ruption of mortality and from the necessity imposed on Adam, Dust thou art,' &c. Then shall each of the righteous return into his own possession or native country, that is, Paradise, which is the native country of the good (bonorum patria). Then we shall neither sow, nor reap, nor gather vintage; for then will be the time, not of working, but of receiving the reward of our works " (p. 27).

He explains six hundred and sixty-six (Rev. xiii. 18) of the time when Mahomet rose. In spiritualising thousand, he does not mention the twentieth of the Apocalypse.

"Quelques Idées sur la Parabole des Dix Vierges." By Rev. J. L. V. CACHEMAILLE. 2d Edition. London: Campbell, Holborn. THE two most prominent ideas in this Scriptural and calm exposition of the parable of the Ten Virgins are the following :— -1. "All slum bered and slept," is considered as foretelling a time of repose, a cessation from external annoyance, a season of rest, which the Church shall enjoy in the days that closely precede the Lord's coming. Our own time is this season of repose, during which the Wise Virgins take care to furnish themselves with oil as well as lamps, and are on the watch for the Lord's coming. "The cry" is the warning of the sentinel-the proclaiming of the near approach of the Lord by his ministers. 2. It is thought that the language of the parable bears a very striking reference to the Tractarian and Popish errors. Thus, "oil" is that "unction" mentioned 1 John ii. 27-the receiving of Christ into the soul by the Holy Spirit's inward operation-in other words, regeneration. It is this that makes a man a Christian-a Wise Virgin." But "the Foolish Virgin" mimics this by ecclesiastical or baptismal regeneration, an appearance or caricature of the reality, which cannot feed any flame. Both parties are active, "trimming their lamps." The foolish have an idea that " oil may be 66 bought." The Bridegroom's language to them at last, "I never knew you," unchurches the very parties who were so ready to unchurch all others. The author has many interesting remarks besides the above, as, e. g., in regard to "midnight," that it may literally be the dead hour of night over all the Prophetic Earth when the Lord comes; but, at the same time, the words may relate to the moral and spiritual state of Christendom at that awful crisis.

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Tractatus de Singularitate Antichristi contra nostri temporis hæreticos, &c. Autore MICHAELE HAGER, S.S., Theologiae Doctore et in Friburgensi Archigymnasio Professore. Ingolstadii. 1580.

THIS is a duodecimo of 236 pages, written by a Romanist professor of the sixteenth century, to prove "the singularity of Antichrist,” that is, that Antichrist is to be an individual man, not a succession of men, nor

a body of men. He thus commences his dedication :- "If I compare the judgment of the holy Roman Church concerning the true Antichrist with that of those who have separated themselves from it, I find that the whole controversy turns on this, that they do not acknowledge a singular and particular person of Antichrist to be revealed in Scripture." He then bewails the calumnies to which the Reformers had recourse against the Roman Church, and the Chair of St Peter, and Pius, and Gregory, &c., in order to prove their point.

His book consists of fourteen chapters, and contains some good things.

Chap. I. That Antichrist is a single person, is proved by sure testimonies of Scripture, by the authority of the holy Fathers, and, in fine, by the most indubitable reasons.

Chap. II. The objections of heretics against the personal oneness of Antichrist are solidly refuted.

Chap. III. The oneness of person is easily demonstrated from the shortness of the time allotted the reign of Antichrist.

Chap. IV. The arguments of the heretics against this time are refuted.

*

Chap. V. Certain men, as Elias and Enoch, are to precede the advent of Antichrist, proving the oneness of the person.

Chap. VI. Answers to the cavils of heretics against the coming of Enoch and Elias.

Chap. VII. The origin of Antichrist (from the tribe of Dan) proves his oneness.

Chap. VIII. The arguments of heretics against the origin of Antichrist.

Chap. IX. That the Pope is, with the most consummate impudence and blasphemy, proclaimed Antichrist by the heretics.

Chap. X. That the Pope does not oppose himself to Christ.

Chap. XI. That no passage can be found in the whole Bible which teaches that the Pope is Antichrist.

Chap. XII. The advent of Antichrist is most foolishly attempted to be proved from the 4th chap. 1st Timothy, and from the 3d of 2d Peter.

Chap. XIII. That Gregory VII., called Hildebrand, a man admirable for his holiness and piety, is, with the most consummate blasphemy and impudence, accused of being Antichrist by the heretics.

Chap. XIV. That Boniface III. is not the forerunner of Antichrist.

