With the call of Abraham a fresh era of Providence began. The general promise was now enlarged and unfolded by many distinct prophecies. The ancestry of Messiah, the blessings on the race of Abraham, the land of promise, which was to be the peculiar theatre of Divine mercies, were all defined. A spot was cleared out from the waste of the fallen world, where the Divine purpose of redemption was to unfold itself with growing clearness and beauty. But still, though the prophecies under the patriarchs and the earlier times of the law were more numerous and full, they were given, "in many parts," or fragments. No continuous and connected scheme of Providence was revealed, however dimly, to the Church. Even the two advents of Messiah were as yet distinguished from each other by types only; and the long rejection of Israel and call of the Gentiles was an unopened mystery.

When the typical kingdom of Israel began to wane, and the glory of Solomon had passed away, the light of inspired prophecy was vouchsafed to the Church in larger measure. A series of holy prophets, from Elijah to Jeremiah and Ezekiel, gave fuller and fuller declarations of the present judgments and future counsels of God. The two advents of Messiah were distinctly revealed in many predictions. The sins of Israel, and their rejection, were plainly foretold. The calling of Gentile believers in their room was more dimly announced by several scattered intimations; while the final recovery of Israel, and the glory of Zion, were the continual themes of prophetic exultation and joy. Mixed with these were warnings of severe judgment, promises of the resurrection, and glimpses of an eternal kingdom of glory. But the exact nature and order of these events, the periods they were to occupy, or the manner in which they were to blend together in their fulfilment, was still left under a mysterious veil. The word of prophecy seemed, like Noah's dove, to light here and there upon the mountain tops of history; to touch on every judgment and deliverance, and to range over

wide tracts of future hope; but no chart was given by which to arrange the whole landscape, and survey in their connected beauty and grandeur the course of the Divine counsels.

At length, when the tabernacle of David was removed, and Israel led away captive, Ephraim to Assyria, and Judah to Babylon, the full time was come for a more distinct view to be given to the Church, now passing through affliction, of her future trials and final deliOne of the royal exiles of Judah was chosen as the beloved messenger, by whom the precious gift was to be conveyed; and the court of the king of Babylon was the scene where the Spirit of God first revealed, in distinct order, the course of the world's history till the full advent of Messiah's eternal kingdom.

verance.

6

The prophecies of Daniel form, therefore, a most important era in the course of Divine revelation. In these visions, by the confession of infidels themselves, the four empires' which history has since disclosed to us, 6 are clearly described;' and thus a comprehensive outline of Providence is given to the Church, which is filled up by the other visions of the same prophet, and those of St. John; which attracts around it, like a sacred magnet, all the scattered and discursive prophecies, which had for ages been revealed to the people of God.

But the same holy Apostle who commands us to take heed to the word of prophecy, explains to us also the only means by which it can render us effectual guidance, even with all the fuller light which Daniel and the later prophets have revealed. That means is the diligent comparison, one with another, of the inspired predictions. No prophecy of Scripture is of self-interpretation.' They are not separate fragments, made up of human conjectures; but parts of one connected plan, various emanations from one fountain of perfect wisdom. "For prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." The words of St. Peter shew clearly the sin and danger of a contented ignorance of the Divine prophecies.

For then they must cease to fulfil their designed office; they are a beacon no longer. The very light which has been given to direct our hopes is obscured in darkness. Our indolence or pride will have made void one of God's most precious gifts to His Church; and will expose us, like the Jews of old, to the danger of stumbling in darkness, or of fighting against the revealed purposes of the Most High.

