by means of the Barbarians' incursions, dismembered into ten kingdoms; a fact admitted by all chronologers; though some of them vary in opinion as to which were the provinces, that formed these ten kingdoms '.

Besides these "ten horns," there was to spring up among them "another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots" (verse 8.). This the angel interprets (verse 24.) to be "another that shall rise after them (the ten) and subdue three kings," or kingdoms. The most probable interpretation is, that this eleventh horn prefigured the kingdom of the POPE, which in time subdued three of the ten kingdoms, into which the Roman Empire was divided; viz. the Exarchate of Ravenna, the capital of the Greek Emperors in Italy, ceded to the Pope, A. D. 753; the kingdom of the Lombards, ceded to him, A.D. 774; and the State of Rome itself, which from having previously been only spiritually subject to the Pope, became in Leo's time his absolute temporal sovereignty. And thus the "little horn" became the devourer of the three before it.

1 This uncertainty arises from the confused historical accounts necessarily consequent upon the breaking up of so vast an Empire. Bishop Newton supposes the following States to be the Ten; viz. 1st. The Senate of Rome, who revolted from the Greek Emperors; 2nd. The Greeks in Ravenna; 3rd. The Lombards; 4th. The Huns; 5th. The Allemanni, in Germany; 6th. The Franks; 7th. The Burgundians; 8th. The Goths in Spain; 9th. The Britons; 10th The Saxons in Britain.

In other particulars there seems a peculiar coincidence. "In this horn were the eyes of a man" (verse 8.); to denote the cunning and worldly foresight for which the Church of Rome has been noted. It also "had a mouth speaking very great things, whose looks were more stout than his fellows" (verse 20.) ; prefiguring her boasting supremacy and fulminating threats. Moreover it "shall speak great words against the Most High,—and wear out the saints of the Most High" (verse 25.): and did not the Church of Rome set up for infallibility, arrogating to herself the very attributes of God, and exacting obedience to her own ordinances in opposition to scripture ;—and wearing out His saints, by massacres, inquisition and persecution? Likewise it "shall think to change times and laws;" by appointing fasts and feasts, granting pardons and indulgences, and other customs, at variance with the laws of God and man. "And they shall be given into his hand, until a time, and times, and the dividing of time." The power thereof was to continue a certain definite period, which has been attempted to be explained in various ways. All indeed are agreed that by "a time," a year is meant and hence, that "a time, times, and the dividing of time—(i. e. half a time)—amount to three years and a half, or 1260 days." But in prophetic style, a day is taken for a year (see Ezekiel iv. 6.); and hence the period during which this

power was to flourish, is three prophetic years and a half, or 1260 common years. But as the actual commencement of this period is uncertain, and this part of the prophecy is yet unaccomplished'; it is safer to avoid any conjectures about it, till the "end shall come," when

V. All these kingdoms shall be succeeded by the kingdom of MESSIAH. We have then (verses 9, et seq.) a sublime description of the court of Heaven, and of the “Ancient of Days" on his awful throne, before whom "the beast was slain and his body destroyed, because of the great words which the horn spake. And behold one like the Son of Man came, with the clouds of heaven, to the Ancient of Days; —and there was given to Him dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all people, nations and languages should serve Him :-His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." The kingdom of the Messiah shall succeed, and last for ever.

After what manner all these changes shall be accomplished we pretend not to say. We see the

1 On the probable computation of the time during which this power was to last, see the latter part of Dissertation XVII. in this Book, on the calculation of "1260 years."

2 Bishop Newton here shews how the two Visions, the previous one of Nebuchadnezzar, and this of Daniel, run parallel as it were with each other; each by analogous emblems prefiguring the same events.

remains of the ten horns which arose out of the Roman Empire; we see the little horn still subsisting, though "shorn of its beams," and as we hope, declining. And having seen so much already accomplished, we cannot doubt, but that all shall be fulfilled in due season. The time will come, when Christ shall be manifested in glory; and His saints shall take the kingdom and possess it for ever and ever. Truly these predictions of Daniel have been well styled "the sacred Calendar and great Almanack of Prophecy ;" containing a chronology of events, to succeed each other in the world, until the mystery of God shall be finished, and the universal kingdom of CHRIST shall

come.

DISSERTATION XV.

DANIEL'S Vision of the RAM and HE-GOAT.

Two years after the former vision of the Four Beasts, representing the Four great Empires, Daniel had another vision', in the third year of the same king, Belshazzar (Dan. viii. 1.); that is, about 553 years B.C. It took place at the palace in Shushan, and by the side of the river Ulai; and the vision was of a Ram and a He-Goat; the former representing the empire of the Medes and Persians, the latter that of the

1 Hitherto the prophecies of Daniel (from the fourth verse of the second chapter to the eighth chapter) are written in Chaldee, because they greatly concerned the Chaldeans. But the remaining ones are in Hebrew, because relating no way to the times of the Chaldeans, but principally to the church and people of God.