That the Arch-fiend should be terribly successful in this his last attempt, after all his gathered experience, is not a whit more marvellous than that he should have been successful in Paradise, nay in Heaven itself!

The Old Testament Prophets tell us that, on this renovated earth during the Seventh Day, Israel shall bear rule; that Jerusalem shall be the Political and Religious Metropolis of the world; that, as "of Zion it can be reported that He was born there," "the Most High shall stablish her;" and that all earthly dignity and majesty shall cluster round that centre of life and health and blessing to the whole earth. But S. John tells us something more. He lifts up the earthly veil, and gives us a glimpse of the mystic realities which are taking place in the Holy of Holies beyond.

They

Though Israel, then, is to be the head of the nations, yet the Apostle reveals to us that the real dominion of the earth shall belong to the Incarnate Redeemer, and the transfigured Priest Kings who share in the First Resurrection. The exaltation of Israel is a real, visible exaltation; but belongs merely to the earthly sphere. It is but a faint terrestrial type, expression and shadow of the glory of those exalted ones who "live and reign with CHRIST." They share His throne; "where He is, there are they also," transformed after His Image, glorified with His glory. Satan is no longer "Prince of the World." He is fast bound in Tartarus. are "Princes of the World;" fellow-Monarchs, fellow-Mediators, fellow-Intercessors with their Divine LORD and Head. This once abode of their trial and probation is now the loved object and sphere of their holy interests. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." They are privileged to participate in this highest blessing. It is their happy lot to be the constant media of graces and benedictions to the nations upon earth. The Kingdom on earth seen by the ancient Prophets, is thus intimately connected with, dependent on, expressive of, the Kingdom in Heaven as seen by S. John. The visible heads of humanity are the "twelve tribes of Israel." But the celestial guardians, protectors, rulers of those tribes, are the Blessed Twelve in the Church above. "There shall be a blessed chain of giving and receiving-GOD; CHRIST; the transfigured Bride the Church; Israel; the world of nations."(Auberlen.)

But we must yet add a word with respect to the great objection entertained by our author, and so many other devout writers, to these Revelations of S. John, interpreted according to their obvious apparent meaning. This interpretation, it is urged, involves the opinion that the Resurrection of the "Saints" shall not synchronize with the general Resurrection. Unquestionably it does. And that these two stages in the great work of Resurrection shall not occur simultaneously, is plain, no less from the teaching of

Holy Scripture, than from the corroborative belief of the early Church.

But this notion, it is urged, is explicitly condemned by the Creeds. Our author lays great stress upon this point. "At Whose coming" (so, he reminds us, we profess to hold) "all men shall rise again with their bodies." Whereas, according to the theory in question, "all men" shall not then "rise with their bodies;" only a limited number of men.

Now, as for this theory in any way controverting the Catholic Faith, be it premised, that the fact of its very general acceptance in the early Church at once proves the contrary. When S. Justin Martyr tells us, that the general system of interpretation now repudiated as "Millennarian" by Catholics, was adopted not only by himself, but "by all Christians who were really orthodox" (Dial. c. Tryph., § 80); when S. Jerome witnesses to its being maintained by a "very great multitude," and Eusebius, by "far the greatest number of Church writers;" it is idle to suppose that there is anything intrinsically heretical about it. It was only the gross abuse of these doctrines, in course of years, by carnal-minded speculators, which induced S. Augustine (who at first unhesitatingly advocated them) to cast about for some other system of interpretation of Rev. xx., which should save it from the low mundane and thoroughly sensual conceptions (connected with the idea of the earthly reign of the saints) wherewith the whole passage had become inextricably associated. So he removes these predictions, respecting the binding of Satan, the thousand years, the First Resurrection, the reign of the Saints, entirely from the region of unfulfilled prophecy: he treats them as having, all of them, their sphere in present or past times; as all requiring a figurative and spiritual mode of interpretation, and as merely symbolical representations and expressions of mysteries already realized, or now in course of being realized in the unseen world.

