1. The time and manner of its establishment—
[The time of its establishment is here clearly marked. The Babylonish, Persian, and Grecian monarchies, were to rise in succession, each on the ruins of that which preceded it; and at last the Roman empire was to swallow up, as it were, and comprehend them all. And "in the time of the kings" belonging to this last kingdom, even while they should enjoy the utmost plenitude of their power, another kingdom was to arise, the kingdom of the Messiah. This was accurately accomplished ; for Christ was born in the reign of Augustus Caesar, when the Roman empire was at the summit of its strength and grandeur: and, within the space of about fifty years from that time, his kingdom was spread, not only over Judasa, but over a great part of the known world.
The manner of it is also plainly declared. It was foretold that a " stone which should be cut out without hands, should break in pieces this vast image ;" that " the God of heaven should set up a kingdom" solely by his own power, without the intervention of human force or ■policy ; or, to use the words of another prophet, " Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts." This also was remarkably fulfilled in the establishment of Christ's kingdom in the world. The persons who were his principal agents, were a few illiterate fishermen, alike untutored in philosophy, and unassisted by the authority of earthly magistrates. They were expressly forbidden to use the sword a; and the most learned of all the apostles suppressed every thing that savoured of carnal wis- dom, lest he should make the cross of Christ of none effect b. Yet, notwithstanding their weapons were not carnal, they were mighty through God to the pulling down of the strong holds of sin and Satan c. And indeed the heavenly treasure was committed thus to earthen vessels, on purpose that the excellency of the power might more evidently appear to be of Godd.]
2. The extent and duration of its power —
[Tt was to have the pre-eminence above all other king- doms in respect of its extent. All the monarchies referred to by the prophet were great and powerful; but this far excelled them all. The stone cut out without hands fell upon the feet of the image which were of iron and clay, and broke the whole image in pieces ; intimating that the kingdom of Christ should prevail over the Roman empire together with the other mo- narchies which were comprehended in it : all the powers of the world were to be as nothing before it. This was represented
a Matt. xxvi. 52. *> 1 Cor. i. 17. and ii. 1.
c 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. tl 2 Cor. iv. 7.