verse cheered the hours, while the noble beasts were crouching around, unconscious whence arose the calm, under the influence of which their ferocious feelings were so lulled that a lamb might have lain down among them in safety. The angel had doubtless power to intimidate, and forcibly to restrain the ravenous beasts; or the terribleness of his aspect might have awed them into trembling submission: but it is more consistent with the loving, compassionate disposition of an angel, when dealing with those who are not at enmity with God, to use gentleness, and to bring peace.

But it was in the course of his prophetic visions that Daniel has related the fulness of angelic communication repeatedly made to him. These visions, in point of time, preceded his deliverance from the lions; the first being in the first year of Belshazzar. Here, the rise of the little horn, the Papacy, was revealed; and its final destruction is thus awfully described. "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of Days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued, and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake; I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” Dan. vii. 9-11. Troubled and grieved at the myste

riousness of these fearful things, the prophet 66 came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this," (verse 16,) and he received an interpretation, distinct and full, setting forth the grand outline of this world's history, until the glorious termination, when "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; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Verse 27. Whether the interpreter in this instance was the same who afterwards became his teacher, Daniel does not say; but when at the end of two years another vision appeared, he says, "It came to pass when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold there stood before me as the appearance of a man. And I heard a man's voice, between the banks of Ulai, which called and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man; for at the end of the time shall be the vision." (viii. 15-17.) This is the first time we have mention made of Gabriel, the honoured messenger of so much mercy to man; but indeed the latter part of the book of Daniel brings us more in contact with angels than any that precede it; enabling us to form, as it were, an acquaintance with those whom we humbly hope to associate with through eternity.

Some years after this, when Darius had been made

king over Chaldea, Daniel, computing the time revealed to Jeremiah, found that the restoration of his people to Jerusalem could not be far distant, and accordingly set himself to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, the promised mercy. He made a touching confession of sins, personal and national; pleaded the cause of God's afflicted exiles, and implored the removal of his chastening-the renewal of his former love to Israel. The prayer is one that we cannot too generally adopt, in reference to the present state of the Jews, and the sure word of prophecy which testifies that their second restoration is now drawing nigh. Having continued in this beautiful prayer for some time, the prophet says,-" And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplications before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God ; yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." Dan. ix. 20-22. The sequel has already been quoted: and the revelation made to Daniel is so conclusive as to the time, the object, and the consequences of our Lord's first coming, that the Rabbinical teachers to this day withhold that part of God's word from their people, assured that it must at once enlighten them on a subject where, being themselves in darkness, they earnestly desire to keep their brethren shrouded from

the light of day. Three years afterwards, when Daniel again was fasting and mourning before the Lord, another revelation was vouchsafed to him, more full, comprehensive, and remarkable, than any we can point out; for it embraces a period commencing with Daniel's time, and stretching out to the end of all things. The vision which he saw is very mysterious; one of the descriptions so closely resembling that which John gives of his glorified Lord, that we must pause to apply it to a created angel. "Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude." Dan. x. 5, 6. This vision was unseen by Daniel's companions; "but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.' He was

left alone, and fell into a trance: and in this state, "Behold a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words which I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling." Dan. x. 10, 11. It appears that there may have been a change of persons here: we are not told that the speaker was the same with him whose glorious appearance so overpowered a man accustomed to awful sights of heavenly splendour, and whose presence, though unseen, was so

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felt by his companions, as to send them trembling to a hiding-place. This last circumstance has no parallel in any record of the kind; for in all other cases the individuals were terrified only by what they saw and heard. We would, however, be reverently cautious in deciding a matter infinitely too high for any child of man. When this last speaker had spoken farther, and told him of the opposition made by the prince of the kingdom of Persia, and the help given to him by Michael, and added that he was about to tell what should befall the Jewish people in the latter days, Daniel says,"And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength: for how can the servant of this my Lord talk with this my Lord, for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee; be strong, yea be strong." Dan. x. 15-19. It is probable that this angel was Gabriel who had used language exactly similar on a former occasion, as being sent to instruct him, the man "greatly beloved." He proceeds to relate the wonderful things that it pleased the Lord to reveal for the comfort and encouragement no less than for the instruction of his church; and as we are told, "In the mouth