The warning of the Apostle John to the elect lady and her children, in his second epistle, is confined to the above characteristic of the spirit of antichrist. This will be manifest to the true-hearted enquirer on reference to the 4th chapter of the first epistle of John. There he warns believers generally in the same language. He says

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God."

Here you have precisely the same teaching as that quoted from the second epistle. There is nothing about error in doctrine, or heresy. That which is furnished is a plain direction as to how the spirit of antichrist is to be detected. This is the case in both Scriptures-and the uninitiated might well wonder why learned "brethren" should prefer to cite the Apostle's words to a woman respecting the conduct of her household, rather than take up the same doctrine from the epistle general. But the preference is easily understood by those who know what misuse is made of it. The "Exclusives" lay hold of the words

"If there come any man unto you, and bring not this doctrine [i.e. the doctrine previously set forth, namely that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh], receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." (2 John 10, 11.)

They assume that herein is given authority to excommunicate heretical teachers!

While the violent construction the "

"brethren

faith may be tried. All the rules and severity devised by christians, cannot prevent heresy. Nay, all such devices have the direct tendency to increase it. It would be easy to prove this from the experience of the brethren themselves.

Let us now examine the other scripture relied upon for absolute exclusion.

"Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such, serve not our Lord Jesus, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all. I am glad, therefore, on your behalf :

but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and under your feet shortly." (Rom. xvi. 17-20.) simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan

We have quoted here too much for "exclusives," but only enough for vindicating the truth. There is nothing here is nothing here about excommunication. If we see Christians causing offences and divisions, contrary to Scripture, by good words and fair speeches deceiving the hearts of the simple, for and not the Lord Jesus Christ-we are to avoid such, their own selfish purposes, serving their own belly that is, as to companionship; a faithful follower of

Christ must avoid those who evidence such characteristics. We are to follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call upon the Lord out of a pure heart." (2 Tim. ii. 22.)

ones.

Here our course is made plain. But we are neither to anathematise nor cast out the selfish and unfaithful We are simply to avoid them. Then we must us in the word of God, on such themes, leaves us to notice, too, that the mind of the Lord, revealed to act individually in the exercise of a conscience taught in the Scriptures. This is the only safeguard.

Those

In short, while Scripture tells us to shut out antichrist, exclusives tell us to turn out mistaken believers! Has ever the word of truth been more tortured than in this misapplication of it by "Brethren "?

Let the prayerful christian again look at the General epistle of John for confirmation of what we have set forth. What is the characteristic teaching of the chapter from which we have quoted? After warning against the spirit of antichrist, what do we find? The most powerful exhortations to christian love!

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son, to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

And so all through. If a brother has wandered from the truth,-will a display of vindictiveness, or even uncharitableness, bring him back again? Should not that be our object, the restoration of every mistaken or betrayed believer? How is this to be accomplished, if a faithful one is not to be permitted to speak to his erring brother? Of course, there is danger-error may spread by intercourse. But then the Lord knows the danger, and he permits it, that

tians, are such as cause divisions and offences Here is responsibility to know the truth, that we may contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned." act it out, as in the sight of our Lord. A mere bigoted adhesion to the dictum of leading brethren, evasion of the responsibility laid upon us to know the however greatly gifted or deeply taught, is a sorry truth, as it has been imparted by the Holy Ghost.

of the body of Christ cannot thus be got rid of. Indeed, the onus which thus rests on each member We ought to know the truth and live it out, fearing neither the frowns of the world nor the hard speeches of our brethren. It is the lack of this stedfastness Christward, which operates to make "exclusive brethren" a compact body, and elicits a spirit of bigotry instead of love. One sad result of this has been to bring the very highest range of truth, with which they have been pre-eminently blessed, into disrepute. The failures of the party are laid upon the truth. We say it with sorrow; but the fact is so. brethren," The spirit of tyranny manifested by "exclusive in defiance of Scripture, has made very name of "Brethren " Oh, that all would ponder the concluding words of a byeword. our quotation from Rom. xvi., "Be simple concerning evil, and the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

the

made Herself ready.

And to Her was granted that She should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." (Rev. xix. 5—8.)

It will be blessed even to be present as a witness!"And he said unto me,-Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.-And he said unto me, These are the true sayings of God."

"How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!"

in detail. In the first place, Eve prefigures the Let us now look into this deeply interesting subject Bride of Christ in deriving her existence from Adam. As her husband said of Eve, "This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh," so it is said of the Church-"We are members of His Body,

of His flesh, and of His bones." In itself, how unsightly was the rib from Adam's side! with no inherent beauty or fitness, how little likely to become a fair and noble woman! And so, looked at apart from and out of Christ there was nothing to recommend us; 66 we were children of wrath, even as others." But who thinks of the rib, when he remembers in whose hands it was? As passive, also, and powerless were we; "while we were without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly." But, to rightly understand our calling, we must not look at ourselves apart from Christ, but as "accepted in the Beloved," as "chosen in Him before the foundation of the world." Seen in Him, the Church was dear, very dear to the Father, and lay hidden near the heart of the Son of God, to be manifested in

due time.

