now are for the salvation of their fellow-men, will at last be satisfied with the number of the saved. We invite none to become the subjects of Christ's kingdom, but those who will esteem his yoke easy and his burden light.

4. If any should be disposed to enter into league with the lost angels, and oppose the Church, they can do so, and still the Church will live. Earth and hell united, can make no effectual opposition to her interests. God is in the midst of his people, and will help them, and that right early. In these circumstances, one shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight.

Some opposition is necessary to awaken her energies. Solomon was seven years building the first temple, when all was peace; but Ezra, with the trowel in one hand, and the sword in the other, could build the second in four. The enemy has always promoted the interest he wished to destroy. God will make the wrath of man to praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain. If any would make opposition to the growing interests of Emanuel, they can; but they will accomplish their own ruin, and perhaps the ruin of their children. It never was so dangerous as now to be the enemy of Christ's kingdom. All such must be crushed under the wheels of that car, in which the Son of God is riding in triumph through a conquered empire. To make opposition is as unavailing as if a fly should make an effort to stop the There await the enemies of the cross, certain defeat, shame, and ruin. "He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealings shall come down upon his own pate." In the mean time the Church is safe. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

sun.

5. Fathers and brethren in the ministry, this subject will raise your hopes. Are you stationed where it is all darkness around you, and have the hosts of hell alarmed you? cheer up your hearts. Try to penetrate the surrounding darkness, and you will soon be convinced that your fears are ill-timed. Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward. If night does seem to hover about us, still is it manifest that the day has dawned upon the hills. The Church has never been in danger, and we ought to be ashamed of our fears. Be at your watchtower, dear brethren; turn your eye to the east, and you will soon descry the light. If there is any truth in the promise, and if a thousand transpiring events can speak, we shall soon have opportunity to hail Emanuel at his second coming. If our courage fails, us in a day like this, we have only to lie down and die with shame, While the victory was doubtful, you might be afraid, and yet save your character, but none are afraid now but the coward. Shall we hesitate to die, if necessary, in securing a victory already gained; and to gain which the Captain of our salvation, and many of his soldiers have spilt their blood? Our missionary brethren have carried the standard of the cross, and planted it within the entrenchments of the enemy, and their courage has not failed; and shall we tremble in the camp? We shall then have no share in the spoil. Dear brethren, I will not insult you; you are not afraid; you will die at your post, and the victory will be secured.

6. Dear Christian brethren, you see the royal canopy which your Lord casts over your heads; or rather the shield he spreads before you. If you are not officers in the camp of Israel, you are soldiers; if you may not command, you may fight, but not with carnal weapons. Let the subject raise your courage. A few more conflicts

and your toils are ended; the church is safe, and you are safe. Only believe, and soon you will see the salvation of God. And as the Saviour approaches, and you see him, you may say with the prophet, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."

SERMON LI.

THE INDEX SURE.-No. I.

Gen. xlix. 10.

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and unto him shall the gathering of the people bé.

JACOB was now very near to the close of life, and had strong apprehensions that his end might be at hand, But he had yet to deliver to his children his dying benediction. He accordingly called them about him, and rehearsed to them the future history of their respective families, for ages to come. Of Judah he predicted, that he should stand high in the esteem and respect of his brethren, should overthrow his enemies, and should bear rule over his father's children. He should come upon his enemies with all the strength and the daring with which a lion comes down from the mountains, seizes and bears up his prey, while no one dares to interrupt his course, or rouse him when he has betaken himself to rest. His land should be so abundant in vines, that he might fasten his beast to their branches, and wash his vestments in the blood of the grape. He should have a dominion so permanent, that nothing should interrupt it till the advent of Messiah, who should gather the nations about him, and hold the sceptre for ever.

That part of this famous prediction, on which I purpose to enlarge, has attracted the attention and confirm

ed the faith of believers in every age since. We see here selected a single family, who for ages should constitute his church, to the exclusion of all others; with whom he would deposit his law, and all that was divulged of his purpose. One branch of this family should be honoured above the others, should give birth to the Messiah and hold the authority till he come. Thus the world shall expect their Redeemer, shall know where and when to look for him, and if prepared to receive him, shall be in no danger of imposition. The text is one of those scriptures that marked out the time when the Messiah should appear.

By the word sceptre we are no doubt to understand the ensign or badge of authority. The word signifies a rod or staff, and hence came to mean a sceptre; as kings, when they sat upon their thrones, used to hold in their hand a rod as a token of their authority. Hence, when Esther presented herself to the king, he reached out to her the golden sceptre.

The text gives us no intimation when Judah should rise to dominion, but when he should take the sceptre into his hand it should not depart till the coming of Shiloh. We know that for a long time after the delivery of this inspired benediction the government of Israel was not in the tribe of Judah Moses, their first ruler, was of the tribe of Levi. The judges were of several different tribes. Saul, the first king, was of the tribe of Benjamin. But David, his successor, was of the tribe of Judah; and in him six hundred years after the prediction, the authority commenced which is noticed in the text, and which continued till the coming of the promised Shiloh.

The Jews, to evade the force of this prophecy, would have the word translated sceptre, to mean the rod of correction, which, they say, shall not depart from Judah