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bined in it the genius and character of all the kingdoms which were before it. In the image it was reprefented by the legs of iron. In the vifion it is faid to have great iron teeth, for as iron breaketh in pieces and fubdueth all things, and as iron that breaketh all thefe, fhall it break in pieces and bruife, by its mighty conquefts, as by its mercilefs oppreffions and cruel exactions it fhould grind them as with iron teeth, and by its infolence and contempt of the conquered kingdoms, it ftamped the refidue with the feet.

This beaft was

diverfe from the beasts which were before it. They were monarchies but this was a commonwealth. In the image it was represented by the legs of iron, and the feet part of iron and part of miry clay, which ran out into ten toes; and this beaft is faid to have ten horns, importing it should ultimately be divided into ten parts, or kingdoms and it is well known that

the fouth, to the river Indus, and, even the Ganges, on the east, and returned to Babylon in the fhort 'term of twelve years. Thefe conquefts were confequently not fo much made by marching, as by flying upon his enemies, and this performed not with two but four wings, or the double velocity of a fowl. These added to the ftates of Greece, conquered by his father Philip, and Macedonia, his hereditary dominions, conftituted the most extenfive empire which had ever been witneffed fince the world began. This beast had four heads, and the empire was divided into four parts, which were governed by four different monarchs, the heads of their respective king. doms. As thefe beafts or king doms are exhibited in another vifion which demands particular attention, a more minute defcription of them for the prefent fhall be fufpended, and we may proceed to a confideration of the Fourth Peaf. This was dread-after the Romans from their infaful and terrible, &c. No name is tiable appetite for dominion, like given to this beaft; but if it be a voracious animal, had devoured the fame with that which the apof- the whole earth, had extended tle faw, Rev xiii. 1. and the their conquefts to the Danube on fimilarity of defcription is a fuffi- the north, and from the Atlantic cient evidence of it, it had the on the west, to the Euphrates on mouth, the authority and terror, the eaft, and had fubdued the of a lion, of the Babylonians; the northern parts of Africa on the feet of a bear, the rapacity and fouth, in the later periods of their cruelty of the Medes and Perfians; empire experiencing the incurfions and the body of a leopard, the of the barbarous nations, it was courage and impetuofity of the divided into ten principalities, or Macedonians, and reprefented the kingdoms, which were governed empire of the Romans, which com by their refpective monarchs. To define thefe kingdoms is very difficult, as they were fubject to revolutions, and appeared differently at different periods. They have confequently been differently computed by different authors, according to the time they have felected for their computation. It is difficult for the fame reason, to defcribe the regions where they

The lion had wings upon his back, to denote the rapidity with which Nebuchadnezzar made his conquefts; and thefe were eagles' wings, to fignify the dignified and elevated ftate to which his empire was raised; but because the wings upon the back of the leopard only fignified the celerity of Alexander's conquefts, they were the wings of a (common) fowl.

exifted. It is fufficient for the prefent purpose to remark, that after almost endless changes, they have for their prefent fucceffors, thofe which are generally termed the kingdoms of Europe.

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ous reign of antichrift is limited in the Revelation of the apostle John. How wonderfully events have illuftrated and confirmed the fentations of this vision, in all the parts of it, when applied to the Roman empire, and with respect to antichrift, is fo very obvious, that it can receive no improvement by further explanation. The

While the prophet was intenfely confidering the horns, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom three of the firft horns were pluck-vifion is yet in progrefs. I beheld,

fays Daniel, until the thrones were caft down; in the margin, fet up. If we take the text, are we not to understand it of thofe thrones. or kingdoms of which he had been fpeaking. Or if we take the marginal reading, is it not a reprefentation fimilar to that of Ifa. chap. vi. I faw the Lord fitting on a throne high and lifted up. V. 25. But the judgment fhall fit.-Does not the paffage

ed up by the roots, and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. This little horn we neceffarily confider as another kingdom, rifing up among the ten. The falling of three before it, its reducing three of the ten to establish and extend its own power and influence; the marks of defcription given of this horn demonftrate, that it is the power called antichrift, or the antichrif-import, that the blafphemy and tian power and dominion. For, 1. It had eyes like the eyes of a man, fignifying its difcernment and policy. And until this kingdom was filled with darkness, Rev. xvi. did not the fubtilty and addrefs of the papal fee in accomplishing its defigns, exceed imagination and become proverbial? 2. It had a mouth speaking great things. The angel fays, in the explication of the vifion, v. 25. He shall speak great words against the most hign, and wear out the faints of the most high, and think to change times and laws. How almost exclufively applicable to antichrift, blafpheming God and perfecuting his people have been, is very generally known. 3. The term affigned for the duration of this horrid blafphemy, perfecution, and impious ufurpation of divine authority and prerogatives. A time, a year; times, two years; and the dividing of time, or half a year, making the years and a half, the term to which the impi