How keenly the Romanists of the sixteenth century seem to have felt the application of Scripture to their Church! Let us learn something from this, and not cease to ply that apostasy with missiles from the prophetic armoury. Let our futurist friends not allow their futurism to carry them too far. Because Popery is not the full-grown ripened Antichrist of the last day, is it therefore not the present Antichrist? Because there is yet to be a personal Antichrist, is therefore the head of the great present Antichristian system not Antichrist?

Sacred Symbology;* or, An Inquiry into the Principles of Interpretation of the Prophetic Symbols. By JOHN MILLS. Edinburgh: Johnstone & Hunter.

1853.

THIS book sheds no light upon Scripture. It darkens many a page of the prophetic word. It goes beyond most anti-millennarian works in its spiritualising principles and expositions. The Jewish tabernacle signified merely Christianity! (pp. 102, 103). The New Jerusalem signifies merely Christianity! (p. 156). The Bride, the Lamb's wife signifies merely Christianity! (pp. 257, 8) and the "fine linen" is the "Christian system purified from the defilements of error and superstition"! (p. 258). The woman clothed with the Sun is merely Christianity! (p. 253). Of course the twentieth of the Apocalypse is altogether symbolical, and in no part literal. Here, however, the author's scholarship is at fault. Following Dr Wardlaw (though he does not quote him here) he says, in a note (p. 230)"The form of expression will not admit the idea of persons in the term xàs. Had the yuxas been the beheaded ones, that is, the bodies beheaded, the participle would of course (!) have taken the accusative case, and not the genitive." Now, it is singular that the very form of expression occurs several times in the Septuagint,—and it is the genitive! Nay, as if to shew that these two forms were interchangeable, in one place it is the genitive, in another the accusative. Read Lev. xix. 11 :— “ He who touches the ψυχη του τεθνηκοτος.” Then again, Lev. xxi. 11-επι παση ψυχη τετελευτηκυια ουκ εισελεύσεται. "Souls of men," for men; "souls of the righteous," for the righteous; 66 souls of the wicked," for the wicked, are expressions frequently occurring in the Old Testament.† Nay, in Acts xiv. 2, we read—τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἐθνῶν. xiv. 22-" Confirming the souls of the disciples" (genitive); Rom. ii, 9—" Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil ”ἐπι πασαν ψυχην ἀνθρωπου του κατεργαζομένου το κακόν. The "souls of the beheaded ones," according both to Old and New Testament usage, may quite naturally mean the beheaded ones themselves.

The book is one of the many in our day whose fatal tendency is to make void the Word of God.

Lays of the Future. By WILLIAM LEASK. London: Partridge

THESE lays are full of excellent thought and warm feeling. The views expressed in them are most scriptural, and will find a response in the heart of each student of the prophetic word. We meant to have given an extract as a specimen, but our pages are full.

* Symbolology would be the correct word.

† Sec Num. xxxi. 35, 40; 1 Chron. v. 21; Ezek. xxvii. 13.

Select Letters and Remains of the late Rev. W. H. Hewitson.

Edited by

the Rev. JOHN BAILLIE, 2 vols. London: J. Nisbet and Co. 1853.

THESE Remains are of no ordinary value. They are the offspring of a mind which, both intellectually and spiritually, had not many superiors. Our object, however, is to extract, not to eulogize. We do so at random.

"The more I attend to the word of prophecy,' the deeper grows my conviction that the coming of the Lord and the resurrection of His saints are near at hand. As you have observed, the adoption of premillennarian views gives a new aspect to everything both present and future. It intensifies the feeling that we are pilgrims; it puts us into the attitude of expectation which Paul maintained as he wrote From whence also we look for the Saviour;' it abridges our earthly hopes, for 'we know not what a day may bring forth;' our prayers are now offered up for the gathering in of the elect, and that we may be counted worthy to escape the things which are coming to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Daniel was guided by prophecy (Dan. ix.) in praying for the restoration of captive Judah and in like manner prophecy is a light shining still in a dark place, and directing us how to pray for the captive Church, the scattered Jews, the groaning creation." "In Scotland the number of the saints who are looking for the Lord's coming is on the increase, though slowly. One after another is awakened by the cry. The Lord's dealings with the Free Church, which have been wonderful, have led not a few to expect great things in these days-great things both in judgment and in mercy. Dr Muirhead, a Free Church mini. ster, whose hair has grown grey in the service of Jesus-a holy man of God -is waiting for the Lord's speedy coming. Several other ministers of the Free Church are likewise on the watch-tower. Several believers, whom I know, are startled by the ery, and inquiring, and shaking off drowsiness from their eyelids. What encouragement to be faithful in bearing testimony to the truth of long-neglected prophecy! The Lord has not lighted the candle in our understandings to be put under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that all who come into our company may see the light. How many think that prophecy unfulfilled is a dark place, instead of looking to it as to a light shining in a dark place!' Don't you think along with me, that, before the Lord appear, all His saints throughout the world will be awakened to 'go forth and meet Him,' i. e., to look for his appearing?"

