been visited upon such fruit at the previous stages and seasons of its fruit-bearing, and which were appropriate to those fruits,-repeated in kind and augmented in severity upon the last season's fruit when the tree is proved incurably evil, and is ready to be" hewn down and cast into the fire." [Ezek. vii. 10, 11; Matt. iii. 10; vii. 19 (Jude 11).]

In the expectation of these events, the Apostolic teachings give earnest warning, to those who are sharing the perilous strife after the riches of earthly treasures, regardless of the interests and welfare of others, and to the neglect of durable riches for themselves; which strife is to be seen increasing, and passing from the middle class of trade to the artisan and labourer, the men and women in every sphere of industry; and, like all other selfish pursuits, inevitably accompanied and followed by discontent and disappointment, failing to ensure the hoped-for happiness and security. The shakings of the "earth" from time to time, warn us all of this generation to beware; and to ponder in the floating ideas of governments and nations what may be the shadows cast before, indicating somewhat concerning that snare (1 Tim. vi. 9, 10) of which Paul forewarned his beloved son in The Faith, Timotheus. "The root of all evils" he pronounced the love of money to be; not merely as some other pernicious earthly desires, a branch from the root of self-worship planted in fallen human nature; but who shall say what new entanglement and trap shall be devised for those whom "the god of this world hath blinded" with the love of worldly things and interests, when the last head of human government shall arise out of the "bottomless pit" (Rev. xvii. 8), invested with the "power, and seat, and great authority" (Rev. xiii. 2) of him who claims the kingdoms and glories of the world to be in his gift (Luke iv. 6). Remembering this warning, and other significant instructions in our Book of Law and guidance,

from "Him Who loves us," and "Who gave Himself for us," we understand how " covetousness may lead to the most flagrant as well as the basest "idolatry." "The silver and the gold" (Hagg. ii. 8) The Lord has said are His, and men are but His stewards :— the "treasures of gold and silver" (Dan. xi. 43; Rev. xiii. 17) are to be also claimed by the Antichrist, the last "king," in whose person and kingdom will be re-asserted all the destructive errors,- -or results of such errors,-of the pre-figuring Roman pontiffs, and the Papacy; of the Caliphs and Mohammedanism, probably; and of the more modern inventions of "Spiritualism," as it is called,—resembling the ancient practices with "familiar spirits," which even king Saul by the command of God put down, but to which he afterwards resorted in the groping blindness consequent upon his rebellion of heart;-and in this consummation, when the Image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream stands upon its feet, all unfaithfulness and unbelief will overflow,—a deluge of corruption (Rev. xi. 18, margin).

But also it appears that in these days of Judgment which are to fall so heavily upon the generation of Antichrist's time, the Temptation will touch the very question of physical existence (Rev. xiii. 17), as well as the spiritual life. For it may be inferred (from Rev. xiii. 6, 17; Ezek. vii. 19, xiv. 3, 4, xxviii. 2-5; Dan. xi. 43; comp. Hagg. ii. 8) that such will be Antichrist's "image and superscription" on this "silver and gold," the love of which is taking fatal root, that none can "buy or sell " but-in the very use of the "king's " current medium of mercantile and trading transactions-they receive "the mark of the Beast,"—that is, of the World-power which enshrines all earthly attributes in the person and rule of a mere man who aspires to be what the Tempter promised in the Garden of Eden, "as a god: "— 66 or his name, or the number of his name," they receive; and become like the object of their "idolatry" (Col. iii. 5; Eph. v. 1-6; Ezek.

xxxiii. 31; 2 Pet. ii. 1-3, i. 16; 2 Cor. ii. 17; Luke xii. 15), like "the stumbling-block of their iniquity" (Ezek. vii. 19, &c.),— numbered and weighed in the balances, and found wanting: for so that number is in its thrice repeated figure, six, six, six, the number of a man," wanting the Crowning Unit of the sacred and perfect number, which is in all the Book of God 5 or 7 :-4, the world-number,* joined unto The Godhead, or to Christ in Whom dwelleth all the fulness of that Godhead bodily: 4 and One, or 4 and Three; and these two combinations pass by, on either hand, the merely human figure, the thrice repeated six, " falling short of the Glory of God," -as not conformed to the Divine Ordering, and as having no part nor lot in the Measuring and Numbering of God.