perfecution of the little horn, or antichrift, produced a judicial procefs against him, and the throne of judgment being erected, the ANCIENT of DAYS, the great Jehovah, fat upon it, attended by thoufands and thousands of his miniftring fervants, an innumerable company of angels. And the books were opened, the process commenced, the accufation and complaints against him for his. ufurpation and impiety and cruelty were produced; and, fays Daniel, I beheld till the beast was flain, and his body deftroyed and given to the burning flame, intimating that for the impiety of antichrift, God will deftroy the Roman empire, and leave it neither root nor branch. As for the reft, the other beafts, or kingdoms, they had their dominion taken away, they were deprived of their fovereign power and authority, but their lives were prolonged for a feafon and a time, their bodies continued to exift, and other em

ful and righteous reign, and all the preceding horrid and dreary fcenes made to ferve as a foil, as a fhade, the more impreffively to illuftrate the purity and bleffednefs of his holy kingdom on earth, and his glorious and eternal kingdom in heaven. Happy era! How confoling it is after having been fo long toffed on fuch a tempeftuous fea, to arrive at length in fuch a fecure and peaceful haven? After having been conver fant through this fucceffion and long duration of empires, with commotions and revolutions, war and blood, rapine and cruelty, oppreffion and perfecution, murders, maffacres and affaffinations, difcord and contention and human mifery in all its various forms, to come at laft to the peaceable and bleffed kingdom of Chrift Jefus, when the wolf fhall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, the lion fhall eat fraw like the ox, and the fucking child fhall play on the hole of the afp, and the weaned

pires were erected out of them; | but this fhall be completely deftroyed, and have neither heir, nor fucceffor; no earthly kingdom fhall be formed out of its ruins, but it fhall fink as a millftone into the fea, and be found no more at all.-I faw in the night vifions, and behold, one like the fon of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the ANCIENT of DAYS, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, fhould ferve him. His dominion is an everlafting dominion, which fhall not pafs away, and his kingdom that which fhall not be destroyed. Ver. 27. And the kingdom, and dominion, and the greatnefs of the kingdom under the whole heaven, fhall be given to the people of the faints of the most high. In the dream, the ftone became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The four great empires having fucceffively rifen, and kept the earth in a state of conftant agita-child put his hand on the cockation and convulfion, like the troubled fea when it cannot reft, and filled it with blood and carnage, and mifery and death, difplayed their power and wealth in the moft fplendid form-and having been exhibited as fo many monuments of earthly inflability and the frailty of human greatnefs-crumbled to ruin-and antichrift having difplayed the arrogance, pride and wickedness of the human heart, in blafpheming God, and anathematizing and perfecuting his people; they are compelled, in fuc.. ceffion, to retire from the ftage of action, that the prince of peace may be introduced, exert his benign influence, and difplay, on the grand theatre of the univerfe, the excellence and felicity of his peace

trice den, and there fhall be nothing to hurt nor offend in all God's holy mountain.-How animating, how refreshing, even in profpect! How does it conftrain us to pray, come Lord Jefus, come quickly! Amen.

(To be continued.)

Report of the Directors to the ninth
General Meeting of the London
Miffionary Society.
(Continued from page 198.)

HE Directors next proceed to inform the Society of the progrefs of the miffionary work in their different ftations at the colony of the Cape of Good Hope; in which there will be found abund

the Society above mentioned, and in other letters from that colony: "Our exertions in this metropolis, have been very abundantly bleffed. The number of the converted heathens is confiderable, who manifeft the power of the Spirit, not only in the public

among themfelves; fo that while we lament the declenfion of zeal for the cause of Jefus among many profeffors, which ought ever to be fpreading forth, his holy name is daily more and more ador

