its　woe；　and　they　look　upon　it　with　abhorrence。　A　sense　of　the　infinite
  sacrifice　made　for　its　cure　humbles　them　in　their　own　sight　and　fills　their
  hearts　with　gratitude　and　praise　which　those　who　have　never　fallen　cannot
  appreciate。　They　love　much　because　they　have　been　forgiven　much。　Having　been
  partakers　of　Christ's　sufferings；　they　are　fitted　to　be　partakers　with　Him
  of　His　glory。
  The　heirs　of　God　have　come　from　garrets；　from　hovels；　from　dungeons；　from
  scaffolds；　from　mountains；　from　deserts；　from　the　caves　of　the　earth；　from
  the　caverns　of　the　sea。　On　earth　they　were　〃destitute；　afflicted；
  tormented。〃　Millions　went　down　to　the　grave　loaded　with　infamy　because　they
  steadfastly　refused　to　yield　to　the　deceptive　claims　of　Satan。　By　human
  tribunals　they　were　adjudged　the　vilest　of　criminals。　But　now　〃God　is　judge
  Himself。〃　Psalm　50：6。　Now　the　decisions　of　earth　are　reversed。　〃The　rebuke
  of　His　people　shall　He　take　away。〃　Isaiah　25：8。　〃They　shall　call　them；　The
  holy　people；　The　redeemed　of　the　Lord。〃　He　hath　appointed　〃to　give　unto　them
  beauty　for　ashes；　the　oil　of　joy　for　mourning；　the　garment　of　praise　for　the
  spirit　of　heaviness。〃　Isaiah　62：12；　61：3。　They　are　no　longer　feeble；
  afflicted；　scattered；　and　oppressed。　Henceforth　they　are　to　be　ever　with　the
  Lord。　They　stand　before　the　throne　clad　in　richer　robes　than　the　most
  honored　of　the　earth　have　ever　worn。　They　are　crowned　with　diadems　more
  glorious　than　were　ever　placed　upon　the　brow　of　earthly　monarchs。　The　days
  of　pain　and　weeping　are　forever　ended。　The　King　of　glory　has　wiped　the　tears
  from　all　faces；　every　cause　of　grief　has　been　removed。　Amid　the　waving　of
  palm　branches　they　pour　forth　a　song　of　praise；　clear；　sweet；　and
  harmonious；　every　voice　takes　up　the　strain；　until　the　anthem　swells　through
  the　vaults　of　heaven：　〃Salvation　to　our　God　which　sitteth　upon　the　throne；
  and　unto　the　Lamb。〃　And　all　the　inhabitants　of　heaven　respond　in　the
  ascription：　〃Amen：　Blessing；　and　glory；　and　wisdom；　and
  651
  thanksgiving；　and　honor；　and　power；　and　might；　be　unto　our　God　for　ever　and
  ever。〃　Revelation　7：10；　12。
  In　this　life　we　can　only　begin　to　understand　the　wonderful　theme　of
  redemption。　With　our　finite　comprehension　we　may　consider　most　earnestly　the
  shame　and　the　glory；　the　life　and　the　death；　the　justice　and　the　mercy；　that
  meet　in　the　cross；　yet　with　the　utmost　stretch　of　our　mental　powers　we　fail
  to　grasp　its　full　significance。　The　length　and　the　breadth；　the　depth　and
  the　height；　of　redeeming　love　are　but　dimly　comprehended。　The　plan　of
  redemption　will　not　be　fully　understood；　even　when　the　ransomed　see　as　they
  are　seen　and　know　as　they　are　known；　but　through　the　eternal　ages　new　truth
  will　continually　unfold　to　the　wondering　and　delighted　mind。　Though　the
  griefs　and　pains　and　temptations　of　earth　are　ended　and　the　cause　removed；
  the　people　of　God　will　ever　have　a　distinct；　intelligent　knowledge　of　what
  their　salvation　has　cost。
  The　cross　of　Christ　will　be　the　science　and　the　song　of　the　redeemed　through
  all　eternity。　In　Christ　glorified　they　will　behold　Christ　crucified。　Never
  will　it　be　forgotten　that　He　whose　power　created　and　upheld　the　unnumbered
  worlds　through　the　vast　realms　of　space；　the　Beloved　of　God；　the　Majesty　of
  heaven；　He　whom　cherub　and　shining　seraph　delighted　to　adorehumbled
  Himself　to　uplift　fallen　man；　that　He　bore　the　guilt　and　shame　of　sin；　and
  the　hiding　of　His　Father's　face；　till　the　woes　of　a　lost　world　broke　His
  heart　and　crushed　out　His　life　on　Calvary's　cross。　That　the　Maker　of　all
  worlds；　the　Arbiter　of　all　destinies；　should　lay　aside　His　glory　and
  humiliate　Himself　from　love　to　man　will　ever　excite　the　wonder　and　adoration
  of　the　universe。　As　the　nations　of　the　saved　look　upon　their　Redeemer　and
  behold　the　eternal　glory　of　the　Father　shining　in　His　countenance；　as　they
  behold　His　throne；　which　is　from　everlasting　to　everlasting；　and　know　that
  His　kingdom　is　to　have　no　end；　they　break　forth　in　rapturous　song：　〃Worthy；
  worthy　is　the　Lamb
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  that　was　slain；　and　hath　redeemed　us　to　God　by　His　own　most　precious　blood！〃
  The　mystery　of　the　cross　explains　all　other　mysteries。　In　the　light　that
  streams　from　Calvary　the　attributes　of　God　which　had　filled　us　with　fear　and
  awe　appear　beautiful　and　attractive。　Mercy；　tenderness；　and　parental　love
  are　seen　to　blend　with　holiness；　justice；　and　power。　While　we　behold　the
  majesty　of　His　throne；　high　and　lifted　up；　we　see　His　character　in　its
