tion of satanic power and delusion; for, indifference to the present hope, with a prudent and calculating reserve as to the future, is far removed from that spirit of self-devotion which all must possess who will prove victors in that desperate conflict in fact, such subterfuges evince the existence of a soil, which of all others is the most unfavourable to the growth of spiritual life. But there is a rich and genial soil among a class of persons, whom some sections in the visible Church denominate "men of the world," who will yield an abundant harvest unto God in that day and let the men of this generation in the Church look to it, for it is written, "the first shall be last, and the last shall be first." MENE, MENE, Tekel, UPHARSIN, is written upon the walls of our spiritual temple, too legibly to require interpretation; and the flimsy web, which is cast over and covers (but not conceals) the false profession of the present day, is about to be given to the burning flame, and men shall stand before God and the world, thus deprived of their covering, in all their naked deformity.

But with a hope, beaming with such resplendant immortality--that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory-what are riches!-what is poverty!-what the honours and distinctions of this world!-what its possessions or applause:

they are all as nothing, when put in the balance against so bright a crown; and, "if it became Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through suffering," wherefore should we shrink from treading the same path through which the Great Head of the Church was himself perfected? Welcome then suffering-welcome then trial and sorrow!if there be no other way of securing such a glorious inheritance: and let us rejoice in the midst of tribulation, because we know that our redemption draweth nigh: and let every man's heart sympathize in the abounding joy of Saint Paul, when he exclaimed, in reference to this thorny road, "None of these things move me; neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy." "Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made

conformable unto His death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection from amongst the dead." THE

MIDNIGHT CRY OF THE BRIDEGROOM'S

ACTUAL APPEARANCE-NOT THE NOTE OF WARNING OF HIS SPEEDY APPROACH-IS NOW GOING

THROUGHOUT THE CHURCH. LET THE WISE VIR

GINS ARISE AND TRIM THEIR LAMPS, FOR WHEN ONCE THE DOOR IS SHUT, ALL WITHOUT WILL BE WEEPING, AND WAILING, AND GNASHING OF

TEETH.

APPENDIX.

WE have preferred throwing the following notice and interpretation of a vision given to Esdras into the form of an Appendix, inasmuch as we would only desire to use it in the way of illustration. It is certainly very striking, and well accords with our general interpretation. For obvious reasons, however, we have declined introducing it in the body of the work. The solemnity of our subject forbids that it should rest on any base, save on the solid rock of the admitted canon of God's word.

We now quote the prophecy referred to from 2 Esdras ii. 33:

66

"I Esdras received a charge of the Lord upon the Mount Oreb, that I should go unto Israel; but when I came unto them, they set me at nought, and despised the commandment of the Lord. And therefore I say unto you, O ye heathen, that hear and understand, look for your Shepherd, He shall give you everlasting rest; for He is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world. Be ready to the reward of the kingdom, for the everlasting light shall shine upon you forevermore. Flee the shadow of this world, receive the joyfulness of your glory: I testify my Saviour openly. O receive the gift that is given you, and be glad, giving thanks unto Him that hath called you to the heavenly kingdom. Arise up and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed in the feast of the Lord; which are departed from the shadow of the world, and have received glorious gar

ments of the Lord. Take thy number, O Sion, and shut up those of thine that are clothed in white, which have fulfilled the law of the Lord. The number of thy children, whom thou longest for, is fulfilled; beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people, which have been called from the beginning, may be hallowed. I Esdras saw upon the Mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs. And in the midst of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller than all the rest, and upon every one of their heads He set crowns, and was more exalted; which I marvelled at greatly. So I asked the angel, and said, Sir, what are these? He answered and said unto me, These be they that have put off the mortal clothing, and put on the immortal, and have confessed the name of God: now are they crowned, and receive palms. Then said I unto the angel, What young person is it that crowneth them, and giveth them palms in their hands? So he answered and said unto me, It is the Son of God, whom they have confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them that stood so stiffly for the name of the Lord. Then the angel said unto me, Go thy way, and tell my people what manner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God thou hast seen."

We think it is utterly impossible to compare this vision with that recorded in Revelation vii. and xiv., without being convinced that in all respects the two prophecies are one and the same. The prophecy quoted from Esdras is so clear and intelligible that we are almost unwilling to weaken the effect of its application to our general argument by any comment or explanation whatever. There is, however, one point we cannot refrain from particularly alluding