pleased the Almighty to reveal it to him, the revelation of which is given in the above passage. Job certainly seems to have recognised the doctrine of the resurrection and the advent of the Saviour, when in the last days He shall stand upon the earth. It is a glorious truth enunciated by the patriarch, and one not generally acknowledged even now, that Christ's watching Church will see Christ in the flesh, that He will come again to us in the flesh and we also in the flesh meet Him. He is to come to us as He ascended up into heaven (Acts i. 11). He will come as our Great High Priest, not in a spiritual and glorified body, but first in a body of sinless flesh, as Adam's was before he fell. We are to be gathered into His presence, in like bodies, free from sin; but not perfected with the perfection of immortality until we have from the presence and lips of Jesus been washed with the "washing of the Word." As the high priest washed his flesh in the holy place, so did Christ wash His flesh (the Church is His body, His flesh) before He ascended to His Father. And when the high priest of former days came out to bless the people, he again washed his flesh in the holy place; so likewise must our Lord and Great High Priest when He comes out to us, wash His flesh, that is, His Church. To this end, as the high priest when he came out of the most holy place laid aside his glorious apparel, so Christ will in like manner come to us in the flesh, perfect, without sin, so that after passing through a course of instruction from His presence and His lips, we shall be prepared to go with Him into the holiest of all and receive the gifts of immortality and glory.

May we not suppose that Job spake of this time, which is now so

near at hand, that it is at our very doors? and that the patriarch saw this, and that we are to believe this, is apparently sustained by the language of the apostle (1 John iv. 2, 3). In our version it reads,

Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God." Should it not rather be translated "is coming in the flesh ?" the word is "Eleluthota," a participle of "Erkomai." Now, out of thirtytwo Greek words used in the New Testament, where the word come is required, Erkomai is selected in the Greek text in loco; a word which is invariably used by the apostles when speaking of His future coming. "This same Jesus

so cometh in like manner as ye have seen Him go," is the same word, and here rendered shall so come, from Erkomai. "When the Son of Man shall come in His glory," Matt. xxv. 31, is from Erkomai; and in the sixth verse, "Behold the bridegroom cometh."

"Behold He cometh with clouds." "There shall come in the last days scoffers." "The Lord cometh with myriads of His saints." "Who is, and who was, and who is to come." All these, had the translators supposed that event to be in the past, would doubtless, to meet their own theological views, have been rendered is

come.

Now there are sects and parties in whom we recognise the spirit of Antichrist, who yet firmly believe that Christ has come in the flesh; but these do not, nor even does the bulk of Christendom believe that Christ is again coming in the flesh. Yet the words of the Apostle John written some sixty years after the ascension of Jesus, seem to demand this view; as also does the fulfil

ment of the law by the Great Apostle and High Priest of our profession, who Himself declared that not one jot nor tittle of the law should pass till all be fulfilled (Matt. v. 17-18); and that He Himself came to fulfil the law.

We can, therefore, scarcely fail to perceive that THE CHRIST, the perfect SECOND MAN ADAM, must come and meet His Church-His own body in the flesh.

Whether Job understood all this may be doubted, but that he, through the Spirit spoke of it, we believe.

May we further suggest that it is not at all probable that the Great Author of all inspiration would allow a book such as that of Job (the sayings of a man afterwards quoted as a man of faith), to yield such statements as those of the 14th chapter (which, at least, might be possibly misconstrued), to remain with other inspiration without some emphatic statements upon such important truths which should be consistent with other portions of the Word of God.

Such we deem the 19th chapter, verses 25 to 27, to be, more especially as throughout the twentythree chapters following the nineteenth in this book, nothing occurs which really contradict the thought that the patriarch Job did recognise the resurrection and a glorious fature, when in sinless and perfected flesh he should see God.

Yours faithfully,

E. H. TUCKETT.

"THE DISPENSATION OF THE MYSTERY."

DEAR SIR,-With rapt attention have I read and re-read this most splendid article-an article which I judge is adapted to every Christian ideal power, fraught, as I feel

it is, with Biblical truth, satisfying reason, and lucid demonstration.

Experience tells me that legitimate encouragement is excited by expressions of appreciation, and thus I beg your acceptance of my modicum of acknowledgment which I yield with heartfelt gratitude.

But I would yet say another word. In my perusal of the article under consideration, I was ever and anon forcibly reminded of two other of the RAINBOW articles, which I have largely used with good and "telling" effect. I refer to the "Ministry of Evil," by yourself, which appears in the January number for 1875, and to "The Agency of Sin," by General Goodwyn, in the August number for 1874. I refer to these with a twofold object:—

1. I am sure that both yourself and the General will be pleased to have some direct testimony of fresh usefulness, accruing, under Divine grace, by the instrumentalities of the said Articles.

2. May I hope to hear that the Article referred to in the current month's issue will be printed in a separate form? I shall rejoice to find that a demand for it, in hopeful prospective usefulness, will justify a reprint, feeling as I do feel, that it would form in effect an excellent illustrative appendage to "The Ministry of Evil," in its detached condition. For myself, I should be glad to be furnished with a hundred copies of each article, which I would stitch together for distribution-nor forgetting the admirable "Practical Suggestions" of Mr. C. Fooks, at page 547, just to hand. I am prepared to do all I can to set " thinking minds a thinking" on these abstruse, but vitally momentous and glorious topics.

Happily, experience impels me

to say that we are living in a growingly inquiring time. Men are not now satisfied (or rather put off, for

were they ever satisfied?) with an effusion of pedantic theory dogmatically enforced: they are apt with multiplied interrogativestheir "ifs and buts," their "whys and wherefores," and many other etceteras. Well, good: all honour to them in their anxious search for TRUTH!