What further peril may lie hidden in this symbolic and mystical 666 has been sought by many, but still without certainty of its chief intention and meaning; future events may make it plainer, but for the present any one may be able to see in it a numbering that is deficient" found wanting "-in the Only Crown and Glory which can give strength to this fallen and helpless world,-that is, re-union with the God Who created it by His Word and Spirit, Who is its Preserver and Light, and Who Redeemed it ;-The Only Righteous and Obedient Man, The Son of God, paying the price of its Ransom in His own precious life-blood,-and Who alone can Sanctify and Restore it, He and none other.

These are no times to tamper with the delicate fibres of "the spider's web" (Isa. lix. 5; 2 Thess. ii. 7-11), put forth upon the air

*4,- the world-number: thus indicated in

"4 corners of the earth," Isa. xi. 12 (margin : Heb. "wings"), and Rev. vii. 1.

"4 corners of the land," Ezek. vii. 2.

4 divisions of the Image, or ruling World-power, Dan. ii. 31-45, vii. 2, 3.

to be wafted and attach themselves where any hold is offered; for the net-work woven from those threads," the Mystery of Iniquity," -has been already seen and exposed, and is essentially unchanged, although in England comparatively inactive since the Reformation until now. It were well for the people of The Lord to hearken to His Spirit's Voice, and to His Written words brought to His Apostles' remembrance by The Holy Spirit. It were well to "give earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let slip" [run out as leaking vessels. Heb. ii. 1, margin]. Christians in every section of the professing visible Church of Christ, all who would be truly united to The Great and Glorious Head of that Church which is sprinkled and washed with the Blood and Water of His Atonement and Sanctification, have urgent need to let their ears and hearts be opened to understand the Judgments, and the wrath from which the world-in which they should "shine as lights" is called now to flee into The One Only Place of Refuge, the Cleft of The Rock of Ages. For their own personal welfare, too, they should remember their Lord's command to "Watch" for His sudden Coming, "as a thief," when the world is reckoning upon "peace and safety." The unsealing of "the Mystery of God" is at hand, when the Jubile Trumpet of the Seventh Angel shall sound; and "all who hear shall live." The cry has long gone forth in our England, "Come out of her, My people! that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." The sins of this "Babylon," the Apostate church which the kingdoms of the earth have carried and supported in mysterious alliance, have been manifold, "reaching unto heaven," and "God hath remembered her iniquities" to "reward her according to her works." One church is pre-eminent in this unholy union with worldly principles and power; in gorgeous self-arraying, and luxurious appropriation of earthly treasures and

merchandise (Rev. xvii. 4, xviii.); but others "partake," in their several degrees, of practical neglect of their Divine Head's guidance, and of unfaithfulness to Him in depending upon an 66 arm of flesh." Among these works, of the unfaithful church seated upon seven hills, have been idolatry,—even the Pagan-like worship of demons or dead men,-forgetting that worship brings the worshipper under the power and into the likeness of the beings who are worshipped, and that under The Holy and Merciful Creator's power alone men could find it good to live, and that in His gracious Likeness alone it is fitting and blessed for His own creatures to grow :-And persecution of the saints "who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ," is one of the sins which God is bringing to Judgment; also the taking away of the key of knowledge from the people; and re-enfolding the free Gospel within symbols and shadows, which passed away and became a broken and lifeless shell when Christ The Substance and The Truth was revealed, in His own glorious Person fulfilling all the types of The Deliverer, and giving to men The Living Likeness of The Father in Heaven.

Is He not Living now? Is it not "because He Liveth that we live also?" "Severed from Him" we are dead and " can do nothing." Let the Christian Church beware of obscuring this Healing Sun-Light by earth-raised mists and shadows of the Night-time ! lest her Children be found not quickened in all their spiritual senses; lest their eyes be unpractised to bear the Light of Morning about to Appear "without clouds;" lest their ears, obstructed by the heavy atmosphere and confused voices of a close valley, fail to catch and recognise the gently breathing Voice which brings the summons, "The Master is come and calleth for thee !" and so, overcome with dreaminess amidst their shadows of the past, which pointed to but do not now contain The Risen, Ascended, Present Saviour, The Voice