Isai. xliv. 23. Sing, 0 ye heavens ; for the Lord hath done it : shout, ye lower parts of the earth : break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein : for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
IF the word of God produced its full effect upon the hearts of men, this world would be very much assimilated to heaven : there would be the same views, the same dispositions, the same exercises and employ- ments amongst our fallen race, as are found amongst
VOL. VIII. o
the angels, in the presence of their God. Let us only conceive that the subjects in the text universally occupied the minds of men ; and that they were celebrated by all ranks of people with the ardour and affection suited to their importance; surely we should have a very heaven upon earth ! Permit me then to remind you, that, I. " The Lord hath redeemed his people" —
The redemption of the Jews from Babylon was a great and joyful event. The person who was to effect it was foretold by name. The manner in which he should take the city of Babylon (by turning the course of the Euphrates, and passing through the gates of brass), and the use which he should make of his triumph (by liberating the captive Jews, and ordering them to rebuild their city and temple), was all dis- tinctly specified, above two hundred years before such a person as Cyrus existed in the world a. But, extraordinary as this event was, it was only a shadow of one infinitely more important, — the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ. He has re- deemed his people,
1. By price — [In a figurative sense, God may be said to have " given Egypt and Ethiopia as the ransom of IsraelV But what is the " ransom that he has found for usc?" What is " the price with which he has bought usd" out of the hands of sin and Satan ? Kingdoms and worlds were insufficient for the pur- pose. We could not be " redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but only with the precious blood of God's co-equal Sone." Great as the price was, God did not hesitate to" lay it down: " he purchased the Church with his own bloodf." No longer can we now be detained in bondage, if we claim our liberty in the name of Christ. " The law cannot condemn us«; Satan cannot lead us captiveh; "sin cannot have dominion over us'." If we avail ourselves of " the redemption that is in Christ Jesus," we shall be " delivered from every kind of bond- age, and be brought into the glorious liberty of the children of Godk." " Being made free by Christ, we shall be free indeed1."]
a ver. 26 — 28. and ch. xlv. 1 — 4. b Isai. xliii. 3.
c Job xxxiii. 24. d 1 Cor. vi. 20. e 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.
f Acts xx. 28. e Gal. hi. 13. h Luke xi. 22.
1 Rom. vi. 14. k Rom. viii. 21. l John viii. 36.