in his Province, to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost; when revivals are occurring in many parts of the world, especially in India; when millions of godly persons believe that a great world-wide crisis is at hand; when many concurrent signs, of the end of the dispensation, are rapidly multiplying on all sides; when the terrors of the coming Antichrist are being outlined in the distress that is beginning to pervade all nations; and yet, although this apostolic work of God, to which we have referred in this chapter, comes with a confirmation of these hopes and fears, and with a testimony to the preliminary outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in a practical, catholic, and scriptural manner, Christians will not examine this work; they pass by on the other side, and do not deem it worthy of the slightest investigation. Yet this work of God in His Church professes to be what they are looking for, a call to repentance and faith, and a work of the Spirit in manifested power, to prepare the whole Church for the return of the Lord, and for His coming Kingdom. Alas! how many earnest Christians neglect to inquire into this work of God, and, preferring their own self-chosen ways, follow their own pre-conceived imaginations!

If the foregoing analogies between Tyre and Britain be correct, and if Hiram, as a helper of Solomon in the building of the Temple, have his counterpart in the king or monarchy of England; something should be found in the history of England, which would correspond to this phase. And it is to be seen in the gracious action of the King of England, during whose reign the Lord began this work. After that Christ, the Head of His Church, had designated by the word of prophecy, those whom He had chosen as Apostles, He commanded them to prepare special testimonies respecting the sins of this land, of Christendom generally, and of the impending judgments; and to present these testimonies to their respective heads or rulers. Accordingly this was done, and the Apostles-going forth two and two-delivered these testimonies: the first, to King William IV., who personally received it from the hands of those in charge

of it; and another testimony was presented to the Archbishops, Bishops, and principal Clergy of the United Kingdom. Subsequently, by the King's desire, the Foreign Office provided the Apostles with letters of introduction to every British Ambassador or Minister at foreign Courts; instructing these to render them every assistance; and, if possible, to obtain permission for the Apostles to personally deliver their testimony to the sovereign ruler; and where this was not permitted, the Ambassador or Minister was to present it himself. This occurred during the years A.D. 1836-1838. Ten years later, in 1848, the monarchies of France, Germany, and Italy were for a time, either overthrown, or shaken by revolutionary violence; while, through the mercy of God, our own rulers in Church and State were unmoved, and shielded from the storms of anarchy that raged in other countries. Thus the expression of the Lord God, regarding the king of Tyre-"thou art the anointed cherub that covereth "-seems to have had an antitypical fulfilment in the action of the king of England; in that the monarchy of England came, as it were, to the help of the Lord, by assisting the Apostles to deliver their testimony to the other crowned heads and rulers in Christendom. The Catholic testimony was presented first to the Roman Pontiff, to the Emperor of Austria, and to the King of the French, as embodying the principles of theocracy, autocracy, and democracy.'

Such is a brief outline of this Divine work of restoration and blessing, which the Lord has wrought in His Church in these last days, and of which this favoured land of England has been the centre.

Its object has been to prepare the Church for the return of the Lord; and it stands in marked relief, with its unique spiritual characteristics, from all other revivals-however earnest and well-intentioned they may have been; for its great features are its charity, its

1 See Church's Forgotten Hope (Third Edition, p. 265. Hobbs & Co., Glasgow), where the occurrences, alluded to in the text, are related in greater detail.

catholicity, its reverence for all ordinances of God, its spiritual grace, and its recognition of what is true and good in all branches of the Catholic Church.

This Apostolic work is meant by God to tend to His glory, to the restoration of the Church, and to the benefit of all recipients; and it even embraces a wider horizon, for its bourne is the first resurrection, the translation of the saints, the deliverance of the groaning creation, and the ultimate manifestation of the Kingdom of God.

In addition to all the literal analogies, between ancient Tyre and modern England, which were recorded in Chapter III.; the analogy of this spiritual rebuilding of the Church-the living Temple of the living God-is surely no accidental parallel to the help that Tyre gave to Solomon in building the Temple, and subsequently to Zerubbabel in rebuilding the second Temple, at Jerusalem. These are no mere historical coincidences; they must be intentional in the Divine Providence of Almighty God, who regulates all events, knowing the end from the beginning. These mutual privileges, at the interval of centuries, existing between the letter and the spirit-between Tyre and England; and their analogies, so unsought and unexpected, are the result of Divine foreknowledge and prearrangement.

Great have been the privileges of England, both in the letter and spirit, and they are a cause for wonder, thankfulness, and praise to Almighty God. May we not truly say of our beloved country, and of its free-born people, Oh, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they knew the day of their visitation, that they may not receive the grace of God in vain!

CHAPTER IX.

THE SINS OF TYRE AND THOSE OF ENGLAND.

"Take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD . . . Thou hast sinned."EZEK. Xxviii. 12, 16.

P

Appropriate Scripture: EZEK. XXviii. 1–19.

RIVILEGES, whether enjoyed by individuals, communities, or nations, involve corresponding responsibilities; and alas! judging by the history of mankind, often entail exceptional sins. Every thoughtful person will recognize that there is a connection between privileges rejected or abused, and the resultant sins; for the guilt of such sins is aggravated by the character of the rejected privileges. The gifts of God are neglected or misemployed, when man uses them solely for his own interest or glory, and forgets the Giver. This is a sin of the deepest dye, and betrays ingratitude to God. Alas! the history of creation is a record of neglected privileges, and therefore, of aggravated sins as their necessary sequel. The bright and highly endowed archangel falls, and becomes the devil or Satan; Adam fails in obedience in paradise, and incurs the sentence of death; the history of Israel is one long record of failures, sins and apostasies: "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked: . . . then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation" (Deut. xxxii. 15). Even Solomon, the wisest of men, furnishes, by his departure from God, a sad example of the instability of the human heart. No gifts, no privileges, however great, will ensure our salvation; in fact, apart from the grace of God, they

may intensify our condemnation. Hence, the prophet charges Tyre with special sins, which probably resulted from her special position and privileges.

A. The first part of our subject in this chapter, is the consideration of the sins of the City, Prince, and King of Tyre in the letter.

1. The sins of TYRE (i.c., of the city with its inhabitants) mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel, are the following:

1. Rejoicing in the destruction of Jerusalem from selfish motives;

2. Inordinate pride begotten by her commerce and riches;

3. Deeds of violence through the multitude of her merchandise, and the iniquity of her traffic (Ezek. xxviii. 16).

1. Tyre sinned in rejoicing over the destruction of Jerusalem, because thereby her own riches would be increased. "Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus" (Ezek. xxvi. 2, 3).

It was written of old, that "He that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished" (Prov. xvii. 5). The commercial spirit of Tyre engendered selfishness; she looked upon the kingdom of Judah as a barrier between herself and the East, as lying athwart the great caravan and trade routes from the South; and therefore intercepting much of the merchandise that otherwise would have reached her; the Jews probably exacting custom or toll on that which was allowed to pass. Jerusalem, which was like a wall between Tyre and the Oriental nations, was now removed; and therefore these nations could the more easily reach Tyre for the purpose of commerce and of gain. This sin of Tyre, viz., her rejoicing over the misfortunes of Israel, was a displeasure to the Lord, as it is written: "Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not