The following narrative is one of the most wonderful relations ever made to mortals. The narration is corroborated by numerous historic facts, and minute fulfillment of the predictions, and copious citations from history verifying each. Historic Fulfillment of Predictions for 2000 Years. PROMINENT TOPICS. The Eventful Expedition to Megiddo, near Mount Carmel. Previous Misapplications of Prophecy made manifest. The 2300 Days explained. Computation of the Seventy Weefcg. The 1290 Days extemporary with the Altar Worship, feign of 1260BayS'in tfíe Capital, is Temple of the Empire. The Days 'imited by the Rush of the King of the South. BRIDGEPORT, CONN. LIGHT AHEAD ! UJSTVEILED Monuments of the Future. GREAT STORY OF i» ANSEL FROM HEAVEN. BY J. L.BASSETT, UNVEILED Monuments of the Future. GREAT STORI OF AN ANGEL FRO« HEAVEN. The following narrative!' is one of the most wonderful relations ever made to mortals. The narration is corroborated by numerous historic facts, and minute fulfillment of the predictions, and copious citations from history verifying each. CONTENTS. Corruption and seduction of the celebrated Princess of Egypt, Cleopatra. Destruction of the great Pagan Festival, called the Lupercalia. PROMINENT TOPICS. The Eventful Expedition to Megiddo, near Mount Carmel. Previous Misapplications of Prophecy made manifest. The 2300 Days explained. Computation of the Seventy Weeks. The 1290 Days contemporary with the Altar Worship. Reign of 1200 Days in the Capital, or Temple of the Empire. The Days limited by the Rush of the King of the South. BY J. B. BASSETT, BRIDGEPORT, CONN. PREFACE. As all the acts of tlie Almighty are performed in wisdom, with a design to benefit his creatures, the sacred prophecies were communicated to sustain the veracity of his word, and will never become superfluous, only in the minds of foolish men. Men often covet security, rather than delight in obedience ; the hope of escape, rather than patient hearing ; the treasures of gold, rather than the riches of wisdom. Máy we ever remember that all scripture is inspired of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, [2 Tim. 3:16,] is the hope of THE AUTHOR, J. L. B. TO T1IE READER. 0 my fellowr men ! be hasting ; Great the day that glides along, Nations now are trembling, shaking, Ere the final day doth come. Break from earth and all its follies, All its pleasures gay and fair ; Escape ! the Judgement rusheth on thee ; Flee for life alone to heir. Burning flame will seize all wicked, Licking up the dust of earth, Twining round the gay and giddy, Searching all the halls of mirth. Mighty God of Heaven ! pity Those poor trembling forms of men, Made once in thy own bright image ; Now, they languish in their sin. 1 have heard his lips speak mercy, And his voice invites to come ; Venture on him, as he loves thee, And he yearns to bring thee home. Bright the kingdom and its glories— All its lustrous fields and vales ; Sporting lambs and little children Revel in its dowmy dales. SECTION I. Ban., chap. 11, verse 16. Also when he that cometh shall have done.) Antony was nowT sole Consul. The partisans of Ctesar, yet unacquainted with the extent of their own danger, had absented themselves, (p. 32(>.) On the following day, Antony seeing that the restorers of the commonwealth remained in the Capitol and abstained from violence against any of the supposed friends or adherents of Ctesar, ventured abroad from his lurking place, and resumed the dress and ensigns of Consul. In this capacity ho-received a messsage from the conspirators, desiring a conference with himself and Lepidus. Antony, though in times of relaxation and security, extravagant and dissi- Il pated, yet in arduous situations be generally belied these appearances. In the course of the same night, Lepidus had marched into the city with the legion he commanded, and took possession of the forum. To the people who assembled around him, he lamented the death of Caesar, and inveighed against the authors of this unexpected event. By this declaration, he encouraged the partisans and retainers of the late dictator to come abroad, and rendered the streets and passages exceedingly dangerous for those who were supposed to be of the opposite party. Now we have given an outline of the circumstances of and after the death of Ciesar, and we find Lepidus the first and only one in a situation to contend for and maintain the government, as administered on the base of Ciesar. Antony had skulked away toa hiding place, till he should see whether the conspirators assumed the reigns of government. Lepidus only had military force at hand, and he held the winds till Antony, backed up by him, dared to speak out boldly, and in a noble oration, exacted the glory of the kingdom, (not a republic,) as the best and most expedient form of government for the Roman people, in and under their present circumstances. Now, are not these the facts in the case ? More than a year passed before young Augustus Ciesar wTas known to the Senate as anything more than a saucy boy. (p. 334.) The young Octavius was sent to Apollonia, as a place at which he might continue his studies. After Octavius had been about six months at Apollonia, a messenger arrived in the beginning of the night, with accounts of Ciesar’s death ; but his friends still persisted in recommending a privale station, and advised him to drop his pretentions to the name and inheritance of Caesar. But this young man, though only turned of eighteen, took upon him to decide for himself in this matter. (p. 327.) Antony and Lepidus thought proper to go forth, under pretence of appeasing the tumult, but with a real intention to observe what, in this critical state of affairs, was the prevailing disposition of the people. Antony, backed up by Lepidus, finally dared to open his mind. Says lie : My opinion is that the acts of Ciesar, without exception, should be ratified, and that all affairs should be suffered to move on in the channels which he has left them. On these preliminary conditions I will submit to an accommodation, and agree that we think no more of the past. Now we understand the prophecy as follows : Lepidus stood up on the Imae of Ciesar'x Power, and sent forth Antony to ad cocote the dictatorial form of gocern-ment, that things might more on os they hod done in Casads life time. (p. 331.) Antony, at his return endeavored to strengthen himself still more, by entering into a concert with Lepidus who, in the quality of second in command to Ciesar, or general of the horse to the dictator, remained at the head of all the military forces in Italy. He engaged himself to obtain for Lepidus the dignity of chief pontiff, and in order to cement the union of their families, proposed a marriage of his own daughter with the son of this officer. Thus Lepidus sent forth Antony as on exactor of the glory of the kingdom. Last clause of verse 20 :—Put within a few days he shall be destroyed ; yet not in anger, nor in battle. Mr. Wintle's note is : A few days, or suddenly, Lepidus was suddenly deserted by his whole army, a little mere than seven years from the death of Ciesar, under the following circumstances : *Lepidus was unpopular with his own army. Augustus Ciesar employed agents to seduce the officers in Lepidus’ army, and the whole army ran away from him to Ciesar. (p. 387.) The legions beginning to leave him in a body, he threw himself, with the usual guards of his person, in the way to stop them, but finding that the very body with which he expected to prevent this desertion, joined those who were going over to the enemy ; he used entreaties and threats ; laid hold of an ensign staff, and attempted by force, to stop the officer that was carrying it to his rival. Lepidus seeing the desertion of his army complete, laid aside his impel ial robes, and in the ordinary dress of a citizen, walked towards the camp and tent of his rival. Ciesar spared his life, and gave him leave to return to Italy. Thus he, within a few days, or years, was destroyed neither in anger nor in battle. 7 SECTION VI. Verse 21 : Describes the perfidy and fraud of Augustus Caesar, in erecting the empire. And there shall oucceed him, a contemptible person, on whom they shall not confer the royal dignity, but he ohall come in privately, and secure the kingdom by flatteries. Errors, though cherished for ages, are not enhanced in value, yet no enterprise is more dangerous and promises less to the author, than an attack upon those which have become stereotyped by long possession and habit. But if we seek to please men, we shall not be the servants of God. The verse under consideration, has been applied by some to Antiochus Epippa-nes, and by others to Tiberius C;esar, both of which, we have believed, were incorrect. We now invite your attention to the liistory and character of Augustus Caesar, as contained in the history of Adam Ferguson, L. L. D.—F. R. S. E. ; the most critical of any which we have examined on the subject. And there shall succeed him a contemptible person. Webster defines the term mean, that deserves scorn. Octavius, on his arrival at Rome, found his step-father and his mother under great apprehensions from the power of the Senate, and these apprehensions were strongly confirmed by the neglect of Antony, who took no notice of his arrival, and did not pay that attention which might be thought due to the name of Caesar. But lie neither desponded nor exposed himself to any hasty act of presumption. Again we read on page 851, he (Octavius,) no longer disguised his aversion to the Senate ; complained that they treated him disrespectfully ; called him a boy, who must be amused, decked out with honors and afterwards destroyed, On page 850, we read again : Octavius was a boy, only known by acts, perfidy and cunning above his years, equally indifferent*to friendship or enmity, apparently defective in personal courage. He had already, in the transactions of so short a life, given indications of all the vilest qualities incident to human nature, perfidy, cowardice and cruelty : but with an ability of cunning which, if suffered to continue its operations, was likely to prevail in the contest for superiority with the present rivals in the empire. On trhom they shall not confer the royal diynity. The Romans did not want a King, nor Emperor. They had assassinated Julius Caesar, to get rid of a Dictator, and Octavius was so impressed with their hatred to these titles, that the example of respect for the name of Senate and Consul lasted in the government for five hundred years after. The people never thought of conferring on him or any other man, royal or kingly dignity, but by cunning and flattery he obtained it. On page 88(> we read: He bore the name of Caesar, and was at the head of that formidable military power, which had broken the force of the Republic, and extinguished the authority of the Senate. Antony headed a party who cared only to retain their present position in power, and the grants of land made them by Julius Ciesar. Hence, he exacted the glory or authority of the kingdom. But he shall come in privately and .secure the kinfjdont by flattery. We will here premise that ('«esar obtained, not simply a kingship, but a kingdom. None of those who had been in power before possessed a kingkom, but were joint members of the government. C, when she marched her armies into Judea. SECTION IX. The 24th verse is a prediction that the Romans should enter into Judea, and do what none of his most ancient predecessors had done by way of desolation and destruction. Verse 24. Then into the richest parts of the province shall he proceed. The marginal translators of King James’ version would have it read He shall enter into the peaceable and fat province. Dr. Wintle, as well as the common text, having rendered province in the singular number, and also the first word of verse 24, seems to link the subject with what was spoken before, commencing with the Prince of the Covenant, who had been one party in the confederacy. We conclude verse 24 to be but a continuation of the narration of those events, ccupled with the history of the Jewish or Covenant Prince, this bringing us to the invasion of Jerusalem by the Romans. Then into the richest parts of the produce .shall he proceed. In order to determine which of the two renderings is correct, as referring to the whole, or the richest locality in Judea, which was first invaded by the Romans, we may learn of this matter from history. We copy a few lines from a work by II. II. Millman, p. 184 : Agrippa was absent in Egypt, but his sister Bernice was in Jerusalem, in pursuance of a religious vow. She sent repeated messages to Florus, entreating him to stay the fury of his soldiers and even herself, in her penitential attire, with her hair shorn and with naked feet, stood before his tribunal. The Roman was deaf to her entreaties ; he had no ear but for the accounts of the wealth which was brought in, every hour, in great masses. On page 107, we read : The fatal wealth of the Jews, even then, as in after ages, was at once their pride and their ruin. Many were put to death from the basest motives of plunder. On p. 202 we read : The city in which was abundance of wealth and provision, was pillaged by the soldiers. This and much more might be copied from Josephus. The Romans