The next evidence I take from St. Paul's first Epistle to the Thessalonians.

This epistle is also addressed by St. Paul to a particular church; and to understand it in all its parts we must bear this in mind, as well as all the other circumstances under which it was written. In the fourth chapter, St. Paul thus :—

writes

Ver. 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we, which are alive, and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them, which are asleep."

Ver. 16. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."

Ver. 17. "Then we, which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Ver. 18. "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

In the fifth chapter, in continuation of the same subject, it is further written,—

Ver. 9. For God hath not appointed us to

wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ver. 10. "Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." These several portions of Holy Scripture tell us of three great events to come: The "first resurrection," the general resurrection, on which day the dead in Christ shall rise first-their presentation on that day to Christ together with the "Saints."

Here again we see that St. Paul will be one of those, who, having slept, shall awake, and remain alive unto the coming of our Lord.

No other sound interpretation can be given to the above written words, " Whether we wake or sleep," than the one, which harmonizes with my belief in the "first resurrection."

The next evidence I take from the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians. In the first chapter the second advent of our Lord is shown, when the recompence of reward will come to all, who, troubled in the flesh, have looked in faith and hope for rest with "the saints" in that day. The second chapter is mysterious. The

two first verses (taken together) clearly show, that St. Paul's first Epistle had led the Church of the Thessalonians to believe, that the "day of Christ" was at hand—that is, they looked for this day, as if it would come during the lifetime of St. Paul. They did not know that he must first suffer martyrdom, and in due time after rise again with his natural body. He had before told them many things relating to the coming of our Lord, but they did not remember them, because they did not understand them.

Chap. ii. ver. 1. "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto Him."

Ver. 2. "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand."

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Ver. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition :"

Ver. 4. "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all, that is called God, or that is worshipped;

so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

Ver. 5. "Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you these things?"

Ver. 6. "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time."

Ver. 7. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he, who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

We believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. Here we are told that there is also the son of perdition, "that man of sin, who is to be revealed."

We believe that without doubt, "great is the mystery of godliness." We are here told that there is also the "mystery of iniquity."

The mystery of godliness is God, who hath been manifested in the flesh. The "mystery of iniquity" is the devil, who will be manifested in the flesh in his time.

When the " mystery of iniquity" shall have been taken out of the way, then, being the set time, shall come the day of the "first resurrection," and the kingdom of the "saints." This

reign ended, then, being also the set time, shall "that man of sin" be revealed-afterwards will come the falling away, which must come before the day of the final overthrow of "that man of sin," "whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." (2 Thess. ii. 8.)

I will here repeat the above written words of St. Paul," And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time.”

Before entering upon evidences taken from the book of Revelation, I would refer to the promise vouchsafed to the Church by the last words of our Lord recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew-" Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."

In his government of this world, God is pleased, in his infinite wisdom, to permit man to be his instrument in many ways.

The Church is his chosen instrument for good. The ungodly also are his instruments; they are a sword in the hand of God for many wise purposes, always used in judgment against themselves sooner or later, oftentimes in mercy towards us for our reproof and correction.