But not the gloomiest dungeons, nor the keenest axe, nor the more savage butcheries of the amphitheatre, could annihilate that which God intended to preserve. It was a plant of heaven; it had taken root; and God watched over it. It was the city of God, and the gates of hell could not prevail against it. But another trial awaited it. There was another process it was necessary Christianity should pass through. It seemed as though the powers of evil had thought thus: "If Christianity possesses a vitality which nothing can destroy, is it possible that its saving power may be neutralized, and rendered powerless by foreign admixture?" After a while this awful experiment was tried to the utmost. The heathen mythology was again renewed under Christian names: Jewish ceremonies of an external nature, interwoven with Christian rites, and the spiritual kingdom of Christ was made the kingdom of this world, affording temptation (and not in vain) to power and ambition to rush into the Church of God. The Church of Christ has, ever since the Reformation, been endeavouring to shake itself from this incubus: it is still coming out of its trial, though not entirely free from it: and we now see Christianity assuming new energies, rejoicing in the prospect of a new career, as a strong man to run a race.

Such have been the processes through which Christianity has passed: such has been the grand experiment which God has made on the theatre of the world: such have been the important lessons which, it seems, Divine Wisdom thought proper to teach to all the intelligent powers in heavenly places and on earth. But though these tests have been applied, though these trials have been endured, Christianity still remains; the Church of Christ still stands, nor has the gates of hell prevailed against it. But if such has been the length of time over which these preparations have extended-if such the grandeur of the means employed-if such the extent of the plan announced-what must be the harvest that is before us? How great, how glorious, how abundant! No doubt, Christian brethren, you have sometimes, while reading the page of history, a kind of gloom pass through the mind; and a sigh of regret has escaped from your hearts while you have seen how small a portion the Church of Christ seemed to occupy on the theatre of the world. While you have seen the changes, the growth, the rise, the decay of empires, their various contentions occupying so large a space in the world's history, how small has been that space which has been assigned to the Church of Christ! Look forward to the glorious harvest; place to the eye the telescope of faith; look into distant ages which are now approaching; see the renovated world approaching the view. The Koran is exchanged for the Bible; the delusions of the false prophet are gone : and now all Europe comes within the pale of the Church; the oriental nations flock into it; a voice is heard, saying, "Open, ye gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the law may enter." See the degraded sons of Africa now wearing no yoke but that of the Saviour, rejoicing in the liberty with which Christ has made them free. Among these, see a goodly company of interesting forms, from all the nations whither they were scattered-from the East and the West, from the South and the North: they are the seed of Abraham, the friend of God. The tears starting from their eyes; they have looked on Him whom they have pierced, and mourned. Now their countenances brighten, as the voice of Hebrew melody again ascends to God-" O Lord, I will praise thee, for thou wast angry with me, but thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." Keep your eye steady: mark succeeding ages

rolling on. All the desolations of war have ceased; population multiplies; the happiness of the world increases. A thousand discoveries of science, not yet known, are brought to bear on the happiness of man.. Age after age rolls on, while the millenial glory bursts in upon a renovated world. And then will be fulfilled, in a manner that has never yet been realized, the language of the word of God: "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with men upon the earth: he is God and they shall be his people."

Such, Christian brethren, is the great harvest which we anticipate. But HAVE WE REASON TO HOPE THAT THIS IS NEAR? We have ventured to say, that in our opinion, a concurrence of circumstances seems to indicate, that the time of this great harvest is at hand.

Let me, however, explain myself for a moment. When I say, it is at hand, I would not encourage the expectation of seeing it burst on the world in fullorbed splendour, as by stupendous miracle. I see no reason to expect that the glory will be produced by any other agency or instrumentality, than those which God has already employed, by the effusion of his Holy Spirit—by the instrumentality of his own church, when seasons, probably like those of Pentecost, shall be renewed; and thousands, instead of solitary individuals, shall be added to the Lord in a single day. There are only two sources from which we can draw any satisfactory information on this point. The one is, a sober examination of the prophecies of God; and the other is, a careful view of the providence of God; and not either of these separately, but both of these combined.

Allow me, then, in the first place, to inquire, whether there is, in the prophecies of God, any thing which would lead us to expect that the harvest is near at hand, or that it may yet be deferred for an indefinite period, and for multiplied ages yet to come.

I am aware that so many extravagant displays have been made respecting the prophecies of God, that it may possibly be deemed presumption to dwell on such a topic. It is not, however, my intention to go into these, but just to suggest one or two things, which I think will be sufficiently plain to any one who has paid only a moderate degree of attention to the prophecies of redemption. There are only two which we shall notice as calculated to throw some light on the subject to which we have adverted. The one is recorded in Daniel, ii., and the other in Daniel, vii. They are similar to each other. The one contains the vision of the great image, representing the four monarchies that should successively arise, under the representation of four different kinds of metal: the other represents the same image under the character of four beasts. The history of them is the same. At the close of the first vision, as it is represented in Daniel, ii., we read: "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." And in Daniel, vii., at the close of the interpretation of that vision: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."

Now, let it be observed, that several things in these prophecies have evidently been accomplished, and there are some things yet unaccomplished. Can we

arrive precisely at that period in which we stand now? The Babylonian monarchy was succeeded by the Medo-Persian; that was succeeded by the Macedonian; to that succeeded the Roman. These things are now matter of history; as are also the circumstances indicated in the vision of the metallic image-the weakness arising from its extremities, being partly of iron and partly of clay, representing the weakness of the close of the Roman empire. It is equally matter of history that the ten horns which sprung out of the fourth beast correspond with the ten toes of the metallic image; that these ten kingdoms (represented by the horns and the toes) were formed when the Roman empire was dismembered by the irruption of the northern barbarians in the fourth and fifth centuries. Further, there was "the stone cut out without hands," that should "become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth :" which is interpreted as meaning the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have seen this kingdom arise in the land of Judea : we have marked its progress; we have seen it rolled through by pagan persecution and papal corruption; and, though sometimes overwhelmed, still emerging again, and proceeding anew with accelerated vigour towards the throne of the great image. These things have been accomplished: and what remains now in the image of the great vision, but that collision which shall smite the image, and cause all its materials to be separated as the chaff on the summer threshing-floor, while the stone itself shall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth?