aimed for the treasures in the Temple, which seems to jutify the rendering of Dr. Wintle. Judea might have acquired a reputation for peace, before it became a Roman province, and that appellation might be based upon her former history, rather than what it was when invaded by the Romans. The definite article, die, would indicate that the province to which the prophecy refers, was one of wealth and notoriety, also one which had in some way been previously introduced in the subject under consideration, and would appear to be the one mentioned, over which the confederate Prince reigned, in verse 23d. Rome had many provinces, but Judea had been the Land of Canaan, once flowing with milk and honey, and pronounced by her creator as the glory of all lands, the beauty of the whole earth, and sufficiently praised by prophets and poets, to maintain the appellation of rich and plentiful, there can be no doubt that the design of this whole prophecy was to keep in view the Jewish and Christian Church, and would bring us to the end of one, before it commenced the career of the other. Rome, the emporium of all nations and religions, subsisted from the granaries of the South, till the vandals absorbed the territory. We now come to the second prediction in the prophecy, having no parallel in the previous history of Rome : And ¡diali do ichai neither hin fathers nor his fathers’fathers have done. Few, if any nations, had been 11 greater victors than the Romans ; the glorious feats of her legions, the strategy of her Generals, the daring bravery of her heroes, had eclipsed all nations. But is it to these to which the prophecy refers ? Perhaps not. But something was to be done, never accomplished before by him or his ancestors. First, we are satisfied that Rome is the subject of this prophecy, and that the things referred to were accomplished at the destruction and seige of Jerusalem. I think we shall not be aide to find, on historic pages, that the Romans ever before so completely exterminated a nation, disorganizing, rooting up, demolishing alike courts, capítol, kings and people, leading every son and daughter into captivity, and forbidding forever a return. This, with the slaughter of more than a million subjects and the pillage of every valuable substance, will doubtless be a satisfactory fulfillment of this clause of prophecy. The Romans had never done this to any nation before ; they were famous for magnanimity, and their yoke had been easy, and sometimes almost imperceptible, after their enemies had been brought to submission. Hence, in all the victories of the Romans, there was no parallel in the results of this siege, in the blotting out of a whole nation which was once chosen of the Almighty. We have now come to what might be termed a third division of this verse: The plunder, the spoil and the wealth shall he disperse among them. Roman soldiers had long been accustomed to share in the trophies of war, though this custom had been generally discontinued, after the rise of the Empire. We will here copy the rewards of Titus, son of Vespa-sion, as contained in Josephus’ (book, seventh, chap. 1, sec. 3.) Hereupon Titus ordered those whose business it was to read the list of all that had performed great exploits in this war, whom he called to him by their names, and commended them before the company, and rejoiced in them in the same manner as a man would have rejoiced in his own exploits. He also put on their heads, crowns of gold, and golden ornaments about their necks, and gave them long spears of gold, and ensigns that were made of silver, and removed every one of them to a higher rank : and besides this he plentifully distributed among them, out of the spoils and the other prey they had taken, silver and gold, and garments. So when they had all these honors bestowed on them, according to his own appointment made to every one, and he had wished all sorts of happiness to the whole army, he came down, amidst the great acclamations which were made to him, and then betook himself to offer thank offerings to the gods, and at once sacrificed a vast number of oxen that stood ready at the altars, and distributed them among the army to least upon ; and when he had stayed three days among the principal commanders and so long feasted with them, he sent away the rest of his army. Much of the wealth and spoils of the Holy City had been scattered by Florus, and those Generals who first invaded Judea. Josephus, speaking of the attack of Florus, and how the Jews cut down the cloisters of the Temple that joined to Antonia, remarks that this cooled the avarice of Florus for, whereas he was eag( r to obtain the treasure of God in the Temple, and on that account was desirous of getting into Antonia. As the war progressed, and near the close, much treasure was gathered by the soldiers in the circus and among the (lead, and much of the Holy treasure and precious work from the Jewish Temple, was transported to Rome, as we may learn from Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 4(14. The holy instruments of the Jewish worship, the golden table and the golden candlestick with seven branches, originally framed according to the particular instructions of God himself, and which were placed in the sanctuary of his Temple and had been ostentatiously displayed to the Roman people in the triumph of Titus, were afterwards deposited in the Temple of Peace, and at the end of four hundred years the spoils of Jerusalem were transferred from Rome to Carthage by a barbarian who derived his origin from the shores of the Baltic. Here we have abundant evidence that the plunder, the spoil, and the wealth of the Jews was dispersed among the Romans. We have now arrived at the fourth prediction in this verse : And against the fortresses shall he decise his machinatio ns for a time ; as rendered by Wintle. We understand this clause to mean, that he should 12 be victorious over his rivals for a time. We compute a prophetic time to be three hundred and sixty years. As we trace this prophecy onward from Judea, we are like the mariner who, in passing away from the shores of some ancient port, fixes his mind on his destined haven The holy narrator measures across an undulating lake, to the more settled waters of a dark gulf. The scattering of plunder and spoil are among the last things done in Judea, in the history of that unhappy land. The fall of Judea Ì» a vu*t monument from which we are to measure onward a time, or three hundred and sixty years. The burning of the Temple occurred on the tenth day of the month Ah, Monday, Aug. 6th, and the city was taken on the eighth day of the month, Elul, Monday, Sept. 3d, in the second year of Vespasian, A. D. 70. According to Josephus, the war with the Jews terminated in the fourth year of the reign of Vespasian, on the fifteenth day of the month, Nisan, that is on Tuesday, March 24th, A. D. 72. From this point we are suddenly transported over a chasm of three hundred and sixty vears, and set down among the barbarians, who were from a hitherto unknown world. To pursue the journey of God’s holy people through ages of darkness and blood, we shall not need to travel far ere the rays of prophetic light shine brilliantly about us. We now arrive at the termination of a prophetic time, 300 years from the fall of Jerusalem, and may look for the fulfillment of the 2r>th verse on the shores of Africa, known as Carthage, by some, between the Romans and Vandals. CHAPTER X. This verse is fulfilled principally by the Romans, who find out, too late, that the Vandals have invaded and are possessing a portion of their richest and most important province of Africa. Verse 25. For he shall rouse his strength and courage against the King of the South with a great army. In the forepart of this chapter, Jerusalem was the stand point of interest, as the residence of God’s ancient people ; then north and south were spoken of as related to that locality. But now, Jerusalem having fallen, other powers are introduced, and Rome becomes the main point of interest in this famous prophecy, and lies to the northward from Carthage. The prophetic language seems to indicate some dire necessity for arousing the dormant energies of that nation. It may be incumbent first, to state some of the causes and circumstances of this war. It was through some misunderstanding of Count Boniface, the Governor of Africa, with his own Empress at Rome, that he revolted and invited the vandals into Africa. Afterwards, having sincerely repented, he made up with his mistress, the Empress, and headed her armies to drive them back again. This was more than he was able to do, as we shall see, and not only the armies of Rome, but those of Constantinople, were all roused up to rally against one common foe, which beautifully fulfills the first clause of this prediction, which indicates a sudden necessity, and a flagging of courage and strength. Rome now saw that all was at stake, and that Africa, which Gibbon says, deserved the name of the common granary of Rome and of mankind, was ready to be swallowed up by the Vandals. A few extracts from Gibbon will set tbe subject before us : (voi. 3, p. 377.) The importance and danger of Africa were deeply felt by the Regent of the West. Placidia implored the assistance of her eastern ally, and the Italian fleet and army wen* reinforced by Asper, who sailed from Constantinople with a powerful armament. As soon as the force of the two empires was united under the command of Boniface, he boldly marched against the Vandals, and the loss of a second battle irretreviably decided the fate of Africa. We read of one defeat before this, on page 37r>. He, Boniface, emlwrked with the precipitation of despair, and one of the best fenced cities was lost to Rome. (See Dou, verse 24.) We are not to conclude, however, that this was the termination of the conflict respecting Africa, for much of the prophecy remains to be fulfilled by these two powers. In relating the fulfillment of the first clause of this verse, we have gone over the whole subject. It remains to show the fulfillment of the last clause, respecting the strength of the southern King, and the plots devised against him, verse 25. And the King of the South shall engage in battle with an army very great and powerful. We extract from Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 370. The ambition of Geneseric was without bounds, and without scruples, and the warrior could dexterously employ the dark engines of policy to solicit the allies who might be useful to his success, (p. 371.) Our fancy, so long accustomed to exaggerate and multiply the martial swarms of barbarians that seemed to issue from the north, will perhaps be surprised by the account of the army which Geneseric mustered on the coast of Mauritanea. The Vandals, who in twenty years had penetrated from the Elbe to Mount Atlas, were united under the command of their warlike king, and he reigned with equal authority over the Alani, who had passed, within the term of human life, from the cold of Scythia to the excessive heat of an African climate. The hopes of the bold enterprise had excited many brave adventurers of the Gothic nation, and many desperate provincials were tempted to repair their fortunes by the same means which had occasioned their ruin. Vet this various multitude amounted only to fifty thousand effective men. The fallacious increase of old men, of children and of slaves, would scarcely have swelled his army to the number of four score thousand persons, but his own dexterity, and the discontents of Africa, soon fortified the Vandal powers by the accession of numerous and active allies. The Moors, regardless of any future consequence, embraced the alliance of the enemies of Rome, and a crowd of naked savages rushed from the woods and valleys of Mount Atlas, to satiate their revenge on the polished tyrants who had injuriously expelled them from the native sovereignty of the land. This army fulfills the prediction of the prophecy, of being very great and powerful. The last clause says: Yet he shall not stand; or, as the Dou. reads: And the King of the South shall be stirred up to battle w ith many, and very strong succors, and they shall not stand, for they shall form designs against him. From the following history we shall see that Geneseric, whom we believe to be this King of the South, did not stand or reign as Sovereign of all Africa, and that his victory was not decisive. (Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 373.) The ambitious Genserie, in the full tide of apparent prosperity, negotiated a treaty of peace, in which he gave his son Hunneric for a hostage, and consented to leave the wostern Emperor in the undisturbed possession of the three Mauritanias, because they shall devise plots against him, even those that eat the portion of his meat shall betray him, p. 373. Ilis throne was encompassed w ith domestic enemies, who accused the baseness of his birth, and asserted the legitimate claims of his nephews, the sons of Gondric. He shall not stand or his army shall not stand by him. Geneseric did not come off triumphant as we have slunvn, but submitted to humiliating terms of peace with Rome. SECTION XT. The 2f>th verse continues the history of Geneseric, King of the Vandals, who is foiled in his attempts to possess and hold Africa for a term of several years. The last clause of the twenty-fifth verse is so interwoven with the twenty-sixth, that w e shall be obliged to quote them in connection. Because they shall delùse plots against him. Verse 26. Even those that cat of the portion of his meat, shall betray him.