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not fuppofe them to have had any share in it. The words juft quoted speak in general terms, putting the whole for a part, meaning fome of the kingdoms of Europe; now the particular kingdoms employed by the Almighty as his agents in her deftruction, appear to me to be pointed out by the prophet Daniel xi. 40. ving defcribed the character and fuccefs of the blafphemous king, in terms which can fully and only apply to the Papacy, he proceeds to fhew the manner of his downfall: "And at the "time of the end fhall the king of the fouth "push at him, and the king of the north fhall

come against him like a whirlwind, with "chariots and with horfemen, and with many

fhips, and he fhall enter into the countries, "and thall overflow and pafs over." Here the agents that procure his fall, are the kings (or kingdoms) of the south and north; that is, kingdoms fo fituated with refpect to Rome, the refidence of the blafphemous king, as the kingdoms of Egypt and Syria, intended by the fouth and north, in the former part of the chapter, are fituated with refpect to Judea. I shall not pretend dogmatically to affert which are the kingdoms intended, but I conjecture they may be Naples and France; the former fhall make an attack on Rome, but the latter fhall lead their forces by fea and land against it, unexpectedly

and

and violently like a whirlwind, and shall prove fuccessful, as a flood that overfloweth the land carries every thing along its courfe, in defiance of any refistance it may meet with.

This circumftance of its being deftroyed by a kingdom fituated to the north, is repeatedly mentioned in thofe prophecies which have an afpect to Rome in a fecondary fenfe. Thus, it is faid of Babylon, Jer. 1. 3. "Out of the north com"eth up a nation against her, which fhall "make her land defolate." Again, ver. 9. "For lo, I will raife and caufe to come up against "Babylon, an affembly of great nations from "the north country, and they fhall fet them"felves in array againft her, from thence fhe "fhall be taken." The fame circumftance is repeated, verfes 41, 42. In prophecies that have · a double meaning, I think it is probable that all the circumftances apply to both events, at any rate, fuch circumftances as are repeatedly mentioned. The prophecies defcribe not only the agents, but the circumftances likewife that accompany the deftruction of Papal Rome.

They fhew the infufficiency of all her refources to preferve her at the time God has allotted for her downfall, though no fyftem of human policy was ever better devised to infure a perpetual duration. She amaffed the wealth of the world, which affords the means of negociation, .

and forms the finews of war. The kings and great men of the earth were her avowed protectors. The abilities and learning of the world once centered in her clergy, who, zealous in her defence, taught lies in hypocrify. The fafcinating charms of her idolatry attach millions to her communion, who fancy that her existence is neceffary to their falvation. What an immenfe multitude of angels, faints and images, according to her own faith, are her protectors! But all fhall be of no avail. "A fword is up"on the Chaldeans, faith the Lord, and up"on the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon "her princes, and upon her wife men. A "fword is upon the liars; and they shall dote1: "a fword is upon her mighty men, and they

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fhall be difmayed. A fword is upon their "horfes, and upon their chariots, and upon all "the mingled people that are in the midft of "her; and they fhall become as women: "fword is upon her treasures; and they shall "be robbed. A drought is upon her waters; "and they shall be dried up: for it is the "land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols," Jer. 1. 35-38. ." I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth "out of his mouth, that which he hath fwal"lowed

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(1) Such is the character given of her clergy, 1 Tim.

IV. 2.

"lowed up, and the nations fhall not flow any "moreunto him," Jer. li. 44. "Stand now with "thine inchantments, and with the multitude "of thy forceries, wherein thou haft labour"ed from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be "able to profit, if fo be thou mayeft prevail. "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy "counfels: let now the aftrologers, the ftar

gazers, the monthly prognofticators ftand up, "and fave thee from these things that fhall "come upon thee: Behold, they fhall be as "ftubble; the fire fhall devour them; they "fhall not deliver themselves from the power "of the flame," Ifa. xlvii. 12.-14. "Bel bow"eth down, Nebo ftoopeth, their idols are upon "the beafts, and upon the cattle; your carriages "are heavy laden, they are a burden to the

weary beaft. They ftoop, they bow down to"gether, they could not deliver the burden, "but themselves are gone into captivity," Ifa. xlvi. 1, 2. Veneration for the prince who refides in her, claiming to be the reprefentative of God, will not preferve him from death, nor the city of his refidence from deftruction." Thus faith the Lord God, Because "thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I "am a god, I fit in the feat of God', in the midft " of

(1) Whoever is accustomed to compare fcripture with fcripture, muft here recognize the character described 2 Theff

"of the feas; yet thou art a man, and not God, "though thou fet thine heart as the heart of "God: Behold, thou art wifer than Daniel; "there is no fecret that they can hide from "thee'. With thy wisdom and with thine un"derstanding thou haft gotten thee riches, and "haft gotten gold and filver into thy trea"fures: By thy great wifdom, and by thy "traffic thou haft increased thy riches, and "thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: "Therefore thus faith the Lord God, Becaufe "thou haft fet thine heart as the heart of God "Behold therefore, I will bring ftrangers upon "thee, the terrible of the nations: and they "fhall draw their fwords against the beauty of

thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy bright"nefs. They fhall bring thee down to the pit, " and thou fhall die the deaths of them that << are flain in the midst of the feas. Wilt thou yet fay before him that flayeth thee, I am "God? but thou fhalt be a man, and no God, in "the

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2 Thef. ii. 4. Heras God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God.

(1) There is irony and truth in the prophet's expreffion. Daniel difcovered fecrets by revelation from God; but the time has been when the Pope had all the fecrets of confequence in Europe, by means of the confeffors of princes and statefinen.

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