THE ANTICHRIST.

ARCHBISHOP Usher, after treating of those enemies who outwardly oppose the Church of Christ, thus proceeds to deal with a more dangerous class of foes. We consider, in these days of conflicting interpretations, the well-digested opinions of this most wise and godly prelate are invaluable: and we commend to the serious consideration of our readers, his unanswerable arguments in applying as he does the title and character of Antichrist.

"What enemies are they that make show of friendship?

"Such are all those that, bearing the name of Christians, do obstinately deny the faith whereby we are joined unto Christ, which are called heretics: or that break the bond of charity, whereby we are tied in communion one to another, which are termed schismatics; or else add tyranny to schism and heresy as that great Antichrist, head of the general apostasy, which the scriptures forewarned by name.

"Where are we forewarned of the apostasy? "Where the Apostle foretelleth that there shall be a general apostasy, or falling away from the truth of the gospel, before the latter day.

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Is it meant that the whole church shall fall away from Christ?

"No: it were impossible that a perfect head should be without a body.

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Why is it then called general?

"Because the gospel having been universally preached throughout the world; from it, both whole nations did fall, and the most part also even of those nations that kept the profession of it, howbeit, still there remained a church, though there were no settled estate thereof.

"Is it likely the Lord would bar so many nations that lived under Antichrist, and that so long, from the means of salvation?

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Why not, and that most justly; for if the whole world of the Gentiles were rejected, when the church was only in Jewry for some fifteen hundred years; and seeing of the Jews ten tribes were rejected, and the remainder, but a few, were of the church: with great reason might the Lord reject those nations and people for so many ages, seeing they rejected God's grace in falling away from the gospel, which the Lord most graciously revealed unto them, rather than to their fathers before them.

"Is this apostasy necessarily laid upon the See of Rome?

"Yes, verily, as by the description may evidently appear.

"What are the parts of this apostasy?

"The head and the body: for as Christ is the head of the church, which is his body; so Antichrist is the head of the Romish Church, which is his body.

"Who is that Antichrist?

"He is one who, under the colour of being for Christ, and under title of his vicegerent, exalteth himself above and against Christ, opposing himself against all his offices and ordinances both in church

and commonwealth, bearing authority in the Church of God, ruling over that city with seven hills, which did bear rule over nations, and put our Lord to death; a man of sin, a harlot, a mother of spiritual fornications to the kings and people of the nations, a child of perdition, a destroyer, establishing himself by lying miracles and false wonders: all of which marks together, do agree with none but the Pope of Rome.

"How doth the Apostle, 2 Thess. ii. 3, describe this Antichristian head unto us?

"First, he describes what he is towards others, and then what he is in himself.

"What is he towards others?

"That is declared by two special titles ;—the Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition: declaring hereby not so much his own sin and perdition, which is exceeding great, as of those that receive his mark, whom he causeth to sin, and, consequently, to fall into perdition as Jeroboam, who is often branded with the mark of causing Israel to sin; and he is so much more detestable than he, by how much both his idolatry is more, and hath drawn more kingdoms after him than Jeroboam did tribes.

"In what respect is he called the Man of Sin?

"In that he causeth man to sin; and this the Pope doth in a high degree, justifying sin, not by oversight, but by laws advisedly made, not only commanding some sins, which we are by our corrupt nature prone unto, as spiritual fornication, but also (to the great profanation of the holy name and profession of Christ) permitting and teaching for lawful such as even our corrupt nature (not wholly subverted through erroneous custom of sin) abhorreth: as in

cestuous marriages, and breaking offaith and league, equivocating, and the like, which profane men (by the very light of nature) do detest.

"In what sense is he called the Child of Perdition? "Not as the unthrift mentioned in the gospel, neither as Judas, who is passively called the Son of Perdition; but actively, as it is otherwhere expounded, where he is called the destroyer, (Rev. ix. 11.) because he destroyeth many: and that the Pope is such an one, some of his own secretaries make it good, confessing that many who were well disposed persons before their entry into that See, became cursed and cruel beasts when once they were settled in the same, as if there were some pestilent poison in that seat, infecting those that sit therein."

(To be continued.)

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"THE "COMING" of the "LORD," the DAY "CHRIST,"-" the DAY when the Son of Man shall be revealed. The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven-thy Lord shall be King over all the earth-if we suffer with Him we shall also reign with Him— we shall reign on the earth." Whatever may be the true meaning of these and similar expressions, it is certain that by them all watchfulness, sobriety, diligence, and universal devotedness to God, are most urgently pressed upon the church in the Holy Scriptures.-McNeile.

Review of Books.

THE PAST DANGERS AND PRESENT POSITION OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND IRELAND. A CHARGE delivered to the Clergy of the Archdeaconry of Ely, at a Visitation, held in the Parish Church of St. Michael's, Cambridge, on Thursday, June 16, 1842. With an Appendix, By the Rev. J. H. Browne, M.A. Archdeacon of Ely, Rector of Cotgrave, and formerly Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. Published at the request of the Clergy.-Hatchards.

THIS Watchman's trumpet gives no uncertain sound. It is truly refreshing to read his noble charges; and to follow the demonstrations of his dissecting knife through their appendices. We longed for the appearance of the present Address; for such, and so rapid is the progress of error, such, and so high and so lamentable the instances of ecclesiastical compro