* The terms, portion of his meat, meaning as in chap. 1—5, a daily allotment. The allotment of the day in its day, an expression often used in • Twenty-six manuscripts drop the van and thus read the word passively—and many shall fall down slain ; or, as we read in let Mac., : Many were wounded to death. See Win tie. 14 the book of Exodus, and of the same import with that of daily bread in the Lord’s prayer. Wintle. This passage seems to refer to those received rations out of the King Geneseric’s stores, and were in his service, and would ill apply, as some think, to Queen Cleopatra’s person. Moreover, the passage is always rendered, in all the versions, in the plural, demanding an application to more than one person, evidently referring to the various nations who had joined the standard of Geneseric. The fulfillment of this clause will be found on the 3Tilth page of v«l. 3, of Gibbon, as follows : But the public discontent burst forth in dangerous and frequent conspiracies. The convulsions of Africa, which had favored his attack, opposed the firm establishment of his power, and the various seditions of the Moors and Germans, the Donatista and Catholics, continually disturbed or threatened the unsettled reign of the conqueror. As he advanced towards Carthage he was forced to withdraw7 from the western provinces. The above proves the plots, and betraying of the King of the South by those who eat of his meat, although by perseverance he eventually succeeded, as says Gibbon, on p. 380. These difficulties wrere gradually subdued by the spirit, the perseverance and cruelty of Geneseric, who alternately applied the arts of peace and war to the establishment of his African kingdom. And his army shall be overfloion and many shall fidi down slain. We have stated from Gibbon, on p. 379, that as Geneseric advanced toward Carthage, he was forced to withdraw7 his troops from the western provinces. The sea coast wras exposed to the naval enterprises of Spain and Italy, and in the heart of Numidea, the strong inland city of Corta, still persisted in obstinate independence. There is a wide difference in the rendering of the term overflows. Both Dr. Wintle and the Dou. render it overflown, while King James’ verson has rendered it, overflow, a direct reversion of the sense. Dr. Wintle states, in the notes, that twenty-six MSS. thus read the word passively. The true meaning may rest between the two, that they, the assailants* suffered a temporary check, were inundated and hindered through dissensions and intrigues among themselves, which seems in accordance with the history. If, however, sufficient reason can be adduced for retaining the common rendering, and we read his army shall overflow, then we would apply it to a later date, some twenty years after the first invasion of Africa, when the Vandals visited and sacked Rome, A. D. 45r> ; but the first application we consider preferable. One more particular wdll conclude this critical prediction. And many shall fall down slain. Dr. Wintle remarks on this as follows; or, as wre read in the fore cited chapter 1 Macc. : Many w ere wounded to death. Gibbon says, on p. 379, voi. 3, the warlike tyrant is supposed to have shed more Vandal blood by the hand of the executioner than in the field of battle. So the text is fulfilled, that many fall down slain. Gibbon, in his note, says the cruelties of Geneseric towards his subjects are strongly expressed in Prospers Chronicle. Gibbon, on page 370, calls him the terrible Geneseric. The slaying in the text, may refer also to the continuation of the conflict of the Vandal Kings. SECTION XII. Verse 27 is still a continuation of the conflict between Rome and the Vandals under Geneseric. During a long period, both relied on strategy and deceit to carry their points, and maintain their hold of pow er along the coasts of the Mediterranean. Verse 27. Moreover, of both these kings, their intention shall be to act maliciously. The holy narrator seems desirous to indelibly fasten this prophecy, and its fulfillment, upon our minds, as being of the utmost importance for us to identify the characters herein described, and the period of llieir fulfillment. First, w7e observe that wTe shall do w ell to take heed to Sir Isaac Newton’s remarks, that by king in the prophecy w e should understand kingdom ; then wTe are to find this description acted out in the history of 15 the Roman and Vandal kingdoms, by their leaders ; and on page 370 we read in Gibbon, voi. 3, the ambition of Geneseric was without bounds and without scruples, and the warrior could dexterously employ the dark engines of policy to solicit the allies who might be useful to his success, or to scatter among his enemies the seeds of hatred and contention. Geneseric was famous tor deceit and malice combined, as the history will abundantly attest. We read again, on p. 380, voi. 3, the vigilance of his enemies was relaxed by the protestations of friendship which concealed his hostile approach, and Carthage was at length surprised by the Vandals. Then, again on p. 400, voi. 3, we read, the designs of the Roman government were repeatedly baffled by his artful delays, ambiguous promises and apparent concessions. Again, on p. 482, we read of Geneseric, he practiced his customary arts of fraud and delay, but he practiced them without success, which exactly fulfills the prophetic declaration that it shall not prosper. On p. 382, we read, the nobility and senators of Carthage were exposed to his jealousy and resentments, and were compelled by the Arian tyrant to embrace the condition of perpetual banishment. But the prophecy requires that we find that the Romans, as well as the Vandals, act with malice and deceit. What fi ist attracted the Vandals to the coasts of Carthage was an invitation of the Roman Governor of Carthage. We read on p. 3()ll, voi. 3, as follows : after some hesitation, the last struggles of prudence and loyalty, Boniface dispatched a trusty friend to the court, or rather to the camp of Gonderie, king of the Vandals, with the proposal of a strict alliance, and the offer of an advantageous and perpetual settlement. Again, on p. 370, we read, the experience of navigation, and perhaps the prospect of Africa, encouraged the Vandals to accept the invitation which they received from Count Boniface. We have already mentioned the misunderstanding of Boniface with his own government at Rome. Afterwards, when the Vandals came, Boniface repented of the invitation he had given them, and raised an army to drive them back. See p. 374, voi. 3. Again, we find on p. 403, one more instance of Roman deceit or treachery, by the empress Eudocia. Gibbon says she directed her eyes towards Carthage, secretly implored the aid of thè king of the Vandals, and persuaded Geneseric to improve the fair opportunity of disguising his rapacious designs by the specious names of honor, justice and compassion. On p. 404, voi. 3, we have an account of the artifice of Leo, the Roman Bishop, who, at the head of his clergy, goes out to meet Geneseric. and soothe the rage of the conqueror by his eloquence and friendship. Thus they spake lies, pp. 370-80, &c., Gibbon. Roman glories now are fleeing ; She who robbed the kings of yore, Human greatness ever fleeting, She shall sink to rise no more. Angels measure off the nations ; Rome ! she Alls her mighty space ! Each shall have their grade and station, Till old Time bus ruu his race. Cod’s eternal word fulfilling, Casis the nations in the rear, One eternal kiugdom bringing, Full of goodness all to cheer." SECTION XIII. The forepart of verse 28 gives an account of the return of Geneseric and his Vandals to Africa, after pillaging the wealth of Rome. The verse should be divided ; the last clause refers to the return home of the Romans from the coasts of Africa, abandoning the defense of that province, and establishing Pagan gods. Verse 28. Theu shall te return to his own land with great wealth. All the fraudulent treaties of the two kingdoms having failed, which had fenced the Vandals away from Rome, they now sweep over the land, de- 16 fying every barrier. The sack of Rome by the Vandals is given us by Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 463. On the third day after the tumult, Geneseric boldly advanced from the port of Ostia to the gates of the defenceless city. Instead of a sally of the Roman youth, there issued from the gates an unarmed and venerable procession, of the Bishop at the head of his clergy. The fearless spirit of Leo, his authority and eloquence, again mitigated the fierceness of a barbarian conqueror. The King of the Vandals promised to spare the unresisting multitude, to protect the buildings from fire, and to exempt the captives from torture. But Rome and its inhabitants were delivered to the licentiousness of the Vandals and Moors, whose blind pas sions revenged the injuries of Carthage. The pillage lasted fourteen clays and nights, and all that yet remained of public or private wealth, of sacred or profane treasure, was diligently transported to the vessels of Geneseric. Among the spoils the splendid relics of two temples, or rather of two religions, exhibited a memorable example of the viccissitudes of human and divine things. Since the abolition of Paganism the Capitol had been violated and abandoned ; yet the statues of the gods and heroes were still respected, and the curious roof of gilt bronze was reserved for the rapacious hands of Geneseric. On p. 461, verse 30, Gibbon, we read: Eudoxia herself, who advanced to meet her friend and deliverer, soon bewailed the imprudence of her own conduct. She was rudely stripped of her jewels, and the unfortunate Empress, witli her two daughters, the only surviving remains of the great Theodosius, was compelled, as a captive, to follow the haughty Vandal, who immediately hoisted sail and returned with a prosperous navigation to the port of Carthage. Thus he returned to his own land with great wealth. Verse 28—last clause.—And hieing his heart upon the holy cocenant, he shall dispatch his work, as he returns into his oten land. As the scriptures do not indulge tautology, we can scarcely suppose that, the latter clause of the 28lh verse refers to the same king or kingdom, as does the first, which sufficiently informs us of the return of Geneseric to his own land. Now we suppose the subject changed to the other Power vs. Rome, at a period a little in the advance of the recent pillage. The Romans had been able, at the outset of the conflict, to somewhat check the Vandals. Says Gibbon, on p. 375), voi. 3 : They consented to leave the Western Emperor in the undisturbed possossion of the three Mauritanias. Also, in subsequent conflicts they were met by the Romans successfully. We read again on p. 472, voi. 3, Gibbon, speaking of Ricimer, his faithful and important services against the common enemy rendered him still more formidable, and after destroying on the coasts of Corsica a fleet of Vandals, which consisted of sixty galleys, Ricimer returned in triumph with the appellation of deliverer of Italy. As the western empire was constantly growing weaker, it is probable that all the forces were now withdrawn from the coasts of Africa, and as those Romans, who still adhered to Paganism, were fond of attributing all the disasters which occurred to the empire to the wrath of the gods, we may perceive the fulfillment of his heart's being against the holy covenant or gospel. But we find something still more to the point, on p. 484, voi. 3, Gibbon : Two Generals, MareeHinus and -Egi-des, maintained their allegiance to the republic, by rejecting with disdain, the phantom which lie (Ricimer) styled an Emperor. Marcellinus still adhered to the old religion, and the devout Pagans, who secretly disobeyed the laws of the church and state, applauded his profound skill in the science of divination ; but he possessed the more valuable of learning, virtue and courage. The intrepid MarceHiiiiis occupied the province of Dalmatia, assumed the title of Patrician of the West, secured the love of his subjects by a mild and equitable reign, built a fleet which claimed the dominion of the Adriatic, and alternately alarmed the coasts of Italy and Africa. Thus we see that the heart of a principal representative of the Roman government was against the Holy Covenant, and Paganism lifts up its head the three hundred and sixty years, which wen* expressed bv a time, in the 27,1 h verse*, spans over the great conflict and victory gained. But mythology finds again an advocate on the throne. The Pagans may have con- 17 ceived some vain hopes of reviving again the worship of the gods, but we shall soon pass by the last lingering ray of Roman mythology, and emerge among the relics of dead saints and deified martyrs. Holy faith guide us through these clouds of darkness and clash of arms. Holy spirit be our guide through the darkness far and wide. Verse 28 : Persecution of the Donatists. The 28th verse gives us the closing scenes of a long