like him, we can pray for our murderers s, we have the noblest of all victories, that of overcoming a vin- dictive spirit : and, though we fall in the conflict, we maintain the field against all our enemies. Who, do we suppose, was victor, the Jews, who, at Satan's instigation, put our Lord to death ; or Jesus, who expired a victim on the cross ? We cannot doubt ; for we are told in the Scriptures, that, " through death, Jesus overcame death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil* : yes ; " on his very cross he spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in itu." Nor can xve more effectually manifest our superiority to all the powers of darkness, than by "resisting unto blood in our strife against sinx." Were we to become our own avengers, we should " give place to the devily ;" but by suffering with our Lord, we become partners of his victory2, and partakers of his glory a.
What remains now but earnestly to exhort you to get "your feet shod with" this blessed Gospel? Consider how many devices Satan has to wound your feet, and to cast you down. We have already noticed persecution, as a very principal engine used by him to obstruct your progress. But there are other means whereby he frequently effects his deadly pur- pose : many whom he could not stop by persecution, he has turned out of the way by error. Look into the epistles of St. Paul, and see how many he has " corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ V He has his ministers, as well as Christ ; and in out- ward appearance they are " ministers of righteous- ness ;" nor are they themselves conscious that they are his agents. They propagate what they themselves believe, and oftentimes with a zeal worthy of a better cause. But they themselves are blinded by him ; and then are used as his instruments to overthrow the
s Acts vii. 60. » Heh. ii. 14. u Col. ii. 14, 15.
x Heb. xii. 4. v Eph, iv. 27. z Rev. xii. 10, 11.
a 2 Tim. ii. 12. and Rom. viii. 17. b 2 Cor. xi. 3.