He will deliver them both from men and devils —
[From the beginning of the world have God's chosen people been opposed and persecuted, even from the time of Abel to the present hour. It was the superior piety of Abel that called forth the resentment of the envious Cain, and stimulated him to imbrue his hands in his brother's blood11. And our Lord puts the question to Iris malignant enemies, " Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted ? " It might be thought, indeed, that it would be impossible for any one to hate and persecute the holy Jesus, in whose whole life not a single flaw could be found, and who, by his bene- volent and unnumbered miracles, must have endeared himself to every one. But the brighter his light was, the more were the children of darkness incensed against him; so that they never ceased, till they had prevailed against him, and " cru- cified the Lord of Glory." All his Apostles, too, were objects of the world's hatred : and our Lord has told us, that all his followers will have their cross to bear, after the example which he has set us. And do we not find it so ? Is there a faithful servant of the Lord, especially if he fill any important station, and be active in honouring his Divine Master — is there one, I say, that is not reviled and persecuted for righteousness' sake? True, fires are not now kindled, as once they were, to con- sume them, because the laws of the land forbid it : but it is as true at this day as ever it was in the apostolic age, that " all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
And has the hostility of Satan at all abated? Does not " that roaring Hon go about at this day as much as ever, seek- ing whom he may devour?" What can the Apostle mean, when he says, " We wrestle not with flesh and blood, (not with flesh and blood only,) but with principalities and powers, and spiritual wickednesses in high places1?" Or for what end are we still enjoined to " put on the whole armour of Godk," if we have not still many enemies to contend with ?
But God will preserve us from them all, and " turn their curses into blessings." Whatsoever will ultimately advance our welfare, he will permit : but whatsoever would have an injurious effect, he will avert ; as it is said, " The wrath of man shall praise thee ; and the remainder of it shalt thou restrain1." We may not see the precise way in which good shall be brought out of evil : Joseph could form no idea of the benefit which was ultimately to accrue from all his trials ; nor could Job from his : but they were constrained to acknow- ledge, thatj however designed for evil, the events, every one of them, issued in good : and thus has God engaged, that " all
h 1 John iii. 12. ; Eph. vi. 1 2. k Eph. vi. 13. > Ps. lxxvi. 10.