It is this novel scheme of interpretation, which the weight of S. Augustine's great name caused to be so generally received for a length of time in the Church, which finds an able and intelligent advocate in the author of the present Lectures. We do not for a moment question that the successive parts of the vision of Rev. xx., taken separately, are susceptible of the spiritual interpretation affixed to them by S. Augustine in the "De Civitate Dei;" but we say that the exposition, as a whole, is palpably insufficient; and absolutely fails to satisfy the exigencies of the passage, regarded as a continuous vision.

1 That this system of interpretation is deemed not other than orthodox in the modern Church of Rome, is manifest by the recent work of Father Pagani, a devout and able theologian who occupies a post of distinction and responsibility as the Superior of the Order of Charity in this country. In his work entitled "The End of the World," he warmly advocates "millennarian doctrines," and insists strongly on their Catholicity.

With regard however to the assertion, that the theory maintained in the present paper is contradicted by the Creed, it is hardly necessary to show how visionary the objection is. What says the Creed? "At whose coming all men shall rise with their bodies," &c. That is to say, the Creed tells us thus much that all men shall hereafter rise; that they shall rise in their bodies; and that this Resurrection shall not take place till our Blessed LORD, Who is now seated on His FATHER's throne, shall come to assume His own throne and enter upon the solemn work of judgment. Whether all the dead shall rise simultaneously, or in certain foreordained orders and detachments, the Creed says not. It merely insists on this cardinal verity, that with our LORD'S Second Coming, the "Resurrection of the dead" shall commence -that this shall be a bodily Resurrection, and shall include all. Here we are met by S. Paul's statement, which distinctly affirms that the universal Resurrection shall not be a simultaneous work. It has three great stages. Every man in his own order; CHRIST the first fruits; afterwards they that are CHRIST's, at His Coming: afterwards cometh the end." The Resurrection from the dead comes first: the Resurrection of the dead comes afterwards. may perhaps be pardoned for quoting here a short extract from a previous paper in which we were led to refer to this interesting subject:

We

"The earlier Prophets, looking through the vista of futurity, seem to view all three stages [i.e. of Resurrection, as referred to by S. Paul] as simultaneous. We find the Resurrection of CHRIST spoken of as contemporaneous with that of His members (Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead BODY shall they arise)'; even as, by the same prophetic perspective, the two Advents of CHRIST seem constantly combined into one. It is only by little and little that the several stages of events begin to unfold themselves, and the intervals which separate them to become apparent.

"Now CHRIST is the First-begotten from out of death;' from the dead,' ek veкρŵv. But His Bride is called the Church of the first-begotten ones.' Of her, therefore, is this same resurrection from the dead, or favάoraois predicated. For 'if the SPIRIT of Him that raised up ἐξανάστασις JESUS from out of the dead, dwell in her, He that raised up CHRIST from the dead will likewise raise her up.' In fact, the very word, 'EKKAnoia, of itself, seems to point to the same conclusion. The Church is called out of the living (to a higher life)—she shall be called out of the dead. The Election of GOD impressed upon her, shall follow her into the grave, and raise her from amongst the sleeping ones, not only that she may be for ever 'blessed,' but to a higher glory; that she may be (with her Loving LORD) the source and channel of Blessing' for

ever."'1

1 Vid. Ecclesiastic. Vol. xvii. (Aug. 1855), pp. 379-380.

A few words more we subjoin, from the same Paper, in further illustration of the subject. "The Seventh Day, the Day of Rest, the Day of Judgment, the Day of

We conceive, then, that there is abundant warrant for disconnecting the ἐξανάστασις ἐκ νεκρῶν from the ἀνάστασις νεκρῶν ; the "First Resurrection," from the Resurrection of "the rest of the dead;" and that a system of interpretation, which confounds the two together, contradicts the plain teaching of the Prophetic Word. And as with the Resurrection, so does it appear that the renovation and transfiguration of the earth shall be in like manner, progressive. This seems abundantly evidenced by a comparison between the Old and New Testament Prophets. Isaiah, S. Peter, and S. John all speak of great physical changes accompanying the renewal of the Heavens and the earth. Doubtless the language which describes these changes is profoundly symbolical, and is employed by the Prophets as the outward clothing and expression of mighty corresponding revolutions in the spiritual universe: as S. Peter's application of the Prophecy of Joel, on the day of Pentecost, plainly shows. Still, there can be no doubt that the language includes also literal, physical changes on the earth's surface; as S. Peter's reference to the Deluge seems meant to teach; and that, as the revolutions in the spiritual world advance, and grow in extent and intensity, there will be a corresponding progress and gradation in the physical revolutions whereby the former are at once illustrated and accompanied. When we bear in mind the well-nigh universal conclusion of devout and competent inquirers, as to the physically local and circumscribed extent of the Deluge of Noah, we have many possible limitations suggested, which may help us to reconcile and explain the several references to the establishment of the New Heavens and New Earth, and the destruction of the Old Heavens and Old Earth, as contained in the writings of Isaiah, S. Peter, and S. John.