But these words also teach us the need of a connected and patient study, that we may attain a true knowledge of these prophetic revelations. Those parts of Divine truth which are needful even for beginners in the faith, are revealed separately, time after time, with the utmost clearness. But the Apostle reminds us that with these higher and further truths the Holy Spirit has pursued a different course. He has not designed that they should drop into the mouth of the careless. They are to be the reward of diligent, prayerful research, the fruit of a patient comparison of all that God has revealed. The appeal to first impressions must here be unwise, and may serve only to mislead and deceive. Exact reasoning, careful inquiry, diligent examination, are all needed, if we would avoid the errors of a private interpretation, and rise into the clear and harmonious view of these sacred prophecies. For they are all linked together in a sacred unity of plan, and each part will only be understood, fully and clearly, when seen in connexion with the whole scheme of redemption. We must ascend slowly the hill side of truth, before we can attain the full view of this wide landscape,-the landscape of God's providence in this lower world.

Now in searching, as we are commanded, the word of prophecy, the four empires of Daniel must form the natural basis of the inquiry. They are a sacred calendar, which reaches through all the course of time into the years of eternity. Every other prediction may be referred to its own place in the series, when these grand outlines of history have been fixed and ascertained. There are indeed several great doctrines, as the conver

sion and restoration of Israel, which may be separately proved by abundant evidence. But it is only by adopting this divine chart for our guide, that we can see the order, connexion, and continuous outlines, of the past history and future hopes of the church. The general consent of expositors for many ages, the difficulties and objections which have been raised of late by a few writers, and the fundamental nature of the subject, which lies at the basis of all prophetic truth, are so many reasons for patient, exact, and full research. And when once the historical meaning of these empires has been fully established and explained, it will shed a strong and steady light on the more difficult prophecies, and lead us by the hand to a firm and sure conviction of their true reference; so that our faith may rest, not on the doubtful opinions of men, but on the sure testimony of God.

There are several points in the opening history which help to illustrate the meaning of the prophetic visions. And doubtless the preface was given for this very reason, that we might learn more fully the causes for which these prophecies were given, and the chief lessons they were designed to convey.

The time itself is deeply instructive. "The king of Babylon came unto Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar, to the house of his God; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god." The kingdom of David and Solomon was thus tottering to its fall, and crumbling into ruin. The temple, honoured so long by the visible tokens of God's presence, was profaned, and given to the spoiler; and all the external glory of the church was passing away.

In this hour of gloom and sorrow, when the outward helps of faith were withdrawn, and the heritage of God was made desolate, the light of prophecy began to shine with a tenfold clearness. The church, for near a thousand years, had been training under the elements

of the world; and outward ordinances, a stately ceremonial, a visible theocracy, and a gorgeous temple, had been used as helps to her faith, and the present tokens of the power and dominion of God. Now she was called to a nobler standing, to rest simply on the word of promise, and stay on the covenant of grace. The light of prophecy was increased tenfold, while the kingdom was overthrown, and the temple laid in ruins. And thus believers were taught to see in these promises the true temple in which their souls were to worship, and to exchange the glitter of types and ceremonies, for meditation on the glorious hopes which the Lord had revealed.

Again, the first year of Nebuchadnezzar in the sacred chronology was also the date of the seventy years' captivity. Throughout the whole of that period Daniel continued to prophesy, till its very close. And thus, by a double sign, we are taught that the object of these visions is that long period of Israel's desolation, which is hereafter to end in their recovery and blessedness for The time of the prophet becomes a type of the larger period through which his visions extend; and the seventy years of the first empire represent in character the whole duration of the great image, which commences at the very same time. An earnest was thus given to the church of the trials through which she was to pass, before the arrival of her full deliverance.

ever.

But further, the character of the prophet himself conveys a deep lesson. He was an exile of Judah, but of the royal seed, skilful in wisdom and knowledge; and trained also with care in all the learning of the Chaldeans. Above all, his character was marked by the love of holiness, the jealous avoidance of sin, and a self-denying reverence for the commands of God, amidst the most dangerous and ensnaring temptations.

Now by this account of the holy prophet, the Holy Spirit reminds us of the true preparation for understanding His divine messages. We are not here to despise even human learning, but gladly to embrace every help which it affords, and consecrate language and