equivocal, that it seems impossible for a mind, unprejudiced, to read, and mistake their meaning; and the more especially as they are not figurative, but literal. He tells us, "whosoever denieth the SON, hath not THE FATHER" (evidently meaning, that he hath not God with him, but is left to the love of the world," and the strong delusion of his all-destructive lusts); but that "he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the FATHER also;" hath "the love of God," and the merciful protection of both the Father and Son. Again, "Hereby ye know the spirit of God; 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; and this is that spirit of "Antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should "come." Again, "For many deceivers are enter"ed into the world, who confess not that Jesus "Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver "and an Antichrist." And again, "Who is a liar," meaning the greatest of all liars, " but he "that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is An"tichrist that denieth the FATHER and THE SON." Now, where is the difficulty of understanding this plain description of "Antichrist ?" The obvious sense of it is, that he should be a power that should" deny both the FATHER and the Son;" the Father as the true and only God, the creator of heaven and earth; and Jesus the Christ, as come in the flesh to reveal the divine will, and to atone for the sins of mankind; or, in other words, that he should deny not only the existence and the peculiar doctrines of CHRIST, but even that fundamental principle," THAT THERE IS GOD." But in what age of it, should we search the annals of the world, shall we find a Power so monstrous and consummately wicked? Not among the Powers professing paganism; for they, in the midst of their polytheism, have ever believed in one supreme, invisible Spirit, the creator of all things and had some notions of a future state of rewards and punishments; nor among the apostale Powers, for the Mohamedan Powers have ever professed faith in God, as the creator of the universe, and the dispenser of rewards and punishments in a future life; and the Pope has ever believed that "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; that "Jesus is the Christ," or Saviour of the world, and confessed both "the Father and the Son;" nor in the Christian world, for that has also confessed all the divine truths revealed by Christ respecting the Father and himself. These are all the Powers of which history gives any account, as having come, from the time of the flood down to the present day. We must then look for "Antichrist" in the present times, and if we do not find him here, confess that he is not come. But can it be possible for any serious mind to take a view of the immoral and impious principles and the hostile conduct of the revolutionary republic of France, against all that has had the least appearance of Christianity, and not to see "Antichrist" here described, standing in the most. glaring light before him? It seems impossible; for she has avowedly, and in the most public and authoritative manner, in her legislative capacity, declared, that Jesus Christ was an impostor! that the fallible and corrupt reason of fallen man is the only true and supreme God; and in direct hostility to all the truths of the revealed word of God, through Christ, she has established a system of impiety, blasphemy, and atheism in their stead. In short, whether we consider the political principles of her constitution, or her doctrine and instruction, we find them directly denying the creation of the world. by the true God, and of the redemption of it by his blessed Son; or of Jesus being " the Christ come in the flesh;" and in short, both "the FATHER and the Son." Thus, this great event, foretold by Daniel, more than twenty-three centuries ago, and by St. Paul and St. John not less than seventeen hundred years, with all the particular circumstances which have attended it; an event, exclusively of all other events that have happened in the world, so extraordinary and so improbable and unexpected, that no person would have thought it within the confines of possibility, had it been announced at the very eve of the time before it took place, has been accurately and completely fulfilled. Is not this a clear and full demonstration of the miraculous truth of prophecy? of the existence of its Divine Author, and his Holy word revealed through his immaculate Son? A DE |