ered alone, teach the doctrine of fatality, and others, viewed in the same way, prove that of ultra free agency, in some degree, will not be denied. If there be any conflict here (but really there is none), it must be reconciled, or our faith falls to the ground. To do that, they must be compared and construed together. In doing so, if a hypothesis be discovered on which such apparent discrepancy is removed, that is to be accepted as the correct one, if found reasonable in itself.

We should always bear in mind this scripture: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."-Isa. 55: 8, 9.

So viewing the wisdom and power of God, as contrasted with our imperfections as to both, I must confess that I see no difficulty in understanding how it is, that God foreknew all things from the beginning, and yet that man is a free agent to a degree sufficient to render him justly accountable for his own conduct.

He

In the redemption of man, God works by means. may know what effect the means employed will have in each case, without exercising any extraordinary power to produce the result, foreknown, in either. If all He permits to be done is chargeable to Himself, as He has power to prevent it, He is responsible for all the sins committed both in heaven and on earth. But, on the contrary, if His rational creatures are allowed to exercise their own pleasure as to the discharge or omission of every duty arising in all the relations of their being, it is easy to understand how Satan may have sinned in heaven, and man on earth, and why God, foreknowing they would do so, did not prevent it, is not Himself responsible for it, and should hold each to a strict and just account for his own evil doings.

It is gratifying to witness the fact that, in the present age, ultraism on this, and other religious questions, is on the wane.

Few divines, who have any claim to learning, now hold the extreme views above mentioned, on either side. The

foreknowledge of God and the freedom of will, so far as to constitute man an accountable being, are both pretty generally acknowledged on all sides. The margin left for debate is narrowing down to insignificance, and the tone of disputants much less acrid than heretofore.

CHAPTER VII.

War in Heaven-Dr. A. Clark's Analysis of the Apocalypse— How the Emblems have been Construed-Satan-The BibleAnti-Christ-Rev. 12: 7 to 17, Quoted-Three Questions Asked and Considered-Identity of Michael and Christ-Of the Dragon with Satan-Dr. Gill and Mr. Henry as to MichaelAn Adventure Literal Construction Great Men Deceive Themselves—The Dragon and his Angels-Dark Questions put.

OUR fourth proposition is: "That the narrative found in the Apocalypse, although brief, figurative and mysterious, is, nevertheless, a faithful and true history of War in Heaven,' and of the expulsion of Satan and his deluded followers from the immediate presence of God and his holy angels."

Revelation has been considered in all Christian ages the most mysterious book contained in the Bible. Although it has been the subject of the most frequent comment of any portion of the Sacred Writings, no two of the vast number of those who have attempted to expound it, have yet agreed as to the interpretation of many of its hidden secrets.

Dr. Adam Clark, in his preface to the valuable notes he has made on it, says: "Among the interpreters of the Apocalypse, both in ancient and modern times, we find a vast diversity of opinions; but they may be reduced to four principal hypotheses or modes of interpretation:

"1. The Apocalypse contains a prophetical description of the destruction of Jerusalem, of the Jewish war, and the civil wars of the Romans.

"2. It contains predictions of the persecutions of the Christians under the heathen emperor's of Rome, and of the happy days of the church under Christian emperors. from Constantine downward.

"3. It contains prophecies concerning the tyrannical and oppressive conduct of the Roman pontiffs, the true AntiChrist, and foretells the final destruction of popery.

"4. It is a prophetic declaration of the cisms and heresies of Martin Luther, those called Reformers and their successors, and the final destruction of the Protestant religion.' From the above analysis of Dr. Clark it is observable that, notwithstanding the "vast diversity of opinions," which have, in every age, obtained as to the solution of some questions which have arisen between commentators of the same age, those of each period have uniformly so interpreted the Apocalyptic prophecies as to direct them against those who were, at the time, considered their most dangerous enemies.

Thus, in the age immediately succeeding that of St. John, the Christians generally, whether originally Jews or Gentiles, looked upon the infidel Jews as their common and most to be dreaded enemies; and they construed them as applying to the Jews and Jerusalem. The heathen emperors of Rome became the next persecutors of the Church, and they were accepted as the parties intended.

The Roman pontiffs next became the terror of dissenting Christians, and they found a ready solution of the whole mystery in applying it to them, and the Catholic Church generally. And, in turn, the Catholics appear quite as well satisfied that Luther and his Protestant followers are the great Anti-Christ predicted.

And so stands the controversy between these two great and opposing families of Christians at the present time.

In the preface referred to, Dr. Clark further says: "My readers will naturally expect that I should either give a decided preference to some one of the opinions stated above, or produce one of my own; I can do neither, nor can I pretend to explain the book; I do not understand it, and in the things that concern so sublime and awful a subject, I dare not, as my predecessors, indulge in conjectures," etc. He, therefore, contented himself with adding a few philological and critical notes, etc.

No further evidence is considered necessary to establish

the fact that this Book has not been fully understood, and that it is still open for investigation and explication.

Inasmuch as the writer, like most persons, is always fond of being able to show that he is in the way of high precedent, he will, in what he has to say of this sublime and mysterious Book, follow the example of all those referred to above. And as he thinks the devil, is the worst enemy we have to fear, he will construe that which he considers the most important revelation therein made, one only excepted, as referring to him. The most important fact from heaven revealed to men is the precious truth that Jesus Christ is still our friend, and has voluntarily undertaken the redemption of all who will repent of their sins, and accept salvation on the liberal terms proposed. Next in value stands that knowledge of ourselves, by which we may learn, and knowing, fairly appreciate the real magnitude and nature of our crimes and guilt, the awful danger to which we stand exposed, and the unsuspected worth of that salvation which has been so dearly bought, is now so freely proffered, and yet by many is so triflingly esteemed.

The first conception, in my mind, of that great and fearful truth (as is explained in the preface), was made while reading Rev. 12, all of which chapter refers, in one way or other, to the same subject, and which, beginning with verse 7, reads as follows, to-wit:

"7. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

"8. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

"9. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

"10. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our