the Holy Ghost, who secretly nourishes and supports divine life in the soul. This new creation has an abiding influence. "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."* That is, he does not make a trade of sin-he does not allowedly commit sin-he does not work iniquity, and for this plain reason, the abiding gracious principle "remaineth in him." The new nature which he has received, is opposed to all sin as much as his former nature was in love with it. So that when a good man is in any way entangled or defiled by sin, he is restless until he escapes the pollution. It is agreeable to the nature of swine to wallow in the mire, but if you see a sheep in the mire, you may conclude that something is wrong-that it is and will continue to be uncomfortable, until freed from its unpleasant situation. So it is the nature of a sinner to commit sin-"The wicked shall do wickedly"but if a regenerate person be overcome, he says “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." Thus there is permanency; for "the anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you."‡ These are some of the effects of this new creation; but we have not time even to allude to all the particular ways in which it manifests itself-influencing, as it does, all the habits of life-all the modes of thought and speech-begetting a spirit of benevolence, charity, modesty, self-denial, compassion for dying men, forgiveness of those who injure us, reparation to those whom we may have injured, &c. If such be the change wrought, you doubtless are ready to assent to the truth that it is a great change-that it is a great thing to be religious. And although this change be so great, yet it is necessary, if man is ever to be admitted into the holy exercises of heaven-a change, too, that brightly displays the power of him who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean-can fill dry bones with marrow-clothe them with flesh and command them into life. This change will "avail." God loves his own image, and shall for ever love it; therefore he does now, and shall for ever love his people. To deny his people would be to deny his image his hand-writing-his seal. Let us, my dear brethren, improve this subject— 1. By inquiring earnestly whether we have ever been new-created. An error here is fatal. If any man be in Christ [in a state of salvation] he is a new creature. There are in the church, at this day, two extremes with regard to the evidences of piety. One is that which requires a kind and amount of evidence, which the Bible does not require, and which no honest man can give. This is a species of fana-. ticism; and if its demands were gratified, a state of the utmost confu-. sion and disorder would certainly ensue. The other extreme is by far more common, but not less dangerous.. It reduces the standard of evidence so low that there are few persons of moral character, who may not claim fellowship with Christ and his * 1 John 3:9. + Psalm 51:2. + 1 John 2:27. church. Thus souls are deluded, carnal hopes gain possession, false peace enters, sin is indulged and the soul is undone. Many live as they list, and when they die, look for the resurrection of the just, as a pleasing prospect, but when it shall come they will have no part in it. It is not half so difficult, as some imagine, to arrive at a correct decision in this matter; and even if it were almost impossible, still it would be wise to make the effort. Especially should we make the effort, because, if our title to heaven be unsound and we can ascertain that fact, there is still room for us in the Savior's heart, and time for us to make peace with God. Have we then been new-created? Have old things passed away and all things become new? Have we spiritual illumination, faith, repentance, love, godly fear, joy, hatred to sin and a holy life, as the foundation of our "rejoicing in ourselves?" 2. If we have experienced this great change, let us give the glory to God, to whom it is due. When Christ came to the grave of Lazarus, and weeping said, "Lazarus, come forth," he, bound and in his grave clothes, came forth. How would this affecting narrative be changed, and how wicked would Lazarus appear in our eyes, if in the close of the story we were told, that Lazarus went about telling his friends that he had reanimated his own body and raised himself from the dead! It is not less inconsistent with truth, and not less dishonorable to God, for those who have received a spiritual resurrection, to say "we did it by our own exertions," or "such an one of our fellow creatures did it by his exertions." People are much disposed to ascribe some of the pow er to the eloquence, or earnestness, or persuasiveness of their preacher, or to their own poor endeavors. This is all wrong. God is still jealous for his glory, and he will not give it to another. Those who believe are "born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." When the head-stone of the great building the church -shall be laid, then all the redeemed, as with the voice of one man, shall with shoutings cry grace, grace unto it, and shall unite in harmonious anthems of praise "to the praise of the glory of his grace.' Beware, then, lest you give not God the glory, which is due unto his ever-blessed name. 3. At the old creation, the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy; and at the new creation of even one soul, there is joy in the presence of God. And it is not wonderful that there should be. The old creation has by sin been consigned over to the conflagrations of the last day, but the new creation, composed of the ransomed of the Lord, shall never be subjected to the ravages of sin. It is surrounded by impregnable walls of fire and salvation. It is becoming filled with a holy population. They are coming from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south, and are sitting down in this kingdom of God. Rich and poor, great and small, are finding that the violent can enter it by force. Perhaps not an hour passes, that some believer does not finish his course with joy and com. mence the unceasing song, "Unto him that loved us and washed us in his own blood." No wonder, then, that there is joy in heaven' in 66 beholding the increase, and triumphs, and glories of this kingdom. Now, unconverted man, if you will still refuse to give joy in heaven, and will still neglect the receiving of a portion in this new world that grace has made, will it not be just, will it not be right, that you should be for ever shut out, where men shall blaspheme the God of heaven, be‐ cause of their pains, and their plagues, and their woes, and shall find no place of repentance, though they seek it carefully with tears. Perhaps the Savior may this moment be passing by. Then like the blind man cry, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." And if your companions or your sins rebuke you, cry still the more earnestly,' "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." But let him pass by this time and you may never be near him again. He may be gone and gone for ever. And when you come to die, you may call but he will not answer; you may exclaim, as Queen Elizabeth, "A world of wealth for an inch of time;" or, as the expiring George IV., "Oh! this is not right—this is death-Oh God! I am dying”—and the curtain will drop, and you will be pushed out of this world and shoved up into the presence of God, "Greatly mourning, greatly mourning, Then the day of grace will be closed for ever, and ever, and ever; and eternity-"Oh! that dreadful word, eternity"-eternity will be your dwelling; and the voice of eternal justice will unceasingly proclaim, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."