VER.20— 24. .ST. LUKE. 683 partis happened to Israel,and so allIsraelshallbe saved. Which when it shallhave gained the promised salvation, hopesnot rashlyto return to the land of itsfathers. AM BROSE.Now mystically,the abominationof desolationisthe coming of Antichrist,for with ill-omenedsacrilegehe pol lutesthe innermost recessesof the heart,sittingas it is literallyin the temple, that he may claim to himselfthe throneof divine power. But according to the spiritual meaning,he is well brought in,because he desiresto im pressfirmlyon the affectionsthe footstepof his unbelief, disputingfrom the Scripturesthathe isChrist. Then shall come desolation,for very many fallingaway shalldepart fromthe true religion.Then shallbe the day of the Lord, sinceas His firstcoming was to redeem sin,so also His secondshallbe to subdue iniquity,lestmore should be car riedaway by the errorof unbelief. There is also another Antichrist,thatis,the Devil,who istryingto besiegeJeru salem,i.e.the peacefulsoul,with the hostsof hislaw. When thenthe Devil is in the midst of the temple,there is the desolationof abomination. But when upon any oue in troublethe spiritualpresence of Christhas shone,the un justone is cast out, and righteousnessbegins her reign. Thereisalsoa thirdAntichrist,as Arins and Sabellinsand allwho with evilpurpose leadus astray. But theseare they who arewith child,to whom woe isdenounced, who enlarge the sizeof theirflesh,and the step of whose inmost soul waxes slow,as those who are worn out in virtue,pregnant withvice. Bnt neitherdo thosewith childescape condem nation,who though firmin the resolutionof good acts,have not yetyieldedany fruitsofthe work undertaken. These are thosewhich conceivefrom fearof God, but do not allbring forth. For thereare some which thrustforththe word abor tivebeforetheirdelivery. There are otherstoo which have Christin the womb, but have not yet formed Him. There fore she who brings forthrighteousness,brings forthChrist. Let us alsohasten to nourish our children,lestthe day of judgment or death findus as itwere the parentsofan imper fectoffspring.And thisyou willdo ifyou keep allthe words of righteousnessin your heart,and wait not the time of old age, but in your earliestyears-,without corruptionof your