conflict between the Vandals and Romans. First, the Vandals, after sacking Rome in Ab. 455, return home with great wrealtb. Next, the Romans brought to view, who. after oppressing and persecuting the Donatists, leave Africa. The Romans, under the Emperor Honorius, persecuted these Donatists. Says Gibbon, p. 872 : Three hundred bishops and many thousands of the inferior clergy, were torn from tlieir churches and stripped of their ecclesiastical possessions, banished to the Islands, and proscribed by the laws, if they presumed to conceal themselves in the provinces of Africa. Their numerous congregations, both in cities and in the country, were deprived of the rights of citizens and of the exercise of religious worship. The last half of verse 28 refers to the Romans. The King James version reads : He shall do and return to his own land. We got a Jew to translate this verse, he reads : He shall get it, and then go back to his country. The Dou. reads : And he shall succeed and shall return into his own land. After the Vandals invaded Africa, the Romans boldly resisted their attack, and finally succeeded in holding the three Mauritanias, and obtained hostages of Geneseric. even his own son Hunneric, on the negotiation of a treaty of peace. (¡See Gibbon, p. 379, voi. 8.) The conflict did not fully end here, for we read, (p. 880,) that Geneseric was forced to withdraw his troops from the western provinces ; the sea coast was exposed to the naval enterprises of the Romans, of Spain, and Italy, and in the heart of Numida, the strong Island of Corta still persisted in obstinate independence. The clause nny mean an effort of the Romans to suppress the heretics, and then their return to their ow n land, but more probably refers to a vigorous defence of Africa, for a time, and then a return home to Italy. The Donatists were doubtless the representatives of the Holy Covenant, or Gospel, and the heart of the Roman Emperor was against them and their doctrine, as they took sides with the enemies of Rome, the Vandals. On p. 878, voi. 8, we read in Gibbon : Geneseric, a Christian, but an enemy of the orthodox communion, showed himself to the Donatists as a powerful deliverer, from whom they might reasonably expect the repeal of the odious and oppressive edicts of the Roman Emperors. The conquest of Africa was facilitated by the active zeal or secret favor of a domestic faction. This last history refers to the Donatists. It is plain that they were the objects of Roman disgust and hatred ; first on account of their religious faith, and last, on account of joining the Vandals, so that the intolerance of Rome caused the loss of Africa, and the Romans finally departed w ith a sullen feeling towards the Christians of Africa. Thus he returned home, having his heart against the Holy Covenant. The text refers to the final evacuation of Africa by the Romans. SECTION XIV. Verse 21) was fulfilled by an expedition of the Romans towards Carthage, A. D. 408, resulting in their defeat, and unlike their success before and after. Verse 20. The following rendering by a Jew: And at a certain time, he will go again against the Sonth, but then it will not be like in the first time or the latter. We have learned from the examination of the history applied to the twenty-eighth verse, that the Romans succeed in checking the Vandals for a little season, and obtained a treaty of peace, with pledges for its mainten-. ance ; hence, the Romans maintained their prestige and dignity in the seige with the Vandals, which happened about 439 A. D. This will answer to the first time to which the prophecy refers. The prophecy brings 18 to view three expeditions of the Romans southward, or to the coasts of Africa. The one under special consideration is unlike the first or last, which resulted in the total overthrow of the Vandals, in A. D. 534, and freed Rome from her common enemy, who had already made conquest of Sardinia. But the invasion which we are now to consider, occurred about A. D. 468, in which the Roman power was grievously humbled. Verse 29, by Dr. Wintle : At a time appointed, he shall advance again into the South. The subsequent description renders conclusive evidence that the character here spoken of is the Roman power. The time appointed seems to mark a time of change, of which we consider the language equivalent, and the facts in the history sufficiently warrantable. It was about A. D. 468, that the Romans made one grand sally against the Vandal power in Africa, composed T)f the finest legions of both the east and west. We read from Gibbon, p. 494, voi. 3 : The powers of the eastern empire were strenuously exerted to deliver Italy and the Mediterranean from the Vandals. Genesene, who had so long oppressed both the land and sea, was threatened from every side with a formidable invasion, the campaign was opened by a bold and successful enterprise of the prefect Heraclius ; the troops of Egypt, Thebais and Lybiar were embarked under his command, and the Arabs, with a train of horses and camels, opened tin roads of the desert, and the Dalmatian fieet was received into the harbors of Italy. The active valor of Marcellinus expelled the Vandals from the island of Sardinia, and the languid efforts of the west added some weight to the immense preparations of the eastern Romans. The expense of the naval armament which Leo sent against the Vandals, has been distinctly ascertained. The whole expense, by whatsoever means it was defrayed, amounted to the sum of one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of gold. The fleet that sailed from Constantinople to Carthage, consisted of eleven hundred and thirteen ships ; the number of soldiers and mariners exceeded one hundred thousand men. This effort was the last hope of the western empire. The formidable navy of Basiliscus pursued its prosperous navigation from the Thracian Bosphorus to the coast of Africa. He landed the troops at Cape Bona, on the Promontory of Mercury, about forty miles from Carthage. The army of Heraclius and the fieet of Marcellinus either joined or seconded the Imperial Lieutenant, and the Vandals, who opposed his progress by sea or land, were successfully vanquished, and many ships of the Vandals were sunk. If Basilicus had seized the moment of consternation, and boldly advanced to the capital, Carthage must have surrendered But it shall not be as the former or as the latter. Mr. Wintle remarks : This second expedition sliaìl not be as successful as the former, and the original mag be rendered, but the latter shall not be like the former. On a former conflict of the Roman troops and Barbarians in Africa, we read in Gibbon, p. 379, voi. 3, that Geneseric negotiated a peace and gave his son Hunneric for a hostage. Now he is victorious and the Romans fly before him ; hence this is not like the former expedition. In Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 496, we read : Genese/ic beheld the danger with firmness, and eluded it with his veteran dexterity. He protested, in the most respectful language, that he was ready to submit his person and dominions to the will of the Emperor. But he requested a truce of five days to regulate the terms of submission, and it was universally believed that his secret liberality contributed to the success of this public negotiation. Instead of obstinately refusing whatever indulgence his enemy so earnestly solicited, the guilty, or the credulous Basilicus consented to the fatal truce, and his imprudent security seemed to proclaim that he already considered himself as the conqueror of Africa. SECTION XV. Verse 30 brings to a close the long conflict between the Vandals and Romans, who are thoroughly defeated and give up the contest. The latter part of the verse refers to the hatred of the Roman Emperors against the li) true followers of Christ, of whom were the Donatists, probably, and front this period the Emperors became complicit with the Orthodox, or Catholics, and others who deserted the true spirit of the Gospel. Verse 30. For there shall come against him ships of Chittim, whereby he shall be grievously humbled. During this short interval, (of the truce,) the wind became favorable to the designs of Geneseric. He manned his largest ships of war with the bravest of the Moors and Vandals, and they towed after them many large barks filled with combustible materials. In the obscurity of the night, these destructive vessels were impelled against the unguarded and unsuspecting fleet of the Romans, who were awakened by the sense of their instant danger. Their close and crowded order assisted the progress of the fire, which was communicated with rapid and irresistible violence, and the noise of the wind, the crackling of the flames, the dissonant cries of the soldiers and mariners, who could neither command nor obey, increased the horror of the noctural tumult. Whilst they labored to extricate themselves from the fire ships, and to save at least a part of the navy, the galleys of Geneseric assaulted them with temperate and disciplined valor, and many of the Romans who escaped the fury of the flames, were destroyed or taken by the victorious Vandals. Basiliscus, whose station was the most remote from danger, disgracefully fled in the beginning of the engagement, and returned to Constantinople with the loss of more than half of his fleet and army, and sheltered his guilty head in the sanctuary of St. Sophia. After the failure of this great expedition Geneseric again became the tyrant of the sea. Thus the Romans were grievously humbled by ships of Chittim, or ships of the coasts. As Geneseric employed these ships from the first in ravaging the coasts of the Mediterranean sea, they belonged on the coasts of Carthage, and though men much differ in locating Chittim, some light may be had by consulting Ezekiel, 27—6 : The company of the Ashurites hme made thy benches of Ivory, brought out of the Isles of Chittim. See Jer., 2—10. The locality of this product renders the coasts of Africa quite probable, as Geneseric, denominated the tyrant of the seas, possessed the greatest naval power of that age. Verse 30th ; rendering of a jew :—For there will come against him ships of the Chittim, and he mil become timid, and therefore angry against the Holy Covenant, and mil do it. The note in the Jewish commentary is that he will do kindness to them who injure the Holy Covenant. We found in the examination and application of the twenty-eighth verse, that the Romans were angered by the complicity of the Donatists with the Vandals in the first advance of that Power to Africa, in A. D. 432. This expedition, which fulfills the 30th verse, occurred A. D. 468, when Basiliscus fled from the burning of his fleet. Become timid, as says the text, and very probably had grounds for suspecting that those whom he, the Emperor, denominated heretics, were seeking to undermine his power and establish the Vandals. Coverdale reads : Yet he shall turn him and draw such \unto him as leave the Holy Covenant. After the failure of the African expedition, the Emperors gave their attention to church affairs, and sided with the Catholics, and Anthemius sided with the Pagans, and Basiliscus with the Sysmatics. The Moors were prominent leaders among the Vandals, and we believe constituted the Chittimites of this prophecy. Their origin is a mystery. We read, p. 372, voi. 3, Gibbon : The Moors, regardless of future consequences, embraced the alliance of the enemies of Rome. We have an account in the book of Jasher, p. 22r>, of Lati mus, who reigned over the children of Chittim forty-five years, in the 22d year of the reign of Moses over the children of Cush. Latinius, in the third year of his reign, caused a proclamation to be made to all his skillful men, who made many ships for him, and he prevailed over Azdrubal, who was King . of Africa, and took from Azdrubal the aqueduct, which his father had Ixmght from the children of Chittim. These Chittimites were Moors, and famous for manufacturing ships. Gibbon remarks that their origin is in- L>0 Volved in mystery. We think that they were located cn the coasts, a little to the east of Carthage and west of Cush. The ships, though used by the Vandals, may have been called ships of the Chittim, because that they were the manufacturers. But we learn from Gibbon that the Moors were equally zealous in the war against the Homans, who had expelled them from the native sovereignty of the land. Last clause of verse 30, by Wintle : Therefore ft hall he again hare indignation against the Holy Covenant. We have heretofore recorded the advance and defence of the Pagan mythology, which occurred about A. I). 461, on the revolt of Marcellinus and" JSgidus, who established their authority for a while and gave some hope to the waning mythology of Rome. We are now to consider this portion of the 30th verse, which we understand to refer t.o the Roman power, and warrants us to expect a repetition of indignation against the Holy Covenant or Gospel. Paganism was ever on the alert to find a royal advocate, who would espouse or tolerate her ancient gods. Some such indifferent qualities they found in the Emperor Anthemius, who began his reign al>out A. I). 