The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-06
FIFTH AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.
CAPTIVITY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BY REV. DIR.
AEMITAGE.


The Rev. Dr. Armitage preached on the subject OF
captivity Captured" taking his text from Paslms
xviii. 1s-"Thou hast led captive the captured.
hast taken gifts among men. and even rebels" One
conquoror after another. said the Doctor, has de-
manded our attention. and our imag nation has
revelled deeds of valiant enterprise. Heroes and
warriors defeats and victories, garments rolled in
blood and oil the pomp and circumstance OF dread
full war are things which have talked OF from
earliest infancy. But what captain is this who
comes from Edom. dyed red in His garments from
Bozrah? This hero glorics in His apparel. moving
along in the greatness of His thought. Why is red
ness on His apparel and His garments that
treadeth the wine press? No master has ever drawn
such a martial picture this OF the seraphic
Isaiah. The very question portrays the Son OF Man
rising from the dead, with the WOUNDS in His
bands, His temples and His feet. and march
ing on in fresh strength to seize new Victories
The scene OF His contest is Edom and the heart OF
Bozrah the strong fortress. the central city--not
Bozrah the capital Of Idumea where udas Maccabeus
slew 10000 men in one battle. But as there was
gate in Jerusalem called the gate of Bozrsh ana
Jesus suffered outside that city, the Holy Metropolis
Is thus designated the field OF the Redeemers suf
fering lie il spoken of the Avenger anu Destroyer
because Ho COPIED with malevoent foes. His contest
was to bind thom in chains. put their suDticty To
confusion and deliver their prey This passage fore
shadows the triumph of the Messiah, the Apostle
Paul puts 1t in his Epstlo to the Ephesans by the
words when lie assembled ON high He led captivity
captive aud gave gifts to man." This In u most poet
zeal conception. for the imag liz borrowed from
the conquerors who led prisoners OF war i'll chains,
and riding in their state charots through their CAPT
tails, triuniphantly exhibited these unfortunates
trophies of their arms and prowess. When the king
captain of the conquered was made prisoner no
chained to the axle of the conqueror's chariot
n mark of special humiliation. When Sesostris,
King of Egypt, entered Memphis from his Oriental
expedition his chariot was actually drawn by four
captive kings. One of them kept his eyes so
stantly the wheel as to attract the notice OF tho
conqueror. On being asked the reason, he replied -
''5rc, the rotations of the wheel console me In my
present condition. for that part of the wheel which
is at tho top is next in the dust and that part
which il now In the dust is next Mt the top. Sire
am in the dust. but may live TO bc ut the top
again" Sesostris soon restored the ingenious ON
arch. The inspired thought that Christ led captive
the captured-He took the spoil from sin and Satan
and death aud delivered those whom they had made
csptives.
ANOTHER GREAT IDEA.
But the text figures another great idea. When the
ancient conqueror vanqushcd his Toe he exacted Of
him large gifts indemnity for the cost of the
war But the text represents Lord M taking His
gifts In men, In rebcls--as recapturing those
who had been previously captured. making them
not slaves by war, but bestowing upon them the
gift of liberty citizenship and sonshp. The
querors took the spois OF victory for their ag
erandizcment, but Jesus takes these gifts
of men for their benefit Thou hast
received gifts in men. even in rebel men,
TO make them dwell with Jehovah God as His own
children" We read nothing like this in the acts OF
other conquerors. 1t Is new, high and Godlike