fame time, they fhall experience infufferable torment, by feeing themfelves and their religion in a fituation which they neither apprehended nor feared. "They gnawed their tongues for pain ;" yet instead of acknowledging the errors of their religion, now made manifeft by the difpenfations of divine Providence fulfilling prophecy, they fhall obftinately adhere to their fuperftition; fo that like Pharaoh and his fervants, the more they are plagued, they fhall be fo much the more hardened, blafpheming the God of heaven, be

"

"cause of their plagues and their fores, and not repenting of their deeds."

The deftruction of Rome is an event of fo great importance to the intereft of religion, that it is largely defcribed, not only in the 18th chapter of the Apocalypfe, but likewife by the Old Teftament prophets, who fometimes have it only in view under the names of Babylon and Idumea, at other times refer to it, when thy defcribe the downfall of ancient Babylon, Nineveh and Tyre'. I fhall take the advan

tage

(1) The paffages that point to the downfall of Rome, either in a primary or fecondary fenfe, appear from the rules laid down in the First Part, to be the following: Ifa. xiii. all, by Rule III.; chap. xxi. 1.-10. Rule II. ; chap. xxxiv. all, Rule IV. and. V.; chap. xlvi. 1, 2. and chap. xlvii. all, Rule III. and V.; Jer. xlix. 13.-18.

Rule

tage of their united light to point out the agents, circumftances and confequences of this catastrophe. The agents are in general the feveral kingdoms of Europe, represented by the horns of the beaft. During the period allotted for his reign, they are his agents to perfecute Chrift's faithful followers, Rev. xvii. 14. But when his reign comes to a clofe, their love fhall be turned to hatred, they fhall cut off the fources of wealth which flowed in to him, and to the church over which he prefides; they shall fwallow up her rich beneyces, and burn the city of his refidence: "And the ten horns which "thou faweft upon the beaft, these shall hate "the whore, and fhall make her defolate and "naked, and fhall eat her flesh, and burn her "with fire. For God hath put in their hearts "to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their "kingdom unto the beaft, until the words of "God fhall be fulfilled," Rev. xvii. 16, 17. But in regard fome of the kings who committed fornication with her, that is, were members of her idolatrous communion, are reprefented bewailing her destruction, Rev. xviii. 9. we can

not

Rule V.; chap. 1. 1.-3. ver, 9.-16. ver. 21.—32. ver. 35.46. chap. li. 1.-14. ver. 25.-64. Rule III. and IV.; Ezek. chap. xxvi. all, chap. xxvii. all, chap. xxviii. 1.—19. Rule IV. and V.; Dan. xi. 40. ; Rule V.; The whole prophecy of Nahum, Rule III. and IV.

Ha

not fuppofe them to have had any share in it. The words juft quoted fpeak in general terms, putting the whole for a part, meaning some of the kingdoms of Europe; now the particular kingdoms employed by the Almighty as his agents in her destruction, appear to me to be pointed out by the prophet Daniel xi. 40. ving defcribed the character and fuccefs of the blafphemous king, in terms which can fully and only apply to the Papacy, he proceeds to fhew the manner of his downfall: " And at the "time of the end shall the king of the south "push at him, and the king of the north fhall "come against him like a whirlwind, with "chariots and with horsemen, and with many "fhips, and he fhall enter into the countries, " and thall overflow and pafs over." Here the agents that procure his fall, are the kings (or kingdoms) of the south and north; that is, kingdoms fo fituated with respect to Rome, the refidence of the blafphemous king, as the kingdoms of Egypt and Syria, intended by the fouth and north, in the former part of the chapter, are fituated with refpect to Judea. I fhall not pretend dogmatically to affert which are the kingdoms intended, but I conjecture they may be Naples and France; the former fhall make an attack on Rome, but the latter fhall lead their forces by fea and land against it, unexpectedly

and

and violently like a whirlwind, and fhall prove fuccefsful, as a flood that overfloweth the land carries every thing along its courfe, in defiance of any resistance it may meet with.

This circumftance of its being deftroyed by a kingdom fituated to the north, is repeatedly mentioned in those prophecies which have an aspect to Rome in a secondary fenfe. Thus, it is faid of Babylon, Jer. 1. 3. "Out of the north com"eth up a nation against her, which fhall "make her land defolate." Again, ver. 9. "For lo, I will raise and cause to come up against "Babylon, an affembly of great nations from "the north country, and they fhall fet them"selves in array against her, from thence the "fhall be taken." The fame circumftance is repeated, verses 41, 42. In prophecies that have a double meaning, I think it is probable that all the circumftances apply to both events, at any rate, fuch circumftances as are repeatedly mentioned. The prophecies describe not only the agents, but the circumftances likewife that accompany the deftruction of Papal Rome.

They fhew the infufficiency of all her resources to preserve her at the time God has allotted for her downfall, though no fyftem of human policy was ever better devised to insure a perpetual duration. She amaffed the wealth of the world, which affords the means of negociation, E e

and

A

and forms the finews of war. The kings and great men of the earth were her avowed protectors. The abilities and learning of the world once centered in her clergy, who, zealous in her defence, taught lies in hypocrify. The fascinating charms of her idolatry attach millions to her communion, who fancy that her existence is neceffary to their falvation. What an immenfe multitude of angels, faints and images, according to her own faith, are her protectors! But all fhall be of no avail. "A fword is up"on the Chaldeans, faith the Lord, and up"on the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon "her princes, and upon her wife men. "fword is upon the liars; and they fhall dote': "a fword is upon her mighty men, and they "fhall be difmayed. A fword is upon their "horfes, and upon their chariots, and upon all "the mingled people that are in the midst of "her; and they fhall become as women: a "fword is upon her treasures; and they shall "be robbed. A drought is upon her waters; "and they fhall be dried up for it is the "land of graven images, and they are mad cc upon their idols," Jer. 1. 35-38. "I will "punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth "out of his mouth, that which he hath fwal"lowed

(1) Such is the character given of her clergy, 1 Tim.

iv. 2.