pointed out a first and gradual consuming of Antichrist's power, which is incomplete; and after that a second and fiery destruction, which will be sudden and entire. With regard to the means of Antichrist's gradual consumption, we know that the word of our God is the breath of His mouth. Now, wherever the Bible is freely circulated and reverently studied, Popery is consumed, and can maintain no longer the influence that it had in the days of darkness and times of ignorance. An open Bible is the true and proper emblem of the glorious Reformation. (Rev. x. 2.) In every country where the lively oracles of God are translated into the language of the people, there the man of sin begins to tremble for his usurped possessions; and he knows that there his dominion has begun to be consumed. Hence his fierce opposition both to the Bible and the Bible Society. It is said that the huge leviathan, who takes his pastime in the great and wide sea, is more afraid of the sword fish than of any other adversary that he has to encounter. And for this reason: he is pierced and wounded by the sharp-pointed weapon of his daring pursuer, and is wholly unable to resist his attacks. However this may be, it is absolutely certain that the monstrous Antichrist, even leviathan the crooked serpent, that for ages has tyrannized over the consciences of men, is most effectually pierced and wounded, and deprived of his might, by the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Still, however, though wounded and weakened by such attacks as these, it is by another decisive and glorious interposition of the King Himself that this mighty adversary shall be completely and for ever destroyed. While he is gradually weakened by the breath of the Lord's mouth, he is to be finally destroyed by the brightness of His coming. Daniel the Prophet is evidently speaking of the same Antichrist, and he describes his doom in similar language. "He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand for a time and times and dividing of a time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end." And how does he describe the final destruction of Antichrist, but by the glorious appearance of the Ancient of Days in flaming fire. "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him: thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed and given to the burning flame." It was thought by many, that when Popery began to be consumed by the preaching of the Gospel, and the circulation of the Bible, at the Reformation, that it would soon be destroyed, and that it could never again lift up its head. But the Scripture, which cannot be broken, had declared otherwise. Not only has it survived all the rude blows of three hundred years; but while, in some places, it seems ready to vanish away, in others it is renewing its strength in the most marked and marvellous manner. Numbers among ourselves are beguiled by the witchcrafts, and the sorceries, and the enchantments of the apostate church. Nothing inflates her with such presumptuous confidence as the sight which she beholds in this Protestant country. Thus, as the grand crisis of her terrible overthrow is rapidly approaching, she is ready to say in her heart, "I sit a queen, and shall see no sorrow." But how untimely is her confidence, and how miserable is her delusion! In one day shall her plagues come, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. We presume not to speak positively of what is meant by the emphatic expression, "the brightness of His coming," by which Antichrist is to be destroyed. We see difficulties and objections which as yet we are unable to solve or to answer, whether we understand it as of a personal, or a spiritual, or a providential coming. Hence, with all humility of mind, we leave our readers to exercise their own judgment, and to form their own conclusion, upon this deeply interesting and momentous point. But while we cheerfully assign to them this latitude, we have not the slightest doubt or hesitation upon our mind, either that the "Pope of Rome is Antichrist himself indeed," or that the 1260 years, so repeatedly assigned in the Scriptures of truth for the duration of his reign, are rapidly drawing to a close. And believing this, we desire with reverence, and watchfulness, and prayer, to be waiting for the terrible and glorious things which are to accomplish the approaching fall, and result from the final destruction of ANTICHRIST. C. O. CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. DEAR SIR,-In the number for March of this year, I read the following passage at the end of an article entitled, “Is the Church in a Laodicean State ?" "Remark the three potent delusions of the time, all springing up within the borders of the visible Church. First, a revival of the whole Romish system by ministers of the English Church, and carried on within the Establishment. Next, a resuscitation of the infidelity of the last century, modified indeed, and rendered more plausible and less revolting, but still coming to the same point, -the rejection of the Scriptures, the denial of their truth, and of their authority. And, thirdly, a still more lamentable and more perilous snare, because intended chiefly to entrap the living members of Christ's spiritual Church, Plymouth Brethrenism, which teaches that there are neither authorised ministers, nor settled order of any kind, nor creed, nor visible Church. Look at the inroads which these three systems are making on every side, and then you will tremble, as I do, at the hesitating, modified, guarded, and ineffective statements of truth which are heard week by week from so many hundreds of pulpits." And I take the liberty of asking one so anxious for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as I feel sure you are, why, as so many books and pamphlets have appeared in refutation of the first two classes of errors-why is it that we do not have, from the pen of able and spiritually-minded Church of England men, also some refutation of the Plymouth Brethren errors? They are indeed occasionally attacked, but generally in a spirit that proves the writer himself not to be acquainted with the higher spiritual life, concerning which, therefore, he is not competent to speak. But surely there must be many, either clergy or laity, who, if they understood the delusions of these good Christians, would be able to write in a Scriptural manner, disproving them, and thus give to parents, and Church of England teachers in general, the proper Scriptural arguments with which to meet this increasing division in the Church of Christ. Their views on the personal presence of the Holy Spirit are those which more especially result in their strong objections to the Church of England. And to refute these, their tracts and books must be studied. There is a small book, called "Operations of the Spirit,' and a tract entitled "One Body and One Spirit," which are considered unanswerable by them on their different subjects. Much as I love many of the Plymouth Brethren personally, for their single-minded piety, yet I long, for the sake of the Church of England (already in so low a state), that her children should be provided with the means of refuting the arguments which the Brethren at once present to those who take an interest in their meetings, and who do so from the gratification that it ever must be to the spirituallyminded to hold converse with those who seem better taught in spiritual things than themselves. I fear my letter will be too long for your valuable space, if I say much more. I will therefore only add, that its object is to stir up some true follower of Christ to write on this subject in a fair, and not merely condemnatory, style.