is mercy? To this latter view of the subject I shall confine my attention, and endeavor to celebrate the gracious triumphs of our King. I shall,

I. Examine the process of his individual conquests.

II. Contemplate the general march of the Con

queror.

I. I shall examine the process of his individual conquests.

"Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies," (that is, the enemies of thy kingdom,) "whereby the people fall under thee,"-fall prostrate at thy feet after the manner of vanquished foes. Several ideas are comprehended in these words, which, followed out in their proper order, will lead to a right apprehension of these individual conquests.

I. It is plainly implied that the King marches against none but enemies. This settles the previous character of all who are subdued, aud of course the natural character of all mankind. The text does not confine its view to the conquest of thieves and robbers: it looks at the general extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. It does not confine its view to the reduction of pagans, unless all besides pagans are real subjects of his kingdom and heartily obedient to his laws. If you can find any in Christendom, any even among the baptised, who do not submit to his laws in heart as well as in practice, (for the heart is respected in his requirements,) you find those who, as really as pagans, have yet to be reduced to subjection to his empire. And all who have occasion to be thus reduced, are his enemies according to the text. If then you can find any with the Bible in their hands, who have not truly repented and forsaken their sins, who have not exercised a saving faith in Christ, who do not live a life of prayer, who have not heartily renounced the world, who do not love God supremely, who do not possess the spirit of martyrs, (for all these are essentially characteristic of his subjects,) you find those who still remain the enemies of Christ. "Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you." But "he that is not with me is against me." In a word, all who are yet to be brought into the kingdom of Christ, that is, all the world except real Christians, are his enemies.

2. The reduction of these enemies is the work of Christ. The history of all genuine conversions

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is written in these words: "Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee." Every new subject brought into his kingdom is a trophy of his conquering power. His empire is extended only by conquest. Allow that the text has reference to the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, and all this follows with irresistible certainty.

3. We are now prepared to examine the process by which these conquests are made. The first inquiry is, What are these arrows by which the enemies are transfixed? Doubtless they are the same with the sword mentioned in a preceding verse.Now the sword of Christ is represented as proceeding out of his mouth ;* and long ago he said by a prophet, "He hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, and made me a polished shaft.” "The sword of the Spirit" is expressly said to be "the word of God;" and we are told that "the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." No doubt then that the arrows which he infixes are the truths of his word. This infixing is accomplished by the agency of his Spirit, whose office work it is to "convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment." In an hour when the mind is thoughtless and wandering upon the world, it is made to feel one of these

• Rev. I. 16. & xix. 15.