Amongst the tales that I could tell, it might not be deemed as out of place if I introduce one little incident, and if in doing so I might appear somewhat egotistical, the anecdote itself will make ample apology. I ought to say, then, that in my efforts to arrest attention to the so-called "New Doctrines," it is my wont to "just crack the ice," and then give a warm invitation to "run in and have a little quiet talk with me on the matter." Now for the anecdote.

Some time back, after several of these "quiet talk" interviews with a most intelligent young friend of some twenty summers, I again met him by appointment. After a long discussion he became almost mute, but looked sedate and thoughtful: a few minutes elapsed, when, with surprising energy, he broke forth"I see it now! Yes, I see it! It must be so!" And he forthwith spoke with force and eloquence. The picture, in review, is still before me: his words seemed to emanate from the very core of his heart, and the citadel of his brains; while, if possible, the expression of his eyes urged with still greater force his assurance. So much for the anecdote. The young man has ever since been a warm supporter and a powerful advocate of the cause which he then espoused.

Of course, I need scarcely say that it was a POWER higher than mine that opened his eyes and established his convictions. To GOD

be all the praise! but it is pleasant and glorious to be His instrument. May GOD frequently grace His servants with the evidence that, “it must be so!"

Very truly yours, HENRY D. H. BURNELL. 52, Boxley Road, Maidstone, December 2nd, 1880.

TO PRETERISTS.

DEAR SIR,-The position I take as a Futurist has not been, so far as I am aware, assailed, and because I deem it impregnable, I shall be glad if some preterist will disclose to me, and those who think with me, its weak point, if it has one. I contend that the vision shown to John in Patmos, as recorded in Rev. iv. and has not yet been fulfilled, that the tenth verse of chapter v. shows it to be post-resurrection and pre-millennial; that the elders are seen sitting, clothed, and crowned; but have not yet begun their reign on the earth. Therefore the book is still "in the hands of Him that sitteth on the throne," not yet taken by the Lamb slain, and hence not one of its seals yet broken.

A preterist reply will oblige.
Yours faithfully,

NATHANIEL STARKEY.
Hackney, December, 1880.

State.

The

A BOOK of very pleasant reading has lately appeared, entitled Letters of Thomes Erskine of Linlathen, edited by Dr. William Hanna. Writing from Switzerland, in 1826, to his cousin Rachel Erskine, Mr. Erskine says: My friend Gaussen, at Geneva, holds that the spirit is in a state of total insensibility from the instant of death until the instant of the general resurrection. interval between death and jadgment is in this way absolutely annihilated for them. Their last thought in this world will be instantaneously followed by the sound of the last trumpet. Their eye has, just before death, rested on the face of a friend on earth. The eye is closed, and instantaneously opened to behold the Saviour descend from heaven with clouds and great glory. If this be the case (which however I cannot make up my mind to, entirely), when we look on the spectacle of death, it is striking to reflect

passing during a period which is to the dead absolutely nothing: and that the first thought which will stir the beings to whom these trappings once belonged, and still belong perhaps, is to be a thought excited by the sight of Christ coming in power."

For my own part, I never discovered this opinion in any of Louis Gaussen's writings; and it seems to be contradicted by him when, describing the placidity which marked his mother's death, in 1855, he uses the following language :"Nous n'avons pas même pu dire le moment précis oú son ame bienheureux s'envolait vers son Dieu." But the looseness of expression with which most of us are chargeable, in the adoption of the current religious phraseology in the matter of death, may perhaps explain the apparent inconsistency.

Respecting another point on which his Scottish friend Erskine was very positive, namely, the final

restoration of all men, there is no evidence in the volume before us that Gaussen thought with him. Nor, indeed, do Mr. Erskine's two biographers, Dr. Hanna and Principal Shairp. The latter adds: " In one thing, however, Mr. Erskine was altogether unlike most of those who hold the tenets of Universalism. No man I ever knew had a deeper feeling of the exceeding evil of sin, and of the divine necessity that sin must always be misery. His universalistic views did not in any way relax his profound sense of God's abhorrence of sin." This, we admit, will be readily subscribed by any one at all acquainted with the holy life of Thomas Erskine. It is a renewed illustration of the fact that the spiritual athlete is not always the spiritual logician. Or, if this should seem to derogate from the laurels which he won in his long controversy with Scottish Calvinism, we may still be permitted to say that sanctity such as his will ever be more attractive than the profoundest biblical scholarship.

J. WAYLEN.

The Reformed Episcopal Church.

An Antidote to the Revival of
Superstition. By ALFRED S.
RICHARDSON, D.D.

EVERY genuine Protestant, both within and without the Church of England, deplores the spread of Ritualism, which is nothing else than Romanism.

Dr. Richardson describes with clearness and force the danger to

our common Christianity of this growing superstition, and then gives an interesting account of the rise, progress, and principles of the Reformed Episcopal Church, of which he is a bishop. We do not prophesy, but we think it highly probable, that many devout Christians in the Church of England who like the episcopal form of Church government, but dislike Ritualism, will unite themselves with this Church. We must say, in all candour, that the "Declaration of Principles" gives us entire satisfaction, so far as it goes. This interesting tract may be had of the author, Malvern, Worcestershire.

The Prayer Meeting and its Improvement. By the Rev. LEWIS O. THOMPSON. From the fourth American edition. London: Hamilton, Adams, & Co.

MR. THOMPSON has paid close attention to this subject, and gives the result in twenty-six chapters. Many of his suggestions are practical, but we infer that our American brethren-in some places at least— conduct their prayer-meetings on a different plan from that which prevails in England. We confess that we are not in favour of minute rules on the matter of prayer. The action of the Spirit upon the heart is the best regulator in this holy matter of pouring out our hearts before God. The book, however, is good reading, and some may get hints from it both for thought and action.