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THE
VAIN
REFUGE
OF
SINNER.
CDISc.
VI.
in
his glory.
They
have seen him vested
with his
com-
mission
of
mercy,
they have
heard
and.received
his
mes-
sage
of
goodness and love,
and
they
cannot
but
rejoice
to
see him coming to fulfil
his
last
promises.
They
have
cheerfully subjected themselves to
his
government here
on earth,
they have followed
him
in
paths of
holiness
through the
wilderness
of
this world,
and what remains
but
that
they be publicly acknowledged
by
Jesus,
.
the
judge
of
all,
and
follow him
up
to
the place
of
blessed-
ness,
which
he
hath prepared
for
them.
Perhaps,
some
of
these holy
ones, in
the
days
of
the
flesh,
were
banished
from the cities,
and the
societies
of
men,
for
the sake
of
Christ, they were driven
out
from
their
native
towns,
and forced to seek a shelter in solitary
"
dens
and
caves,
among rocks and mountains, to
wan-
der through deserts
in sheep -skins
and goat-
skins,
desti-
tute,
afflicted,
tormented,"
HIeb.
xi. 37.
they made
the
çlefts
of
the rock, and caverns
Of
the
earth, their refuge
from the
face
of their cruel persecutors
:
The
mountains
and rocks sheltered
them from the wrath of princes, and
the
dark grottos of
the earth, and the dens
of
wild
beasts
concealed them from the rage
of
men, from
the sword
of
the
mighty
;
but
now
the
scene
is
gloriously changed,
the martyrs and
holy confessors, awaking from
their
graves,
exult
and triumph
in the
smiles
of
their
Judge,
and
receive public
honours before the
whole
creation
of
God.
They behold the infinite consternation
of
haughty
tyrants and persecuting
princes,
of proud
generals
and
bloody captains
in
that
day
:
They hear
them
"
call
to
rocks and mountains,
to hide them from
the
face
of
him
that
sits
upon
the
throne, and the Lamb." The autho-
rity,
and regal
honour of
the emperors
of
the
earth,
bath long slept
in
the dust,
but
it
is
lost there
forever;
their
glory shall
not
awake,
nor
arise
with them
:
Behold
the
mighty sinners,
who
have been the enemies
of
Christ,
or
negligent
of
his
salvation,
how
they
creep affrighted
out of
their shattered
marbles,
and
leave all
that
pomp
and pride of death
in ruins,
to
appear
before
God
with
shame
and
everlasting contempt.
The
men
of
arms,
the
captains and
sons
of
valour,
whose
swords lay
under
their
heads, with
their trophies and
titles spread
around
them;
shall raise
their heads up
from
the dust
with
ut-
most
affright
and anguish
of spirit: Their courage
fair