the Roman, which was prefigured by the legs and feet of the image; and as the stone struck the image upon its feet, we must therefore date the commencement of the fifth empire from the days of Augustus, when Christ, our Lord, was made manifest in the flesh to found the Gospel of peace and salvation,

The nature of the fifth kingdom was to be altogether different from that of the other empires, in its founder, its maintenance and support, and in its power and duration. The stone, which struck the image, "was cut out without hands," i. e. God himself would set up this kingdom. And this exactly corresponds with what our Lord said to Pilate (John xviii. 86) "My kingdom is not of this world." It is true, that it is by God, kings reign; and that all power belongeth unto him; and that the fate of empires depends upon his will: But the kingdom of the Gospel was founded peculiarly by him; for it did not owe its rise to human wisdom, or force of arms, but to miracles which were wrought by his power, and to that influence which his spirit exerted upon the minds of men in disposing them to receive it. The kingdoms of this world are supported by military force, and generally owe their origin to some bold and daring adventurer; but this kingdom is in its nature spiritual, and is supported by spiritual means, and is therefore perfectly distinct from human government as such. This passage, “in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom," received a most literal accomplishment in the person of Christ the founder of the Gospel; for being both divine and human, it is said of him, (1. Tim. iii. 16) "God was manifest in the flesh. No armies were employed to subjugate mankind under the dominion of this spiritual kingdom, nor any other weapons but miracles, and the force of sound reason

"

and argumentation. And by means of those weapons, in a very short time, the Gospel was admitted and believed over the greatest part of the known world.

As the stone, which overthrew the image, was at first but small, so also was the beginning of the Gospel kingdom. Few believed in the divine mission of Christ. As a nation the Jews rejected him, though many individuals believed on him. His first followers were men neither of rank, nor power, nor wealth; they were of the humblest description, that the success of the Gospel might evidently be owing to the divine interposition. The great business of human government either is, or ought to be, the protection of men's liberties, and property; to look after the external affairs of mankind: But this fifth kingdom not only respects the interests of man in this world, but also fits him for the enjoyment of eternal happiness in the world to come. It is within man, and, therefore, does not depend upon armies and military force for its support. Its great energy and effect is upon the mind of man, leading him to acknowledge the one God and his son Jesus Christ; to submit himself to the laws of the Gospel; to devote himself entirely to the service of his creator; and to prove by his pious conduct, that he is a faithful subject of the Lord of heaven and earth. This kingdom, therefore, cannot, from its very nature, be subject to change. Its king is unchangeable; its laws never alter; nor will there ever be wanting subjects to its dominion. To be a subject of this empire does not unfit a man for subjection to earthly government; he may be a real subject of Christ, and yet loyal to his temporal prince, for one law of the Gospel is, to "honour the king."

When, therefore, it is said of the stone, the kingdom

of the Gospel, "that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold," we must not suppose that the Gospel is contrary to civil government, or adverse to lawful authority; for we must "render unto Cæsar the things which are Caesar's." But as the stone grew to a great mountain and filled the whole earth, so the Gospel tends to incorporate in one common faith all men, and to unite them as one body to Christ their head and king. But the four great monarchies were all idolatrous, and therefore entirely opposite to the kingdom of Christ: The idolatrous kingdoms would, therefore, never, as such, form a part of the Gospel kingdom; and must therefore be subverted to admit of its full extent. The subversion of these kingdoms, then, by the Gospel, is the subversion of their existence especially as idolatrous; that every tongue may confess that Jesus is the Lord, and that the kingdoms of this world, as such, may become christian, may become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ. The Gospel does not destroy civil government; but it necessarily tends to destroy all idolatrous governments, and will eventually triumph over all opposition to its progress and success. That there are now no remains of four empires, as they were exhibited by the image, is known to every one. The kingdoms of the Assyrians, the Persians, the Grecians and the Romans, are all swept away "like the chaff of the summer threshing floor." Kingdoms it is true exist in those countries which they occupied; but for them no place is found, they are destroyed never to be revived. As the Roman empire comprehended the greater part of the countries which the three former empires contained, and many others in addition, the subversion of it was therefore in a sense the subversion of the whole; and though every exertion was made by many of its emperors to

destroy the rising kingdom of Christ, when it was but as a stone, yet its influence continued to increase till it had overthrown the idolatrous government, and the very being of the ancient Roman empire had ceased to exist.

The government and stability of the fifth empire was to be very different from that of the others, it was "not left to other people” (v. 44). Earthly kingdoms often change their governors; and we often see a new family raised to the throne: But the king of this empire can never be dethroned, nor can the power ever be wrested from his hands. No enemy can usurp his seat, or sway his sceptre: Of his government and peace there shall be no end. We have seen in this dissertation that the mightiest empires have been destroyed, and have become a prey to others but his kingdom shall stand for ever; nor will any changes ever take place in its governor, its laws, or institutions. The duration of Christ's empire is not confined to the existence of this world, for if it were, it would then be finite, for "the earth and all that is therein shall be burnt up;" its duration will be eternal in the proper sense of the word, because those, who have been his true subjects upon earth, will reign with him in heaven, and where he is there will they also be forever.

The progress of this kingdom was to be gradual; at first it was but as a stone, which without human power struck and overthrew the image; but it afterwards "became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (v. 35). From the present state of the extent of Christianity, it is plain this prediction has not received its full accomplishment; and many other passages of scripture give us great reason to believe, that both the belief and the practice of Christianity

will be much more general than it has ever yet been. The Gospel has been received by many nations it is true, but still much the greater part of the world is unchristian in its profession, nor has there ever yet been that universal spread of the Gospel which may be expected. When the fulness of the Gentiles shall be come in, all Israel shall be saved. (Rom. xi. 26 ) The heathen shall be given to Christ for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession, (2. Ps.) To him there is "given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him." (Dan. vii. 14).

Though the progress of the Gospel was to be gradual as it respects the whole earth, yet its progress was very rapid at first to a certain extent. By means of the great extent of the language and dominion of the Roman, the fourth empire, in a very short time the Gospel was preached through a great portion of Europe, and through much of Asia, and some of the most distinguished countries of Africa. Men renounced the worship of idols, and God alone, according to the Gospel of his son, became the object of their adoration. By means of commerce and those colonies which European nations possess, the light of the Gospel con◄ tinues to extend itself to dark and idolatrous nations. The stone is growing up to a mountain, which will fill the whole earth, and overwhelm every power that opposes itself against the kingdom of God and his Christ.

We have already shewn, that civil government, as such, is not contrary to the kingdom of the Gospel ; and that the Gospel enjoins obedience to all lawful authority. Those men, therefore, are not to be regarded, who endeavour to persuade others, that the kingdom of the Gospel will supersede civil government.