* O, turn unto the Lord, for "why will you die?" *Rev. 22:11. "O GOD of mercy, hear my call, Give me the presence of thy grace; No blood of goats nor heifers slain, The death of Christ shall still remain A soul oppressed with sin's desert PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS, JEFFERSON COLLEGE, CANONSBURG, PA. JESUS IS THE PROMISED MESSIAH. GEN. 49:10. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the People be." 66 THE Jew in common with the Christian, believes in the inspiration of the Old Testament, and in a Messiah therein promised as the glory of his people Israel." Whether his faith be well founded, in a future advent of the promised Messiah, or ours in one that is past, must be determined by a careful perusal of those Scriptures which we each regard as the word of God. Our reasons for believing in the past advent of the promised Deliverer are mainly three: 1. The Time has elapsed at which he was to appear according to the promise made to the Fathers: 2. The Marks by which he was to be recognized on his appearing are to be found in Jesus of Nazareth and can be found in no one else: 3. The Credentials exhibited by Jesus of Nazareth proved him to be "a Teacher sent from God." Whatever arguments a Jew may adduce from Prophecy or from miracles in favor of the divine mission of Moses, will be at least equally valid in favor of the divine mission of Jesus. We admit his reasoning to be conclusive in the former of these cases, and we only ask him to apply it with candor to the latter. A full exposition of the evidence we have for our faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah, would require an illustration of each of these heads at large. We must necessarily, however, confine our attention at present to the first division. We accordingly propose to prove, THAT THE TIME AT WHICH MESSIAH WAS TO MAKE HIS APPEARANCE IS PAST AND COINCIDES WITH THAT IN WHICH JESUS OF NAZARETH APPEARED AND LIVED. It will be necessary to examine the text critically in order to refute the glosses of those who are inimical to Christianity. This passage is a part of the prophetic benedictions of the Patriarch Jacob. The "room in which this good man met his fate" presented an interesting spectacle. His children and grandchildren in breathless eagerness station themselves around his dying couch, while the Patriarch filled with the spirit of Inspiration proceeds to unfold some of the most prominent events in their future history. He begins with Reuben the first-born, proceeds according to their seniority, and closes with the prospective history of Benjamin the youngest. Each is addressed as the Head and Representative of his Tribe, and the predictions relate to their posterity rather than to their persons. Of this the Patriarch gives intimation in the preface of his address-" And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befal you in the last days"-v. 1. This view of the subject is confirmed by the subsequent history: The things predicted befel the posterity of his sons and not 'their persons. He had concluded his predictions in relation to Reuben, to Simeon, and to Levi. He now proceeds to the history of Judah on which he enlarges more than on that of any other. The most remarkable prediction relating to this Tribe is that contained in our text: "The Sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." The advent of a remarkable Person out of Judah is here foretold, and a history is furnished of what would be the condition of the Tribe before and at his advent: These, as we suppose, are the two particulars comprehended in the text. 1. The person whose advent the Patriarch predicts is called Shiloh. This name is significant.* It designates one who will promote tranquillity or peace. The Prophet Isaiah applies to him a similar title, "The Prince of Peace" or tranquillity, and assures us that "of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." Is. 9:6,7. That the advent of Messiah is here foretold by the Patriarch is evident from the following considerations. 1. The uniform testimony of all the ancient Jewish Commentators, a specimen of which is furnished in the following quotations: "Until the time when the King Messiah shall come"-(Ben Uzziel): "This is the Messiah, the Son of David, who shall come to rule the kingdoms with a sceptre"-(Jerusalem Talmud): See also Jerusalem Targum and Kimchi. 2. What is predicted of Shiloh is applicable to Messiah and to no one else: "To him shall be the gathering of the People." The noun is in the plural number Peoples," in reference to the calling of the Gentiles. The Scriptures speak in similar terms of the Messiah-" He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." Is. 42:1. "To it (the ensign of Messiah) shall the Gentiles seek (be gathered) and his rest (tranquillity) shall be glorious." Is. 11:10. 3. It is admitted by all, That Messiah is to be of the Tribe of Judah, and that his connection with that Tribe will constitute one of its prominent advantages. It cannot be supposed that the Patriarch in enumerating the characteristic blessings of the several Tribes should make no allusion to that which more than any other is distinctive of the Tribe of Judah! And yet unless the advent of Messiah be alluded to in our text, there is no mention made of it in this farewell address. 2. The Dying Patriarch assures his children, That the advent of Messiah will precede the transfer of the Sceptre from the Tribe of Judah. As the Tribe of Judah ceased to have a national existence nearly eighteen hundred years ago, it must be obvious, that the promised advent has taken place. To evade the force of this reasoning it is alleged by some, that the word here rendered "Sceptre" ought to be translated "Rod." The Patriarch is supposed to predict afflictions to the Tribe of Judah until the coming of the Messiah. The term will admit of either translation-It is a " rod," whether of government or chastisement must be determined by the context. That in the present instance it refers to government every one must be convinced who carefully ponders on the following considerations: 1. The ancient Jewish Commentators all explain it in the present passage, as having reference to government and not to afflictions; nor was this interpretation ever called in question until it was found to be so conclusive in favor of our Lord's claims as the promised Messiah. "There shall not be taken away from Judah one having the principality nor the scribe from the sons of his children till the Messiah shall come." (Onkelos.) See also the Paraphrase of Jonathan and of the Jerusalem Talmud. * Schiloh. † Schar-Schawlome. + Ammim. || Schaibe |