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head, exercised its sovereign and universal rule over the nations of the earth. This empire, then, must be symbolized by some portion of the image and if there were no other objection to the system in question, this would be sufficient to prove its incorrectness, and its inapplicability to the terms of the prophecy.

I have thus endeavoured to state my objections to the scheme proposed by your correspondent, with the utmost brevity; and I have confined my observations chiefly to his interpretation of the image. I think I have shown reasons enough to doubt, and that most strongly, the truth of his theory. At the same time, I must admit, that there are some difficulties connected with the common view of this subject, which demand inquiry, and which may even warrant us in questioning its accuracy in all respects. The first objection is that mentioned by your correspondent, and which assumes as a fact that the Persian kingdom was inferior to the Babylonian; which, as he justly argues, was not the case. And another serious objection is, that the Roman empire is assumed to be still existing: when, at the same time, its "decline and fall" are clearly narrated in the history of the past. In addition to this, the separate kingdoms in which that empire is supposed still to survive, occupy, as to their locality, only those territories which formed the Western half of the original empire. To my own mind, the most satisfactory solution of these difficulties, is to be found in the scheme suggested by Ben Ezra, in his learned and elaborate treatise on the coming of the Messiah. He considers that the Median and Persian dynasties form a continuation of the Babylonian empire; and this appears to me to be borne out by the facts of history. It is expressly stated, that on the night when Belshazzar was slain, Darius the Median took the kingdom; conveying the idea that he did not establish another and distinct empire, but succeeded to the government of one already existing. And this is confirmed by what is said in the

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ninth chapter, first verse, where it is stated that Darius was Made king over the realm of the Chaldeans." Babylon still continued to be the capital of the empire : and Nehemiah styles Artaxerxes, who reigned a century after Cyrus, The king of Babylon. The Court was afterwards, indeed, transferred to Persia, and the name of that province was given to the empire: but still this change of name and circumstance no more constituted it a separate kingdom, distinct from what it was before, than did the transfer of the Imperial Court from Rome to Constantinople, in after ages, involve the establishment of another empire than the Roman.

Supposing the foregoing argument to be correct, it follows that the second kingdom, prefigured by the breast and two arms of the image, is the Grecian. The difference between this and the preceding empire is marked and decisive. There is no merging of one into the other. Alexander overwhelmed the gorgeous and magnificent, but unwieldy empire of Darius, in utter and irremediable ruin. In the words of the prophecy this "He goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth -and came to the ram that had two horns, and ran unto him in the fury of his power; and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and stamped upon him; and there was none that could deliver the

ram out of his hand." This prediction Alexander fulfilled to the very letter. He burst like a fierce tornado upon the territories of his rival, sweeping every thing before him; and having completely destroyed the power of the Persian empire, he established another on its ruins which in its progress settled into such a form as is fitly represented by the breast and arms of silver, the kingdom as it originally existed, as a whole, being the breast; and the two arms representing the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt, with their

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respective dependencies. But notwithstanding the splendour which attached to the name and conquests of its founder, this empire was still inferior in grandeur, solidity, extent, and unity to that which it succeeded.

On the foregoing hypothesis, the third kingdom would be the Roman, symbolized by the belly and thighs of brass, which exactly represent that empire divided eventually into the Eastern and Western branches. This kingdom, in the words of the prophecy, "bore rule over all the earth," which was true of the Roman empire, in a much more extensive and emphatic sense than could be predicated of the Grecian in its palmiest days.

And then succeeds the fourth kingdom, of which the emblems are, the iron legs of the image, and its ten toes, partly iron and partly clay. These may be considered as aptly prefiguring those separate and independent kingdoms, which arose out of the ruins of the Roman empire, which still exist; and which, according to the vision and its interpretation by the prophet, shall con

tinue in being, until they shall be broken in pieces by that kingdom which shall stand for ever. Although bound together by some sort of system, and having constant and intimate communication one with another, these kingdoms have never been amalgamated, or united under a common head, and consequently, they are partly strong and partly weak, partaking as they do of the qualities both of the iron and the clay.

I am afraid of trespassing on the space which it may be convenient to allot to this discussion, or I should have added a few observations in reference to the vision of the four beasts which Daniel beheld, and which are generally considered to represent the same empires as the image which appeared in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar; but as this is a question which cannot be disposed of without entering at considerable length into the subject, I must leave this until another opportunity, if such should be afforded.

J. K. KILPIN.

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LINES

Suggested by the early removal of Mr. Charles John M'Lean, only son of the Rev. Robert M Lean, who fell asleep in Jesus, on the 13th of June, aged twenty-one years.

"Is he not gone-our brightest and our best?"

'Tis over now-the anxious care

The loved one is at rest;
No more we offer up the prayer,
For him who's with the blest.

Lovely thou wert to us, and still

Thy mem'ry shall be dear; Thoughts of thy bliss our hearts shall fill, Our drooping spirits cheer.

What prudence mark'd thy even race,

And charity thy tongue,
What sweetness shone in every trace,
How gentle e'en if wrong'd.
Thou never turn'dst away the ear
From suffering or distress;
Thou hadst a heart to feel, a tear,
A prayer, a wish to bless.

Oft have we heard thy voice of love
Address the youthful band,
And point to yonder throne above,
Where saints adoring stand.

With things beyond this world and time

Thy thoughts would ever be;

Thou wert not made for earth's low clime, Thy spirit now is free.

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REVIEW OF RELIGIOUS PUBLICATIONS.

