sacerdotali cæpit, sed tantum ab homine Christo exorsus est. Hi omnes prope de terrenis, id est de iis quæ in terra gessit Dominus noster Jesus Christus, non recesserunt: de divinitate ejus perpauca locuti sunt, tanquam in terra cum illo ambulantes. Restat aquila : ipse est Johannes, sublimium prædicator et lucis internæ atque æternæ fixis oculis contemplator. Dicuntur enim et pulli aquilarum a parentibus sic probari, patris scilicet ungue suspendi, et radiis solis opponi: qui ferme contemplatus fuerit, filius agnoscitur: si acie palpitaverit, tanquam adulterinus ab ungue dimittitur."-St. Agustinus, lib iii., pars. 2, p. 396. In Joannis Evangelium, c. 8. Tract xxxvi. Ed. Antwerpiæ, MDCC.

These three quotations give the reasons for the appointment of these hieroglyphical symbols to the persons and writings of the four evangelists. It will be known to the readers of this letter that these four figures are the constituent parts of the cherubic emblems. The meaning of these mystic figures has never been ascertained. Many commentators-as Bishop Horne, Dr. Parkhurst, and others -believe that they were known to the patriarchs, and retained from the patriarchal into the Levitical dispensation. They formed a part of the typical furniture of the tabernacle, and composed the four standards of the tribes of Israel. They are plainly alluded to in the book of the Revelations of St. John, in passages which appear to be descriptive of the Christian Church. It is supposed, therefore, that they represent the mystic congregation of worshippers collected from every dispensation into the one Church triumphant-the universal family of those admitted to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Others again regard them as emblems of the ever blessed Trinity; while some consider them as corporeal figures, the solution of the institution of which it is impossible to arrive at. We must be content to be ignorant of the meaning of these figures; while we regard them with reverence, as probably typical of a great mystery, and emblematical, it may be, of the very attributes and purposes of that Divine Being, before whom angels veil their faces, and who spake the word and we were made, and who commanded and we were created.

Bran. Vic.

LETTERS ON PROPHECY.-No. VII

(Continued from page 58).

T.

I HAVE NOW examined every objection, and the final result may be thus stated. The first relates to the time of the end; and of three premises on which it rests, two are demonstrably false, and the third doubtful. The second relates to the succession of India and Persia, and its sole basis is a direct misquotation of the prophecy, and a groundless view of the history. The third consists of a long and learned appendix, to disprove the fourfold division of the Greek kingdom; and a close examination of the very authorities alleged, proves the entire exactness of the prophetic description. The fourth relates to the title, King of the North; and another clause from Dr.

Todd's own appendix supplies a complete answer. The fifth and last objection is, the short continuance of the four kingdoms, a fact implied in the prophecy itself; while the objection is based on a flagrant contradiction of the lecturer's own confident assertions in another passage.

III. I will now close with a few general, and less obvious remarks, which may help to illustrate the opening of this important vision.

1. The change in the dialect is the first remarkable feature in this prophecy. The preceding visions were in Chaldee, but in this and the following chapters the Hebrew is once more employed. And as nothing in the word of God is without a meaning, it is natural to enquire what light this change is designed to throw upon the object of the vision.

Now the former prophecies were not only given during the captivity, and one of them to Nebuchadnezzar himself, but their direct object was the history of the Gentile kingdoms, until the reign of Messiah. Hence they were naturally given in Chaldee, the tongue of the ruling nation of the world. There is nothing in them which of itself has any peculiar reference to Israel. But with these remaining visions the case is different. We have mention in all these of the daily sacrifice, and the sanctuary, and direct allusions to the history of the Jewish nation. The resumption of the Hebrew tongue is in full accordance with these features. We may infer that in these three last visions the history of God's providence is unfolded in special relation to the Jews and the land of Palestine. Accordingly, while the former visions follow the course of religion, civilization, and worldly power from the east westward, these last have for their main theatre Palestine and the surrounding countries.

