that sectarian women will fall away to anti-Christ. I do not mean nominal, but sentimental sectarians, even such as glory over others, saying our denomination is the best of all. We are commanded to

love our neighbour as ourselves.

Timidity (i. e. a sensitive selfish fear of exposing any unfashionable sentiment bound upon the conscience) in religion is extremely dangerous at the present crisis. It may counterfeit modesty, humility, meekness, charity; it is a serpent in the way. Some persons will shoulder the cross, and run behind the door, if non-cross bearers appear in sightThey are likely to apostatize-If our sentiments are agreeable to the whole tenor of the Word of God, we have no need to be ashamed to confess them. If the reverse, we ought to renounce them at once. Truly "the fear of man bringeth a snare;" and female vanity, which, alas! is often inspired by the flattery of man, enlarges the difficulty. Sometimes, however, there is a fear of being singular, which has little to do with vanity; and this may lead us to practice deceits, without design to please the world, but dread of passing for crazy, &c. I have known many pious women who have indulged in the artifice of wearing false hair, because it is customary to conceal the blossoms of age; and in other respects avoid simplicity in dress to escape the sarcastic remarks of their neighbours. It is no harm to be singular, but it is very wicked to slight our conscience, and the Word of God. It is not pleasant to be singular-nor very convenient; but I trow, that in these evil days, a person must be odd whose belief and conduct bespeak her a contender for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. According to the talents committed to our trust, (for handmaids have the promise as well as the servants,) we must be faithful, or else we shall be cast into outer darkness

in the great reckoning day: "there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Prayer-secret prayer, is the best of all helps to the soul of man or woman. If we neglect closet DEVOTION We shall surely fall away. No matter how many forms and duties of a religious nature we may attend to, even with constancy and zeal, the soul can gain no victory, if secret prayer is neglected.

"Enter into thy closet, (said the Blessed One,) and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy father which seeth in secret; and thy father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." No human being must participate: not even a saint like partner, a believing child, or dearest christian friend. We must seek to be alone with JESUS, and to Him unfold all the secrets of our blood bought souls. There is, I am sure, no nursery of faith like secret prayer. We must use forms of prayer too; for JESUS commanded his disciples, "When ye pray, say Our Father," &c.-We may pray without forms also; and it is necessary; but never omit "Our Father," &c.It is a most blessed privilege indeed, for such poor, weak, miserable creatures as we are, to be allowed and to be called to use the very words which came from the lips of Him who is holy and true; who hath the key of David, to open, and no man can shut, to shut, and no man can open.

Finally, it is eminently necessary that we watch. "Watch," said JESUS, "for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Matth. 24. 42. see also 25. c. & 13. v.—But anti Christ comes first. If we fall away to him, we are sure to perish. If we resist him, he will cause us to be put to death. Then let

"If

us die-but not deny-Die, I say, for Christ. we suffer we shall reign with Him: if we deny Him

in our probation, He will deny us in the Day of His Glory.

Concerning the persecution by anti Christ against those who refuse him, nothing can be plainer than its universality. It seems that "All who dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world. See Rev. 13. 8. the fifteenth verse announces that "as many as would not worship his image should be killed." All his worshippers receive "a mark in their right hands, or in their foreheads, both small and greatrich and poor-free and bond-alas-"small-Oh! how dreadful the thought, that little children, and even infants shall be devoted to Lucifer in his literal embassy to exalt himself above the stars of God to be like the Most High." Woe to that man or that woman who shall suffer their offspring to be marked for anti Christ, just to save their own useless lives. I have no doubt but the Lord will send his angels to guard the infants of Israel, as He did in Egypt in the days of old-perhaps the Book of life contains all of them. It seems there is a period in the reign of anti Christ, that is marked by most awful cruelty, after he comes in as it were peaceably, and obtains the kingdom by flatteries. I am satisfied that the Jewish nation will be deceived by him at first, and that they will make a league with him. In this contract, doubtless the holy people, (for such are the Jews by election,) will make a reserve, that they will worship only the true GOD, and to Him offer sacrifice. The vile person pretends assent; but after the league works deceitfully; and infidel Jews he corrupts by flatteries; but there is to be "a remnant" that know God, they shall be strong, and do exploits. Yet even these are to fall in part, to try them; for the rage of anti Christ, being so

mightily increased by opposition, and his power in-
creasing with his indignation against the holy cove-
nant, that he will defy the Jews, and their God, by
proclaiming himself above all; then the astonished
remnant appear to falter-indeed no marvel; for
GOD cannot defend their faith in Him, because it is
out of Christ. This faltering of the remnant, there-
fore, is not bad for them at last. It is not to anti-
Messiah they fall-it is evidently into despair-they
shall be holpen with a little help-just two poor
sackcloth witnesses pour in their frighted ears, the
testimony of truth-that JESUS will come from
heaven to deliver them, when they cry to God for
His Salvation; and that their case is not more des-
perate now than formerly, when the Red Sea before,
the Egyptian armies behind, and mountains on each
side, seemed to make ruin inevitable to them all.
Thus being holpen with a little help, (little indeed!)
the faithful remnant stand to their covenant.
what rage possesses anti-Christ-and yet he cannot
satisfy his malice. His time is only equal to the
time allotted for the testimony of the witnesses,
(with the exception of three days and a half, while
those witnesses lie dead-not buried-) of course his
reign as Messiah ends with the testimony of the wit-
nesses, winding up in full chorus, with the beast just
before them,

"Glory be to the Father,
Glory be to the Son,
And to the Holy Ghost,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
In a world without end.

Amen."*

O!

* I desire it to be known, that the Liturgy of the Church of England, in Hebrew, is now at Jerusalem. Mr. Nicolayson went out with Gown and Bands in 1837. He is a devoted Protestant missionary.

Then the Beast kills them.—And I believe he occupies the temple of GoD, (the Protestant Church on Mount Zion, or else the Mosque of Omar, on Mount Moriah) during the three days and a half that the witnesses lie dead. Paul says that the son of perdition (in Daniel vile person-Apocalypse the Wild Beast from the bottomless pit,) 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. (Compare with Apocalypse, 13. 6.)

A very mirthful place, it seems, is the great city, which becomes like Egypt for defiance of the Lord, and like Sodom for sensual debauchery, where also our Lord was crucified,) while the witnesses lie dead-but their rising up, and standing upon their feet, raises a great fear in those that behold them. They are called by a "great voice" to "come up," &c. they go up to heaven in a cloud. In that same hour (short time) there is a great earthquake; a great many men are slain-the remnant, (now thoroughly convicted) give glory to the GoD of heaven. what is the meaning of giving glory to the God of heaven? I believe it is confessing Christ; for the seventh trumpet sounds and great voices in heaven issue that glorious proclamation,

"The kingdoms of this world

Are become the kingdoms of our Lord
And of his Christ,

And He" (Christ the Lord) "shall reign
Forever and ever."

Compare Rev. 11. 15. with Isaiah 9. 6, 7.

And

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in heaven the Ark of the Testament, (see Matt. 24. 30; and No. 2. M. T. page 62 -also Rev. 1. 7.) and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and