Deliverance by Christ likened to that from Midian. 415 from that bondaijfe to the tyranny of the devil. He over- Book came the rod of its shoulder, when He kept his blow, which ^ ' was oppressing it heavily in consequence of wickedness, from redeemed mankind. He overcame the sceptre of its oppressor, when He swept away from the heart of the faithful, that kingdom of the same devil, who had been wont to exact the due tribute of punishments for the fatal perpetration of sins. 73. But let us hear how these things were done. It is immediately subjoined. As in the day ofMadian. I think it will not be amiss it we consider at greater length this war of the Madianites, which was intentionally introduced by the Prophet in comparison with the coming of the Lord. ForJudg. 7, in the book ofJudges Gedeon is described as having fought ^ against the Madianites. When he was bringing forth the multitude of the army to war, he was ordered by a Civine admonition, to remove from the conflict of battle all whom on coming to the water he beheld drinking the water with bended knees. And the result was, that only three hundred men remained, who had drunk the water in their hands, standing. With these he proceeds to the battle, and he equipped them not with arms, but with trumpets, lamps, and pitchers. For, as is there written, they placed the lighted lamps in the pitchers, and lield their trumpets in their right hand, but their pitchers in their left, and on coming close to their enemies, they sounded with the trumpets, they brake the pitchers, the lamps appeared : and their enemies alarmed on one hand with the sound of the trumpets, and on the other by the glittering of the lamps, were turned to flight. Why then is it that such a battle is brought forward by the Prophet, and why is victory in tliat battle compared to the coming of our Redeemer } Did the Prophet intend to point out to us that that victorious battle under the command of Gedeon was a type of the coming of our Redeemer? Such deeds were doubtless there wrought, which, the more they exceed the usual mode of fighting, are the less removed- from the mystery of prophecy. For who c\ er went forth to battle with pitchers and lamps .^ Who, when going against arms, ever abandoned his arms.? These things would have Vjeen truly absurd to us, had they not been terrible to the