literal, but we do not end with it. In the destruction of ancient Babylon, for instance, we find an earnest of the literal overthrow of the kingdoms of Europe; and in the overthrow of these again, we find an assurance of the abolition of Antichristian principles. In like manner, when we interpret so as to believe, that Jerusalem shall be rebuilt; in the literal fulfilment we expect an external symbol of the spiritual prosperity of the Church. And more than this, we do not hesitate for a moment to allow, that the spiritual meaning is of greater importance than the literal; inasmuch as the antitype is superior to the type; the subject symbolized, to the symbol; and the end, to the means. Only, we avoid the inconsistency of expecting the antitype, without the precedence of the type; the subject symbolized, without the existence of the symbol; and the end, without the means being put into operation.

Let these remarks suffice, in the mean time, for a general account of our principles of interpretation. Afterwards they will be more distinctly illustrated, and modified in their application to particulars.

III. The Third general question, on the subject of the evidence we propose to adduce, refers to its Degree. In a preceding department of this Apology for the Millennial faith of the Primitive Church, I have sufficiently answered the objection which many make to it, on account of our being unable to satisfy them, in answer to a thousand minute inquiries dictated by captiousness or idle curiosity.* My reply was, that every candid mind will be satisfied with prominent and general landmarks of hope, and wait in patience till the event shall cast light on particulars.

Still it may be asked, if, even in supporting these leading points of our system, we be prepared to claim the character of demonstration for our evidence.-Before answering this question, let me again interrogate our opponents, how it fares with their conviction on some, yea the whole, of the most interesting doctrines of their respective creeds? I allude not to such questions as those which respect the Government of the Church, and the administration of Baptism. Whichever side any person may have espoused in those disputes,-whether he be an Episcopalian, a Presbyterian, or an Independent; or whether he be a Pædobaptist, or an Antipædobaptist,-I would rank him low on the scale of intellect, or high on the scale of bigotry, were he to declare, that he encounters no difficulty whatever in upholding his system. This at the least may be said, the person who declares that, on these and many other

* See, Statement of the doctrine, and Removal of unfavourable Prepossessions, p. 12.

important subjects, his mind is never perplexed, instead of doing his cause service, injures and disparages it. By all reflecting men he would be regarded as more intelligent, if not more conscientious, and his advocacy would be listened to with greater respect, if, at the very time he stated and maintained his sentiments, he avowed, that to some of the objections made against them he was unable to give satisfactory answers; that, on examining the Scriptures, it has been only through a preponderance of testimony in favour of one side he has come to a determination of some questions-that he has decided according to the higher probability. Not that he profanely ventures to charge the Word of God with self-contradiction, and with bearing opposite testimonies in different parts of its record; but that, to his limited faculties and deficient information, there is, in some cases, an appearance of difficulty which he is unable to remove: so that the only resource for him, as a believer of that Book which a thousand evidences proclaim divine, is to adopt that doctrine to which its testimony is given most clearly and abundantly.

I take it for granted that this is a course of mental discipline through which every intelligent Christian has passed. I therefore proceed to remonstrate: When a high degree of probability is considered sufficient for determining other articles of faith, Whence this partial dealing, that many demand the clearness and certainty of a geometrical demonstration in order to the belief of the millennial system? And, that, when after long searching they have discovered a verse or an expression which we confess we cannot explain, or with our proposed explanation of which they are not satisfied, they shall shout victory, and proclaim us defeated; at a time too, when that very expression is probably a perplexing one to themselves?* We call for an equitable judgment;-that the same degree of evidence be received as satisfactory on this subject, which is received as conclusive on others. Let the higher probability determine the question, and we are confident, that, by candid and discriminating judges, it will be determined according to our views. Nay, the cause is not ours; we contend for the Lord.

I now proceed to examine the evidence contained in

DANIEL ii. 31-45.

The Dream of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, as inter* This is forcibly exemplified in the discussions on the passage occurring 2 Pet. iii. 10-13. It undeniably presents us with great difficulties, but not greater than those with which it presents the opposite party, when they deny that the New Heavens and New Earth promised in it, are the same with those promised at Isaiah lxv. 17, which are undeniably millennial; and when they maintain that the saints' inheritance shall be that Ancient Heaven, where the Saviour now resides, and which, they say, he shall never leave, but for the twenty-four hours of judgment.

preted by the prophet Daniel, has been expressively and beautifully characterized by Mede, as being THE SACRED KALENDAR AND GREAT ALMANACK OF PROPHECY, by the guidance of which all our millennial discussions must be conducted, if we would have them conducted successfully.* It stands thus:

"For the true account of times in Scripture, we must have recourse to that Sacred Kalendar and Great Almanack of Prophecy, the Four kingdoms of Daniel, which are a prophetical chronology of times, measured by the succession of four principal kingdoms, from the beginning of the captivity of Israel, until the mystery of God should be finished; a course of time during which the Church and Nation of the Jews, together with those whom by occasion of their unbelief God should surrogate in their room, was to remain under the bondage

The Image, viewed as a whole, is emblematic of that system of Human Power-infidel, idolatrous, or antichristian-principally affecting the interests of the children of Abraham and the disciples of Christ, which should have dominion on the earth, from the time of the captivity of Judah, to the era of the establishment of Divine Power, under the Reign of the Son of Man.

