was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass; his legs of iron; his feet, part of iron and part of clay. Dan. ii. 31-33. It pleased God to shew to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream what should come to pass until the coming of the Messiah, and that there should be four empires until that time. The first of these four was the head of fine gold; this was Nebuchadnezzar, or Babylon. The second was the breast and arms of silver; this was to be Persia and Media. The third was Greece, or his belly and thighs of brass; this was Alexander the Great.. The fourth was the iron legs; which represented the Romans. This last was to be divided in process of time, that is, his feet, part of iron and part of clay.-Five ages must be considered here, and in one of them the Messiah is to come. Every one will acknowledge that the time for the coming of the Messiah was neither during the time of the first, the time of the second, nor the time of the third; it must remain, that the coming of the Messiah was, or is to be, during the time of the fourth, or last empire. And here we must notice that the fourth is represented, first in great power, afterwards to be divided? The question will be, was the Messiah to come when the Romans were in great power, or after they were divided? I say that his time could not be whilst the Romans were in full power, nor until that great power was divided. It is well known that to each of these four empires was ordained a number of years, at the end of which the second appeared and took its place. It would be a vain thing to say that Cyrus came and took the empire of Nebuchadnezzar,

because Babylon was to have the dominion for seventy years, and when Cyrus succeeded Nebuchadnezzar, or Babylon, just at that time ended the seventy years. In the same manner every one of the four had a fixed number of years, and, at the moment one had finished his number of years, immediately the other came forward and succeeded it. The question will therefore be, of what use was the coming of Christ in the time of Augustus, or in the time of Tiberius? It is well known that Rome was then in the zenith of her power. The Messiah when he comes will have the whole power to himself, and in the same manner as the former empires had it; *and how could it be that the Messiah, who was to subdue, was taken and subdued by the Romans, and even lost his life?

Secondly; it is impossible to say that the Messiah came in the time of the Romans, as at that time it was the stated period of Rome, * and the Messiah could not come before the end of the fourth or Roman empire.

Thirdly; let us further examine the text and see: "His legs of iron; his feet, part of iron and part of clay." v. 33. "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces." v. 34. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them; and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." v. 35.

VOL. IX.

*The person who has eyes and understanding can see that the time of the Messiah was not until the fourth empire became divided. And further observe, that he is to make his appearance at that time when the image shall have his power in the foot; and when he smote the image he did not smite the head, because Babylon passed away a long time before; neither did he smite the silver, because that was no more; neither did he smite the belly, which was Greece, because that was no more; nor did he smite the iron legs, or the Romans, for how could he smite any of them when they were no more? he could smite none, except that part which was then existing; and here we find that when the Messiah comes, he will find that all the four empires are swallowed up by the feet, and there lies the whole power; and that power he will smite, and bring them to nothing, *and he will smite them only once, for so says the prophet Daniel and here is a plain proof that the Messiah by his appearance at the first time will finish every thing, and who is he that will contradict the prophet to say, that he will come twice? And, by all these statements here advanced, it is clearly proved that the Messiah is not come yet.

But here we may ask a question, Is the Son of David to be the Messiah of the Gentiles or of the Jews?-I say, of the Jews only; and

Thus we

*NO MESSIAH FOR THE GENTILES. prove it. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold thy king cometh, but not the king of the gentiles-unto thee but not to another. Zech. ix. 9.

By this passage we may learn that, when the Messiah shall come, the daughters of Jerusalem will rejoice greatly, because he will restore them, and then the people will shout for joy. But by the coming of Christ, Israel was not restored, but scattered; they had no joy, but lamentations. Here you see that he was not the Messiah: and, if he was not, then the gentiles have none.

Secondly; Israel shall have occasion to rejoice with his mother Jerusalem; because the mother will receive her children again, and be built up again but what joy can there be for the gentiles, the destroyer of Jerusalem and her children? *Again; "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.” Psalm cxlix. 2. Again; "But they shall "serve the Lord their God, and David their king:" observe their king. Jer. xxx. 9. Again; "The breaker is come up before them, they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the Lord on the head of them." Micah ii. 13.

Thus far I have proved that there is no Messiah for the gentiles, and no joy have they to expect by his coming, but on the contrary; for behold in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehosaphat; and will plead with them there for my people, and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land. Assemble yourselves and come all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about thither; cause

thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about: but in that day the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Joel iii. 1, 2, 11, 12, 16.

*NO MESSIAH FOR THE GENTILES,-by the proof of their gospel. And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of thee shall come a govenor that shall rule my people Israel, but not the gentiles. Matt. ii. 6. And again; *"But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Matt. xix. 24. Again; "When the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." xix. 28. Again; "That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." Luke xxii. 30.

Here I observe 1. That the Messiah shall be called a king of Israel. 2. That when he comes he will be sent only to Israel but not to the Gentiles. 3. That * Christ forgot the whole world, and glories in nothing but judging Israel; and, if he is to be Messiah to the Gentiles also, why did he not say, And ye shall sit upon twelve thrones judging all nations, or at least judging the twelve tribes of Israel, also the gentiles? Neither do we see that his apostles asked him any questions, saying, And what will be the condition of the gentiles? You see here *neither Christ nor the apostles took any notice of the gentiles, as if only Israel was the whole world; and therefore it is plain, that there is NO MESSIAH FOR THE GENTILES.