vour how he may to conceal sin and self-indulgence beneath the garb of hypocrisy, rationalism, latitudinarianism, or any other semblance of nominal religion, yet in God's searching eye "there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor hid that shall not be known." Combining all these passages together, it is impossible to avoid acknowledging that the reference to the leopard symbolises some future manifestation of God's providence. See Can. iv, 8.

With regard to the ravening wolves we have a sure exigesis in Acts, xx, 29, 30, where Paul says, " I know that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." And again in Matthew, vii, 15, are we warned to "beware of false prophets, who come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves." See also chapter x, 16; Luke, x, 3; where Jesus says he sends forth his disciples as sheep in the midst of wolves; and in Zephaniah, iii, 3, where the wicked judges of Jerusalem are compared to ravening wolves, as also Ezekiel, xxii, 27, where her princes are contrasted with wolves ravening their prey, who shed blood, destroy souls, and get dishonest gains-all strong and corroborative characteristics of the man of sin, the beast of Revelations. See Genesis, xlix, 27; Jeremiah, v, 6; John, x, 12.

"He shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat." This closes the 8th verse, and responds to Matthew, xxiv, 28, "where the carcase is there shall the eagles be gathered together," referring to the slaughter of the great day of Armageddon, where the spirits of demons, Antichrist and his followers, go forth unto the kings of the whole world to gather them to the war of the great day of Almighty God (Revelations, xvi, 14), at which time goes forth the cry to the fowls that fly in mid heaven (as the eagle, Proverbs, XXX, 19) to gather themselves unto the banquet of God, that they may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains of thousands, and the flesh of strong men, and the flesh of horses and of those that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. Read carefully the three following verses. See also Deuteronomy, xxviii, 49; Job, ix, 26; xxxix, 27; Hosea, vi, 1; Obadiah, 4; Jeremiah, iv, 13; Lamentations, iv, 19.

66

They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand."

D

That Antichrist and his host come up against the Holy Land for violence has been already demonstrated, but violence is ever denounced of God. The government of this earth is in His hands, and He willeth not that any mortal should usurp that authority. Violence in the creature is an evidence of self will, and of rebellion against God, for hath he not said, "Vengeance belongeth unto me" (Deuteronomy, xxxii, 35; Psalm, xciv, 1; Hebrews, x, 30). Passage after passage declares that God will recompense judgment to the wicked, but that it lies not in man's province to take this prerogative unto himself; for He doeth marvellous things, His own right hand and His own holy arm hath gotten Him the victory (Psalm, xcviii, 1). God is a righteous God, that cannot bear iniquity, in whose sight the very angels are not pure; and all who have not in this day of grace received God and him crucified in their hearts, must be dealt with according to LAW, and not according to GRACE. Let us, therefore, remember with fear and trembling that God's righteousness is exhibited in the death of the wicked, equally as it is in the salvation of the righteous. He meets out wrath and mercy with unflinching justice. Now is the day of grace, NOW is the day of salvation; wait not for the morrow, for the Lord cometh with His saints to execute judgment, and to convict all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds, &c., &c. (Jude, 14, 15).

"Their faces shall sup up as the east wind." Meaning that as the east wind, ever a noxious one, saps up and parches every thing it breathes upon, so shall Antichrist and his host lick up all before them. And as Nebuchadnezzar his prototype came from Babylon in the east against the holy city (Jeremiah, xxi, 2-7), and smote it with bitter destruction, so will the antitype smite the Jewish remnant with the edge of the sword, he shall not spare them nor have pity, nor have mercy (Ezekiel, v, 11).

The east wind in Scripture almost invariably prefigures judgment, see Ezekiel, xvii, 10, where the prophet points out how the house of Israel, rebelling against God's decrees, asks, shall it prosper, shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? Again in chapter xix, 12, the east wind dried up her fruit; in chapter xxvii, 26, the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the sea; and in Hosea, xiii, 15, though he be fruitful-speaking of Antichrist who arises from one of the tribes of Israel, probably Dan

though he be fruitful among his brethen, an east wind. shall come, the wind of the Lord shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up; he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels."

It was an east wind that dried up Jonah's gourd. And it was an east wind (the Euroclydon) that caused the vessel on which Paul was a prisoner to be shipwrecked (Acts, xxvii, 14).

"And shall gather the captivity as the sand." Implying that those carried captive by this enemy of the Jewish race shall be as the sand by the sea shore innumerable (Jeremiah, xiii, 15-21, xx, 4); and numerous other passages). Let no one say these prophecies were fulfilled when the Jews were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, they had then a partial accomplishment, but he who studies the scriptures, and examines the context, and carefully balances the several prophecies, will see that the Babylonish captivity was merely a foreshadowing of far greater and heavier calamities yet to be inflicted on the Jewish race.

