enrigninnry civil wars, so now the lord& of the ;'World ·seemed minded to destroy them- selves by their vices. Men were denuded of all •that was really good, arrd, surrounded on .e,11 sides· by the thick clouds of a blinded conscience, they caught with wild eagerness at the grosse~t sensual enjoyments, in the wild tumult of which they plunged to intoxic~ tion" (Dollinger, 'Jew and Gentile,' vol. ii. pp. 284, 285, Eng. 'frans.). Or take St. Paul's account of the condition of the heathen when he began his preaching: " As men did not like to retain God.jn their kno;wledge,God.gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, forni- cation,. wiclrndness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, deceit, debate, malignity ; •whisperers, back biters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to pa.rents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them .that do. them" (Rom. i. 28-32). Yet, instead of destroying this polluted race, God had compassion on them, and went out of his way to seek them. I. HE LIFTED UP CHBIBT TO THEM AB AN ENSIGN FBOM AFAB. By the manifes- tation of Christ's character in the Gospels, he set them up a Pattern which they could not.but admire, which drew them irresistibly by its purity and loveliness, made them hate tbemselves,.and brought them low on their knees before his footstool. II. HE OFFERED. HIS GOSPEL l!'BEELY TO THEM FBOM THE FIRST. "Go, disciple ye all, nations, baptizing them; " " 1:'reach the go11pel to every creature ; " "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved," There was no limit, no favouritism; no offer of salvation only to those who Ii.ad acted up to their previons light. III. HE RAISED UP A .Bl'ECIAL ~CBEB, SPECIALLY QUALIF'IED, TO BE "THE APOSTLE OF THE·,GENTILEs." What impression Christianity would have made on the Gentile world without St. Paul, or some one similarly qualified, it is difficult to say. Conceivably, it might have taken merely the dimensions of a Jewish sect, wbich believed that the Messiah had come. St. Paul, raised up for the purpose, lifted it above the sphere of Jewish' controversy into world-wide consideration. Teaching personally at Antioch, at Ephesus, at Athens, at Corinth, ·at Rome, disputing with philosophers, converting members of Cresar's household, he gave it a. position among the religions of the world which could not b_e ignored by later educated inquirers. The apostle of the Gentiles spread Christianity from Syria to Rome, perhaps to Spain, and gave it that hold upon the attention of the educated classes which secured, under God's blessing, its ultimate triumph. · Ver. 14.-The Church's triumph over its enemies. The Church of God will always have its enemies, both internal '8.nd external, and its external enemies will from time to time gather their hosts, and unite themselves together, and threaten it with destruction. Great . was· Israel's peril, and grea.t her fear, when her enemies "consulted together with one consent, and were confederate against her: the tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmael- ites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes; Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Asshur a.lso joining them, a.nd helping the children of Lot" (Ps. lxxxiii. 5~). Yet the danger passed, the confederacy failed, the various nations were "confounded and troubled; they were put to shame and perished" (Ps. lxxxiii. 17). So it is with the Church. Our Lord has promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Ma.tt. xvi. 18); and consequently its enemies labour iu vain to effect its destruction. The Church may ha.ve confidence-- I. SINCE CHRIST rs REB HEAD. She is "his Church," "built by him," "' upon a. Rock," i.e. himself; purchased by him with his own blood; loved and cherished and purified by him, that she may be presented to him "without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing "-his city, his boc~y, his bride. II. SINCE SHE HAB A BURE WORD OF PROMISE. 1. In the statement, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world " (Matt. xxviii. 20). 2. In the passage concerning the gates of hell. 3. In the clear declarations of the apocalyptic visiou, which show her ultimate triumph. 111. SINOE SHE HAS PASSED THROUGH PERILS AS GREAT AS ANY THAT CAN HEREAFTER ABBAIL HER. 1. The peril of the imperial persecutions (Nero, Diocletian, Galerius, Julian). 2. The peril of the barbarian invasions (Goths, Huns, Vandals, etc.). a. The 208 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. [OH, D, 1--,-18.
peril of MobRmmedanism. 4. The peril of the dark ages. 6. The peril involved in unlimikd private judgment. 6, The peril of the French Revolution. Half a score of times has she seemed on the point of succumbing; but each time that she ia atruok to the ground, she rises, like Antieus, refreshed and reinvigorated.