vision of four dreadful beasts : the propriety of these different representations is evident ; for the mind of that haughty monarch was engrossed with the love of earthly grandeur ; whereas the humbler mind of Daniel would view great conquerors rather in the light of ferocious beasts, eager to gratify their own appetites, though it be by the desolation of the hu- man race. In Daniel's vision also many things were added relative to the church of God, which, though of infinite importance in his eyes, would have been of small moment to the king of Babylon —
If we notice the terms themselves, nothing can be conceived more majestic than this description of God's coming to judgment. First, " the thrones are set downb, and " the Ancient of days," the eternal incom- prehensible Jehovah, with Christ as his assessor, takes his seat. The august appearance of the Judge, " clothed in a garment white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool," denotes his unsearch- able wisdom that penetrates the deepest secrets, and his unsullied integrity as discoverable in all his deci- sions. His throne is compared to a triumphal cha- riot, whose seat and wheels are of fire, and from which issues a stream of fire, to destroy those whom his justice shall condemn. " Myriads of angels minister to him" as the willing executioners of his decrees, and " innumerable multitudes stand before him " to receive their sentence from his mouth. " The judg- ment being thus set, the books are opened ; " as well the book of his remembrance, wherein the actions of all were written, as the book of his law, whereby they are to be judged.
This is a prophecy ; in considering which we shall shew,
I. To what it refers —
[The destruction of Antichrist is the first event to which this description refers. The prophet directs our attention, not to the general judgment, but to a particular judgment which shall be instituted for the punishment of a blasphemous,
b So the words " cast down" should rather be rendered.