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will draw all me unto me."* That is, the Lord Jesus, by dying for the sins of men and making atonement for them, will give the deathblow to Satan's usurped dominion over them. By manifesting his love to them, he will draw them to himself, from slavery to that tyrant, and by his mighty power he will thrust him down from his throne in the world and in the hearts of men; till at length, having rescued all his redeemed from him, he shall send him to his own place and bind him there for ever. Thus Satan is judged--and by seeing him so judged, mankind shall be “convinced of judgment;" or shall be brought to see that the power to bruise all his enemies under his feet, when, and as he will, belongs to Jesus Christ, who therefore is greatly to be feared, as the Lord of all power and might, as well as to be cleaved to, as Lord our righteousness."

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Then what has been the fact? Our Lord says, "I beheld Satan, as lightning fall from heaven;" and assuredly the prince of this world was judged, and was cast out, when Christ demonstrated his power by the miracle at Pentecost; and is judged and is cast out, whensoever either a sinner is converted from the error of his ways, or the wrath of the wicked against the gospel is defeated. Then look to the authentic history of the Christian church, from the time that it was signally and professedly placed by its great head under the government and conduct of the Holy Ghost. Consider how thousands were brought into the kingdom of the Redeemer by the "foolishness of preaching." Consider the marvellous boldness of the apostles-the entire weakness, the contemptible miscarriage of all that the rage, and malice, and power, and persecution, and wisdom, and strength of man could do against the truth, and contrast with it, the mighty force and efficacy with which "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" won its way, and would spread, and did spread, till whole nations "cast away their idols to the moles and to the bats." I do not say, this is all that is to be wished, or all that is to be looked for. But it is enough (argument enough I mean) to convince the world of judgment, enough to make any reasonable man acknowledge that God has set his Son as king upon

* John xii. 31. 32.

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his Holy Hill of Zion."* soever pleaseth him."

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down before the ark of God; that the day is coming when "the idols he will utterly abolish,"* and that "his enemies, who will not that he should reign over them are to be brought and slain before him." ↑ And though too true it is that it is often said, in vain, to sinners - “ What has God wrought!"---and the argument, through the corruption of men's hearts, does not in fact prevail at all times-yet, whensoever the Holy Ghost will open men's understanding, to see the hand of the Lord in what is continually before their eyes, and to ponder God's wonders of old-then the appeal made to them is not in vain: then they shall so see that judgment is to be, and that it is even now in the hands of the Lord Jesus, that they shall adore him as Judge; and look for him, and study always to have a conscience void of offence towards him; and cease to idolize the creatures; and leave off "smiting their fellow servants, and eating and drinking with the drunken," in order that, “through his Spirit, they may be found ready when he shall call."

* Ps. ii. 6.

Assuredly in this practical manner, the converts of Pentecost were "convinced concerning judgment." For after that the Holy Ghost dis

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* Isa. ii. 18.

+ Luke xix. 27.

† Matt. xxiv. 49.

posing them duly to consider the miracle which they had seen, had led them to perceive thereby, that One was exalted to bruise Satan, and his kingdom and his agents, under his feet-how completely did they renounce allegiance to the wicked one, and take Jesus Christ the righteous for their Lord, and act as to him accountable; "with good-will no doubt, doing service," and for love's sake; yet "working out their salvation with fear and trembling."

See then the office and operation of the Holy Ghost. How complete, how effectual to the glorifying of the Redeemer in the salvation of his people! For suppose any man, the chief of sinners hitherto-suppose him practically to have learnt every part of this holy lessson, which the text says the Holy Ghost shall teach, and which it appears, he did teach to the converts of Pentecost-suppose a man "convinced of sin," deeply sensible of his own vileness, guilt, and pollution, and inability to help himself; --" convinced of righteousness;" seeing what manner of robe he needs wherewith to appear in God's presence, and that all he needs is laid up in Christ, and therefore in absolute self-renunciation, going to Christ for it; -"convinced of judgment;" looking to Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords; who trieth the

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heart and the reins now; and assuredly is coming to assign, by his own proper authority, to every man, from the least to the greatest, his lot, and place, and doom for eternity-suppose a man acting and living, as every man must act and live, upon whose soul these convictions have been wrought truly, and permanently, and effectually; and accordingly, "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with his God"-suppose this brought to pass, as to any man; is there not here "a brand plucked out of the burning?" Is there any thing less than a Christian; any thing less than one passed from death unto life," to be unto the Lord his Redeemer "for a name that he may be glorified?"

Then, I hope and trust, that both we who preach the word of the kingdom, and you who hear it, may learn each, in his place, his proper duty; what we have to aim at and to do, and what we are to rely upon for the increase.

To show mankind that they are sinners undone; to point out Christ to them as their whole salvation; to lead them simply to confide in his merits; to instruct them, that he is "not mocked," for that all judgment is committed unto him; and that he will "reward every man according to his works :"-these are the points, which, if we would win souls to

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