"I am at present reading a new and recently-published work by a minister of the name of Elliott, on the Book of Revelation, The author throws much light, as on all the other portions of the Revelation, so likewise on those parts which are now receiving their accomplishment; and the impression, deep and solemn, is left upon the mind, that the world is running now rapidly to its close, and that the Lord Jesus will soon be seen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. One of the intimations given by the Prophetic Spirit expressly to us of this generation, is, 'Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.' The world will not believe it; for as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Lord's coming, there will be eating and drinking, and marrying, and giving in marriage, and in all other worldly things men will be occupied as securely as if the word of prophecy were a lie. But the flood came in the days of Noah, and swept away the unbelieving world into destruction; and so likewise the Lord will come as a thief in the night, and take another world of careless, godless, unbelieving men, by surprise, When they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.' But to those who wait for the Lord, He

will appear the second time without sin unto salvation.' Then what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God?'

"It is written that 'the Lord will give a crown of righteousness on that day to all who love His appearing.' Yes, to all who love His appearing, and to none besides. We cannot but love the appearing of Jesus, if we truly love Jesus himself. We always are glad when any one whom we love, after a long absence, appears amongst us again. So likewise all who love Christ will be glad when He appears amongst them; and He comforts His people with the promise of coming back, for He says, 'Let not your hearts be troubled I will come again, and receive you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also.' When the Lord said to John, Surely I come quickly, amen,' John testified his love to the Lord by answering the Lord's promise with a prayer for its fulfilment, 'Even so, come Lord Jesus.' If we trust in Christ, and believe that were He to appear now amongst us, it would be as a Saviour and Friend, we will love and desire His appearing.

"This is one test, by which we may know whether we have faith and confidence in the salvation and righteousness of Christ. Do we love His appearing, and wish to see Him come in His glory? If so, we love Him and have confidence in His free and full salvation. Are we afraid of the Lord's appearing, and would we rather that He should keep away, and delay His coming? Is this our feeling? Then it shews that we have not confidence in Him, as a friend has in his friend."

"Since I saw you, I have perused Mr D. Brown's book, and examined its arguments. The result is, that my expectation of the premillennial advent is even stronger than before.

6

"We are now but as servants whose Lord is gone to a far country to obtain for Himself a kingdom and to return. When the time for His visible reign arrives, He will return, and in that visible reign associate with Himself His faithful servants, saying to one, Have thou authority over ten-to another, have thou authority over five cities.' 'We shall then reign on the earth.' The saints shall judge, i. e,, rule the world then. Meanwhile, Occupy till I come,' is the mind of the Lord.

"Sweet is the thought now, and cheering amidst the trials and bereavements of the present world-it is my Lord who is gone to receive a kingdom -it is my Lord that sits yonder acknowledged King at the Father's right hand-it is my Lord that is coming soon in royal majesty to reign; my Lord, and therefore His interests and mine are the same; His being at the right hand of God, is honour put on me, for He is my Lord, and I am His servant. But, expecting to meet again,-it may be before He comes, if not, on that day,-farewell.-Your brother in Christ."

"The Church, alas! has almost forgotten its heavenly calling, and has ceased to wait in patient hope for the coming of the Bridegroom. The virgins have degenerated from the love of former days, when the Spirit and the bride said, 'Come,'-from the love of holier days, when the aspiration went up to heaven-'Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' In better days, the Corinthians came behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;' the Thessalonians 'turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven,'-they looked for the day when the Lord should come to be glorified in His saints, and admired in all that believe;' the Romans rejoiced in the hope of the glory of God,'—and, having received the first fruits of the Spirit, they groaned in themselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body.' But in process of time, while the Bridegroom tarried, the lamps of the virgins grew dim, and their eyes became heavy. The early hours of the night were passed in watchfulness and alert expectation;-but, while the Bridegroom tarried, the virgins all slumbered and slept.' The Bridegroom is tarry