here notice the prophecies on this point. Compare Deut. xviii. 15, with Acts iii. 22--24, and Psa. ii. 6, 7, with 1 Tim. vi. 15, and Isa. vii. 14, with Mat. i. 22, 23, and Isa. viii. 14-18, with Mat. xi. 25: xxi. 4246: Heb. ii. 11-18, and Isa. x. 21, with Rom. xi. 5, and Isa. xxviii. 16, with Eph. ii. 20-22, and Isa. xl. 11, with John x. 11-16, and Joel ii. 28, with Acts ii. 14-47, and Micah iv. 8, with Acts ii, 39-41; but the most conclusive prophecy is at Daniel ii. 44, 45: ix. 24-27. The passage in the second chapter is an interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream by the inspiration of God. That in the ninth chapter was a vision from heaven, explained by Gabriel. Dan. ix. 21-23.

These passages, as is acknowledged by all the Christian world, point out the time when the Church of God was set up. To give an explanation of them in as few words as possible, we will introduce the views of Dr. Adam Clark. "Dan. ii. 44, "A kingdom which shall never be destroyed. The extensive and extending empire of Christ. The dream. 1. The head was of fine gold. 2. The breast and arms of silver. 3. The belly and thighs of brass. 4. The legs of iron, and the feet and toes of iron and clay. 5. A stone cut out of the mountain without hands, smites the image. 1. The head of gold. This was the first monarchy, begun by Nimrod, B. C. 2233, and ended with the death of Belshazzar, B. C. 538. 2. The breast and arms of silver. This was the MedoPersian empire, which properly began under Darius the Mede; allowing him to be the same with Cyaxares, the son of Astyages, who, by the capture of Babylon, B. C. 538, terminated the Chaldean empire, and on the death of his father, and his uncle Cyaxares, B. C. 536, became sole governor of the Medes and Persians. 3. The belly and thighs of brass, is the Macedonian or Grecian empire, founded by Alexander the Great, B. C 331. After his death, B. C. 323, the

empire became divided among his generals, Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy Lagus, and Seleucus Nicanor. 4. The legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. This means in the first place the kingdom of Lagidai, in Egypt; the kingdom of Seleucus in Syria, and secondly the Roman empire, which was properly composed of them. Ptolemy began his kingdom in Egypt B. C. 312, which continued to B. C. 30. Seleucus began his kingdom of Syria B. C. 312, which continued till B. C. 65. The former was overthrown by Octavius, the latter by Pompey, and these two were absorbed in the Roman government. 5. A stone cut out of the mountain without hands. Christ is often

called á stone in the Scriptures; but, this stone has reference to his church, which is represented with Christ the rock as its foundation and its top stone. It strikes the feet and not only ruins them, but the brass, the silver and the gold. And this stone itself becomes a great mountain and fills the whole earth."

Dan. ix. 24-27. "Seventy weeks are determined, &c. The above 70 weeks or 490 years, are divided (ver. 25) into three distinct periods; to each of which particular events are assigned. To the first seven weeks, the restoration and repairing of Jerusalem are referred, and so long were Ezra and Nehemiah employed; for this work lasted 49 years after the commission given by Artaxerxes. The second period is 62 weeks or 434 years, at the end of which the prophet says the Messiah should come; making in all, from the time of the going forth of the commandment of Artaxerxes, 483 years. 3. He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, i. e. seven years. This confirmation of the covenant must take in the ministry of John the Baptist, with that of our Lord. comprehending the time of seven years, during the whole of which he might be said to confirm or ratify the covenant with mankind. These seven years ad

ded to the 483, complete the 490. So the whole Now prophecy has been fulfilled to the very letter."

if this prophecy has been fulfilled to the very letter, then the kingdom of God was set up at the end of these 70 weeks; or when Christ ceased to confirm the covenant, which he continued to do to the day of his ascension.

Dr. Scott says, "the Jews unanimously agree, that by the stone, is here meant the Messiah's Kingdom.

