.

ousness, mighty to save.

Nor can it be

Cyrus; we never read of his being in Edom. Nor will it apply to Judas Maccabees. I apprehend it is the same glorious personage spoken of in Revelation, chapter 19, from the eleventh to the seventeenth verse; that is, the King of Glory: the Lord strong and mighty in battle; and therefore in lofty language describes his glorious resurrection, his conquest over Satan and the grave.

I

We do not read of any remarkable hero coming from Edom; but we read of one who said; I will ransom them (namely poor sinners) from the power of the grave; will redeem them from death. (a) We read of one that spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them, openly triumphing over them in it. (b) And therefore I apprehend the words refer to the glorious resurrection of Jesus: and I am the more convinced of this in contemplating the original text. The word here rendered Edom*, has the same radical letters which compose the word we render earth, or ground, and therefore I scruple not to render it, who is this that cometh from the earth, or from the ground, the grave where he was laid in arrest for our offences; having conquered his and our enemies; and therefore is risen to set them free. Bozrah, I apprehend, was

(a) Hos. xiii. 14.

(b) Col. ii. 15.

*אדום

the capital of Edom, and in some places signifies a vintage, Lev. xxvi, 5, and signifies that he had trod down his enemies, and crushed them even as he that treadeth the wine vats crushes the grapes. Sometimes the same word signifies a place that is fortified; (a) and shews that our all glorious conqueror entered the strong hold of Satan, to deliver the sons of death from the power of the mighty. He alone engaged in our desperate cause; dreadful was the undertaking; but he looked and there was none to help; he wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore his own arm brought salvation. Considering the words as applicable to a risen redeemer, I shall endeavour to consider,

I. The august person here spoken of. II. From whence he comes.

III. The form he wears,

1

IV. The design of his coming.

1. The glorious person is to be considered.

And who can he be, if we consider the stile he assumes, but the ever blessed and glorious potentate, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in that awful light which no man can approach unto; and as touching his divine essence, whom no man hath seen, nor can see; and who is stiled the only wise rob

(a) Lev. xxxii. 26. Isa. xxv. 12 ti

God our Saviour, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily? It would be great arrogance in either man or angel to say, I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. But it is highly becoming him who is the resurrection and the life, and whom to know is life eternal. He can say, I and my Father are one. I am in the Father,

and the Father in me. He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father also. He is stiled the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

2. BEING God over all blessed for ever, he is mighty, and powerful to subdue all adverse power, or whatever shall set itself in opposition to him. Let all hell oppose him, he can put down all rule and authority, and bring in subjection to himself every thought in captivity. This is the stone which the builders rejected, but is the head of the corner; yea, the very foundation, and against which the gates of hell shall never prevail.

HE has all power both in heaven and in earth, and unto whom angels and principalities and powers, and all heaven are subject. It is plain from the context, that nothing can stand before him. Do opposers stand in his way? I will tread down the people in mine anger, says he, and make them drunk in my fury; and I will bring down their strength to the earth. Can any human being speak thus? No, not if he is

in his senses, or has any proper knowledge of himself: but it is language becoming the most high, though in the appearance of sinful flesh.

His power was the first qualification which he assumed after his resurrection. All power is given me, both in heaven and in earth. (a) To him therefore every knee must bow and every tongue confess to be Lord to the glory of the Father.

THIS is a mighty encouragement to his saints, and especially to his ministers; for in the strength thereof they can go into all the world, and proclaim glad tidings to all nations; while their all conquering master says, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.

3. HE that is thus mighty, is also true and faithful. To confirm this in the minds of his followers, he often reminds them of his transactions in the days of old. His dealings with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are often referred unto, and likewise with their offspring; how he brought them out of the land of Egypt, and out of the house of bondage; divided the red sea, led them with a pillar of a cloud by day, and with flaming fire by night: fed them with manna, and brought them water from the flinty rock; conducted them through Jordan, and made the walls of Jericho fall down, and

(a) Matt. xxviii. 18.

drove the warlike nations out before them:

gave them houses which they had not built, vineyards which they had not planted, and wells which they had not digged; and while they continued faithful, he suffered no man to do them arm; yea, he reproved kings for their sake. Now why are these things so largely and often repeated? Doubtless that we may take comfort and courage in pressing on in the way that leads to eternal glory.

IF that passage in revelation has reference to the text and context, it exactly confirms, what I have asserted. " I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him was called true and

faithful, and in righteousness doth he judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; (to signify that he had gained many conquests) and he had a name written, which no man knew but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipt in blood: and his name is called, The Word of God.And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and

HE TREADETH THE WINE PRESS OF THE FIERCENESS AND WRATH OF

ALMIGHTY GOD. (a) My reason for quoting this passage is, to shew the coincidence

(a) Rev. xix. 11—15.