Again, as "a deep sleep" from the Lord fell upon Adam, in order that Eve might have a being; so with the Second Man and his Heavenly Bride. He tasted of death for us that we might live through Him. Having risen from the dead, we are said to be also "risen with Christ," and the Church is seen,

in the view of God, and in a measure by the eye of faith, to be "sitting together with Christ in the heavenlies." (Eph. ii. 4.) How grandly has that word been fulfilled

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much [oh, how much!] fruit."

Again, as Adam said—

Then, again, we see that as Adam was made in the image of God, and Eve in the image of both, -so the Lord Jesus Christ is the "brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person," and when the Church is manifested she will be seen, "in His likeness," "fashioned like unto His glorious body," having been "predestinated to be conformed to the image of God's Son."

Again, as God's will was made known to Adam in measure still holding good, 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.) before Eve was created, her knowledge of the mind of God was derived from her husband-(a principle of God was derived from her husband-(a principle So, in Christ, the Church possesses One who is acquainted with the counsels and commands of God. Oh, how we ought to hang on His lips!

"I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me." "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things." (Heb. i.)

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which GOD GAVE unto Him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. (Rev. i.)

is the Church's place on high. It was planted The Garden was a divinely-prepared place. So fountain of light and glory,)—and in "Eden," which "Eastward" (or Godward, towards the Sun, the means Pleasure, and the place of the Church is the presence of God, where there "is fulness of joy," at whose "right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

universal dominion which was given to him, so the Again, as Eve was associated with Adam in the destiny of the Church is to sit with Christ upon His shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord throne, to reign with Him before Whom "every knee endowed with superior discernment, gave names to to the glory of God the Father." And as Adam, all the creatures, and would afterwards communicate those names to Eve,-so, who can tell the revelations

of His doings, who "made the worlds," and who "calleth the stars by their names," remain to be received by the Church from Him when "for ever with the Lord!"

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless." (2 Pet. iii. 14.)

IN THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER.” TO CHRISTIANS IN THE STATE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

(Continued from No. 16.)

BELOVED, Let us consider the arrangements made in the Book of Common Prayer for reading the Scriptures. Ostensibly, the plan laid down by the framers of your Liturgy provides for reading through, once a year, the whole Bible, except the Apocalypse or Revelation. But, as the portions (called lessons) are eked out for the 365 days, while in practice, they are read only on 52 days, out of the 365, viz., on Sundays, it follows, that (even allowing for what are called saints' days) about one-seventh part only of the word of God is really read in the hearing of those who attend your services. Think of an

honest-hearted Christian, who, on the supposition that the Prayer Book means what it says, should present himself daily where this orderly course of Scripture is provided to be read. Six days out of the week he would find the door shut!

The provision for a daily reading of the Scriptures being so thoroughly disregarded, it follows, in practice, that the portions read each Sunday are necessarily presented without continuity, under the iron rule laid down, so that their purport is either obscured or lost. And the result is, that the grossest ignorance prevails as to the true import of the Word of God.

But now we want to know why the Apocalypse or Revelation is excluded, not only in fact, but even theoretically, from the services of the so-called Church of England? Beloved, look for yourselves, lest you should think there is any misunderstanding on our part about it. The following are your stated arrangements, copied verbatim

"The New Testament is appointed for the second lesson at morning and evening prayer, and shall be read over orderly every year thrice (i. e. on the supposition that the clergy and the people attend both morning and evening the whole 365 days of the year) besides the Epistles and Gospels; except the Apocalypse, out of which there are only certain proper Lessons appointed upon divers feasts."

These "proper lessons are the first and last chapters of the Book, and 16 verses of the 19th chapter! Never was the mind of Christ more flagrantly opposed, than in this excision of nearly the whole of that one Book of the Scriptures, given expressly by Himself. Yes, such is the solemn fact, that the Revelation is given by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as received from God, and sent through John to the churches. In it the Lord has made known to his blood-bought people, the fulness of God's purposes with respect to themselves, and also his counsels as to the world.

In the first chapter is revealed the happy condition of believers on earth now, as kings and priests to God, through Jesus Christ, though still called to suffering for awhile. Also in the opening chapter the Lord himself is seen in power and glory. In the 2nd and 3rd chapters we have messages and warnings to seven local churches, who represent the whole of Christendom in failure and weakness. All are dealt with by warnings, remonstrances, threatenings, and promises. At the close of each address, every individual Christian ("he that hath an ear") is required to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. The close of the third chapter shows the last state of that which calls itself the Church on earth. It has become neither cold nor hot, and boasts itself that it is rich and increased in goods, and has need of nothing. The Lord declares he will spue it out of his mouth! Solemn warning! soon to be fulfilled.

The 4th and 5th chapters of the Revelation enable the Christian, by faith, to take his stand in heaven, that he may see there the fruition of God's purposes in grace. There the faithful one may behold his own destined place, and hear the same song he will sing. And learn, too, that the song in chap. v. 9, to be sung in heaven, is nearly the same that is put into our mouths on earth, as given in chap. i. 5.

