sees those sovereigns scheming in their marriage contracts for their children, negotiating for their marriage portions, &c. &c., he is ready to fancy, "Surely it will not be long until several of these estates will become one, and different kingdoms will be consolidated, and fall by inheritance to the lot of one." Reader, different farms and large tracts of land are thus united and become the property of one, every day that the sun passes over us; but an old grey-headed Hebrew man, twenty-three hundred years since, was told to write concerning the kingdoms of Europe, " They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." These kingdoms were to commence a thousand or twelve hundred years after the death of the prophet. Although this was a long time for the few of the wise to watch, who were looking in every age, yet it came to pass at last; and they were reminded that Jehovah does not forget his word. These ten toes were to continue more than twelve hundred years, acting in a given way, and under very improbable circumstances. Some few of the wise were looking on. The horns or toes did thus continue, and they have thus acted.

There is one more declaration which was made long since, but has not yet been brought to pass. It was to be done in the latter days, and at the last times, of these ten kingdoms. It was, "The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom." Reader, do you think he will? He has not failed to do all that was said beside this, and we believe that he will keep his word also here. "The God of heaven shall set up a kingdom." This universal kingdom is the rock which is to become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth. This rock was once

small-it was cut out without hands. This stone has been long cut out. It is to smite the image on the feet. It is yet to become a great mountain. Before we notice farther the increase of this mountain, we will meditate once more on that which we have before thought of and written about: its being cut out without hands. "That rock was Christ." That a rock should be cut without hands seems to us incredible. That the religion of Jesus Christ should obtain a commencement in the world, and then remain there half a century, is equally strange and incredible, provided we look faithfully at the circumstances under which it was introduced. Reader, the Lord, in making use of such an expression, calls for our attention. Before we are arrained before him, we should do well to ask after the meaning of such a figure. It will require another chapter to ask after the proprie. ty of such a comparison. Let us attend prayerfully what the Judge has said to us in that language.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE SUBJECT CONTINUED.

When we find the introduction of Christianity expressed in prophecy by the cutting out of a rock without hands, we should enquire honestly after the propriety of the figure. If we had been in an adjoining apartment, looking on when the Lord's supper was instituted, when the emblematic cup was first handed round, and some

one had asked us how long that memorial would continue in the world? how should we have answered him? Suppose much depended upon our giving a correct answer, upon our judicious opinion respecting the durability of that feast. We must, before we ventured upon a confident reply, make many inquiries, and ascertain many facts. Reader, let us now make these inquiries, ask these questions, notice these facts, remember these circumstances. As sure as God calls to men he has made, we should be familiar with such truth. If we had been thus spectators in Jerusalem, and it had been demanded of us how long that supper would in all probability be celebrated in the world, we must, before deciding, make the following inquiries:

1st. Is this city where the feast is instituted, to remain long as it now is? Answer.-No! That individual at the head of the table, who hands the bread and cup, has told his followers that one stone shall not be left upon another in the loftiest buildings. He has informed them that the room where they now are, and the house containing the room, and the city which contains the house, will be crushed before destruction's rudest plough-share, and that ere long! His inspired followers have written, "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." Again, they explain his near the end of the world. The question still recurs, "Does he expect that any will continue to show his death until the end of the world?" He had informed them, that ere long, war would riot in its wildest, bloodiest revel; that nation should be dashed against nation, and shivered like the potter's vessel, (and history has informed us that so it was.) Under this view of facts

coming to be at or

thus far we might have supposed, if there, that no one would remember him through the turmoil, unless we had known who he was. Such, no doubt, would have been our conjecture.

Before asking the second question, it is necessary that we should remember distinctly, that men are often well pleased when certain things are enjoined by their religion. When some of the ancient nations were told that if they used wine to intoxication, through the long nightly revel, in honour of Bacchus, it would please that deity; they had no particular objection to the command, nay, it pleased them. When the Mohamedans are told that the more of their enemies they kill with the sword, the greater shall be their sensual joys in paradise; it does not displease them. Revenge on those they hate, is not hard to cultivate. It requires no sacrifice. It is ordering them to do that which they love to do. When the Asiatic is told, by the priests of his religion, that the practice of adultery, through a long feast of obscenity, will conciliate the favour of a par ticular deity, he is well satisfied with that worship. When others are told to hang up the mangled bodies of their adversaries, in honour of the god of war, compliance requires no self-abasement.

Question 2.-Does he who is instituting this memorial require of his followers that which men love to do, to fight, or to feast, or to practice fornication, and does he forbid only that which men already hate? Answer. -He enjoins meekness, the love of enemies, turning the cheek to the second blow, temperance, chastity to the strictest thought, (or heaven is lost,) patience, nonconformity to the world, &c. &c.

Question 3.-Does he not promise them that if they

follow him, and are called after him, they shan thus arise to worldly honour? Answer.—He tells them, “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake."

Question 4.-Does he not offer them safety at least? Answer. He said, "Whosoever killeth you, will think he doeth God service."

Question 5.-Surely he engages for their peace and rest? Answer.-All the pledge he gave of this kind was such as the following: They shall scourge you from city to city. He will tell those twelve men sitting around him, that but one of them shall die a natural death.

If we had been there on that night and heard him say, "This do in remembrance of me," and had we been asked earnestly as to our expectations respecting the durability of the ordinance, or his religion, in view of the facts we have named, and of similar truths, we should have answered, "No one will do this or care for him twenty years from this hour." This would have been our deliberate judgment, unless we had known that he was the Maker of stars, or unless we had forgotten to estimate that which we well know of mankind. He who does not know that men love ease, and indulgence, and sensuality, has but a narrow circle of mental vision. He is a fool, or he speaks falsely who does not confess that the hope of honour, affluence, and exaltation, had and still has, an overwhelming influence with the sons of men.

The name of the individual who promised persecu. tion, but no flattering advancement; who permitted toil and poverty, but no sensuality; who said, "This do in remembrance of me," his name now is heard and felt as no other name is. It shakes the soul of those