SAVED, REDEEMED, AND CARRIED. A. Sermon PREACHED IN GROVE CHAPEL, CAMBERWELL, ON SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 24TH, 1878, BY THOMAS BRADBURY. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His presence saved them in His love and in His pity He redeemed them: and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old."-Isaiah lxiii. 9. LIKE that description of the Brother born for adversity, the Messenger of the covenant, the Redeemer of His Church, and the Carrier of His elect brethren. That is the Saviour that will do for me. Anything short of Him can only leave me lost and ruined for ever and ever. A perfect Saviour, an out-andout salvation alone will suit such an out-and-out sinner as the one who now addresses you. Not that I have any desire to make myself singular or conspicuous in sinnership, for I am fully conscious that there may be a vast amount of talk concerning corruption and depravity where there is no contrition of spirit before God. The child of God, though he feels himself to be the vilest sinner out of hell, as he is taught by the blessed Spirit, loves to take his place among, not above, the children. He desires not the pre-eminence, nor to soar above the rest of the family; but, if it please the Master, to take the lowest placeeven at His feet. Lowly and little ones He loves to fold in His bosom, there to enjoy those covenant blessings which flow from His loving heart. Let us notice a few of the prominent features of this very precious chapter. At the commencement, the prophet, by Divine inspiration, asks the question, "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in His apparel, travelling in the greatness of His strength?" or, with His head erect, proceeding in triumph, having settled matters with the adversaries of His people. Edom, or Idumea, lay to the South of Judea, and was inhabited by the sworn enemies of Israel and of Israel's God. Bozrah was a No. 86,-PRICE ONE PENNY. fortified place, and evidently the capital of Edom, thus the centre of enmity and opposition to JEHOVAH. In these we have lively illustrations of the opposers of God's Christ throughout all time. In looking at this precious portion, many thoughts and questions will arise in the mind of the spiritual student of God's Word. To what period do these events refer? Some will have us believe they simply refer to the achievements of our blessed Lord and Saviour in Gethsemane and upon Calvary. Others point to that dread period "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power; when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day" (2 Thess. i. 8-10). But I believe that those of us who are led by the Holy Ghost into the knowledge and apprehension of God's mind, as revealed in the Scriptures of truth, can see both these periods in this precious portion. In Satan's own territory, the Captain of our salvation achieved His grand and glorious victories over sin, death, and hell, and, as the child of God beholds Him on resurrection ground and in ascension glory, but is not blessed with a personal interest in Him, he may well ask the question, "Who is this that cometh in triumph from the midst of the enemies of God and of His people, glorious in His apparel, and travelling in the greatness of His strength?" Such a question is not left long without an answer, for the Traveller Himself gives it. This is a rare mercy to the tried and tempted child of God, who feels his weakness and ignorance day by day, to know that when none other can communicate the needed intelligence, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Responsible Teacher, the Servant of the covenant, and the Steward of the household of God, who has the very words committed unto Him which shall flow forth in prayer and supplication from their heartsHe Himself will blessedly communicate the answer: "Ithat speak in righteousness. Mighty to save." Oh, what a mercy this is to those of us who bowed the knees of our bodies before our God this morning, and experienced a true melting of soul as we confessed that, "we have left undone those things which we ought to have done: and we have done those things which we ought not to have done." Righteousness not to be found in any part of our thoughts, words, ways, or works; all our thoughts are foolishness, all our words are evil, all our ways are crooked, all our works are sin. Everything of ours is calculated to bring upon us JEHOVAH'S wrath, and banishment from His presence, and from the glory of His power. But here comes the Righteous One who has made an end of all His people's sins, brought in everlasting righteousness, and now, before the face of His Father, speaks in righteousness for me, and by His blessed Spirit communicates to me the precious fact that He, in His perfect obedience to the law, is my Righteousness in the presence of God. "I that speak in righteousness." On the ground of His own perfect obedience, He speaks to the Father for me; ay, and He speaks to me for the Father. As it is His delight as my Intercessor to make mention of my wants and necessities in the court of heaven, so it is His to convey to me by the grace of His Spirit the knowledge of my Father's love and affection, care and concern over me. Does He bless me with the sweet words of His mouth? He speaks in righteousness. Does He curse the objects of His Father's righteous indignation? He speaks in righteousness. "Mighty to save." To save from what? From sin, Satan, and self. See! He saved in purpose before the worlds were framed, according to 2 Tim. i. 9: "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." He saved in His performance of the Father's purpose when He suffered on Calvary's rugged tree. He saved, experimentally, when He was revealed in us by the Holy Ghost, and our hearts were comforted with a sight of His bleeding wounds, precious blood, perfect righteousness, and all-prevalent intercession. He saved me, and, blessed be His holy name, He has given me some sweet intimations of the same during the past week; but here I am this morning feeling my need as much as ever, and crying unto Him, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." Do you know what this means? "He saves us at first, and He saves us again, Are there any here deep down in the dungeon of despondency? He is mighty to save. Is there one who is tossed to and fro with cruel temptations? He is mighty to save. Is there one in the midst of trouble, crying, "All these things are against