And with this design, early in December, 1798, Napoleon went to Suez to survey the isthmus, and to make the necessary preparations for marching his army in that direction, as soon as the season would admit. And if he had proceeded in this direction, Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon, (the countries formerly inhabited by those nations,) would have been over-run by his armies. But unexpected tidings suddenly altered his plans; by which circumstance these countries" escaped out of his hands." These tidings were from "the north," Constantinople, and from "the east," Palestine and Arabia, informing him of the hostile preparations which were making against him, especially of the forces which the Pacha of Damascus, then resident at St. Jean d'Acre, was collecting, and of the multitudes of the Arabs which it might be expected would co-operate with him. "Therefore he went forth with great fury to destroy and utterly

make away many: he entered into the glorious land, and many were overthrown." Gaza, Lydda, and Ramah, were attacked and taken. Joppa, garrisoned by 6000 men, was carried by assault; and in the course of his march the keys of Jerusalem were delivered unto him ; and his camp was planted in the Holy Land between the Dead and the Mediterranean seas. The result of this expedition was indeed disastrous: but it is no where said in the prophecy, that it would be otherwise. Napoleon's conduct, throughout the siege of Acre, and towards his prisoners afterwards, demonstrates the "great fury" with which he went forth on this occasion, the circumstance particularly stated in the prophecy; and the numbers which perished, in consequence of this attack upon Palestine, of Frenchmen, Egyptians, Natives, and British, calculated at not less than 50,000, show what is intended by the

expression of going forth" utterly to make away many. So literally and circumstantially did the exploits of Napoleon correspond with the words of the angel.

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CHAP. VII.

NAPOLEON PROVED TO BE "THE KING," FROM HIS END.

IT is said at the thirty-sixth verse that "the King" should prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that that is determined shall be done." It has been already remarked, that this King would probably be a minister of vengeance, an instrument raised up and employed for the purpose of inflicting some part at least of those visitations with which God would punish, and at length finally destroy, the papal powers. Though it may be inferred from Scripture, that "the judgment will sit" during the whole of the seventy-five years of" the time of the end," yet it is no where said, that it will be in equally

active operation throughout the whole of that period. It would be more analogous with the merciful dealings of the Almighty, if, after having manifested his indignation against his enemies, and having caused them for a time to feel the effects of his displeasure, He should sheath his glittering sword, and grant them a cessation from suffering, a pause in the midst of his judgments, in order to prove whether they had profited by his chastisements, and by turning from their wickedness would avert his anger; or whether, by disregarding past rebukes, and continuing impenitent after such signal displays of his wrath, they would show themselves incorrigible and ripe for utter destruction. Neither have we any ground for believing that one instrument alone will be employed as the executioner of divine vengeance in these protracted and complicated visitations. We should rather infer, from various passages of Scripture, that the contrary will be the case.