proved aforetirne the vain pretensions of his magicians and soothsayers, and harl proved too, the lncomparnblo superiority of Daniel; ncvcrtheles~, he neglects Daniel auain 0 ~ this occasion, and sends for the pretentious astrologers. Such men must be p~unded in a mortar before the folly can be expurgated, I. 'l'rm PIIOPllET IlAB ALWAYS A PLACE IN THE WORLD. There bas always been, and nlwnys will be, a need for him. Scientific discovery, however rapid itR a<lvancem<'nts, will never push the prophet from his niche. A vision was granted to Nebucbadnczzar by God, yet even tho vision does not suffice. It only perplexes, saddens, alarms. The carnal mind cannot understand it. It is a terrific enigma-confusion worse confounded. '!'hero is need of a prophet to unfold the signification. As long as man requires authoritat.ive interpretations of Divine truth, so long he requires the prc,pbet. II. 'l'HE PROPHET OANNOT DE MADE DY THE ART OR SKILL OF l,AN. The Baby- lonian king may make decrees from morning till nigl,t, but no number of royal decrees can manufacture a prophet, He may call a certain number of rtcluses "wise men;" but he can uevor make them so. Both kings and m,aner men allow tl,em- selves to be easily deceived by the mere show and pretence of authority. Let kings learn that there are some things which even they cannot do, In their extremity king- made prophets fail, III. 'l'HE TRUE PROPHET IB CREATED BY THE SPIRIT OF GoD. God reveals his mind and will to whomsoever he pleases. As every power of mind is his creation, so this gift of prophetic insight is a direct donation from God, The capacity is God:s, though man can improve and develop it by wise use. Prophecy is not so much a faci;lty of mind as the production of a peculiar temper of soul, It is strongest in the man who walks most closely with God; in other words, who is most conformed to God's character and image, "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him." To the same end, Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, "I thank thee, Father, . . . because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." IV. THE TRUE PROPHET MAY BE KNOWN BY HIS HUMILITY AND I.OVE. Daniel did not push his way into the presence of the king, w:th the rest of the wise men. He calmly waited in obscurity until his presence was sought. Ilea! merit is neither forward nor froward. Nor, when Daniel perceived the purport of tbe dream, was he in baste to make known the coming disaster. Astonishment and sorrow sealed his lips for the space of an hour. Then, required by the king to unburden his soul, the prophet expresses profoundest sympathy with the king's doom: •• My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee." The true prophet will not only bring God's message, but will bring it in God's spirit. He "speaks the truth in love."-D.
Vers. 10-18.-.A vision of self-ruin. It must always be regarded as a mark of God's kindness, when he forewarns men of his impending judg,nenls. If viu.'.ictive retribution only was intended, there would be no prewouilivn. The old adage current among the heathen, "The gods have feet of wool," bas no place in God's kingdom. "The axe is laid at the root of the tree "-a proof that kindness is not extinct in God's bosom. I. WE HAVE A PICTURE OF BRILLIANT PROSPERITY. It was a common method in olden time to represent a prosperous man under the image of a. flourishing tree. "The righteous shall prosper as a palm tree: be shall grow as a cedar in Lebanon." The greatness and splendour of Nebuchadnezzar resembled such a tree. He reigned in Babylon-well-nigh the centre of the then known world. His power among earthly kings was supreme. Neighbouring monarchs were his vassals. In all his wars he had been successful. Israel and Syria, Egypt and Arabia, lay at his feet. His throne was strong, and bis fame reached, as it seemed, to heaven. Nor did his rule appear, on the whole, injurious. The peoples found protection under his sceptre, He encouraged the growth of art and science. But this militMy ~lory fe,l and pampered his pride. He deemed himself something more than rnnn. He imagine,! himself a demi-god. 'l'he prosperity was outward, material, plausible. It did not touch and transform his inner nature, His body was nursed in luxury, but he was starving his soul. The flower opened in unrivalled beauty, but there was a worm at the root. Ah! deceitful sunshine. U, A PlCTUl\lil OF AWfUL REYERS!/:, H is no uncommon thing for !)TOSFerous men 158 THE BOOK OF DANTF.L. [OH, lV, 1-87,