should either be made to acknowledge with Paul, that they had been " blasphemers, injurious, persecutors, and the very chief of sinners," or to confess the justice of that sentence that con- signed them over to everlasting misery.]
4. The salvation of his people —
[His enemies are the seed of profane Esau ; but his friends are " the seed of Israel," whose prayers prevailed with God, and whose example they imitate. These were for a time to be as men disappointed of their hopes ; but, ere long, their expectations, founded on the word of Christ, were to be abun- dantly "justified" in the sight of men ; and their persons too were to be "justified" in the sight of God ; so that both before God and man they should have reason to glory in the name of Jesus. None of them should be left in their forlorn condition; but " all," all without exception, be made to triumph in him as the Rock of their salvation.]
Such was the exaltation, and such the consequences of it to himself, to his enemies, and to his believing people, which Christ so long before predicted with a solemn oath: in confirmation of which we proceed to state,
II. The certainty of its accomplishment —
If God had simply asserted these things, it could not fail but that they must come to pass ; for, " he is not a man that he should lie, or the son of man that he should repent." But for our fuller conviction and assurance, he has sworn ; and " because he could swear by no greater, he has sworn by himself:" his word is gone forth in righteousness and truth, nor shall it " return," till every jot and tittle of it be fulfilled. But, 1. It has already been accomplished in part —
[At the hour of his death, his enemies thought that they had gained their end. He, whom they had arrayed in mock majesty, and crowned with a chaplet of thorns, and before whom they had bowed the knee in derision, crying, Hail, King of the Jews! had expired on the accursed tree, an object of universal execration and abhorrence : and his followers were scattered as sheep that have no shepherd. The leader being destroyed, it seemed as if this infant sect, like others that had preceded it, were crushed, and brought to nought. It only remained, that Jesus should be proved an impostor, by watching his tomb for three days ; and then their victory would be complete. But in vain were the stone, the seal, the watch : at the appointed hour