now seized the rulers, who still retained their enmity against him! All their efforts were in vain; the more fierce their opposition was, the more did the word prevail: so that in a little time, not Jerusalem only, but all Judea, yea, the whole Roman empire, was filled with converts to the cause of Christ. Now the disciples triumphed in their turn: and from that time myriads in every place have been "justified by his blood," and have "gloried" in his salvation.]

2. It shall be yet more fully accomplished at the day of judgment

[It is in reference to this period in particular that the apostle cites the passage before us: and then indeed will it be verified to the uttermost. The submission of his people will be more entire, their acknowledgments more grateful, and their glorying more ecstatic, than they could be in this world; while the subjugation of his enemies, and their confusion before him, will be complete. When he shall say, as to those of old, Many good works did I for you, for which of them did ye hate me? for you I left my glory, and veiled myself in human flesh; for you I sojourned upon earth, and died upon the cross; for you I sent my messengers to beseech you in my name to accept of mercy: for which of these things was I a stumblingblock unto you? how will they hang down their heads with shame! Eloquent as they now are in vindication of themselves, they will not then have one word to answer. Thus shall it be both to the friends and enemies of Christ: as sure as there is a God in heaven, possessed of faithfulness and power to fulfil his word, so sure shall not one jot or tittle of it ever fail of its accomplishment.] IMPROVEMENT

1. For conviction

[Nothing surely can be more calculated to awaken the secure than this solemn oath of Jehovah. Methinks the Deity, to fix our attention and obtain belief, stands forth before the assembled universe, and, with his hand lifted up to heaven, swears, "As sure as I am God, thus and thus shall it be with my friends and with my enemies." Must not then sinners be more deaf than adders, and more obdurate than rocks, if they do not hear, and relent, at the voice of their God? O that men would no longer trifle with their eternal interests! We may argue as we please against the word of God; but we cannot invalidate its tremendous declarations. Let us then believe and tremble, yea, "believe, and obey the gospel."]

2. For consolation

[God, in his oath, consults more immediately the comfort of his people. They are, alas! too backward to believe his word; and therefore he confirms it with an oath. Let every subject then of the Redeemer's kingdom rejoice: let their confidence in him both for righteousness and strength be greatly increased: let them never doubt, but that his enemies and their enemies, shall soon become his footstool: let them know, that they are justified from all their sins: and let them glory in him as their God and portion. Difficulties they may, they must expect; but the word of God shall not be frustrated: "the counsel of the Lord shall stand; and he will do all his pleasure." Let them only rest on the oath of God, and they shall experience its accomplishment to all eternity.]

á Heb. vi. 17, 18.

CCIII. CHRIST'S COMING TO JUDGMENT.

Jude 14, 15. Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

God has had in every age some to testify against the ungodly, and to warn them of the consequences of their sin at the future judgment: and though the faithful execution of this office meets but with ill returns from an ungrateful world, yet we trust there will be found, to the end of time, some, who will gladly suffer reproach or even death itself in the service of their God, and in the benevolent attempt to save their fellow-sinners from destruc tion-We do not indeed hear of many, who were witnesses for God, before the time of Moses; and even in his warnings and exhortations were enforced principally with temporal sanctions: yet the certainty of a future judgment was known, not only by Moses, but by the antediluvian world; and was solemnly urged by Enoch as a motive to repentance-This prophecy is not recorded in the Old Testament; but, by whatever means St. Jude attained the knowledge of it, whether by tradition, or by some written memorial, or by immediate inspiration; we may be

sure that it was delivered by Enoch; and we may be thankful that such a precious fragment of inspired truth has been preserved to us-It proclaims to us

I. The manner in which our Lord shall come to judg

ment

Christ, we are assured, is coming to judge the world

[There can be no reason to doubt that Enoch referred to Christ, even to that very "seed of the woman, who was to bruise the serpent's head:" him he represents as coming to complete his victory over Satan and his agents by calling them to his tribunal, and by consigning them over to the punishment they have deserved-The New Testament writers uniformly speak to the same effect: they declare that it is at the judgment seat of CHRIST we must stand;a that it is Christ who is ordained to be the judge of quick and dead; and, that all judgment is therefore committed unto him, because he is the Son of man; or, in other words, that he, who died for sinners, shall, in that very nature that he assumed for them, be the immediate author of salvation to his followers and of condemnation to his enemies-]

And even the manner of his appearing is here plainly predicted

[It is not with "his saints," but with his holy ones, or holy angels, that he will come-The saints will not be his assessors in judgment till they themselves shall have received their sentence: then indeed" they shall judge angels;" but till then, they themselves will stand before him to be judged. But the holy angels will be his attendants in the clouds of heaven; all the "myriads" of them shall descend with him from their blessed abodes, to increase the solemnity of that day, and to honour him, to whom they owe their very existence-This accords with the description given by Daniel, by St. Paul, and by Christ himselfs How different will our Lord's appearance then be from what it was when he first visited our guilty world, and lay an helpless infant in the manger!-And how earnestly should we now exert ourselves that we may be prepared to meet him!-]

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sure that it was delivered by Enoch; and we may be thankful that such a precious fragment of inspired truth has been preserved to us-It proclaims to us

I. The manner in which our Lord shall come to judg

Christ, we are assured, is coming to judge the world [There can be no reason to doubt that Enoch referred to Christ, even to that very "seed of the woman, who was to bruise the serpent's head:" him he represents as coming to complete his victory over Satan and his agents by calling them to his tribunal, and by consigning them over to the punishment they have deserved The New Testament writers uniformly speak to the same effect: they declare that it is at the judgment seat of CHRIST we must stand; that it is Christ who is ordained to be the judge of quick and dead; and, that all judgment is therefore committed unto him, because he is the Son of man;e or, in other words, that he, who died for sinners, shall, in that very nature that he assumed for them, be the immediate author of salvation to his followers and of condemnation to his enemies-]

And even the manner of his appearing is here plainly redicted

s saints," but with his holy ones, or holy ne-The saints will not be his assessors hemselves shall have received their senthey shall judge angels;" but till then, stand before him to be judged. But the is attendants in the clouds of heaven; all them shall descend with him from their increase the hom they ow escription How

ity of that day, and to ry existence-This acniel, by St. Paul, and l our Lord's appearance t visited our guilty world, nger! And how earnestly at we may be prepared to

aised to an expectation of that