me?" He is mighty to save. Is there one harassed with doubt and fear, crying, "I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul?" He is mighty to save. Ah, my dear friends, many times we are perplexed with second causes, troubled with many fears, and busy with many cares which we professed to have left in His sacred hands. This reminds me of the old woman, who, when she was counselled to leave all her concerns in the hands of the Lord, said, "I have left them there many a time; but I have such a knack of taking them out again." He is mighty to save us from all our sins, sufferings, and sorrows-from all evil that would grieve us, from all error that would deceive us; ay, and all these would be our lot were it not for His glorious grace and sweet perseverance, patience, and pity. Another question is asked and answered: "Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel, and Thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?" He is ready with an answer: "I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with Me." We see this in the record given of gloomy, dark Gethsemane by the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Look at Him on Calvary! Betrayed by Judas. Denied by Peter. Forsaken by all. Truly He trod the winepress alone. But He continues to speak, and that in righteousness: "For I will trample them in My fury, and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all My raiment." Think of this! "For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come." This calls us to the contemplation of that marvellous discrimination which appears throughout the whole of God's most holy Word. Discrimination was seen in the case of the first two born into this world-Cain and Abel. Discrimination is revealed as the great King-Priest appears on the throne of His glory separating the redeemed sheep from the unredeemed goats. To the sheep He says, "Come, ye blessed of My Father;" while to the goats the decree goes forth, "Depart, ye cursed into everlasting fire." So, in the portion before us, vengeance and love flow from the same heart. Strange contrast, yet marvellously mingled in the weak perception of the children of God. See! The day of vengeance against all the adversaries of God's people; but the year of redemption for all those upon whom His love was fixed before all worlds, and to whom He reveals His kindness and His care during their sojourn in the enemy's land. 66 "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold; therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me; and My fury it upheld Me." My fury with what? With the sins of My people, and with all their adversaries-death, hell, and the grave. And I will tread down the people in Mine anger, and make them drunk in My fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.” This is what all haters and despisers of God's truth may expect. Now listen! "I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us," upon the ground of accomplished redemption and finished salvation. A salvation which God could not mend and devils cannot mar." It may be that some with wavering hopes and little faith, and some, so far as their feelings are concerned, without any faith at all, are wondering is there any bestowal of God's goodness for them. Here is a word of comfort for such. Is the bestowal of God's grace and goodness according to thy faith? No. According to thy hope? No. According to thy asking? No. According to thy diligence in reading and studying the Bible? No. According to your faithfulness in defending the truth, ministering to the saints, or attendance upon the means of grace? No. We will mention His lovingkindness and praises, not according to any thing we may have done, or do, for Him, but "according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us." But some poor, anxious sinner may say, "I want to know that He bestows something on me!" Look here, my friend, God loadeth His people daily with His benefits, and among them the least is not a broken heart. Have you got that benefit-that load? Then it is according to all, not part, but "all that the LORD hath bestowed on us." As He hath bestowed upon us, according to our weak conceptions, the faintest experience of His covenant mercy, so He will bestow every mercy which in His everlasting covenant He designed for us. It is a sweet mercy that our God is not limited in His bestowing by our feelings and experiences. If it were so, our poor hearts might give way, and our hopes and expectations perish eternally from the Lord. This is God's order of bestowing His bounties: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world" (Eph. i. 3, 4). There you have it. All the blessings and benefits that I need or require during my sojourn in the wilderness, the faith needed, the hope requisite, and the very prayers and desires I breathe out before the throne, by the teaching and bedewing of the Holy Ghost-all bestowed on me in Christ before the foundation of the world. Here you have God's standard by which He bestows His blessings upon us. "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. iv. 19). Let us continue with this expression of the prophet's gratitude, "and the great goodness toward the house of Israel." Not toward everybody, but "toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His mercies, and according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses." It is this which causes the heart to thrill with spiritual delight, and the spirit to quiver with heavenly love, heavenly life and liberty in His sacred and solemn presence. Nothing short of God's standard will do for me. "For He said, Surely they are My people, children that will not lie; so He was their Saviour." "I cannot come in there," say you. Not at all, I answer, if you look at yourselves. From the womb we went astray, speaking lies, and we are in possession of deceitful hearts which can do nothing but conceive and utter words of falsehood (Jer. xvii. 9; Isa. lix. 13). Look at Rom. iii. 4—a portion invariably misquoted to tone down its seeming harshness. Let God be true, and every man a liar? No. Let God be true, though every man a liar? Not that. "Let God be true, but every man a liar?" That's it. The man in the pulpit, and the hearers in the pews. This is not very complimentary to poor, religious human nature, but will make all such ready to gnash with their teeth, while it ofttimes proves a hard nut for many of God's children to crack before they get |