When examined more particularly, we find that this Human Power should consist of a series of Four successive kingdoms, monarchies or empires, exhibited respectively under the emblems of Gold, Silver, Brass, and Iron and Clay.

The prophet himself expressly determines for us that the one symbolized by Gold was the empire of BABYLON. After this, the process for determining the application of the other symbols is a very simple one. It is merely to interrogate history, whether sacred or profane, What Power overturned and succeeded that of Babylon? The answer is, THE MEDOPERSIAN: That, therefore, was the kingdom or empire of Silver. Again, What Power overturned and succeeded that of Medo-Persia? The answer is, THE GRECIAN: That, therefore, was the kingdom or empire of Brass. Once more, What Power overturned and succeeded that of Greece? The answer is, THE ROMAN: this, therefore, was the kingdom or empire of Iron.

In the employment of the prophetic emblems for those various empires, there is a strikingly accurate adaptation to their respective characters. As in the metallic succession the materials decrease in splendour, but increase in strength; so also in the imperial succession, the kingdoms decrease in pomp, but increase in power. There is something here which might make all infidels as well as Nebuchadnezzar be troubled on account of this Image, in spite of all their affected sneering at our faith. They have grown ashamed of the falsehood that the Book of Daniel is a recent composition of Roman times; and the defence of their unbelief now is, that he was an exceedingly sagacious politician, so as to make a most successful guess at what would be the revolutions of empires, in all future ages. What an exquisite thing infidel Philosophy is!-Well, be it so. He whose sagacity foretold the empires of Silver, Brass, and Iron, has also predicted the empire of the Stone, by which all

of the Gentiles, and oppression of Gentilism; but these times once finished, all the kingdoms of this world should become the Kingdom of our Lord and his Christ."-The Apostasy of the Latter Times.

* The words, "thou art this Head of Gold," were addressed to Nebuchadnezzar; but that he was addressed as representing or personifying the whole of the Babylonish dynasty, is evident from what immediately follows; "after thee shall arise another kingdom (not king) inferior to thee."

infidelity, both of princes and subjects, shall be visited with the destroying judgments of an avenging God.

As the Fourth or Roman Power descends in the course of time, its iron, according to the prophecy, should be mingled with clay, and become a DIVIDED empire, as symbolized by the toes of the Image. All this, protestant expositors agree, was verified in the irruption of the Gothic and other barbarous tribes from the north, their settlement in the midst of the Romans, and the partition of the empire into the various principalities of Modern Europe. And herein we are called to mark with admiration the superiority of the Bible in its politics, as in every thing else, to the speculations of uninspired men. Infidel historians discourse of the Roman empire having fallen under those irruptions of the northern tribes; whereas Scripture Prophecy represents it as having only undergone a modification; with what singular propriety let the philosophical historian judge. At all events, whatever may be the view taken by others, this must be the view of the Scriptural Politician.* Here at last is something in which we are directly interested. The prophecy is now bearing on ourselves, [Britain,] as being, in company with the other kingdoms of Europe, part of the Fourth Empire of Iron and Clay. What are our national prospects? Let us not deny ourselves to the inquiry. It is conduct fit only for a child, to cover its eyes with its hands, and imagine that it is hidden from the danger, because the danger is hidden from it. The part which becomes wise men, is to acquaint themselves with the approaching evil, that they may be prepared for its visitation. For this deadness to in

quiry, indeed, in the conduct of the great majority, there would be some excuse were there nothing but the fallacious oracles of worldly politicians to which to resort for information; but when God has given us a sure word of prophecy, it is worse than foolish, it is deeply criminal, that they should remain contented in their ignorance of what is coming on the earth.

Shall this Roman empire then continue to stand for ever? 'No surely' say the many, 'there will be no Roman empire, in eternity, after the world has been burnt to nothing, and we have been all carried to heaven.'-But I ask again, shall Rome

*Where faith is weak, I refer the sceptical to another representation, contained in this same Book, Chapter vii. verses 7, 23, and 24. Ten horns of power are represented as springing out of the head of the Fourth Beast, which Beast, expositors are again almost fully harmonized in regarding as emblematic of the Roman empire; as the Lion, the Bear, and the Leopard, are respectively emblematic of the empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The same representation is frequently made in the course of the Apocalypse. -See an excellent passage on the mingling of the Iron and Clay in Roos' Exposition of Daniel, p. 109.