2. The point of departure is the next point observable. The first vision took place in the height of Nebuchadnezzar's power, and the prophecy begins with the empire of Babylon, described as universal. The second vision was in the first year of Belshazzar, and its first prophetic event is the plucking of the eagle-wings, which fitly denotes the shorn ambition and diminished power of the empire under that monarch. This third vision is in the third year of Belshazzar, which was the seventh of Cyrus in Persia, when that conqueror had just begun his career of victory. His wonderful conquests are accordingly the first event described. Thus in each case, the prophecy begins with the leading event of the time at which it is given. And indeed no other point of departure is so reasonable in itself, or so accordant with the great design of these inspired predictions, to show unto God's servants the things which must shortly come to pass. Once let us admit other points of commencement, at least without very full and express evidence, and we plainly turn the prophecies into a chaos which it is impossible ever to interpret with certainty or assurance of truth. For if we admit that ten or twenty centuries may pass before one clause is fulfilled, how shall we be assured by any resemblance of a few events at that time, that the seeming correspondence is not delusive, and that twenty or thirty centuries more have not to elapse before the true fulfilment? Where sound reason and ascer

tained facts teach the same lesson, we may safely lay down the following rule-Every symbolic prophecy is to be viewed as commencing from the time when it is given, or at least from the nearest main event, unless some strong reason to the contrary can be assigned.

3. The character of the symbols is another instructive feature in this prophecy. The empires of the world were first presented to the Gentile monarch as an image of terrible brightness, a fit emblem of their aspect to a worldly eye; and which conveyed also a secret warning of their idolatrous departure from the truth of God. Next to the inspired prophet the same empires are exhibited as beasts of prey, to denote the cruelty, ambition, and persecuting spirit by which they would be characterized to a fearful extent, until the redemption of the world's kingdoms, and Messiah's visible reign. But now the second and third of those empires are represented by fresh animals, the ram and the goat, not beasts of prey, but animals for sacrifice. The main reason seems to be, that both these empires are here directly introduced as favouring the Jews, and restoring or promoting the temple sacrifices. With regard to Cyrus, whose conquests are mainly prominent in the history of the ram, this is plain from Scripture alone, and applies also to Darius and Artaxerxes, his successors. And with regard to Alexander, who is equally prominent as the notable or conspicuous horn of the goat, the same appears from Josephus (Antiqu. 8). The passage deserves to be quoted, as it illustrates the whole subject. After mention of the dream of Alexander, in which he saw a person, habited like a high priest, inviting him to the conquest of Asia, it proceeds thus :

"When he had said this to Parmenio, and had given the high priest his right hand, the priest ran along by him, and he came into the city. And when he went up into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high priest's direction; and magnificently treated both the high priests and the other priests. And when the book of Daniel was showed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended. And as he was glad therewith, he dismissed the multitute for the present, but the next day called them to him, and bid them ask what favours they pleased of him; whereupon the high priest desired that they might enjoy the laws of their forefathers, and pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired. And when they entreated him that he would permit the Jews in Babylon and Media to enjoy their own laws also, he willingly promised to do what they requested."

It is clear that the present vision was the prophecy referred to, since this alone contains the direct statement: "the rough goat is the King of Grecia and the great horn is the first king." We have therefore both the evident seal of God's providence attesting the application to Alexander, and a simple explanation why the emblems here adopted are animals of sacrifice.

4. The main outline of the vision, as revealed to the prophet by the angel, should also be carefully observed. The empire of Babylon

was already in its decline, and Daniel had twice been shown that another was to succeed. The name of Cyrus had been predicted as the deliverer of the Jews from Babylon, in prophecies with which he was familiar, and must by this time have risen into threatening notoriety at the court of Belshazzar. When the vision therefore described the conquests of the ram, and the angel expounded it of the Kings of Media and Persia, the prophet would at once perceive what power was denoted by the breast and arms of silver, and the second beast like a bear, and apply the words to their true and immediate object, Darius the Mede and Cyrus, with the conjoint empire which they were actually rearing.

