now no cherubs guard nor fiery sword, but to him that overcometh by the blood of the Lamb, it is given to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

Nor does the completion stay-it goes forward as the ages roll on-history gives it its confirmation-time advances its completion-nations that sat in darkness see the light fringing the dark clouds of their horizon-every man who is wise may see the fulfilment of prophecy, the successful war of truth and righteousness, the blasted efforts of falsehood and Satanic malice, the curse falling heavier on the arch enemy, and the seed of the woman trampling, with respected step, upon the head of the old dragon.— Rev. xvi. 5.

And even as the first oracle of the prophetic word is thus made more sure,' and the arm of the Almighty has been made bare to fulfil its burden---so shall the whole mystery of God one day be finished, the period of sin and sorrow be ended, the tabernacle of God be with men, God will dwell amongst them.

'And what his storms have blasted and defaced
For man's revolt, shall with a smile repair.'

P

THE CURSE

LECT. III.

THE CURSE OF CANAAN.

Genesis ix. 25-27.

[Lect.

THE prediction of Noah is in all respects worthy of at'tentive consideration—and it naturally follows next in order after the sentence pronounced upon the enemy of man. An interval of 1600 years comes between them—but during all that long time, we have no record of any clearer revelation. That was the first period of prophecy---from Adam to Noah. And its light was proportioned to the exigencies of the time. Sufficient predictions cast more light upon the method of man's restoration.

The next which calls for our attention, is this prophetic oracle of Noab. And certainly if we had designed to deliver a most severe warning against those evils of intemperance, by which all public decency is outraged, and the rest of the holy Sabbath is prophaned so enormously, we need have sought for this day no more appropriate a lesson. It was an act of intemperance which brought shame and disgrace, and the contempt of his own son upon Noah---which abused and perverted that very benediction by which the Almighty had so lately granted His covenant of peace and of fruitfulness to the new world; the benediction of God was abused till it was converted into a curse---it was an act of intemperance which furnished the occasion for Canaan's crime, and for the prediction of those centuries of degradation which fell upon his offspring. And if it were not that those persons who most need the warning are beyond its reach, we would take the occasion which is thus presented to us unsought, of exhorting every man to beware

of intemperance, to avoid the way of temptation.--Pro. xxiii. 31, 32.

There seems to be no sufficiency of evidence on which we may certainly decide, whether this intoxication of the patriarch was wilful or inadvertent. Noah was a just man, and we are not over much charitable, if we hastily conclude that he was guilty of the sin of drunkenness. He was overcome of wine, the first perhaps which ever sparkled in the eye of man-but we have no reason to believe that he was a drunkard and a glutton, a man whom filial piety itself could no longer revere. The inferiority of his good father any son would have pitied and concealed, who had not learned to extinguish the first and finest feelings of a man.

The manner in which the transaction is recorded has led many interpreters, both ancient and modern, to believe that, Canaan the son of Ham, was to the full as culpable as his father, in exposing the disgrace of their parent. Ham, the Father of Canaan,' is twice mentioned in that very expressive manner---and unless some share of the guilt belonged to Canaan, it is hard to say why he should be thus associated with his father's condemnation. The Jewish Rabbis tell us that Canaan was the first to discover his grandsire's inadvertence, and that he pointed out to Ham, his father, the offensive subject of their mutual ridicule and impiety. So that the mention of Canaan in the narrative and in the prediction, is neither unnecessary nor unjust. At all events, an angry resentment, if Noah had indulged such a feeling, could not possibly have predicted the fates of future generations. It was the spirit of prophecy which discerned the history of coming ages, and which revealed them to Ham as a punishment for his sin. Whether foretold or not, these events were to happen---the curse, so far as relates to Ham, lay in being apprized of the unhappy destinies of his children.

I fear this view of the curse of Canaan has been too greatly overlooked, men cavil at the curse because it falls upon Canaan's descendants---and Christian apologists are content to reply that Providence may and does visit the

sins of the fathers upon the children. The cavil and the reply are alike beside the mark. Who told him that the sin of Ham was punished upon his children? Where is the shadow of it in the record? The future fortunes of that unhappy race resulted from their own vices and follies, and the vices of his children could not but be their plague, whatever had been the character of Ham. They were punished for their own offences. But their wretchedness was foretold as a punishment upon their wicked ancestor. Had he been a good and righteous man, he might have been spared the foresight of so much misery. It is well for a father's peace, that he does not know what the wickedness of his sons will one day suffer.--Paradise Lost, xi. 770. See also Edip. Tyr. 316.

It was a reward for their dutiful reverence to their father, for Shem and Japheth to know that their own piety and obedience should be in a way perpetuated to their descendants. And it was Ham's and Canaan's curse to be foretold that their descendants would be unhappy slaves. So that both the blessing and the curse fell upon the head of those who deserved them.

In discussing these verses, we shall first state what appears to be their correct interpretation---and then trace out the fulfilment of the prophecy in accordance with that interpretation.

First, we are to state what appears to be the correct interpretation of this prophecy.

1. It is foretold that Ham's youngest son should be a servant to his brethren. But whether these brethren be his father's children, the elder descendants of Ham, or whether a wider range is not taken by the term, we must wait for the remaining portion of the prediction to explain. The state of servitude spoken of is one of extreme degradation-it was afterwards said of the sons of Isaac the elder shall serve the younger'---but it is here said of the son of Ham, 'a servant of servants shall he be to his brethren,' a servant of the lowest degree, a mere slave.

It is foretold of Shem and Japheth, that Canaan should be their servant. This settles the question of the master

ship, and shews that it is not so much to his own brethren, as to the descendants of his father's brethren, that his servitude should be compelled; and points out moreover that the application of the whole prophecy belongs rather to the future history of the three families than to their present representatives. It is not likely that Shem and Japheth would accept the slavish service of their brother's son---nor is it likely that a fierce and undutiful youth would submit to the authority of his brethren and kindred, after so hopeful a specimen of his Spirit as that which this chap ter records. The prediction points to the future, and to the servitude of distant generations, when Shem and Japheth should be lords over the posterity of Canaan.

So far the oracle refers to Canaan---and so far is it of the nature of a curse, it is the announcement of sorrow and slavery to the degraded race of a degenerate ancestor. That which remains is of the nature of a blessing. Before we consider that, I entreat you to mark the extent of the curse of Canaan---to lay aside all prejudice, all previous impressions, and to look at the prediction in its own simplicity. What does it predict? It predicts the servitude of Canaan and of Canaan's descendants---but observe, not one word is said of the posterity of Ham in general, not one word of Ham's three elder sons, the whole length and breadth of the prophecy belongs to Canaan the youngest.

2. The blessing pronounced upon Shem is somewhat more obscure--it is implied more than expressed--it comes in the shape of a devout exclamation---the greatness of the contrast between Canaan and Shem might perhaps be too great for utterance, the good things reserved for the obedient, pass man's understanding---and the only fit and adequate way in which the patriarch and prophet can pronounce the benediction on his Son, is by a solemn act of adoration to the God of his children---like that which his great descendant afterwards paid under a similar impression.---I. Sam. xviii. 18. ver. 26.

But you will here perceive that yet more is implied, it is implied not only that God would bestow such good things that the patriarch knew not how to utter them; but as an ex