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REMARKS ON TABLE V.

THIS Table contains twenty-eight different opinions of eminent men, but I cannot agree with any of them. Machiavel first mentioned as matter of history, the ten parts into which the Roman Empire was originally divided; and writers on prophecy have made his statement the basis of their plans. Let a person take a map of the ancient Roman Empire, when it was most extensive, and he will find that it has been divided into more than twenty parts. I presume the ten horns on Daniel's fourth beast, are designed to represent a large, but indefinite number; and they may not be of any more importance in the prophetic symbols, than the ten fingers pertaining to the silver arms, by which the Medo-Persian kingdom is represented. We are liable to err by neglecting to interpret certain parts of symbolic images, and parabolic representations, or to exceed propriety by attaching importance to minor, and insignificant portions of them. Whatever may be the import of the ten fingers, or the ten toes of the great image, or the ten horns on the fourth beast, seen in the visions of Daniel; the ten horns pertaining to the seven headed beast, seen by John, cannot be kingdoms. The inter

preting Angel says, "they are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet." It is very indecorous for a fallible man to contradict an angel, or so to interpret his words, as to make him talk nonsense; and where is the sense in saying they are ten kingdoms, which have received no kingdom as yet? Let the reader remember that this latter passage is not a dark prophecy, but a lucid interpretation.-"The ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet. Rev. xvii. 12.

John James Brachmair, M. A. mentions four other kingdoms, besides the ten inserted in the Table, namely 11. Armenia, 12. Persia, 13. Egypt, 14. Africa, now called the coast of Barbary. He then mentions eight more, namely, 1. The ecclesiastical state, 2. The kingdom of Naples and Sicily, 3. The kingdom of Sardinia, 4. The republic of Venice, 5.-Of Genoa, 6.-Of Lucca, 7. The dutchy of Tuscany, 8. Modena; and many other principal states. Not satisfied with these, he gives us another list of ten, which are as follows. 1. Spain, 2. France, 3. England, 4. Germany, 5. The kingdom of the Longobards, 6. The Exarchate, 7. The kingdom of Hungary, 8. Portugal, 9. The two Sicilies, 10. Sardinia. pages 240-251.

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The second list mentioned by Brooks was thought at the time of the Reformation, to

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