-I am, dear sir, yours truly, A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. Sermons Preached in St. Nicholas' Church, Durham. By the Rev. George Townshend Fox, M.A. London: James Nisbet & Co. 1866. -It is something in the present day to meet with a volume of sermons that we may take up and read with full confidence that we shall meet with nothing tending either "in the direction of Romish superstition, or in that of Socinianism and infidelity." There is no concealment of thought in these Congregational sermons. They afford us a rare specimen of that affectionate kind of preaching which is calculated "to win souls," and to accomplish the object Mr. Fox has in view, which he states to be to bring home to the understanding, the conscience, and the heart of some persons, those distinctive truths and principles which he would define as the "Gospel of the grace of God." The first part of the volume consists of fifteen sermons on various subjects. The second is one consecutive subject, being seven sermons on the privileges of believers; enumerating the principal blessings of which they are partakers. In the sermon entitled "Christ our High Priest," Mr. Fox marks the distinction between the Christian Ministry and the Jewish Priesthood; and he remarks that the word iepeus, the word for the Jewish, or sacrificing, priest, is never, from the beginning to the end of the New Testament, applied to the Christian minister. It is, no doubt, unfortunate that the word "péoßvç should have been translated "priest " in so many places; and yet there is some objection to the word "elder," where the office of the ministry is intended. In our Book of Common Prayer it distinguishes the higher office of the ministry from the deacon, and is synonymous with minister; but the ministry of reconciliation, and the ambassador for Christ, is never confounded with the priest standing daily offering up sacrifices upon an altar: "This scriptural Christianity, however," the author says, "which makes the people so independent of human authority and priestly independence, would never do for Rome; it is destructive of her power. . . . . If priests are to be mere ministers,' helpers of the people's joy, fellow-helpers to the truth; if they are to be nothing more than ambassadors for Christ, to beseech the people to be reconciled to God, which is all the modesty of the Apostle would allow him to claim for himself; then must this costly fabric of Roman power and wealth crumble into dust." (p. 79.) In the sermon on the Future Prospects of the Church of Christ, the author glances at the thousand millions of souls which the world at the present time is supposed to contain, and he reduces the number which comes within the pale of real Christianity to what he calls a paltry fragment of the world's teeming population (p. 156); and yet he does not lose his confidence in the predictions and promises which point to a final triumph of the Gospel. He thinks that a glorious future is in reserve for the Church of Christ, both as it regards vitality and extension, a hope which must cheer the Christian's heart who mourns over the state of the world. (p. 165.) We wish we could rise from a survey of the present condition of the world, and especially the nations called Christian, with our countenance as radiant with hopes of the future as Mr. Fox; but he is looking for a change in a department of human economy which is, of all others, the least to be looked for : "The present passive system," he says, "of dropping a paltry piece of money into the plate when a collection is made, and relapsing into a year of utter indifference and inaction, will have to be changed into a general active interest, manifested by a willingness to assume responsibility, take trouble, spend time, and give largely without being asked." There is But how is a change like this to be brought about? nothing less general in the whole range of beneficence than giving to the cause of Missions to the heathen. Among our higher classes it amounts to the smallest proportion; and we cannot agree with Mr. Fox when he says, that "the Church of Christ in this country is aroused from its past lethargy, to take more lively interest in Christian missions." Where is that interest shown among the great and wealthy of our land, who hardly "drop the paltry piece of money into the plate." If all were like Mr. Fox and his brother, the one giving freely of his substance, the other giving himself to the work of Missions, and dying in the sacred cause, we might look up with brighter expectations. Still, it is encouraging to those who cannot soar so high in their hopes of a speedy accomplishment of the promises, to meet with one "Whose heart is warm, whose doctrine pure, And whose life, co-incident, exhibits lucid proof COWPER, This cheerfulness and joy in believing it is which perpetuates through all these sermons the animating strain which the reader himself, whether consciously or unconsciously, is made to enjoy. PUBLIC AFFAIRS. THE first Session of the New Parliament will soon close, and very little real business has been done. The Reform Bill has occupied all the time, and consumed all the eloquence of the new members. They are all ambitious to be heard, and have certainly entertained the House with well set speeches, full to repletion of Latin verse and English poetry. All this bespeaks great indifference to the subject itself. Men in earnest leave their schoolboy literature at home. But both parties, we suspect, are heartily weary of the subject, and we hope will bring it to a close before the Session terminates. Mr. Coleridge proposes that all religious tests shall be removed from the University of Oxford. Should this pass, that |