In Daniel vii., we have also a prophecy of the four Gentile kingdoms, and the kingdom of the Messiah; but the symbols are here different from those of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar: the vision of Daniel also contains more particulars than that dream.

After describing the three first beasts which arose out of the stormy sea, and by which were symbolized the Babylonian, the Persian, and the Macedonian empires, the prophet says, · After

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this, I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong

6 exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it ⚫ devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it; and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and,

behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots and

behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of 'man, and a mouth speaking great things. I

· beheld till the thrones were cast down, and

'the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment

'was white as snow, and the hair of his head

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like the pure wool; his throne was like the

fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from 'before him; thousand thousands ministered

unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, ' and the books were opened. I beheld then, 'because of the voice of the great words which 'the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast 'was slain, and his body destroyed, and given 'to the burning flame. As concerning the rest ' of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a

season and time. I saw in the night visions,

and behold, one like the Son of Man came 'with the clouds of heaven, and came to the 'Ancient of Days, and they brought him near 'before him; and there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all

people, nations, and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.'

It is not my purpose to enter at length into the interpretation of this part of the vision; but I shall just mention, that the beast here described, is, by the almost unanimous consent of Christian, and, I suppose also, Jewish interpreters, allowed to mean the Roman empire. The ten horns signify the ten kingdoms into which that empire was divided after its overthrow by the Goths and Vandals; and nearly all of our Protestant writers on prophecy agree that the little horn symbolizes the Papal power.

It is apparent from the above passage, ver. 9

14., that the coming of the Messiah (the Son of Man) with the clouds of heaven, which is described in this vision, takes place after the body of the fourth beast (the Roman empire) is given to the burning fire to be destroyed. In other words, this advent of the Messiah precisely synchronizes with the destruction of Rome, the Edom and Bozrah of Isaiah xxxiv. and Ixiii. It also synchronizes with that period,

when the stone, (Dan. ii. 34.) having smitten the image, is upon the point of becoming a great mountain to fill the whole earth. Therefore, this coming of the Messiah with the clouds of heaven, cannot be his first appearance in this world; for it has already been proved, in considering Daniel ii., that the first coming of the Messiah takes place while the Roman empire is yet standing:- In the days of these

kings (or kingdoms) the God of Heaven shall 'set up a kingdom.' (Dan. ii. 44.) It consequently follows, that two different advents of the Messiah are revealed in Daniel; the one, while the Roman empire is yet standing, to establish the kingdom of the stone, (Dan. ii. 44, 45.) the other, when the Roman empire is destroyed, to establish the kingdom of the mountain to give the kingdom to the saints. (vii. 27.)

We may arrive at the same conclusion by another chain of argument. When the Son of Man comes with the clouds of heaven, (Dan. vii. 13.) he evidently comes in a triumphant

state; in the full possession of all the faculties of mature and perfect manhood; to be crowned with that honour, glory, and power, which are reserved for him in the counsels of the Most High. But this cannot be his first advent; for, according to all the prophecies, as understood both by Jews and Christians, he was to be born of a woman, and in the family of David; and, consequently, his first coming must be, not with the clouds of heaven, but as an helpless infant, born from the womb of his mother; and we must next look for him, not as receiving dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, but as hanging upon the breast of his mother to draw nourishment from her milk; and afterwards as increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. And as it cannot be denied, that the condition of an infant is an humble, lowly state, it follows, that two different advents of the Messiah are revealed in prophecy; the one in a state of humility, the other in a state of glory: the one as an infant born in Bethlehem (Micah v. 2.); the other with the