the nature of his kingdom; it will be Divine and spiritual. We do not mean by this, that he will relinquish his superintendence of the natural world, or cease to guide and manage the affairs of mankind; but, that, as the King of Zion, he will bear a universal and unrivalled authority, by his word and Spirit, over the hearts of men; bend every nation to his gracious control; purify his churches from all injurious errors, and utterly eradicate from his worship and service every principle of a secularizing tendency. This view of his reign is not opposed by that part of the prophetic vision, just alluded to, in which the stone dashes the image to pieces; since that circumstance does not necessarily import violence, but is rather indicative of the spiritual influence which the gospel shall obtain over the nations of the earth, by which every thing hostile to the dominion of Christ shall be as successfully removed as though it were exterminated by fire and sword. In order to facilitate the progress of the gospel, and to introduce the universal triumph of the Redeemer, there is every probability, arising from the history of the world, and from the aspect of prophecy, that suitable arangements will be made by Divine Providence

These arrangements, according to some writers, involve the utter extinction of all

earthly empires; but there does not appear much reason for this opinion, since there is not any thing in civil government, if established and administered on principles of equity and benevolence, that is at all hostile to the reign of Jesus Christ. And, although it is affirmed, that the Son of God will put down all rule and all authority and power; yet the inspired author of these words refers, perhaps, to the abolition of death, rather than to that of civil authority. But, should the latter be included, still nothing more may be designed than the removal of those governments which may refuse submission to his dominion, or be unfriendly to the propagation of Divine truth. Should such be destroyed, they will, in all probability, be succeeded by others whose measures shall happily conduce to the welfare of Zion.

These observations receive some support from those portions of sacred writ, which expressly predict the submission and obedience of earthly monarchs to the sceptre of Immanuel. “All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth; yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord." "All kings shall fall down before him, all nations shall serve him." "The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. And kings shall be thy

nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers." These happy and glorious improvements in the character of civil governors will, perhaps, be the best solution of the following predictions in the Book of Daniel:-"The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High."

It should seem, then, from these prophecies, that human authorities, as regulated and influenced by the principles of Christianity, will contribute in no small degree to the comfort and glory of the church. But we may expect that Divine Providence will previously so far interfere in preparing the nations for this illustrious period, as to remove from them all laws and usages which may obstruct the progress and triumph of civil and religious liberty.

With respect to the reign of the Messiah, considered in itself, it will, as already stated, be purely spiritual; for, as his kingdom consists of minds renewed by the spirit of God, acknowledging the mediatorial authority of Jesus, and in a course of training for the eternal world, we may infer that it will be governed by laws which correspond with its nature.

The Messiah only has the right to rule over a kingdom thus constituted: he only has received the kingdom: he only has received all power in heaven and earth to establish and protect it. To admit a partner in his throne; to allow the rod of human authority to be entwined with his sceptre; to confer any portion of his spiritual prerogative on the most exalted creature; would be a reflection on his own dignity. Besides, there would be an absolute unfitness in such an association: for a supreme spiritual ruler must extend his observation, not only to the exterior of human conduct, but to the consciences, dispositions, and affections of men; he must be able to counteract the influence of Satan, to arrest his progress, to demolish his empire; he must be able to emancipate sinners from the slavery of vice, to renew them in the spirit of their minds, to raise their affections to the true centre of their felicity, and to erect a throne for himself in every heart. But what can produce this wonderful renovation, except a spiritual agency, an agency which has access to the interior of man, which is absolutely holy in its nature, and infallibly. efficacious in its operations?

This peculiarity of the Divine reign cannot appear in a stronger light than when it is viewed in connexion with the measures which

the Messiah will adopt for extending it over all lands. Some of the princes of this world, in their zeal for promoting the cause of religion, endeavoured, in former times, to extend its interests by the most unwarrantable means. Forgetting that genuine piety consists in the voluntary surrender of the heart to the service of God; and resolving, if possible, to make the opinions of their subjects conformable to their own; they had recourse to measures which were to the last degree censurable,-measures which violated the rights of humanity, and were as barbarous as they were unscriptural and absurd. When Christianity first descended from the Father of mercies, she appeared in this world with all the simple adornings of celestial majesty: her bosom swelled with the softest compassion for the wretched; in her hands she held the richest blessings; on her tongue was the law of kindness; she breathed peace and love in every accent; she reclaimed the wanderer by the tenderness of her persuasions; and over those who opposed and reviled her, shed tears of pity and grief. But, when the professed friends of this amiable benefactress affected to delineate her heavenly form, they exhibited to the world the image of a fury : they harnessed her in the mail of the warrior; around her temples they coiled a wreath of

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