407, and continued about five years. In Gibbon, voi. 3, p. 492, we read : Even the Pagans, a feeble and obscure remnant, conceived some vain hopes from the indifference or partiality of Anthemius, and his singular friendship for the philosopher Severus, whom he promoted to the Consulship, was ascribed to a secret project of reviving the ancient worship of the gods. These idols were crumbled into dust, and the mythology, which had once been the creed of nations, was so universally disbelieved, that it might be employed without scandal. Yet the vestiges of superstition were not absolutely obliterated, and the festival of the Lupercalia, whose origin had preceded the foundation of Rome, was still celebrated under the reign of Anthemius. TIiq savage and simple rites were expressive of an early state of society, before the invention of arts and agriculture. The rustic deities who presided over the toils and pleasures of the pastoral life. Pan, Faunus, and their train of satyrs, were such as the fancy of shepherds might create, sportive, petulant and lascivious, whose power was limited, and whose malice was inoffensive. A goat was the offering ; the best adapted to their character and attributes. The flesh of the victim was roasted on willow spits, and the riotous youths who crowded to the feast, ran naked about the fields, with leather thongs on their hands. The altar of Pan was erected, perhaps by Evander, the Arcadian, in a dark recess in the side of the Palantine hill, watered by a perpetual fountain, and shaded by a hanging grove. A tradition that in the same place Romulus and Remus were suckled by the wolf, rendered it more sacred and venerable in the eyes of the Romans, and this sylvan spot was gradually surrounded by the stately edifices of the Forum. After the conversion of the Imperial city, the Christians still continued^ n the month of February, the annual celebration of the Lupercalia, to which they ascribed a secret and mysterious influence on the genial powers of the animal and vegetable world. We learn from the foregoing that mythology had not yet been banished from Rome, and we shall see that it was still able to defiantly lift its head against the Gospel’s glorious light. On the same page we read : The bishops of Rome were solicitous to abolish a profane custom so repugnant to the spirit of Christianity, but their zeal was not supported by the authority of the civil magistrate. The inveterate abuse subsisted till the end of the fifth century. Thus we have seen that the Roman government, after its return from the African campaign under the reign of Anthemius, the Emperor, raised itself again in indignation, (or as Webster defines the term, disdain or contempt,) against the Holy Covenant ; or, as the Dou., covenant of the sanctuary, meaning evidently the gospel, or system of Christianity, which had superceded the ancient mythology of Rome, to the chagrin and hate of all its devotees. SECTION XVI. Foundation of Popery and beginning of the twelve hundred and ninety days, or rather years. 21 t)an. 8th, 23d. And in the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors are fall there shall arise a King of an obdurate countenance, and penetrating in mysterious craft. After the fall of Macedón, the territory of the kingdom was divided into four parts, called Thrace, Macedón, Syria and Egypt, and Egypt became a Roman province B. C. 31, under Augustus Caesar. We will follow down the history of Egypt to A. D. 315. The 9th verse of this chapter reads as follows : And from one of these came out a single horn, a small one, (see Wintle,) which grew exceeding great towards the south, and towards the east, and towards the glorious land. Having passed down the stream of time to A. D. 31/5, we find that Rome, the greatest of all trangressors, on the rights of nations and individuals, had come to the full. She had swallowr-ed up the surrounding nations and reached the acme of her glory, and nowr this little horn is due. We look towards Egypt, (the most prominent of the four Macedonian kingdoms,) and we behold an institution, apparently harmless in its beginning, gradually rising to power and influence. We read in Barber’s Elements of History, p. 1 r> 1 : The first Monks were the followers of St. Anthony, of Egypt, who, near the close of the fourth century, formed themselves into a regular body, and engaged to live by certain rules. Verse 1) declares that the small horn shaU grow exceeding great, towards the South and East, and. towards the glorious land. We nowT quote further on the same page from Barber : The example of Antony was followed to such an extent, that, in a short time the w hole East wTas filled with a set of indolent mortals From the East this gloomy disposition passed into Europe, and very soon all Christendom became infected writh this superstition. On p. 152, he says : Before the close of the fifth century, the Monks became notorious for their licentiousness, and often excited the most dreadful Iumults and disorders in various places. We read, in Gibbon, voi. 4, p. 58 : The Blues were zealously devoted to the cause of Orthodoxy and Justinian, and their grateful patron protected above five years, the disorders of a faction, whose seasonable tumults overawed the palace, the senate and the capitals of the East. Insolent with royal favor, the Blues affected to strike terror by a peculiar and barbaric dress, the long hair of the Huns, their close sleeves and ample garments, a lofty step and a sonorous voice. In the day they concealed their two edged poignards, but in the night they boldly assembled in arms, and in numerous bands, prepared for every act of violence and rapine. Gibbon remarks in voi. 3, that the Imperial troops were less apprehensive of an encounter with the fiercest Barbarians than with the Monks. This, then, is the small horn which came out from Egypt, one of the four divisions of the Macedonian kingdom, w hen the Romans had arrived at the full of their national prosperity. And the Pope is a mouth-piece, and exercised the pow er of a king over the small horn. Gibbon speaks of the horrible appearance of a genuine Anchorite, a king indeed, of a fierce countenance. We propose to show that Pope Gelasius changed the foundation on which the primacy had hitherto stood. He began his reign at the end of A. D. 491, or beginning of A. D. 492. Bower remarks on p. 289. voi. 1: the councils had all founded the prominence, honors and priviledges granted by them to the See of Rome, on the dignity of the city, and the regard and respect due to the metropolis and seat of the Empire. That foundation was now' withdrawn. The city of Constantinople wras nowr superior to that of Rome ; it was the sole Imperial city in the w hole Christian w orld, and Rome only the metropolis of a small kingdom of Italy, and Pope Gelasius did not know, but as two councils had placed the rival See next in dignity to the See of Rome, a third might, upon the same principle, raise it even above the See of Rome, as it had been already raised above those of Alexandria and Antioch. To prevent this, and lay a new foundation that could not be removed, as being independent of councils, and at the same time might support the primacy, w hatever became of the city, he enacted the present decree, boldly delaring. as if all records had been destroyed, and men knewT not hing of what had happened but a few years before. That it wTas not to any councils, or the decrees of any, that the holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church owed her primacy, but to the words of ouf Saviour, saying in the Gospel : “Thou art Peter, &c.,” and thereby building the church upon him, as upon a rock that nothing could shake ; that the Roman church, not having spot or wrinkle, was consecrated and exalted above all other churches, by the presence, as well as by the death of the two apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, who suffered at Rome under Nero, not at different times, as the heretics sav, but at the same time, and on the same day, and that the Roman church is the first church, because founded by the first Apostle. The foregoing was an artful contrivance of Pope Ge-lasius, to exalt the church of Rome above all others, and may be regarded as the foundation stone upon which, from that date, she has ever stood, and now stands. Bower remarks on p. 286, voi. 1 : We shall see, hereafter, the doctrine advanced by Gelasius to have been, for the space of twelve hundred years, the doctrine of the whole Catholic church. The remark here alludes particularly to the sacrament. It is certainly true respecting the claim of Peter, as a foundation to that church. We feel satisfied that it is at about the commencement of the reign of Pope Gelasius, A. D. 4ÍH, that we are to date the famous prophetic 1290 days, or, more properly, years of Dan, chap. 12, verse II, which would terminate about 1781, at the famous edict of Joseph 2d of Austria, dated Oct. 13th, 1781. By this edict he granted all non-Catholics the free exercise of their religion, and declared people of all denominations equally citizens, and capable of holding all charges and offices in every department of state. See Cox’s house of Austria, voi. 3d, brought out more fully on the setting up of the daily, on another page. The edict of Joseph 2d, is a regular disclaimer of all superiority and authorized domination of one church over another, exactly the reverse of all that Pope Gelasius so ardently attempts to establish. The Bishops of Rome long claimed a pre-eminence before they obtained a firm foundation, and as we understand that the prophecy has assigned them a work to do, the commencement of this establishment is important. They were to remove one system and establish another. Upon its ruins, the system of Popery was desolating, devastating and abominable. This they were to set up on the ruins of the Daily. Now then, what is the Daily ? Upon the meaning of which, says Dr. Litch, much depends. The Daily has long appeared to our judgment, to refer to a succession which was embodied in the prophetic scenery of the first eleven verses of Dan, chapter 8, and though the term is not used till we arrive at verse 12, it being notorious that all Pagan nations perpetuated Pagan rights, and the Romans the same rights, since the foundation of the city, long before the vision was given. We have concluded that the Daily offering is the annual festival of Pagan Rome, and shall search for the time of its removal. Says Gibbon, p. 493, voi. 3 : After the conversion of the Imperial city, the Christians still continued in the month of February, the annual celebration of the Lupercalia, to which they ascribed a secret and mysterious influence on the genial powers of the animal and vegetable world. The Bishops of Rome were solicitous to abolish a profane custom so repugnant to the spirit of Christianity, but their zeal was not supported by the authority of the civil magistrate. The Daily—what is it ? To this we reply that the phrase has reference to the festival kept by the Pagan Romans annually, in the month of February. It was rendered august by the most imposing rites and ceremonies performed by the Pagan priests and pontiffs, attended with great hilarity and ludicrous performances in honor of their gods. We learn from Gibbon, p. 133, voi. 3, that the ancient fabric of Roman superstition was supported by the opinions and habits of eleven hundred years, from the age of Numa to the reign of Gratian, the Romans preserved the regular succession of the several colleges of the sacredotal order. Fifteen pontiffs exercised their supreme jurisdiction over all things and persons, that were consecrated to the service of the gods, and the various questions which perpetually arose in a loose and traditionary system, were submitted to tl»e judgment of their holy tribunal. Fifteen grave and learned augurs observed the face of the heavens, and prescribed the actions of heroes accord- 23 ing to the flight of birds. Fifteen keepers of the sybiline books occasionally consulted the history of future, and, as it should seem, of contingent events. Six vestals devoted their virginity to the guard of the sacred tire, and of the unknown pledges of the duration of Rome, which no mortal had been suffered to behold with impunity. Seven Epulos prepared the table of the gods, conducted the solemn procession, and regulated the ceremonies of the annual fattivai. The three flamens of Jupiter, Mars and Quirnus, were considered as the peculiar ministers of the three most powerful deities, who watched over the fate of Rome and of the universe. The king of the sacrifices represented the person of Numa and of his successors in the religious functions, which could be performed only by royal hands. The Confraternities of the Salians, the Lupercals, (>, we still find a revolution going on in Italy. Bower, voi. 3, p. 400. instantly the streets, the public places, and the squares are filled with crowds of citizens, who make the air resound with patriotic songs and acclamations, and menaces of death, against Pius (Jth. These developments, cries and threats exasperated the old Pope. He directed his minions to kill the French, and to assault the populace. General Dupot, a French officer, was shot in the melee. This affair brought down vengeance from the French General Berthier, who was directed to avenge the republic for the outrages of Pius (>th, marched towards Rome at the head of his troops, and passed through the Papal dominions with as much security as if he had been traversing a French department. He was received everywhere with shouts of rejoicing. In vain did the deadly cohorts of Monks and Jesuits endeavor to quicken the popular fanaticism. In no district was their outcry reechoed. Berthier had not arrived near the walls of Rome, when the citizens proclaimed their independence, formed a government modeled after the ancient constitutions of Rome, had named seven consuls, and decreed the degradation of Pius (5th. All these misfortunes abashed the Pope almost to idiotism. At length the Governor of Rome, General Cervoni, gave him the last stroke, by the official announcement that the people had reconquered their rights, and lie was no longer an officer of the government. He* was placed in a coach, with his physician and footman, and cook, and driven towards Tuscany. He was set down in the convent of Augustine at Sienna. SECTION XXIV. Verse 41. We will now link what remains of verse forty with verse forty-one. The following is from the rendering of Miles Coverdale : With charlóte, horsemen, and with a great many ships he shall come into the lands, destroy and go through ; he shall enter also into the fair, pleasant land. Many eitles and countries shall decay, except Edom, Moab, and the rest of the children of Ammon, which shall escape from his hand. We will here premise that we do not understand this prophecy to refer particularly to Napoleon, only as an officer of the French government. 