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as wholly his own §. Often alfo have the wicked been employed as inftruments of deliverance to the Church. The kings of the Medes invaded Chaldea, with no other defign than to gratify their ambition or revenge. But it was the purpofe of the Moft High to break in pieces the proud empire of Babylon, that his captives might be delivered. He therefore defcribes the plan, preparations, warlike operations and fuccefs, as proceeding wholly from himfelf: and, to exprefs the abfolute certainty of the event, although at the distance of fome centuries, he employs fuch language as if he rather declared what was past, than foretold what was future. He appears as a fovereign leader, iffuing forth his orders to his vaffals, which they must neceffarily execute; nay, as an invifible, but all-powerful'agent, influencing all their counfels. "Make bright the arrows; gather the fhields: the LORD hath raifed up "the fpirit of the kings of the Medes: for his "device is against Babylon, to destroy it; be"cause it is the vengeance of the LORD, the ven

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geance of his temple.-The LORD of Hofts hath "fworn by himself, faying, Surely I will fill thee "with men as with caterpillars.-Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among "the nations, prepare the nations against her: "call together against her the kingdoms of Ara-. rat, Minni and Afhchenaz, appoint a captain against her, cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillars. Prepare against her the na

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s Ifa. x. 5.-7.

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"tions with the kings of the Medes, the captains

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thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the "land of his dominion t." Obferve how he defcribes the cruel Medes and Perfians, and the other heathen nations whom he was pleafed to employ in this work:-" I have commanded my fanctified "ones, I have alfo called my mighty ones for "mine anger, even them that rejoice in my high"nefs. The noife of a multitude in the moun

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tain, like as of a great people: a tumultuous "noife of the kingdoms of nations gathered toge"ther: the LORD of hosts muftereth the hosts of "the battle. They come from a far country, " even the LORD and the weapons of his indig"nation to destroy the whole land "."

His own people may juftly be reckoned among his hofts. The typical Ifraelites are denominated "the hofts of JEHOVAH "." This name efpecially refpects the Church under the New Teftament, confifting of converts belonging to every kindred; and therefore called "the goodly heritage of the "hosts of nations." The Church appears "ter"rible as an army with banners." All her genuine members have been "volunteers in the

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day of his power." They have enlifted under his banner. He employs them in his wars. He teaches their hands to war, and their fingers to fight. He manages them in a different manner from that in which he exercises his power over the wicked. He works in them, not in oppofition to their own intentions, but according to the habitual

t Jer. li. 11. 14. 27. 28. x Jer. iii. 19.

u Ifa. xiii. 3.-5.

w Exod. xii. 41.

bitual inclinations of their hearts, as renewed by his grace. They obey his will on earth, in refemblance of the holy army above. Like the angels of blifs, they in their inferior degree are "his hofts, his minifters, that do his pleasure." It is therefore their daily prayer; "Thy will be "done on earth, as it is in heaven." They have "a leader and commander," who conducts them to certain victory. They overcome Satan, "through the blood of the Lamb, and the word "of their teftimony." They also overcome the world. And, what is more than either; they are conquerors over themfelves. Employing them as his hofts, he brings glory to his name by the warfare itself, and by its happy termination.

This character is in a peculiar fenfe conferred on his fervants in the miniftry. When the Levites were admitted into the fervice of God, they were faid to "enter into the hoft," and to "war "the warfare." Hence this very language is adopted by the apoftle Paul, when addreffing Timothy and the minifters of the New Testament, in declaring the glad-tidings of falvation, are defcribed as a great hoft or army: "JEHO"VAH gave the word: Great was the army of "thofe that published it "."

The fame defignation is given to the heavenly bodies. Hence are they fo often called "the host "of heaven;" not merely as fignifying their number, but their order, beauty, and conftant obedience

y Num. iv. 3. 23. a Pfal. lxviii. 11.

z 1 Tim. i. 18.; 2 Tim. ii. 3. 4.
b Deut. iv. 19. ; Ifa. xxxiv.

dience to the divine command. It deferves our attention, that as not only the heathen worshipped the heavenly bodies, but the Ifraelites difcovered a ftrong attachment to this fpecies of idolatry, God, in revealing himself to his Church, often afferts his abfolute dominion over this hoft, and alfo occafionally declares the foundation of this dominion. He announces himself as their Lord, because they are all the work of his hands: "Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath "created these, that bringeth out their hoft by "number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in

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power; not one faileth.-I, even my hands have "ftretched out the heavens, and all their host have "I commanded b." He hath made the " lights "in the firmament of heaven,-for feafons :" and as he is pleafed to difpenfe their influences, he either bleffes the inhabitants of the earth with abundance, or punishes them with want; he preserves them in health, or vifits them with ficknefs. Hence he connects this name with a declaration of his dominion over the hoft of heaven, in relation to the earth: Thus faith the LORD, "which giveth the fun for a light by day, and "the ordinances of the moon and of the ftars for

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a light by night, which divideth the fea when "the waves thereof roar; The LORD of Hofts is "his name He hath at times given more atonishing difplays of this dominion. "The fun "ftood still, and the moon ftayed, until the peoVOL. II.

b Ifa. xl. 26.; xlv. 12.

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c Gen. i. 14. d Jer. xxxi. 35.

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"ple had avenged themfelves on their enemies; "for JEHOVAH fought for Ifrael "." Deborah, it is probable, in her fong of triumph, alludes to fome extraordinary circumftances not recorded in the history of the defeat of Jabin's hoft: " They fought from heaven; the ftars in their courfes fought against Sifera f."

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The elements are alfo his hofts. "Fire and "hail, fnow and vapour, ftormy wind fulfil his "words." He fwept away an ungodly world with a deluge of water. He deftroyed the Philiftines with thunder h; and fent fire from heaven on the meffengers of the king of Ifrael, who came to take the prophet Elijah. He made the earth to open and fwallow up the rebellious company of Korah. When the haughty Pharaoh refused to acknowledge and obey the God of heaven and earth, he armed all the elements in his quarrel. He" fent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along

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upon the ground." He turned their water into blood. That very river, on which Egypt depends for the means of life, became an inftrument of death. The earth rofe in arms against its guilty inhabitants. Every particle of duft was furnished with a fting, and caufed at once pain and felf-abhorrence". The atmosphere became too grofs a medium for tranfmitting the light of heaven". That air, which formerly fupported life, was found to be merely a vehicle for the pef

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