But observe, I entreat you, in the corresponding vision in Daniel vii. there is an additional circumstance introduced, which occurs between the rise of these ten kingdoms and the final and universal establishment of the kingdom of Christ. "Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; and of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell: even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall arise after them: and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High."

Now if we can ascertain the rise of this power, we have another way-mark to guide us, we have another circumstance which throws some light upon the position in which the church of Christ is now. In connexion with this let me just refer you to 2 Thessalonians ii., and you will feel no difficulty in identifying this with that "little horn" representing an arrogant power aiming at dominion, speaking even against the Most High, thinking to wear out the saints of God. The Thessalonians seem to have supposed that the coming of Christ was at hand, and, therefore, the Apostle addresses them-"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering

together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he that now letteth, will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shalt that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." To the same power the Apostle alludes in 1 Timothy, iv. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils," (the doctrine concerning demons ;) speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath reated to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the the truth."

Can there be any doubt, for a moment, as to the power that is here identified by the words of Daniel, and of Paul to the Thessalonians and to Timothy? It is now matter of history that such a power has arisen. The fathers of the Church, when the prophecy was still future, speculated, and argued, and formed some strange notions respecting antichrist. We have seen a power arise, diverse from all earthly powers, claiming supreme dominion, and arrogating the power of changing times and laws, wearing out the saints of the Most High, and exhibiting the most formidable determination to persecute the people of God. How long shall this power continue? For "a time, and times, and the dividing of times." You, who are accustomed to read the prophecies, well know that this period agrees, and is exactly identified with that remarkable period so frequently mentioned of forty-two months, twelve hundred and sixty days, or three years and a half—all of them corresponding, a day being taken for a year.

This power was then to continue its domination only for a limited period, and this period is assigned by God himself to twelve hundred and sixty days. The only difficulty is in exactly fixing the point of its commencement. That I shall not attempt to do with any certainty: but while we may not rashly affirm the exact period at which this power may be said to have begun, there are data which will justify out tixing certain limits, beyond which we cannot pass. This power-let it be remembered-could not have arisen until the dismemberment of the western portion of the Roman empire, and its distribution in a number of kingdoms: it could not possibly be later than about the mid of the eighth century, for then the power obtained the full height of its urminion, had subdued several temporalities, and possessed them, usurped the title of "universal bishop," and appeared enthroned in all its supremacy and power. There are some who fix the date at the assumption of the titl; just mentioned; but the latest period which is fixed-the latest period which, I think, it is possible to fix-is about the middle of the eighth century. The termination of this antichristian power would then be found to arrive early in the

twenty-first century—that is, at the distance of about two hundred years from the time at which we now are. It appears to me, there is no possible way of interpreting this prophecy which shall extend it beyond this period.

Are we,

Now think of this, for a moment, Christians. after so long and dreary a night, come to a period so near the morning? After the Church of God has been toiling and sowing the precious seed, and watering it even with tears, is the great result so near, that we may say, "Lift up your eyes, and see: behold, the fields are white already to the harvest?"

But if things are approaching so rapidly to this point, we might expect that there would be some outward and visible indication of it: we might expect there would be something in the appearance of the horizon which marks the approach of day, and corresponds with that time to which the index of prophecy seems to point. Allow me, as briefly as I can, to advert to some of the indications that appear to concur with these prophecies, to show that we have not mistaken them, and that we are approaching the period of the world's regeneration.

In the first place, we observe, that the whole world has become accessible to missionary enterprise to a degree altogether unprecedented; and that this appears to us a most favourable indication that better days are approaching.

You must be aware that this is a necessary condition to the regeneration of the world. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." How shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they hear who live in places that are unknown, and are inaccessible to the Christian missionary? In the present day we may look abroad on the world, and see that never was there a period, when the world was accessible in so extensive a manner to the enterprise, as at the present moment. Generally, indeed, the race of man has exhibited a shattered sort of frame-work, broken and disjointed, except when united for purposes of aggression or mutual defence, or have been subjugated by some one state, and consolidated together into one mass. In Persia, indeed, we find there was a degree of communication between all her one hundred and twenty-seven provinces. And so, of course, it was when Rome existed in all its grandeur; the passage of armies, the number of ambassadors from the Metropolis to the several provinces, must have produced a certain degree of intercommunication between them: but never to the extent to which it now exists. It is delightful, Christian brethren, to see how the providence of God is overruling all the schemes of ambition, all the plans of politicians, all the discoveries of science, to forward his own purposes respecting the salvation of fallen man. A whole continent has been discovered, unknown to the ancient world, together with vast numbers of islands; not only discovered, but a degree of intercourse has been established among them: and God has overruled the spirit of commerce in such a manner, that it is bringing gradually, but continually, all the nations of the world nearer together. This spirit, whatever incidental evils may have attended it, seems to arise from the very wants and tendencies of human nature, and is called into action by those arrangements of Divine Providence, which has distributed its various bounties over different lands, and rendered all parts of the world, in a considerable measure, dependent on each other. It is owing to the spirit of commerce, that America was laid open; it is owing to this that we have extensive colonies over different parts of the globe, and that our power is established in India. It is owing to this,