-The stone was certainly distinct from the image, nay, directly opposite to it, and all its interests; it must mean therefore, the kingdom set up by the power of God without the concurrence of human policy or force, and in opposition to all the authority and combined efforts of the princes of this world, (especially those of the old Jewish church,) and the kingdom of Christ was evidently intended."

It should ever be remembered, that these prophecies were given while the Jewish church was standa member of this ing; and Daniel, who was church, said that the Babylonish golden kingdom, should yield to the Persian silver kingdom, and the Persian, to the Grecian brass kingdom, and the Grecian, to the Roman iron kingdom; and in the days of the Roman iron Caesars, the God of heaven should set up a new spiritual kingdom, distinct from any that had existed before. But the old Jewish church or kingdom could not be set up then, for it had already been set up, and existed 888 years before this propheBut here was a new kivgdom, a cy was uttered. stone cut out of this great iron mountain, without hands, and put in motion by divine power, destined to move, and roll, till it should break in pieces all other kingdoms, the old Jewish kingdom or church not excepted.

Had the prophet said that the God of heaven would remodel the old Jewish church, and given her Chris

tian ordinances instead of Jewish rites, it would have met pedobaptist philosophy; but as it is, these prophecies are fatal to their whole scheme. But prophecies do not cease with the Old Testament, we pass to the New. At Matt. xvi 18, the Lord promises Peter, that at a future time, he would build his church on that truth which he confessed; and at Matt. xviii 15 --18, the Savior gave his disciples a rule of discipline to be observed after the master of the house had left them. These are the only instances where the word church is used in the Bible till at Acts ii. But the word kingdom, in the following instances evidently mean the same thing. John the Baptist says, Matt. iii. 2," the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. iv. 17, Christ the great prophet repeats the same. Matt. x. 7, he taught his apostles to say the same. Now notice the expression; not that the kingdom of God had come, but was coming, "is at hand." Matt. xi. 11, John the Baptist, though greater than a prophet, was not in the kingdom of heaven, for that kingdom had not yet been set up. Matt. xvi. 18, "upon this rock I will build my church." Therefore it was not yet built. Mark ix. 1, " verily I say unto you that there 1 be some of them that stand here which shall not taste death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." See also Matt. xvi. 28: Mark i. 15. Thus the great prophet taught his disciples that they had not yet seen the kingdom of God, but it should come in time for some of them to see it before they tasted death. Luke xii. 32,"Fear not little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." They had not yet recieved it. Luke xxii. 18, "I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." Luke xxii. 29-30, παγω dia tíðɛμai duir, (and I promise to you) a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that yo may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and

sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Matt. xix. 28, "verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me. In the nahiyysviσia, renovation (or great day of reformation,) when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of his glory; ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." But the captain of our salvation, and the chief corner stone of the building, must be made perfect through sufferings before he could sit on the throne of his glory. Heb. ii 10. He therefore bowed his head and said it is finished; John xix. 30. Then he who came forth from the Father, left his suffering, serving state, and went to his Father; John xvi. 28; and was seated on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens ; Heb. viii. 1; and as the King of Kings, his head was crowned with many crowns; Rev. xix. 12; having thus ascended on high and led captivity captive, he recieved gifts for men; Psa. lxviii. 18: Eph. i. 2022: Heb. ii. 7; and poured out the promise of the Father upon the disciples: the house was filled with the Holy Spirit; Acts ii. 1, 2; the cloven flame crowned the twelve as kings and priests of God; Acts ii. 3; and they, sitting upon twelve spiritual thrones, began to pronounce sentences of truth and judgment upon the twelve tribes of Israel; Acts ii. 5-36. In this unparalleled day of regeneration, we find 3000 Jewish. church members not only regenerated, but baptized and added, not to the old Mosaic congregation, to which they formerly belonged, but to the church; Acts ii. 4147. Here, (and not before this,) we find the church of God spoken of as an existing body; here the disciples sat, and ate, and drank, at his table in his kingdom, while the Son of Man sat on the throne of his glory. Before the Lord ascended to the throne of his glory, he assembled his apostles, Acts i. 4, and commanded them to remain at Jerusalem until they should receive the Holy Ghost, Acts i. 8. The 81 Apostles, eleven of