Again, at the date of this vision the temple was in ruins, and its offerings had long ceased. The words of the heavenly dialogue would therefore plainly teach him that there was to be a time of restitution, followed by a second desolation, at the close of which the sanctuary was to be finally cleansed. The prophet might however be slow to apprehend the fact of such a renewed indignation of God against his favoured people. Hence all the words of the angel are adapted to impress this truth on his mind. "Understand, O son of man, for the vision is until the time of the end." "I will make thee know what shall be in the future time of the indignation; for it will be unto the time of the end." Shut up the vision, for it will be for many days. The part of the prophecy which relates to the second dispersion, till the first restoration was completed, and national sins were again threatening to bring down repeated and still heavier judgments, was naturally to be shut up till a latter time. Such is the clear and simple explanation of the words of Gabriel to the prophet; and it is plain how far they are from giving any countenance to Dr. Todd's sceptical and monstrous theory.

To sum up the whole enquiry, there is perhaps no part of God's word, the true meaning of which is established by a stronger and fuller combination of internal and external evidence, than the verses I have now examined. The authority of every age of the Church; the consenting judgments of Infidels, Jews, and Christians; the full evidence of profane and sacred history, and signal mercies conveyed through the prophecy to God's ancient people, all combine to seal the reality and truth of the fulfilment. To assail an interpretation established on such solid evidence, and with objections so rash and frivolous as those which have occupied me in this letter, is no light offence against the cause of our holy religion; and unless it be vigorously resisted in its first stages, it will spread through the Church a habit of superficial and presumptuous scepticism, and will prepare thousands and tens of thousands for open apostasy from the faith, in that approaching hour of temptation, "which is coming upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."

I remain, dear sir, yours very respectfully, T. R. B.

K

122

THE REFORMATION IN IRELAND.

To the Editor of the Churchman.

SIR,-Having this autumn visited that remote district of Ireland, the western part of the county of Kerry, where so large a body of the lower classes have lately quitted the Church of Rome, and joined that of England, I conceive that some account of the rise and progress of this reformation will be interesting to the British public, and may be usefully inserted in your valuable publication.

Early in August last my companion and myself, in the course of a tour in the South of Ireland, paid a visit to a friend near Dingle, the most western town in the kingdom, and remarkable as being the place where the change among the lower classes from the Romish to the English Church commenced.

During our stay of some weeks we had the fullest opportunity of judging of the present state of religious affairs, and of learning the steps by which this change was brought about.

The south-western part of Ireland is singularly indented by deep bays, which running far inland, are separated by narrow peninsular tracts of wild mountainous country. Of these bays, that of Castlemain, or Dingle, for it is indifferently called by either name, is one of the largest. On its northern side a very narrow passage, between two bold rocky headlands, opens into the small inner harbour of Dingle, surrounded by high, bare, and often rocky hills; bosomed in which nestles the little town of Dingle-i-couch, which, rising up their southern slope, enjoys a splendid view beyond the harbour mouth, across the wide bay, to the mountain range of the rugged barony of Iveragh. This range, though not very lofty, presents an outline of uncommon beauty, and of such varied tints as could not fail to engage and charm a painter's eye.

The Knight of Kerry's place, near the town, is emphatically called the Grove; and rightly is it so distinguished, since it is the most westerly spot where a tree of any size is now to be found. Formerly, Esk Hill, a high narrow ridge which separates the southern side of the harbour from the bay, was covered with fine oaks of ancient growth; but this was cut down some seventy or eighty years ago, and now the hill produces only coarse grass and heath, growing in a peat or boggy soil, and supplying pasture to a few mountain cattle and shaggy sheep: the southern side of the hill is a nearly perpendicular cliff, about five hundred feet high, offering a lofty barrier to the unceasing surges of the Atlantic, which here rolls in with great force from the south-west. All the headlands along this part of the coast are, towards the sea, bold, lofty, and perpendicular, but decline rapidly on the land side, thus forming a succession of very steep eminences, with lower cliffs or small bays between. At these lower parts, sands (too frequently driving sands) prevail, and are encroaching sadly upon the land, increasing the poverty of the neighbouring people. But, on the other hand, it must be mentioned that many excellent roads having been made through parts of the country, where twenty years ago nothing but a