  gracious　manifestations；　and　comprehend；　as　never　before；　the　significance
  of　that　endearing　title；　〃Our　Father。〃
  It　will　be　seen　that　He　who　is　infinite　in　wisdom　could　devise　no　plan　for
  our　salvation　except　the　sacrifice　of　His　Son。　The　compensation　for　this
  sacrifice　is　the　joy　of　peopling　the　earth　with　ransomed　beings；　holy；
  happy；　and　immortal。　The　result　of　the　Saviour's　conflict　with　the　powers　of
  darkness　is　joy　to　the　redeemed；　redounding　to　the　glory　of　God　throughout
  eternity。　And　such　is　the　value　of　the　soul　that　the　Father　is　satisfied
  with　the　price　paid；　and　Christ　Himself；　beholding　the　fruits　of　His　great
  sacrifice；　is　satisfied。
  （653）
  Chapter　41
  Desolation　of　the　Earth
  〃Her　sins　have　reached　unto　heaven；　and　God　hath　remembered　her　iniquities。
  。　。　。　In　the　cup　which　she　hath　filled　fill　to　her　double。　How　much　she　hath
  glorified　herself；　and　lived　deliciously；　so　much　torment　and　sorrow　give
  her：　for　she　saith　in　her　heart；　I　sit　a　queen；　and　am　no　widow；　and　shall
  see　no　sorrow。　Therefore　shall　her　plagues　come　in　one　day；　death；　and
  mourning；　and　famine；　and　she　shall　be　utterly　burned　with　fire：　for　strong
  is　the　Lord　God　who　judgeth　her。　And　the　kings　of　the　earth；　who　have
  committed　fornication　and　lived　deliciously　with　her；　shall　bewail　her；　and
  lament　for　her；　。　。　。　saying；　Alas；　alas　that　great　city　Babylon；　that
  mighty　city！　for　in　one　hour　is　thy　judgment　come。〃　Revelation　18：5…10。
  〃The　merchants　of　the　earth；〃　that　have　〃waxed　rich　through　the　abundance　of
  her　delicacies；〃　〃shall　stand　afar　off　for　the　fear　of　her　torment；　weeping
  and　wailing；　and　saying；　Alas；　alas　that　great　city；　that　was　clothed　in
  fine　linen；　and　purple；　and　scarlet；　and　decked　with　gold；　and　precious
  stones；　and　pearls！　For　in　one　hour　so　great　riches　is　come　to　nought。〃
  Revelation　18：11；　3；　15…17。
  Such　are　the　judgments　that　fall　upon　Babylon　in　the　day　of　the　visitation
  of　God's　wrath。　She　has　filled　up　the　measure　of　her　iniquity；　her　time　has
  come；　she　is　ripe　for　destruction。
  654
  When　the　voice　of　God　turns　the　captivity　of　His　people；　there　is　a　terrible
  awakening　of　those　who　have　lost　all　in　the　great　conflict　of　life。　While
  probation　continued　they　were　blinded　by　Satan's　deceptions；　and　they
  justified　their　course　of　sin。　The　rich　prided　themselves　upon　their
  superiority　to　those　who　were　less　favored；　but　they　had　obtained　their
  riches　by　violation　of　the　law　of　God。　They　had　neglected　to　feed　the
  hungry；　to　clothe　the　naked；　to　deal　justly；　and　to　love　mercy。　They　had
  sought　to　exalt　themselves　and　to　obtain　the　homage　of　their　fellow
  creatures。　Now　they　are　stripped　of　all　that　made　them　great　and　are　left
  destitute　and　defenseless。　They　look　with　terror　upon　the　destruction　of　the
  idols　which　they　preferred　before　their　Maker。　They　have　sold　their　souls
  for　earthly　riches　and　enjoyments；　and　have　not　sought　to　become　rich　toward
  God。　The　result　is；　their　lives　are　a　failure；　their　pleasures　are　now
  turned　to　gall；　their　treasures　to　corruption。　The　gain　of　a　lifetime　is
  swept　away　in　a　moment。　The　rich　bemoan　the　destruction　of　their　grand
  houses；　the　scattering　of　their　gold　and　silver。　But　their　lamentations　are
  silenced　by　the　fear　that　they　themselves　are　to　perish　with　their　idols。
  The　wicked　are　filled　with　regret；　not　because　of　their　sinful　neglect　of
  God　and　their　fellow　men；　but　because　God　has　conquered。　They　lament　that
  the　result　is　what　it　is；　but　they　do　not　repent　of　their　wickedness。　They
  would　leave　no　means　untried　to　conquer　if　they　could。
  The　world　see　the　very　class　whom　they　have　mocked　and　derided；　and　desired
  to　exterminate；　pass　unharmed　through　pestilence；　tempest；　and　earthquake。
  He　who　is　to　the　transgressors　of　His　law　a　devouring　fire；　is　to　His　people
  a　safe　pavilion。
  The　minister　who　has　sacrificed　truth　to　gain　the　favor　of　men　now　discerns
  the　character　and　influence　of　his　teachings。　It　is　apparent　that　the
  omniscient　eye　was　following　him　as　he　stood　in　the　desk；　as　he　walked　the
  streets；　as　he　mingled　with　men　in　the　various　scenes　of　life。　Every
  655
  emotion　of　the　soul；　every　line　written；　every　word　uttered；　every　act　that
  led　men　to　rest　in　a　refuge　of　falsehood；　has　been　scattering　seed；　and　now；
  in　the　wretched；　lost　souls　around　him；　he　beholds　the　harvest。
  Saith　the　Lord：　〃They　have　healed　the　hurt　of　the　daughter　of　My　people
  slightly；　saying；　Peace；　peace；　when　there