Ever fince the time of the Reformation, the Church of Rome has gradually been lofing its antient fplendor and greatnefs. The profound reverence in which her Governor was held, and the implicit obedience which was paid to his commands, are now confined to very narrow limits. The kingdoms which still acknowledge her jurifdiction have long fet bounds to her avarice and ambition. The power of fuperftition and of delufion, by which her influence was supported over the minds of mankind, is overcome by the exertions of reafon, and the light of pure and undefiled religion. Every attack that has been made by the pretended philofophers, or avowed infidels of France and Germany, has been aimed at Popery, as the first object of their hoftility. The last twenty years include a number of events the most adverfe to the interefts of the Church of Rome. The order of the Jefuits, its most firm and able supporters, has been fuppreffed; and the inability of the fovereign Pontiff to prevent the execution of a measure so deftructive to his authority, was proved by his ineffectual and degrading perfonal application to the Em peror Jofeph. The monafteries of Germany, once filled with his moft zealous adherents, are diffolved. Even Spain, once the most fuperftitious country in Europe, has abridged

the

the powers of its Inquifition, and pays with reluctance her accustomed tribute to the Head of the Church. The French, fince the era of the Revolution, have buried the Catholic altar under the ruins of the Monarchical throne.

The memorable events even of the paffing year f have accelerated her decline. The French armies have ravaged Italy, and poured their fury upon the feat of the beaft. Rome itself is become a prey to its Apoftate and Infidel conquerors. The temporal authority of the Pope is completely fubverted, and the femblance of the antient Roman Government is established at Rome by the Democratic tyranny which reigns triumphant in its place. The Pope himself, after being expofed to repeated infults, is degraded and driven from his throne; he is divested of his honours and his state-ftripped of his poffeffions and revenues, and reduced to the abject condition of a wanderer, and an exile. Germany, Naples, Portugal, and Spain, view his degradation with indifference, if not with approbation; and France, the country of Pepin and of Charlemagne, the great founders of the Papal glory, is the inftrument of his overthrow, and enriches herself with his spoils.

f 1798. Rome was then taken by the French.

And

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

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

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

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

"As to the word fhall hate, it implies, fhall forfake; and if the kings in Christendom forfake Rome, what can follow, but that either they will combine to destroy it, or else rather stand by neuters, whilst some one of them performs this last office to destroy it ?—The beast as fuch, the falfe prophet, and the whore, are infeparable companions, that is, the Romish Church or City, Popery, and Tyranny. But the horns fhall be feparated from the whore, and confequently from the beast, or the exercise of that tyrannical power which makes them a beaft, and maintains this whore in fplendor and

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

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

power.

power. From this place and the following, we may fafely conjecture, that the inftruments God fhall make use of to destroy Rome, not being faid to come out of the Temple, fhall not therefore be of the number of the true worshippers, or Proteftants, but of those that are ftill horns upon the beast; that is, of fuch as are still in communion with Rome, at least fome one or more of them.

"And fhall eat her Flesh. Flesh, in the fymbolical language, fignifies the riches, goods, and poffeffions, of any person or subject conquered, oppreffed, or flain-By this third act of the horns, it appears that the fecular powers, who shall attack this whore, will not only ftrip her of her riches and revenues, but also priate them to themselves,

appro

"The ten born's fhall hate the whore; that is, by a common figure of the whole for a part, fome of the ten kings who formerly loved her, grown fenfible of her exorbitant exactions and oppreffions, fhall hate her, shall strip, and expofe, and plunder her, and utterly confume her with fire. Rome therefore will finally bë destroyed by fome of the princes, who are reformed, or shall be reformed from Popery: and as the kings of France have contributed greatly

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