The 6th chapter begins to unfold what will take place when the history of the Church on earth is finished, i.e. when all true believers have been taken away, and the professing thing (which remains for a little while) has been rejected by the Lord with loathing-like something nauseous vomited out of the mouth. The latter part of the chapter is a confirmation of the prophecy of Jesus in Matthew xxiv., and shows how literally the judgments there described will have their fulfilment upon earth. Look at these words

"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand ?" (Rev. vi. 16, 17.)

In the 7th chapter we see angels of God commissioned to seal, or make safe, a remnant of His chosen people, the Jews, and after that is seen a great multitude of all nations. These have come through great tribulation, as the 14th verse shows. The chapters which follow present the awful judgments of God to be poured out upon the earth. In the 9th chap. ver. 6, we read

"In those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."

We just name these few passages to indicate the course of the prophecies of the Apocalypse. Deep and mysterious as many of the judgments are, others are quite plain and unmistakeable. The 20th chapter shows what is to take place upon earth, after the wrath of God has been poured out. Satan is to be bound for a thousand years, the first resurrection is to be completed, and the risen ones enjoy their millennial reign with Christ. At the end of that period Satan is to be permitted to work again for a short season. He will go forth once more to tempt the nations, and will bring about rebellion against God. These desperate sinners will be suddenly destroyed by fire from heaven. The end of the chapter shows the final judgment-the great white throne, and the dead small and great standing before God. Chapters xxi. and xxii. show God's glorious new creation. The latter part of the last chapter is full of warning for the Christian; it is also full of encouragement for him. He is taught above all to look for the Coming of the Lord-"Behold, I come quickly," is the essence of it all. Believers are to watch for "the bright and morning Star," even the Lord Jesus Christ. And the faithful ones respond, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

This is the Book, of all others, which the compilers of Anglicism have endeavoured to blot out, except two chapters and part of a third! This notwithstanding the following declared blessing, in the first chapter, pronounced upon the faithful reader of the Book!

"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things that are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (i. 3.)

Then, as has been already pointed out, to each of

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches!"

Finally, there is this solemn warning with which the Book closes

"If any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and the things which are written in this Book." (xxii. 19.)

What an awful thing to set at nought these warnings!

But we need be at no loss to understand how it comes to pass that the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, as to this Revelation, is disregarded by the episcopal system.

The Apocalypse teaches unmistakably, that worldliness, and self-seeking, and the prostitution of sacred things, are most hateful to the Lord. It pronounces the world to be under judgment: and the wrath of God not only as ready to be poured out upon the earth, but the very character of His judgments. Above all, it reiterates continually, that the Son of God is to be immediately looked for, as the rewarder of all who believe, and the righteous judge of those

who believe not.

"Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (xxii. 12.) This applies to both classes: He will reward indeed every true believer for each work of faith and labour of love. And he will reward the unbelieving sinner also. But how shall he reward those who

have not obtained forgiveness of sins through faith in His name during the days of his rejection?

"Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (xxii. 15.)

"The wages of sin is death."

"Their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

Yes, it is thus the mind and purposes of God are revealed in that blessed Scripture, called the Revelation, or Apocalypse; how can such a revelation suit those who own an earthly potentate as the head of their Church ?-of those who have sold the sacred name of Christ, who have made merchandise of his cause and his people ?-of those who have prostituted that which is called the Church to the world and its statecraft?

We may be well assured that those who knowingly have fellowship with such a state of things, whether they be christians or whether they be mere hypocrites, have no relish for the Revelation of God respecting the judgments to come.

No-the doom of all things ecclesiastical, not only of Rome but of every other order, is too plainly written for them in the following words

"I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed

fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER, MY PROPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. xviii. 1-4.)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

A. B. C., CHESHAM.-The misuse of John vii. 39, to which you allude would be indeed surprising, if we were not pretty well accustomed to witnessing the perversion of divine truth The assertion of the writer you mention, that "the Holy Ghost who had always been given, departed from the earth when the Lord was here, in order that the Lord should give Him, once more, on his ascension to heaven,"-is disproved, not only by the passage you quote, John xx. 22, but we have exact testimony from the Lord before his crucifixion "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever: even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John xiv, 16, 17.) In the above Scripture the then presence of the Holy Ghost is declared. He dwelt with them then-hereafter he would dwell in them. This it was which our Lord made the subject of promise. The translators of the authorised English version have not been explicit enough in merely inserting the word given in John vii. 39. The reader should be required to understand the sentence thus-"The Holy Ghost was not yet (given as an Indweller, nor in the special office of the Comforter, and Leader unto ALL truth) because that Jesus was not yet glorified." Write again if you think further explanation is needed.

J. H., BARNSBURY.-We are glad, dear brother, that the article in our last on the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the folly of attempting to ascertain times and seasons, was acceptable to you. May that event be looked-for with joy by us all continually, as the Lord meant it to be. We expect to be able in our next to present a further thought with which we the feeling that the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh indeed. have been blessed, and which has greatly quickened us in There is nothing so calculated to strengthen our faith and patience, as the recollection that "we know not the day nor the hour" when we shall see our dear Lord face to face. We commend this to you, dear brother, when you are, as you mention, "much cast down."

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