The subject is an attractive one; but we must desist. We have only to conclude, by expressing our cordial thanks to Mr. Galton for his valuable and seasonable contribution to the popular and devotional study of the Apocalypse. On certain points, of a more or less speculative nature, we differ from his conclusions. Possibly he may find cause to reconsider some of his opinions. Possibly we may. At all events, we rejoice to find a book on this most mysterious portion of God's written Word, containing so much which we cordially sympathize with and approve.

;

Resurrection, opens with the Rapture and revival out of death, of the living members of the Resurrection and the Life,' who, having already passed from death unto Life,'' shall not enter into judgment,' nor be condemned with the world yea, who shall be assessors with CHRIST on the Judgment-Seat, and 'judge angels.' It closes with the Resurrection of the dead, and the judgment according to their works,' of all the nations (1 Cor. vi. 2, 3; S. Matt. xxv. 31, 32; Rev. xx. 12, 13); multitudes of whom shall receive a merciful sentence of acquittal; and shall be rewarded with a joyful entrance into the Kingdom of everlasting Peace, as happy subjects of the King and glorified Bride, as members of those saved nations' who shall 'walk in the light of the Golden City.''

THE BISHOP OF BRECHIN: HIS ACCUSERS AND HIS JUDGES.

1. Pleadings in the case Henderson and others v. the Bishop of Brechin before the Episcopal Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church. By WILLIAM HENDERSON, M.A., Incumbent of S. Mary's, Arbroath. Edinburgh: Grant. 1860.

2. Reply to the Pleadings, &c. London: Masters. Edinburgh: Lendrum. 1860.

Ar this advanced stage of the Bishop of Brechin's trial, it may be desirable to make some remarks on the present position of the parties.

We do not need to say much about the Right Reverend Prelates who occupy the judgment-seat. Churchmen know that five of them signed, and the sixth, not being then a Bishop, applauded, the Pastoral of May 27, 1858; that of the five, two (Bishops Terrot and Ewing) had in the previous December signed a "Declaration" prima facie inconsistent with the Pastoral; that one of those two (Bishop Ewing) had in the summer of 1857 expressed in Synod his adhesion to Mr. Freeman's book, which proclaims the theory of a virtual presence to be a simple invention of Calvin's; that another of the five (Bishop Suther) had, in Advent, 1857, sanctioned a Hymnal which called the Eucharistic Sacrifice "one with" CHRIST's "heavenly offering" of Himself; that another (Bishop Wordsworth, the reputed author of the Pastoral) had before the controversy given express sanction to the high Eucharistic teaching of Mr. Comper. They know, also, that in the Pastoral of 1858 the Bishop of Brechin was expressly, by name, censured without having been tried, by prelates who thereby committed themselves to a hostile view of his statements. An admirable article in the Christian Remembrancer, of July, 1858, contained remarks on the position thus assumed by the six Bishops, which ought to be present to the minds of Churchmen in March, 1860.

"The moral indignation of every Englishman, so far as it had any weight in Scotland, would surely deter such persons (i. e. any three presenters who might come forward after the Pastoral) from inviting the Bishops to ascend the judgment-seat, when they had already prejudged and censured the accused. Nor can we imagine that their lordships would hail with greater gratification than ourselves the prospect of a position the most anomalous, perhaps, that ecclesiastical history could furnish."-Chr. Rem. xxxvi. 256.

1 Ecclesiastic, vol. xxi. p. 427.