3; The next great enterprise of France was an expedition to Egypt. In Allison, p. 08, we read, Napoleon left Toulon on the 9th of Majr, and took command of the Army. The fleet consisted of thirteen ships of the line, two of sixty-four guns, fourteen frigates, seventy-two brigs and cutters, and four hundred transports. It bore thirty-six thousand soldiers of all arms, and ten thousand sailors. On the 19th of May the fleet set sail. The French fleet came in sight of the Egyptian shore on the 1st of July, There were on board the fleet cavalry, and a good supply of cannon, which we understand is meant by the term, chariots. P. 99. Napoleon pressed forward in pursuit, drove both cavalry and infantry toward the Nile, and so totally dispersed the whole force, that not more than 2. »00 made their escape into Egypt. This action decided the fate of Egypt. The whole country submitted at once to the French arms. Napoleon established himself at Cairo. P. 100. Napoleon resolved on an expedition into Syria, where the Sultan was assembling his forces. After leaving behind him such garrisons as were indispensable to maintain his conquest, 13,000 men, with 900 cavalry and 49 pieces of cannon, constituted the whole of his disposable force. He set out for Syria on the 11th of February, 1799. His march lay across the desert. On the 4th of March he arrived at Jaffa, the Joppa of antiquity. We have traced the expedition thus far, to show that the French enter Palestine. We are much inclined to believe that this prophecy refers to the conquests of the French nation over all Europe, from what is said in the following verse, as rendered by a Jew : and he will put out his hand upon countries, and there is no escape for Mizraim. To show the fulfillment of the above, it would be necessary to give a history of at least a dozen years of French conquests over Europe, which we have not space for at this time. We have already shown that Egypt did not escape. The French lorded it over Egypt for a considerable time. Verse 43 is rendered by a Jew as follows : And the rule of her treasures of gold and silver, and all the cosily things of Mizraim, and Lubin and Cusliim will follow him, or be in his suit. Ancient Cush and Lubin lie about Egypt to the east and west. It is quite probable that levies may be gathered in that locality, in extending the French power. A dreadful storm awaits the East, which will involve all the strength of France. SECTION XXV. Unto two thousand.and three hundred days. No subject has given greater trouble to learned men, than the solution of these dates. Some have made Antiochus Epiphanes a common pack horse, while others have concluded all in mystery, a choice term with which God brands the apostate church, see Rev. 17. Pompous airs and high sounding titles have done little towards the elucidation of truth ; all true wisdom must come from God. If any man lack, he is invited to ask. No obstacle is so great as the conceit of which we already have enough. This mountain has spoiled many an educated man. Truth is always simple, and nearer the surface than metaphysical subleties. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise, 1 Cor. 3:18. Taking these holy admonitions to ourselves, we humbly implore the divine aid. Spirit, which first inspired the words, inspire our hearts to learn. Daniel the prophet saw in vision the scenery of the 8th chapter, and while seeing it, had these 2300 days communicated to him, and at the last verse he says, I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. Gabriel, the angel, has orders, in the Ifith verse of chap. 8, to make Daniel understand the vision. Gabriel tells Daniel, in the 22d verse of chap. 9, that he has now come forth to give him skill and understanding, and at once commands him to consider the vision, Certain scenery ami images of animals representing nations comprised the vision which Daniel saw, chap. 8. He had seen Gabriel once before—the man Gabriel whom he had seen in the vision at the first, see verse 21. Consider the vision, seventy weeks are cut off on thy people, for determined means to cut off. So read some ; others read, are upon thy people ; see Wintle’s translation. It would be folly to say that the present appearance of Gabriel is called a vision, and that Daniel is told to consider Gabriel. There can be no reason to doubt that Daniel is referred to the former struggle of mind to comprehend the scenery and times of chap. 8 vision. The anxiety of Daniel commences at the fall of Babylon, when he might reasonably expect deliverance of his people, which deliverance did not take place until seventy weeks, or one year and four months afterwards. The mandate of 2300 days had been delivered from the Great Eternal, which lapped on to a past date of seventy years penalty. Hence the propriety of saying, seventy weeks are upon thy people : that is,their condition is determined for seventy weeks into this long time of 2300 days. The curse of captivity reaches into the vision for one year and four months ; the long wonderful future has been set before your mind and bounded ; the captivity of your people reaches a little into this long time ; contemplate this ; despond not, nor think that this curse is to last for the whole time. At the fall of Babylon, when these 2300 days begin, Belshazzar is slain, and Darius, the Mede, takes the kingdom. We conclude that Darius reigned one year and a little more, when, at his death, Cyrus took the kingdom, and released the Jews from captivity, and ended the seventy weeks that wrere upon Daniel’s people.. Says Xenophon, at the conclusion of the first year of Darius, Cyrus assembled his army together at Babylon, and undertook that expedition in which he is reported to have conquered all those nations which lie from the entrance into Syria, as far as the Red Sea, for at the time of what he calls the first of Cyrus, we find that he had subdued all those nations, see Ezra 1:2. Cyrus said, the Lord hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth. The river, mentioned in the vision of Dan. 8:3, represents the dividing line, chronologically, between the empire of Babylon and Cyrus, or the fall of Babylon, and the beginning of Persia is at the river. Perhaps we might say that the river was seventy weeks wide, in the symbol. Cyrus begins his reign, according to Thurman’s Chronology, B. C. 4i>0, in the middle of the year. Babylon had fallen in B. C. 4i)l, by the same Chronology. We have stated that the 2300 days begun at the fall of Babylon. As we understand the subject, they measure back on to the seventy years captivity, one year and about four months, or seventy precise weeks, at the end of which Cyrus proclaims a release. . It has been assumed, we think, that Cyrus’ first year is synonymous with what is called, by some, his third year, proved, they suppose, by Dan. chap. 1:21 ; and Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus. He did not die then, see margin in Polyglot Bible. He lived in a flourishing state till the time of the dissolution of that empire by Cyrus ; see Wintle. It is evident that Cyrus immediately succedei Darius the Mede in the kingdom of Persia, after Darius had reigned but a little more than one year. Josephus says that the first year of Cyrus w as the seventieth from the day that our people were removed out of their own land, Book 11, chap. 1. We can find no evidence that Darius reigned mubn more than one year. Xenophon begins Cyrus’ reign at the death of Darius. The expedition mentioned by Xenophon, which Cyrus begun at the conclusion of the first year of Darius, may not have been consummated only in anticipation, when Cyrus proclaims that God hath given him all the kingdoms of the earth. It was by his faith. Say.s Josephus, this was known to Cyrus by his reading the book which Isaiah left behind him. Thus saith Cyrus ; since God hath appointed me to be king of the habitable earth, for indeed he foretold my name ; my will is that Cyrus, whom I have appointed to be king over many and great nations, send my people back to their owrn land. Nowr we say that it was not necessary for Cyrus to have fully completed his conquest, when he proclaimed, as recorded by Ezra, chap. 1, verse 2, the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, as the gift of a thing may be before the possession is entered upon. Cyrus credited the prophecy, and proclaimed his faith. Hence w e see no evidence that Cyrus did not ascend the throne of Persia in a little more than one year from the fall of Baby-Ion, on the death of Darius the Mede, which left just the requisite space of seventy decided weeks, see Wintle. This time, already appointed, was so much taken out of, or reaching on the 2300 days—so much time notched into these 2300 days. We have said that the 2300 days began at the fall of Babylon, and the seventy weeks reach on this way to the proclamation of King Cyrus, Ezra 3d. Who is there among you of all his people, his God be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judea. The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and three score, besides their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven, see Ezra chap. 2, v. 65. Here the captivity ends, in the first year of Cyrus, and we can see no evidencefor extending the captivity beyond this point, or at 488 B. C., where our Bro. Thurman places its expiration ; we have credited the chronology of this period in accordance with his tables, yet we are constrained to believe, from the historic evidence, that the captives were released by Cyrus B. C. about 41)0, or 70 literal weeks from the fall of Babylon. We cannot persuade ourselves that the period called the first year of Cyrus, in Dan. 1:21, is the same with Dan. 10:1, called the third year of Cyrus, from reasons which we have shown in this article, that it was only the period of Daniel’s honors in the government, wdiich were limited to the first year of Cyrus. What God says was revealed to Daniel in the third year of Cyrus, was three years after he began his reign, and about three from the captivity released. Surely this release takes place in the first year of Cyrus. The main argument in support of the the theory that Cyrus did not begin to reign till three years from the conquest of Babylon is, that the term given means to come in possession of. We now quote a few texts parallel to the above : Dan. 2:38. and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. There is no evidence that Nebuchadnezzar took possession, by conquest, of every place where men, beasts and fowls dwell, but, being superior in power and armies, was able to chastise all at pleasure. