after them." Now whatever may be the precise form of the antichristian opposition; whether it appears in contempt and hatred of the followers of Jesus, or in subtle attempts to perplex and undermine their faith, the evil has but one origin, and one aim. Its manifestations are various, but their source is the same, and they all tend to one result; viz. to break asunder the bands, and to cast away the cords of Jehovah's eternal counsel. (Psalm i.) Enmity against the Lord and against his anointed, alike instigate hatred of the persons, and crafty opposition to the faith, of God's elect. At one time the life-blood of the body of the saints is required; at another time, the yet more cruel adversary thirsts for the life-blood of their immortal souls. And it would appear from the context, that our apostle adverts in the text before us, to such exhibitions of the spirit of Antichrist, as come under the latter description. This is evident from verse 26, where he adds, "these things I have written unto you, concerning them that seduce you." The Antichrists alluded to by John, are then no other than heretics, and impious teachers, who by their lying perversions of the Christian doctrine, endangered the pure faith of the disciples.

But we may properly enquire yet further into the meaning of that connexiop, which the apostle points out, as existing between, "the last time" and the "many Antichrists." Because of their appearance, he says, we may certainly infer that it is "the last time." But why so? Because the predictions in regard to their appearance have been fulfilled? Assuredly; but also for another cause. The deadly rage, the unrelenting enmity, the proud contempt, the cruel subtilty displayed by men and devils, mark clearly that they are conscious "it is the last time." (Rev. xii. 12.) The God of this world

is not ignorant of the fact that he is already judged and cast out, and that ere long he will be bruised beneath the feet of the saints. (John xvi. 11; and xii. 31. Rom. xvi. 20.) "The powers and principalities and rulers of the darkness of this world," are aware that they are spoiled, and that Jesus has openly triumphed in their shame. (Col. ii. 15.) And the children of the wicked one, instigated by their father the devil, are well enough disposed to attempt the extirpation of the favoured race, concerning whom the purposes of Jehovah, but faintly indicated before, are in these last days fully disclosed. (Gen. iii. 15; and xii. 2, 3, &c. compared with Luke xii. 32; xxii. 29; and Matt. xxv. 34, &c.) And can we be surprised that all hell from beneath should be moved to oppose this last, highest revelation of God's love to man? A revelation which involves in it the present discomfiture, and ultimate destruction of our great adversary? And can any thing be conceived more hopeless and galling to the malice of the wicked one, than those free terms of sovereign grace which God has prepared under the new dispensation of the gospel, for the acceptance of a people made willing in the day of his power? That a people shall be plucked as brands from the burning, by the strong arm of omnipotent grace, so that Satan shall in no wise be able to retain his captives, is a revelation of God's will, which makes hell tremble in its lowest depths. The gospel declaration, that this people shall be saved, not of works, but by grace, and through faith, shakes to its foundation, the throne of the tyrant of this earth. Had but a single good work of any description, been required of this people, as the condition of their safety, the arch-traitor would have held his peace. Had faith been enjoined in the first place as necessary to justifica

tion, and had good works been annexed as alike necessary to prove the validity of the former justification, so that the gift of eternal life should not be made over to the sinner upon his believing in Jesus, but held in reserve till he had proved the reality of his faith by his works; were such even the terms of the gospel grace, Satan would not stir up so many adversaries to oppose it. On the former supposition he would know, that man is incapable of rendering to God any one act of perfect obedience; on the latter he would know, that if the gift of eternal life were suspended upon the outward proofs of the reality of faith, that in that case, the hands and heart of the believer would be paralyzed, and that he would be without the strength which arises from joy in the Lord. But as matters now stand between God and the recipients of his grace, how hopeless is the contest which Satan wages with his former vassals! And it is this that provokes his deadliest rage. Shall he convict believers of sin? He may easily do this; but to what purpose? for we read, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." Shall he prove their destitution of righteousness? This too will be effected without difficulty; but to what end? for Christ says, "I bring near my righteousness." (Isaiah xxvi. 13.) Shall he attempt to pluck them back again by force from the hand of Jesus? He may do this also. He may, perhaps, stimulated by his impotent malice, make the attempt. But a vain attempt it must be, for Jesus has said, "I give unto my sheep eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." We may discern now, in part at least, the ground of that

peculiar anti-christian enmity, which is connected with the last time," for no fire bursts out on earth, which is not first kindled in hell. But the same doctrine of "the last time" which so eminently confirms and illustrates the ancient sentence pronounced upon the wily serpent," Upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life," is no less abhorred upon earth, than in hell itself. Strange to say, the doctrine of the free grace of God, in the recovery of Satan's captives by the victorious arm of Christ, is a truth which is most loathsome to unregenerate man. The devils who lose their prey through man's belief of the gospel, can scarcely hate its tidings more unfeignedly and heartily, than do those very beings themselves, whom it is destined to relieve, and to embrace with

everlasting mercy. And the consideration of this awful fact, may assist us to enlarge our conceptions of the depth of our fall in Adam. It appears incredible and monstrous that we should contemn the Saviour who died for us.

That we should scorn the proffered grace of God and make a mock of his love and his promises. But we do all this, till our hearts are subdued and enlightened by the Holy Ghost. More than this, not only will man refuse the grace of God himself; he will persecute all who accept of it. Hatred of the doctrine itself, is transferred to the persons of those who embrace it; and so, men in league with devils, put forth their strength against the counsel and church of the great God. There is no want of unity in this war; the antichrists are of different natures, the angelic and the human; but in their opposition to Jesus they are of one mind; no diversity of thought or purpose exists; all is hostility to Christ and his saints.

N

19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

It seems from John's declaration in this verse, that the Antichrists to whom he had just alluded, were professors of Christianity, for he says, "They went out from us." Whether nurtured in the faith of Christ from their infancy, or admitted into the visible church upon that confession of faith which adults were in those days wont to make previous to their baptism, we have no opportunity of deciding. One thing alone is clear; these persons were at one time Christians by name, and apparently of the body of the faithful. But they were not of us," adds our Apostle. They had only a

members of his body,

name to live; they were not living members of the true vine. Their specious appearance deceived us for a while, and we supposed them to be possessed of the same Lord, of the same faith, and of the same Baptism as ourselves. We perceive, however, that it was not so. The fact of their departure from the true faith, establishes another fact, and an important one it is; viz, that these antichrists were never at any time really inserted into Christ as of his flesh, and of his bones." "For if they had been of us," says John, "they would no doubt have continued with us." What then is the inference in regard to these persons? Their profession was indeed at one time fair, but they have ceased to witness a good confession; and not only so, they have now become the open enemies of Jesus. Can it be then, that they were ever truly of his household ? Impossible; for had they been so,