ant occafion of thankfgiving to God, for the perfonal protection which he has been pleased to af ford our brethren, and the bleffing which he has impreffed on their faithful labors. It will probably communicate the cleareft view of the general ftate of our miffions there, if we briefly men-worship, but in their intercourfe tion them separately, and with fome regard to their local fituations in that fettlement. On this ground we begin with that at Cape-Town, under the direction of the brother Manenberg, fent out about three years fince by oured among the heathen." They Society from Holland; and who, on his arrival there, was taken under the more immediate protection of the South African Society, and employed to labor in the miniftry among a congregation of Chriftians, as well as to attend to the religious inftruction of the heathen; the latter being more numerous there than at any other place in the colony. The energy, zeal, and fidelity with which this good man discharged thefe important duties, have excited, indeed, the difpleasure and oppofition of fome profeffing Chriftians, who appear to have acted under the influence of prejudice; but, on the other hand, have been favored with the divine bleffing in fo great a degree, as to increase confiderably the difpofition to attend the public worship of God, by which means that efficacious grace has Our next Miffionary station is been communicated, which has at Stellenbosch, about twenty brought falvation to many. The miles from Cape-Town; and is converfion of the heathen, how-under the care of the brother Bekever, being the more immediate kar. This devoted fervant of our and direct object of his miffion, Lord had formerly refided in that feems to have engaged his unwea- place, and had been much affected ried activity; and, communicating with the deplorable ignorance of to others the fame zeal with which the heathen around him. In he himself was inspired, the effect confequence whereof, on his reof their united efforts is thus ex- turn to Europe, he offered his ferpreffed in the Annual Report of vices to our fociety, that he might VOL. IV. No. 6.

add alfo, "If we look upon the great number of heathen who come under the hearing and teaching of our brother Manenberg, in comparison of the small number which before attended, we ought to feel the utmost thankfulness, as well as moft carneftly pray that we may be helped in our work, and that the time may faft advance when the light of the gospel may pervade the dark regions which furround us: and if we reflect on the events of the past year, we have lefs occafion to dwell on our disappointment, than to declare our gratitude to Him who rules in Zion; who has caufed the work of our hands to be bleffed, and difficulties remarkably to vanish : who has alfo removed out of the way the obftacles to the inftruction of the heathen.”

D d

entirely confecrate himself to the work of their converfion. He went out in the fame fhip with the Miffionaries Manenberg and Vefter; and the letters fince received from him are fo highly fatisfactory, that the Directors are only reftrained by the neceffary limits of a report, from inferting the whole of them. They convey, however, intelligence, that feveral poor heathens embrace joyfully the Saviour of Sinners, manifeft in their experience the genuine marks of a Divine work; and one of them, on the near expectation of her departure into the eternal ftate, expreffed the most comfortable perfuafion of her personal intereft in the love of Jefus, and the redemption procured by his death. This ufeful Miffionary has opened to apply himself, with com ed a school alfo, for the advantage of the children of the Hottentots; and mentions, in his last letter, that the number of thofe who then attended was thirty.

inftruction of the uncivilized heathens in the doctrines of Chrift and these men not only traduced the Miffionary caufe, and mifreprefented its object and tendency, but earneftly entreated. the government at Cape-Town, to fupprefs the miffion, and fend away its leader, as a feducer of the people. The Governor-general Dundas, was, however, fo well convinced of the motive which induced this oppofition, and understood fo juftly the beneficial influence of the principles of Christianity, in promoting the ge neral interefts and tranquillity of the colony, that he wrote himself to this worthy brother, encouraging him to remain there, and affuring him of his protection. Thus fupported, he has continu

mendable affiduity to the dif charge of his duty; and labors amongst different forts of heathens, fuch as Hottentots, Bofchemen, and flaves from Mozam bique; in fome of whom he ex

the work of the Holy Spirit. At the monthly prayer-meetings, he fays, "When we bow our knees before the throne of grace, they

Baftian Tromp, a native of Holland, and fent out by our So-preffes the hope that he perceives ciety, in connection with that at Rotterdam, is the Miffionary who, in pursuance of the plan laid down, comes next under our attention. He arrived at Cape-cry out, we thank God that you Town feveral months before the two Miffionaries already mentioned; and labored there with much acceptance, both among Chrift. ians and Heathens, till the period when Manenberg was appointed to fix his ftation at that place. In June 1801, he departed from thence to the spot where he has fince exercised his miniftry; which is called Waggon-maker's Valley. In the commencement of his labors he met with oppofition from fome perfons in the vicinity, who, although bearing the name of Chriftians, were inimical to the

are come to us. He exercifes his miniftry in the house built for public worship, twice on the Lord's day, and every Tuesday in the afternoon. In the house of a Chriftian friend, he preaches every Thursday afternoon; and to the family in which he lives, and as many as chufe to attend there, he engages every evening in an expofition of the Scripture, and in prayer. The number of heathen flaves who attend, varies according to the difpofition of their mafters. Many of them, he fays, exprefs a great reverence for

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