An ESSAY on the PROFESSION of PERSONAL RELIGIOUS CONVICTION, and upon the SEPARATION of CHURCH and STATE, considered with reference to the fulfilment of that Duty. Translated from the French of Professor A. VINET, of Geneva. By CHARLES THEODORE JONES. 8vo, pp. 524.

Jackson and Walford.

THE subject of this essay, and the very powerful and original manner in which the author has treated it, will draw towards it the attention of thoughtful and conscientious men. Prejudice and party interest may struggle to prevent the free discussion of the grand question here agitated; but the course of events, over a large portion of the civilized world, is becoming every day more favourable to its thorough and impartial investigation. It is high time, surely, that religious men should be permitted to sift the whole theory of religious establishments, without incurring the scorn

and obloquy of their professed brethren in Christ, when the all-important point to be determined is, whether it is better that the Christian church should remain in the position in which Christ left her, or that she should be placed under the dominion of the politics of this world.

The existing state of society, and even of religious society, in this and other countries, gives rise to a certain measure of intolerance, whenever the connexion of church and state is attempted to be disturbed; but we venture to predict, that this is one of those questions which must undergo a rigid examination-that it must come to be treated with all that seriousness and impartiality which its importance demands. We heartily rejoice to find that it has been taken up by an accomplished and devout foreigner, who is well known for his attachment to evangelical religion, his high moral worth, and his respectable standing as a man of literary research.

He has approached his subject in a man

ner calculated to secure attention to it, by devoting the first part of his essay to the responsibility which presses upon every man to avow his religious convictions. And, often as this duty is urged, both from the pulpit and the press, we are greatly mistaken if the lights in which it is placed by the ingenious author will not invest it, to many minds, with a new and commanding interest.

"Many," observes Mr. Vinet, "who profess to believe, seem so little persuaded of their faith, are so timid, appear so ashamed of believing, that their timidity makes more proselytes than their faith." How true is this in reference to vast multitudes who bear the Christian name, in some vague and general sense of the term.

The question searchingly discussed in this part of the essay is, "Whether it be superfluous to press upon believers the duty of profession?" We think our author has shown, that the lack of honest profession has been a greater hindrance to the success of Christianity, than all the hypocrisy that has sprung up under the Christian name. "Christianity," he observes, "is a testimony or a martyrdom; every Christian is a martyr, and has no other calling on earth than to show forth the praises of him who hath called him out of darkness into his marvellous light.' The disciple of a God who died for the truth, ought also to be willing to die for the truth; if not on the cross or in the flames, at least by the perpetual subjection of self-love, and the constant practice of self-denial-if not in his body, at least in the good opinion of his fellow-creatures, whose esteem is deemed a second life, and whose contempt is considered little short of death. Thus, the distinguishing characteristic, the primary seal of Christianity, is testimony-is confession; and the greatest crime towards God, is silence." Again: "In our opinion, a new era is commencing. A factitious unity has, for a long period, held together under one denomination, the most diverse, and even the most contrary religious views; this system is at an end. Public opinion, and the law, are alike favourable to liberty of conscience. If in certain countries it is still difficult to avow absolute Atheism, it is hardly less so to profess serious vital Christianity. The vague profession of Christianity will soon be without meaning, and cease to be accepted. Mere external observances and rites, by little and little, will fall into contempt; they will cease to impose upon spectators, and even the party performing them will scarcely be able to deceive himself. Thus the time is approaching when every act of profession will weigh much, in public opinion, for or against the individual concerned. This era has already comVOL. XXI.

menced. The very competition in which we are engaged is a proof of it; for the idea which gave rise to this work, was neither fortuitous, nor confined to one individual-it was an idea of the times, an idea more or less present to all serious and reflective minds.

"And if it be insisted upon, that the first duty is to form convictions, we ask whether, in reference to this very object, the most imperative, the most promising, the most practical undertaking, be not to persuade those who believe to manifest themselves to those who believe not; we ask whether the other plan, that of exhorting unbelievers to form convictions, although at the first glance it may appear the more direct, be not on the contrary, the more tedious and uncertain? We ask, if unbelievers can be taught before believers are impressed with the duty of teaching them? lastly, we ask, if convictions do not give birth to one another, as movement originates movement-if the means of forming convictions do not consist precisely in the fact, that those who profess them express them, and by so doing communicate them to the minds of others, putting honour upon their faith by its avowal? Thus, then, to accomplish the work which we advocate, is to accomplish the other, or at least to concur in it. It is to preach, if we may so speak, to preachers; it is to exhort to exhortation; it is to work out the result, by working upon the means."

In this powerful manner, in the space of nearly two hundred pages of close type, does our author prosecute the first part of his subject, treating of the profession of conviction in general,-of the duty of the profession of religious belief in particular,of the application of the principle to different religious circumstances,-and of different modes of profession. This part of the essay we hold to be of equal value with the second; and the very basis, in fact, upon which those must rest their theory, who believe that Christianity can best sustain itself when extricated from all state alliance. No work that has appeared of late is more fitted, in our opinion, to raise the tone of personal piety, and personal devotement to Christ, than the first part of this most admirable essay. O that we could persuade every reader of this Magazine to give it his most serious perusal! What a sense of responsibility might it not be the means of bringing over the minds of thousands in relation to the fervent, manly, and consistent profession of the Christian faith.

We wish from our inmost hearts that we could do justice, in a brief notice, to the second part of this essay, but fear we cannot. It opens upon us in the following very original remarks:

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