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me, Ps. 18:40. Is. 9:6, Unto us a son is given. Mat. 28:18, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. We conclude that superiority of strength above all opposition is the meaning of Ezra, which would not require that Cyrus should make a formal conquest, of surrounding nations, prior to the fulfillment of the text recorded Ezra 1:2 ; the Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth. Having concluded that the strength and arms given to Cyrus upon the death of Darius sufficiently fulfilled the text, by joining with Persia what had formerly belonged to Media. We see no necessity of further conquest to fulfill Ezra 1:2, and believing that the reign of Cyrus is commenced immediately after the death of Darius, and that when lie issued his proclamation to the Jews, permitting them to return to Jerusalem, one year and four months have elapsed since the fall of Babylon, or the seventy weeks expire. The following is from the improved version of Mr. Wintle : Seventg precise weeks are upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to restrain the apostacy, and to put an end to sins, and to espiate iniquity. Here we divide the text, because we believe this ends this subject. The last w ord, iniquity, comprehends all that belongs to Daniel’s people and city, and all of it refers to the condition of the Jewrs while in captivity. The succeeding portion of the text points forward to, and introduces another and newr subject respecting Messiah; seventy precise weeks. The following re-marks from Wintle : the word is rendered by th. and vulg. as a verb in ni-plial, are abbreviated from incido, concido, and though it is not to be found elsewhere in the. Bible, yet in the Chaldee par. on Esther 4:5 it is rendered decided, and in this sense it is used by the Jew s. In a like view, Mr. Goodwin translates it, cut out, and assigns this reason ; because they numbered by cutting notches, in the earlier and simple times. Now, whether the wTord be considered a noun or verb, that is, for weeks of abbrevia- tion, or, that are abbreviated. In either case its intention seems to be to limit the period to weeks of days, in contradistinction to those that follow in the next verses, which will appear to be weeks of years, or the usual prophetical weeks of a day to a year, according to Numbers 14:34, and Ez. 4:(>. and thus the passage will convey a direct answer to the primary design of the prayer in the preceding part of the chapter, or a fixed period for the termination of the captivity. We must reckon seventy weeks, which will carry us a little into the second year of Darius, or until Cyrus became sole monarch. Daniel was ordered to consider the vision, as the seventy weeks, begun with the 2300 days. By so doing, he would know the time of release from captivity. By being made captive their apostasy was restrained, and a stop put to their sins. They had been guilty of idolatry and rebellion against God. For this, God sent them to Babylon. The chastisement had corrected their disposition. Last clause ; and to expiate iniquity. That is, their old transgressions were healed, expiated, or purged by their long punishment in captivity. Mr. Coverdale renders the last clause, that sin may have an end, that the offence may be reconciled. Daniel in his acknowledgment, says : we have sinned ; we have done wickedly ; but the guilt was all expiated by their captivity, or would be at the end of seventy weeks, when God would smile upon them. From the word iniquity onward, the succeeding language refers to another subject. We couple the succeeding language, as follows, into connection with the 2f>th verse. Coverdale reads as follows : and to bring in everlasting righteousness, to fulfill the vision and the prophets, and to anoint the Most Holy One. Understand this, then, and mark it well, that from the time that it shall be concluded to go and repair Jerusalem again, unto Christ, or the Anointed Prince, there shall be seven weeks, then shall the streets and walls be built. Again, sixty-two weeks—the whole number of weeks is sixty-nine, and are doubtless weeks of years, and reach from the commandment to Messiah the Prince. But as we see no necessity for here entering into an explanation of the contested points, or to explain the application of these verses to Messiah the Prince, in this connection, as we understand that the first half of the 24th verse is all that has any connection with the 2300 days, which 2300 days, or years, we proceed with. We date these days from the fall of Babylon, B. C. 401, according to the chronology of Mr. Thurman. From the former date 2300 reaches to 1810, A. I)., if we diminish one year in passing over the Christian era, which is rulable with chronologists. This exactly fills the prophecy, and brings us to the end of papal dominion. We extract the following from Napoleon's decrees : Ai tide 1st, the Papal territory is united with the French Empire. 2d, The city of Rome, illustrious for the recollections it recalls, and for the monuments which it contains, is declared to be a free and imperial city. 3d, The monuments of Roman greatness shall be maintained and preserved at the expense of our treasury. Art. 7. An extraordinary consulta shall, on the first of June, take possession in our name of the papal dominions, and adopt measures that, on the first of January, 1810, the constitutional government shall take effect. Signed, Napoleon. Here ends the treading down, spoken of Dan. 8th, 13th verse. The following is from the rendering of Wintle. How long will be the term of the vision of the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that rnaketh desolate, exposing both the sanctuary and host to be trampled upon. It is generally agreed that transgression of desolation is of the same meaning as abomination of desolation, in chap. 11:31. We have shown elsewhere, that we understand abomination to mean sedition. How long the sedition that makes desolate ? Sedition is always against laws of nations. We do not understand the daily to be a treading down power. This is explained in chap. 11 remarks. Hence all of the treading down is done by the transgression, or sedition, and we have shown that the sedition was brought to an end, A. D. 1810. In the 3d verse of Dan. 8th, he says, then I lifted up mine eyes and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which hail two horns. This 39 river appears to symbolize a bound to determine the duration*of Babylon, and the beginning of Persia as a sole empire on earth, and the beginning of the 2300 days. The ram commences, at this line of the river, pushing in all directions for sole dominion. At the death of Darius, Media and Persia were united under Cyrus. The width of the river may symbolize a space of time from the fall of Babylon to the death of Darius, one year and four months, or 70 weeks. All will admit that the scenery of this vision was dictated by God to the sight of Daniel. Why was a river chosen as the locality of the vision ? There was design and meaning in this locality. He might have been taken beside a wilderness, or a mountain. A river is often, and had been, a physical boundary of empire. Now, God may use it as a symbolic bound to empire between Babylon and Persia. Babylon is arriving to the eastern edge of the river, and Persia begins on the other side. Had Daniel been in vision on a throne, or some famous locality, we might have assigned a meaning to the object by which he stood ; but a scene in nature so familiar has never been noticed. Now, from this scene to the end of the 23(X) days, in the leading nations of the earth which are described in the vision, the rites and ceremonies of mythology are to prevail, until a seditious power arises, and continues to the end of these days. The work that he was to do is considerably cut short before they end. (Thanks be to the merciful Lord of all for that!) and when they end, the sanctuary was to be justified, (so reads the margin,) and so it was. The sanctuary is God's people. They had long claimed the righi to worship, to personally address and supplicate the Almighty for themselves, but this right had long been disputed and refused by a power pretending to stand between them %and God. When that power and its laws were overthrown, their claim was justified, and was continued to be. All the countries and nations, where these laws existed, were conquered by Napoleon, and a new code of laws given, and the power itself dethroned from all claims to dominion, in A. D. 1810, after being gradually consumed and used up for the space of fourteen years from 1700, for what happened outside of the throne of the Papacy is not so strictly marked by the prophetic chain of this vision of Daniel. In some sections, the sanctuary was relieved long before others. Spain and Portugal held out to the last, in oppressing the rights of conscience, and in darkness. The treading down was done by one power, and commenced soon after the ending of the daily. The seditious power does not now tread under foot the sanctuary, nor upon the thrones of earthly potentates. It is true that the power, in a certain sense, still makes war upon God's people. War is hostility, or enmity, as well as open conflict. This state of enmity was to exist to the end, but we can no longer persuade ourselves that what was being fulfilled through the dark ages, is now fulfilling, in treading down the sanctuary and host. SECTION XXVI. !The Little Horn irhich canne* Denotation, or makes Desolate. The full meaning of the term desolate we may learn from Webster ; laid waste, destitute of people, desolation, act of laying waste, destruction, desolated, deprived of inhabitants, wasted. There are two ways in which the monastic system of worship has deprived the land where it is established, of inhabitants. First, by binding men and women with a vow of perpetual chastity, shutting them up in nunnerys and castles, separating the clergy from their wives, and then forbidding them to marry. Thus millions were restrained from propagating their species. This caused the law enacted by Majorian the Roman Emperor (A. D. 457). On p. 479, Gibbon, we read, the Emperor conceiving that it was his interest to increase the number of his subjects, and that it was his duty to guard the purity of the marriage bed, the pious maids who had consecrated their virginity to Christ, were restrained from taking the veil till they had reached their fortieth year ; widows under that age were compelled to form a second alliance within the term of five years, by the forfeiture of half tlieir wealth to 40 their nearest relations, or to the State ; unequal marriages were condemned or annulled. This subject needs no explanation. This great Emperor rose up as a reformer, rallying every power to save the empire, which he saw was rapidly sinking to ruin and decay, being reft of its natural growth of inhabitants. This is one way in which this monkish system made desolate. Another way by which the monas tie system made desolate was that it deprived the State of the presence and services of the living. In Gibbon, p. 428, voi. 3, we read, whole legions were buried in these religious sanctuaries, and the same cause which relieved the distress of individuals impaired the strength and fortitude of the empire. On p. 526 we read ; these unhappy exiles from social life were impelled by the dark and implacable genius of superstition ; their mutual resolution was supported by the example of millions of either sex, of every age and of every rank, and each proselyte who entered the gates of a monastery, was persuaded that he trod the steep and thorny path of eternal happiness. Gibbon remarks on the opposite page, the monasteries were filled by a crowd of obscure plebians, who gained in the cloister much more than they had sacrificed in the world. Peasants, slaves and mechanics might escape from poverty and contempt to a safe and honorable profession. Having given a slight description of this monastic institution, we will here remark that it came somewhat in competition with one of the most ancient pagan institutions, called the vestals. We read from Gibbon, p. 525, the senators, and more especially the matrons, transformed their palaces and villas into religious houses, and the narrow institution of .six centals w as eclipsed by the frequent monasteries, which were seated on the ruin* of ancient templen, and in the midst of the Roman forum., This history has furnished us writh some intimation of a competitor to the Ancient Roman Religion of the pagans, which we shall see eventually*removes or takes awray the pagan rights, and establishes itself on the ruins of its pagan temples and forum. Hence we have concluded that the monastic institutions embracing the Bishops, (as eyes,) who superintend the general interests thereof, with the Pope, who is a mouth piece to the whole order. These together created the horrible devastation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, and occupied the most prominer,t places both in church and state. Says Gibbon in his notes, p. 527, voi. 3, the monks were gradually adopted as a part of the ecclesiastical hierarchy. We read again on p. 520. the reluctant monk or hermit w as torn from his cell and seated, amidst the acclamations of the people, on the episcopal throne. It was naturally supposed that the pious and humble monks, who had renounced the world to accomplish the work of their salvation, were the best qualified for the spiritual government of the Christians. The monasteries of Egypt, of Gaul, and of the East, supplied a regular succession of saints and Bishops, anti ambition soon discovered the secret road which led to the possession of wealth and honors. We will here remark that the horn described by the prophet Daniel, chap. 7—11, is composed of several members, differing one from the other. The text of Mr. Wintle reads, And behold, eye*, like, human eye.s, aere in that horn, and a month, .speaking presumptuous thingX. Now, are we to suppose that all this description belongs to the Pope individually ? We think not. The figure, or symbol, of a horn, drawn from the animal kind, indicates physical strength or power. But those eyes indicate intelligence, observation, oversight, and wrell answer to the Bishops, who w’ere the overseers of the monkish orders. The Pope constituted the mouth piece of these organized millions