the calm and the immoveableness of spirit which he seeks to realize and enjoy, inasmuch as after his blessed Lord and Master had been predicting the last judgments, and declaring, in respect to them, that "men's hearts should fail them for fear, and for looking after those things which were coming upon the earth," He said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh."

That the signs which betoken the last times are not wanting in our day and generation, is clear from their direct bearing upon sundry Scriptures; for example: in writing to his son Timothy, the Apostle says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." Surely there is abundant proof of this, in the various doctrines and dogmas which are now so constantly propagated, and by which so many of whom better things were hoped and expected, are led away from the simplicity and the power of the faith which was once delivered to the saints. Again, in his second epistle to Timothy, the Apostle writes: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." We ask, Was there ever a day-at any rate within the memory of manwherein there was such an illustration and opening out of these features and characteristics of the last days? As a rule, what is the bearing of children towards their parents, but as simply tolerating and pitying them because of having certain crude ideas and prejudices belonging to a bygone age, and not at all consistent with the advancement and the progress of an enlightened era? The looking up to them-the respecting their counsels-the attaching weight and importance to their age, and their experience of the battle of life-in plain Bible-language, "the honouring their father and their mother" is a thing of the past, and not to be regarded now. Again, what is the bearing of young ministers-both Episcopalian and Nonconformisttowards their fathers in Christ, but as men of a bygone period, who have sunk into their dotage, and for whose oddities and obsolete opinions certain allowances must be made? Their tarrying longer here is regarded but as short, and their exit wishfully anticipated, in order to give place to younger, wiser, more enthusiastic, and consequently more successful men. At the same time, such wild and enthusiastic aspirers to introducing a nobler and a better state of things, scruple not to ignore their ordination vows-virtually to discard the Bibleand to set aside the essentials and the fundamentals of our most holy faith.

In further proof that the last times have lighted upon us, mark, reader, what the Apostle Peter has said upon the subject, "Knowing

this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation " (2 Pet. iii. 3, 4). Did ever men "scoff" as they do now? Was ever the voice of God's Providence, as well as that of His word, disregarded as now? What impression has either the one or the other left upon the minds of men? Spoken as Jehovah has, by His Providence, during the last quarter of a century especially, in illustration and confirmation of His word, of what avail has that speaking been, as far as the generality of mankind is concerned? Who has heeded-abidingly so-the famines the pestilences-the earthquakes-the calamities by sea and land-the wars and the rumours of wars-the dethroning of kings-the overthrow of empires -the agonizing groans and the dying throes of scores and almost hundreds of thousands of poor hapless victims upon the battle-fieldand the lamentations and mourning and woe of thousands of weeping widows and fatherless children? Moreover, there is a feature in our times which differs materially from those of a bygone age. Considering the elasticity and the rebounding of our common nature, there was at least a measure of excuse in times of old, for its people failing to enter so deeply and so acutely into the sufferings and the sorrows of their fellow-creatures in distant lands. Weeks and months possibly might intervene between the calamity abroad and their knowledge of it at home. Hence Time, that wonderful healer and soother and drier up of tears, speedily flew to the rescue. But now that, by steam and electricity, time and space are virtually overcome, the same allowances will not hold good. A casualty no sooner occurs -a calamity no sooner befalls our fellow-men-than we are in possession of it. Witness, for example, the recent awful conflagration at Chicago whilst yet the fire was raging, and long ere it had been extinguished, we were made acquainted with it. And see, how commonly we read of what took place in America or other far-distant lands, but yesterday, or only a few hours before! Hence, we contend that, in this respect, the voice of God's Providence speaks louder and more emphatically than it has ever yet done; and, therefore, a greater responsibility is thrown upon men of our own times.

Moreover, as yet additional proof that the last days have come upon us, where can there be stronger and more conclusive evidence of the fact than that Laodicean state of things which has befallen the professed churches of Christ? Mark the language, dear reader: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev. iii. 16). Now, apart from the lamentable spread of Romanism (under the garb of Ritualism) and Rationalism in the Church of England, contemplate the deadness, the formality, the worldliness, the strife, that has overspread almost the entire Dissenting community. Is there not, alas too much ground for the rebuke which was addressed to the Church of Sardis, "I know thy works, that thou

hast a name that thou livest, and art dead ?" We heard but a short time since of a recent large gathering of Nonconformist ministers, at one of their annual meetings, when not a single conversion was reported by any one of them. In the life of a leading minister among what is generally deemed the most truly spiritual and deeplytaught portion of the Nonconformist body-we refer to the late Mr. PHILPOT and the Particular Baptists-he continually laments the coldness and disaffection of the people. Party spirit, a strong political bias, an almost universal outcry against the Church, saps the vitality and spirituality of those from whom better things might be expected. The consequence is, to say the least, the all-but entire absence of that unction, mellowness, power, which once characterized the Spirit-taught family, the intercourse and communings among whom bring to mind the testimony of the prophet Malachi, "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name" (Mal. iii. 16, 17). Where, as a rule, is this fellowship to be met with now? Where that blessed cementing bond of which the disciples spake, when they said, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures ?" Where are the people to be found who are bearing their minister continuously before the throne; and, as one blessed fruit and effect of their pleading, receiving, in return, teaching and edification, comfort and establishment, through the medium of the preached word? Alas! alas! these for most part are things of the past. And now, in place of sympathy with the minister, there is censure. In lieu of holding up his hands, there is hindering him in his work, by cavilling and tittle-tattle and reproach. In spite of their judgment condemning them for expecting perfection in the flesh, and the knowledge that it is among the richest mercies for the people of God, that the Lord hath been pleased to choose from and send among them men of like passions with themselves, they speak and they act as though such messengers ought to be (if not angels) at least sinless beings. Upon these principles, we ask, How could such ministers practically sympathize with the sinful and the frail, the feelingly lost, the helpless, and undone?

But, apart from all these facts-and painful facts they are-there is an aspect of the case which we must not-dare not-overlook; it is the view we sought to embrace in the opening remarks in this Preface, namely, that come whatsoever will, and happen whatsoever may, naught can by any possibility whatever occur that shall in the leastwise imperil or interfere with or injure the standing and the security and the blessedness of the redeemed in their ever-adorable, exalted, and victorious Head! Here is her comfort. Here her stronghold. Contemplating this, she may rise above all her fears. and misgivings sadness, and depression. The "Say ye to the righteous, It shall go well with him," stands unalterably and indelibly fixed-yea, as secure and as immoveable as Jehovah can render it.

THE EDITOR.