I abstain proceeding further; a running commentary on the whole book would be both interesting and instructive. I am aware that the views here promulgated are not those generally entertained, had they been I should not have thought fit to venture any observations on the subject, but believing in my own mind, that the doctrine here adumbrated is in accordance with the whole scope of Scripture and with God's revealed purpose, I feel constrained to impress upon others the solemn necessity of searching for themselves the Scriptures, to see whether or not the coming of the Lord at his second advent is not to consume with the breath of his month that lawless one, the incarnation of all evil from the days of Adam to the beast of the Revelations; and having cast him and Satan into the bottomless pit to bring in righteousness, and reign with his saints, the Jewish bride and all Gentiles redeemed by grace then on the earth for a thousand years.

I am only speaking here of the earthly Jerusalem, for there are two cities, the heavenly and the earthly, in the former dwell those mentioned in 1st Thessalonians, iv, 13—17, who have been translated prior to the appearing of the man of sin, and who abide in the New Jerusalem described in

chapter xxi of Revelations, which hangs suspended in mid-air throughout the whole of the millennial period; but as this subject with God's blessing will be considered in full in some future article, I will not dwell on it now.

MATTHEW, XXVII, 28.

"And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe."

It is here said that the Lord Jesus was clad in mockery with a "scarlet robe." The Greek words are "Klamuda Kokkineen." The Septuagint read "porphuron." In the Gospels of Mark and John the robe is stated to have been of "purple," and in Luke it is designated as a 66 gorgeous robe;" these trifling discrepancies, which are not real but only apparent, are magnified by sceptics into an importance reflecting on the veracity of Holy Writ; but the fact is that, in former days, little if any difference existed in popular estimation between the shades of scarlet and purple. The distinction that now exists was not recognised of old, for the royal purple of the ancients was what we should now designate under the colour of scarlet or crimson. It should also be born in mind that purple is an artificial colour, formed by the blending together of blue and scarlet.

These remarks, which are of no importance, are simply offered to point out that there exists no real discrepancy in the various reading of the Evangelists on this score. But the fact of all the four making mention of the "Robe," with which the martyred Jesus was derisively clad, shews that great importance was attached to the circumstance; and, doubtless, it was one among many others intended to exhibit our Saviour as a king. He was indued here on earth by Gentiles with the mock trappings of royalty; his sacred head was crowned with a crown of thorns; a reed was placed in his hand, in lieu of a sceptre. A scarlet mantle, with insulting scorn, was thrown around him. Gentile knees were bent in taunting ridicule to do him homage. And on the cross which witnessed His dying agony were inscribed the words of deep and solemn import: "King of the Jews." Little did His persecutors conceive

that all this intended mockery was but the forerunner of a vivid reality. For Jesus will return to take vengeance on those that would not have Him to reign over them, and will then prove that these derisive insignias of royalty were but emblems of the real position He inherited by redeeming through His blood a world created in loveliness, but cursed on account of sin.

Referring to the word scarlet, which led to these remarks, it is worthy of note that, in all ages, this colour has been associated with high power, dignity, and rank; and we shall see this remarkably exemplified in Scripture. Let us briefly refer to a few instances. When Tamar bore twins, the midwife bound round the arm that first appeared a scarlet thread, in recognition of the birthright, which, in patriarchal days, as indeed in all countries, conveys with it immense privileges (Genises, xxxviii, 28). A scarlet thread was employed by Rahab to save her house and life from the Israelitish army (Joshua ii, 18: vi, 25). Scarlet is also

66

Scarlet, in the Hebrew tongue, is designated by the words Tohlahgh" and "Shahmee." A composition of these terms is employed to describe the scarlet used in the veil of the tabernacle constructed under God's direction in the wilderness (Exodus xxvi. 31.) The first word signifies "worm," the second, of doubtful interpretation, is supposed to mean "double-dyed " or "double garments." In Proverbs xxxi. 21, it is translated scarlet, but "double garments" would probably be more correct. The first word Johlahgh," is translated "worm" in the following passages-Job xxv. 6, Psalms xxii. 6, Isaiah xli. 14.

66

In Isaiah i. 18 both words occur separately: "Though your sins be as scarlet (shahmee), though they be red like crimson (Tohlahgh) &c." It is supposed that in this verse "shahmee" implies the depth of the dye, and "Tohlangh " its glaring color, or figuratively its enormity. But without insisting on the correctness of the interpretation, though I can find no reason to doubt it, we learn at all events this practical lesson-that though scarlet is recognised throughout Scripture as an emblem of state and grandeur, the material from which it is made is the produce of a worm, and covers but a worm; for Jesus, when arrayed in the mock solemnity of a scarlet robe, exclaims in that beautiful Messianic prayer (Psalm xxii. 6)—" But I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men, and despised of all people;" and Job, in the agony of his mental sufferings, exclaims"I have said to corruption, thou art my fellow; to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister;" yet, firm in faith, he adds that"though worms destroy the body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." and believers washed in the scarlet blood of Jesus feel and recognise also that the world is crucified to them and they unto the world. Worms may destroy the flesh, but the spirit will ascend to Him who gave it.