worship Him who made heaven and earth; so after the appearance of an especial edict of Leo the tenth, in which that Pope commanded his fpiritual fubjects to acknowledge his power of delivering (I almost shudder at the blafphemy while I tranfcribe it) from all the punishments due to fin and tranfgreffions of every kind; Luther published a German tranflation of the Bible, the different parts of which being fucceffively and gradually fpread abroad among the people, produced,' fays Mofheim, a fudden and almost incredible effect, and extirpated root and branch the erroneous principles and fuperftitious doctrines of the Church of Rome from the minds of a prodigious number of perfons, with fuch precifion did the fymbol mark its antitype, by the angel having in his hand the everlafting Gofpel. And if the Reader wishes to see how rapidly the Reformation spread among the kindreds, tongues, and nations, he will find very fatisfactory information in the work above quoted. Wherein too he will difcover the commencement of a literal accomplishment of the words of Daniel to take away his dominion, in feveral fovereigns entirely withdrawing their realms

· from

from under the ecclefiaftical jurifdiction of the Roman Pontiff."

Ever fince the time of the Reformation, the Church of Rome has gradually been lofing its antient fplendor and greatnefs. The profound reverence in which her Governor was held, and the implicit obedience which was paid to his commands, are now confined to very narrow limits. The kingdoms which ftill acknowledge her jurifdiction have long fet bounds to her avarice and ambition. The power of fuperftition and of delufion, by which her influence was fupported over the minds of mankind, is overcome by the exertions of reason, and the light of pure and undefiled religion. Every attack that has been made by the pretended philofophers, or avowed infidels of France and Germany, has been aimed at Popery, as the first object of their hoftility. The laft twenty years clude a number of events the most adverse to the interefts of the Church of Rome. The order of the Jefuits, its most firm and able fupporters, has been fuppreffed; and the inability of the fovereign Pontiff to prevent the execution of a measure so destructive to his authority, was proved by his ineffecWhitaker, p. 249-252.

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in

tual

tual and degrading perfonal application to the Emperor Jofeph. The monafteries of Germany, once filled with his most zealous adherents, are diffolved. Even Spain, once the most fuperftitious country in Europe, has abridged the powers of its Inquifition, and pays with reluctance her accustomed tribute to the Head of the Church. The French, fince the era of the Revolution, have buried the Catholic altar under the ruins of the Monarchical throne.

e

The memorable events even of the paffing year have accelerated her decline. The French armies have ravaged Italy, and poured their fury upon the feat of the beaft. Rome itself is become a prey to its Apoftate and Infidel conquerors. The temporal authority of the Pope is completely fubverted, and the femblance of the antient Roman Government is established at Rome by the Democratic tyranny which reigns triumphant in its place. The Pope himself, after being expofed to repeated infults, is degraded and driven from his throne; he is divefted of his honours and his ftate-ftripped of his poffeffions and revenues, and reduced to

1798. Rome was then taken by the French.

the abject condition of a wanderer, and an exile. Germany, Naples, Portugal, and Spain, view his degradation with indifference, if not with approbation; and France, the country of Pepin and of Charlemagne, the great founders of the Papal glory, is the inftrument of his overthrow, and enriches herself with his fpoils.

And if fuch are the manifeft proofs of the decline of the Man of Sin from the height of his power, it may be afked, if there are any correspondent intimations of fuch events to be found in the Holy Scriptures?

I adopt the words of Bifhop Newton, as containing the best answer to this question. "The Prophets are not more expreffive of the elevation, than they are of the deftruction, of the Papal Antichrift. They not only predict his downfall in general terms, but alfo defcribe the manner and circumftances of it; and St. John's account being larger and more circumftantial and particular, will be the best comment and explanation of the others f."

Newton, vol. iii. p. 400.

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And

And the ten horns which thou faweft upon the beaft, thefe fhall hate the whore, and shall make her defolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and fhall burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts, to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beaft, until the words of God fhall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou faweft, is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

To this Prophecy, the completion of which is fo manifeftly going on step by ftep before our eyes, I fubjoin the obfervations of Daubuz, and of Bishop Newtonh, the former published 78, and the latter more than 32 years ago; and I am the more particularly defirous of recommending them to the attention of the Reader, because they furnish him with proofs of the proper application of this prediction, and because they difplay the true principles of interpretation upon which these fagacious expofitors of Prophecy have proceeded,

* Daubuz's Commentary on the Revelations, p. 795, 796, 797. fol. 1720.

↳ Newton, vol, iii. p. 308. 3d Edit. 1766.

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