reign, undisturbed by any foreign aggression, of an Arab Sheikh or of a Turkish Pacha, is unmitigated despotism and gradual but sure desolation. And though recently and partially interrupted by war, the fairest portions of the earth, from Bagdad to Bosnia, have been destroyed under the blasting influence of the crescent, and are scantily peopled by, at the utmost, one-fourth part of the numerical population, with which their many kingdoms teemed in ancient times; while the debased condition of the remnant gives too ample proof how greatly, in every sense, the moral pestilence of Mahometanism, even by peace, can destroy. It has preserved the same character in every age. "The Turks," says Sir Paul Rycaut, than whom none had better means of judging, "have but one sole means to maintain their countries, which is the same by which they were gained, and that is the cruelty of the sword in the most rigorous way of execution, by killing, consuming and laying desolate the countries, and transplanting unto parts where they are nearest under the command and age (eye) of a governor. Another advantage, and that not inconsiderable, that this manner of dispeopling the country brings to this empire, is the difficulty an enemy would find in their march, should they with a land army attempt to penetrate far into the country; for, without great quantities of provisions, they could not possibly be sustained; from the country none can be expected; what little it affords, the inhabitants will conceal or carry away, and have all places as naked and barren of food as the sea itself. The Turks account it one good part of their policy, to lay a considerable part of their empire desolate."* Such are the maxims of Turkish policy; and none more effective could be devised for, even by peace, destroy

* Sir Paul Rycaut on the Maxims of Turkish Polity, p. 32. vol. ii. Turkish History..

ing many. So closely is this principle ingrained in Mahometan despotism, that the first great reformer in Turkey, though the constituted head of the Moslem world, by the introduction of a more enlightened system of government, threatens Mahometanism with subversion.

But he shall be broken without hand. Greatly as Mahomet magnified himself in his heart, and long as he has stood up against the Prince of princes, and although his religion divided the world with that of the Christian in name, there are signs in the heavens and in the earth, from the word of God as well as in the history of man, that his reign is drawing to a close. That power which has for so many ages contended and vied with the kingdom that was set up without hands, is destined, at last, to be broken without hand. And while the light of the sun of righteousness is penetrating through the dark cloud of superstition, which till now has hung over the far greater part of continental Europe, and has cast a deep shade on our sister island, and begins also to shed its rays of divine light and of heavenly love over the habitations of cruelty and the dark places of the earth, from the one end of heaven unto the other, the waning crescent is sinking into darkness from which it never can emerge. And if the day of Mahomet be over, it is only the surer sign that that day of the Lord is at hand when none shall stand up triumphantly any more against the Prince of princes. The fate of Turkey and of the Sultan (heretofore identified with that of Mahometanism), though beset on every side with evil omens to his empire and to his race, cannot be yet read in the pages of history, though it has long been written, as hereafter we will more fully see, in the pages of prophecy. But appearances strongly indicate that the world will not now be held in long suspense concerning the result

of what shall be in the last days of the indignation, v. 19. The destiny of Mahometanism is fixed and glaring. The vicegerent of the prophet has virtually abjured his faith. On the 11th February, in the present year (1831), the sultan issued a decree, that "Greeks, Armenians, Armenian Catholics, and Jews, shall henceforth, in common with the Turks or Mussulmen, be equal before the law. No Mussulman shall in future have any preference, or enjoy any superior rights, in consequence of his being a Mussulman; for, according to the opinion of the sultan, all form but one family, but one body, whatever may be the private creed of each of his subjects; which is a matter that only concerns the conscience of man, who cannot be called to account for his religion to ANY BUT TO GOD. As to the government of the sultan, it will not, under any circumstances, consider what is the religion of the person who presents himself before it."

Still more recent signs appear that the dark sentences, dictated by Mahomet, and written on the "palm leaves and the shoulder-blades of mutton," are not much longer to maintain their sway over the millions of the east; for among the new things in these corrupt times, it is not one of the least remarkable, but happily most ominous of final good, that a press has been established at Constantinople, and that a newspaper is published, or is about to be published, under the auspices of the sultan.

And

who that reads the scraps of monstrous absurdities that were first gathered into a book, from being scratched on leaves and bones, and remembers their efficacy, would stint to narrow limits the efficiency of the press over half the world?

This passing glance at Mahometanism may point the way to its more full prophetic development, and to the near view of its destined fall,-when a beastly

sensualist shall no longer hold the place of the holy Jesus-when no waning crescent shall ever be seen again to cope, in the heavens, with the sun of right

eousness.

CHAPTER IV.

TAKING a joint retrospect of prophecy and history, in their first great outline, we have seen how the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian and Roman empires,as they would appear in human estimation, or in the vision of a king, of a brightness that was excellentwere prefigured by the great image which was seen by Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted by Daniel. Looking again to the forms which they assumed in the eye of the prophet, we see their tyrannical character and desolating career marked out in two separate visions, under the symbols of a succession of wild beasts. Both of these visions are accompanied by interpretations, which in a great measure reduce them to literal predictions. In the first, which traces these respective kingdoms to their origin, and shews their relation, order, and connexion, the subdivision of the last great monarchy into the ten kingdoms is distinctly specified; and the rising up among those of another of peculiar character, predominating influence, and long-continued domination,-the annunciation of which seem to form the chief object of the vision,-sets before us, in the word of God, as well as in the record of history, a form and substance that cannot be misunderstood, which he must be

blind who cannot see, and ignorant who cannot name. In the second, if we turn from the west unto the east, we find the Persian and Grecian empires mentioned by name, and the vision that was to be at the time of the end, sums up the history of Mahometanism. Were a model of past history to be drawn, from the days of David to the present time, how could it now, if copied from the events, be devised in more appropriate or perfect symbols?

The reader will perceive how intimately all these visions are connected, and how, rising successively in precision, each new figure becomes more complete, and the interpretation more detailed. They thus prepare the way for the full and explicit prophetic narrative of the things that are noted in the Scriptures of truth," the last great prophecy of Daniel, which he wrote, not as communicated in a dream, nor seen in a vision, but as told by an angel.

Daniel, that he might talk with the angel andhear his voice, was strengthened by one like the similitude of the sons of men-even by him, for no Christian can fail to know his name, in whom alone any of the sons of men can be spiritually strengthened, enlightened, and saved. But man, who is a worm, cannot behold the glory of God, or look, while a mortal, on the Lord of angels, before the brightness of whose glory they vail their faces. The counte~ nance of Daniel was fairer than all the children that did eat the portion of the king's meat, and among them all was found none like Daniel. He was fami

liar with earthly splendour, even at its brightest in Babylon the great, or at Shushan in the palace; and all the dignity that the greatest of kings could confer was his. He was the first, or chief, of the three presidents of the hundred and twenty princes, which were set over the whole kingdom. Yet, when he lifted up his eyes and saw a form of transcendental