of monks, who, as Gibbon says on p. 525, voi. 3, filled every city of the empire with their increasing multitudes. The progress of the monks was not less rapid than that of Christianity itself, the Latin Christians embracing the religious institutions of Rome. Nor did this monkish horn lack the physical ability requisite* to fulfill a symbol of strengh. Says Gibbon, on p. 30, voi. 3, the peace of the (»astern church was invaded by a swarm of fanatics, incapable of fear, reason, or humanity, and the imperial troops acknowledged, without shame, that they were much less apprehensive of an encounter with the fiercest barbarians. Again, we read in Gibbon, voi. 41 4, p. 525, the legions of monks in regalai’ array, marched, and shouted and fought. Numerous instances are found in history, of the valor of the monks, and their support of the Popes. Their character was seditious, and Gibbon remarks that every age of the church has accused the licentiousness of the monks, wrho no longer remembered the object of their institution, and embraced the vain and sensual pleasures of the world. Now, this organization, as a whole, was an abomination and caused desolation throughout the whole empire. The monks have been the bone and sinew of the papal power. They have been known under other party names. They were called, in Justinian’s time, the Blues ; afterwards Benedictines, Gibelines, Dominicans ; latterly, Jesuits. We understand that these organizations constitute the horn of Daniel, (see chap. 7 and 8,) and the Popes have been kings over them, as Theodoric was king over the Goths, and Gilimer was king over the Vandals. These were symbolic horns, but the king individually was not the horn. Hence the inquiry will be, when, at what point was the Catholic Church, through these, its agencies, fully established in the Roman empire? This certainly was not done until they were without a rival in the Roman capital, and their Arian rivals were not driven out until A. D. 53(1. The eastern emperors wen; the great movers in making wav for their establishment, by conquering the Vandals, and then the Goths of Italy. SECTION XXVII. THE DATES. The Papacy becomes a recognized dignity by the civil power, for twelve hundred and sixty years in the Roman capital. Yet, if I understand the injunction of the Angel, (see Rev. 11—2,) we are not to measure the duration of Papal persecution as bounded by these days, nor in order to arrive at the termination of the 1885 days. The days of persecution are not denominated the altar. That refers to a chain of prophecy which terminateli in 1781. We wish to make prominent before your mind, the campaign of 1708. We read from Allison, p. 77, (Gould’s edition) : Napoleon set out with the division of Aligeran, to cross the Appenines. This expedition was little less than a march of triumph. He first entered Modena, where he was received with every demonstration of joy, proceeded thence to Bologna, where the same scenes were enacted, and took possession, on his road thither, of the fort of Urbino, with its sixty pieces of cannon. He next marched to Ferrara, and took its arsenal, with one hundred and fourteen pieces of artillery. In the meantime General Vaubvis crossed the Appenines with another division, and directed his steps towards Rome. At the intelligence of his approach, the council of the Vatican was thrown into the utmost alarm. Azara, minister of Spain, was dispatched immediately with offers of submission, and arrived at Bdlogna, to lay the tiara at the feet of the republican general. The terms of the armistice were soon agreed upon. It was stipulated that Bologna and Ferrara should remain in possession of the French ; that the Pope should pay twenty millions of francs, furnish large contributions of stores and provisions, and give a hundred of the finest works of art to the commissioners. The allied powers of Europe represented the Roman empire. They would have supported the Pope in his sanctuary, but the day of their vigor had passed. But the French republic broke them, and the Pope with them, and here is fulfilled the conflict at the end of 1280 days, mentioned in verse 40, when the king of the south and north attack the Papacy. First Naples, then France, subjugates her. All that Berthicr did was to congratulate the Italians, and approve of their republican form of government. It remained for the Governor of Rome to announce to the Pope that he was no longer an officer of the government. (See Bower, voi. 8, p. 107.) Berthicr neither struck a blow, nor gave an order to the Papal government. He refused to see the Papal deputation, and recognized no power in Rome, but that of the Italians. Berthier met with no opposition on his march into Rome. 42 We read in Bower, voi. 3, p. 407. Berthier passed through the Papal dominions with as much security as if he had been traversing a French department. He was received everywhere with shouts of rejoicing. The citizens had formed a government, modeled after the ancient constitutions of Rome. A. D. 1798 is not the most prominent period of humiliation to the Papacy. We find a much better fulfillment of the prophetic mould occurs in A. D. 1790. We read, in Allison, p. 81 : The soldiers who had vanquished the strength of Austria, were not long in crushing the feeble forces of the church. The Pope again submitted, and peace was concluded at Tolentino, on the 19th day or February, on terms far more humiliating to the Holy See, than the conditions of the previous treaty. Such was the Italian campaign of 1796. On no former occasion, in the history of the world, had so great a success been achieved in so short a time, and a power so mighty been vanquished by forces so inconsiderable. Napoleon’s army subdued Piedmont and Lombardy, broke through the barriers of the Alps, and humbled the whole of the Italian states, defeated, and almost destroyed four powerful armies of Austrians, and concluded by a capture of the most important fortress of Italy. The above is from Allison, and proves that the Papal power is humbled in its own capital, in 1796. We now offer a few remarks respecting the commencement of the foregoing chain of prophecy. The change from Paganism to Papacy throughout the Roman empire, was not instantaneous. Some years elapsed after one was removed, before the other was firmly established. The final erection of the Papacy was to be accomplished by a bold act. (See Dan. 8, verse 12.)—Wintle. And a host was set up against the daily sacrifice, by a bold trangression, and it cast down the truth to the ground ; yet it wrought and prospered. Now, the following history will show the striking manner in which this prediction was finally accomplished. (See Bower, voi. 1, p. 344.) The bibliothecarian writes, that he, (Silverius,) purchased his dignity of king Theodatus, who, in consideration of the sum Silverius paid him, named him, without consulting the people or clergy, and commanded all, on pain of death, to receive and acknowledge him for lawful bishop. But Liberatus, who lived at this very time, takes no kind of notice of any violence used by the king, or any simony practiced by Silverius. The city of Rome, says the writer, hearing of the decease of Agapetus, chose the sub-deacon, Silverius, the son of Hormisdas, to be ordained in his room. On the same page we read : Thus was the city of Rome reunited to the empire, on the 10th of Dec., 536, after it had been separated from it three score years. Belisarius immediately sent the keys of the gates to Constantinople, as a token of his victory, together with the Gothic governor of the city. We now see abundant evidence from the glorious light of th? sacred word, that there were two events chicli occurred in A. I). r>36, which have an important bearing on the prophecy , first, the taking of Rome by Belisarius, and secondly, the appointment of Silverius to tin* Papal See, by either the king or the civil authorities of Rome. All this was contrary to all former usage. There can be no doubt as to the taking of Rome this year. We read at the bottom of the page, (Power, voi. 1, p. 344,) : The taking of Rome by Belisarius, offered a favorable opportunity to the Empress Theodora, of executing a design which she had formed in favor of Anthenms. Now, we wish to impress your mind that the siege of the Goths against Rome was entirely unsuccessful, so far as getting any foothold inside of the city. We read in the margin of page 346 : So long did Vitiges continue before Rome, pursuing the siege with great vigor, though all his attempts, and the many stratagems he made use of to get into the city, were constantly defeated by the superior skill of the Greeks and their General. The Goths left Rome and went to Rimni, which was distant but one day’s journey from Ravenna. They then laid siege to Rimni, which was attended with no better success. The whole length of the siege of the Goths was one year and nine days, from Dec. loth, r>30. But it was part of the time against Rimni, and we see no evidence to extend the siege, or the date of 43 the 1260 days, to commence in A. D. 538. This must be wrong, and even if pfoof could be adduced that the Goths were somewhere about, or not far from Rome, so late as 538, it would not sustain an argument in favor of their being a horn or kingdom reigning in Rome up to this date. The existence of many a nation has continued through many a siege ; a siege is an outside attack. Unless they break through and get possession, nothing is accomplished. This the Goths could not do, as we have seen. ^ Hence, there is no propriety in saying that they were plucked up, as a kingdom, out of Rome, so late as A. D. 538, and they were not broken as a nation till A. D. 553. Hence, it is obvious that we are to commence these 1260 days at A. D. 536, on the taking of Rome from the Goths, by Belisarius, and at this date the civil authority appointed Silverius to the Papal chair. Now, we have seen that the greatest and leading power in Europe, Greece, or the Greek empire, sustained the Papal See, and was able to overpower all its enemies in A. D. 536, and that 1260 years from this date, to wit : 1706, the leading power in Europe, which had long been able to sustain the Popes against all enemies, is suddenly crushed by the victorious marches of the proud Corsican. Austria and the Papacy were both humbled in the dust, in 1706, and there are no other events which occurred in the Roman capitol that will tit this chain of prophecy, but 536 and 1706. It is true in both periods, that effects of the victories are prominent, for about two years afterwards, and we conclude that the 1335 days commence with these 1260 days, as before stated in this work. Pilgrim, watch ! The day draws near, When eons of earth lamenting, And hearts are filled with shocking fear, Who’d long delayed repenting. Watch means, to be awake, attentive, to observe ; the wise shall attend, but none of the wicked will attend. (See Dan. 12.) Now we leave those who wish to give attention to this subject to draw their own conclusions, without forcing any definite conclusion upon them. If they love the subject, they have the means in their power of following it to a more definite point ; if not, it will not be profitable to them, or us, to thrust that upon them. What the Holy Seer makes plain, is to be obtained only by close attention. Other dates are found in the seventh chapter of Daniel, of time, times and the dividing of times parallel, probably, to those found in Rev. 13—5, of forty and two months treading under foot was to continue, in some of the great nations within the limits of the Roman empire for a term of 1277 years, or forty and two months, if we reckon 365 days to a year, which may be warrantable in this instance, as the language in Dan. 7, does not indicate just half a time, and the revolution of forty and two moons would consume the above duration. We understand that the treading began in A. D. 532, and continued in some particular nations till 1800. Spain and Portugal furnish evidence to this position. They «were within the limits of the empire. The forepart of the 2300 days was not characterised by treading down. This treading was to be performed by the Gentile powers, and would terminate at the beginning of A. D. 1810. But these days were shortened, so that the kings, or host, were released from obedience, by (dement 14th. (Seti Bower, voi. 3, p. 360.) He abandoned all pretentions to the temporal jurisdiction over princes. What they did by way of persecution, afterwards, was of their own free will. Had this jurisdiction continued until A. D. 1810, no fiesh would have been saved; then was to commence a time of freedom of mind, and vast professions, saying, bereis Christ ; or rather, this is the true worship of Christ ; this creed, this form, is the way. A vast number of sects commenced to strive for preeminence, as Papacy waned and toleration was abundant. But we are not to run after these sectarians, who are overlooking the kingdom of Christ, to convert the world. There are other dates which we will not now investigate. Daniel 12—7, is one; and if Elder William Thurman can sustain his computation of reckoning the times, times and a part, then sixty-two years may connect from 1810 with the 2300 days. Tliis we leave for further-consideration. , , ■ „, r : r -r