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that old Serpent, which is the Devil and Satan," who "gave the Beast his power," shall be "bound a thousand years." (see Rev. xx. 1—6.)

God has given us an earnest that he will fulfil his word. In the year 533, the Pope was declared 'Head of all the churches,' by an Edict of the Emperor Justinian. In the year 1798, the Pope resigned his temporal power. A little more than 1260 years intervened between these transactions. And behold the Providence of God! The horn of France assisted the Pope, and enabled him to become a little horn, and to pluck up three horns by the roots. The same horn of France deposed the Pope in 1798! It is written and it cannot be reversed-"the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall 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 Beast, until the words of God be fulfilled." (chap. xvii. 16, 17.)

Many commentators are of opinion that the year 533, in which the Pope was declared Head of all the Churches, by an Edict of the Emperor Justinian, is the true commencement of Daniel's "time, times, and the dividing of a time:" and that consequently the expiration of this period took place in the year 1793, when the vials of wrath were pouring out upon the Papacy. And it is indeed clear that when the Pope was declared Head of all the Churches,' and superior to every Bishop, the prophecy of Daniel was in a great measure fulfilled. The little horn had

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not only eyes like the eyes of a man,' which implies that it represented (ETIKOTO) an overseer,' or α Bishop: but it had also a look more stout than his fellows.' The sword of spiritual and ecclesiastical dignity was then put into the hands of the Pope, which he has since wielded with such success: and the church "was given into his hand until a time, times, and the dividing of a time." And, when Buonaparte compelled the Pope to sign the abdication of his temporal power, "the judgment" began to "sit" and to "take away his dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end." According to this view, the "time, times, and dividing of a time" are fulfilled.

Our own opinion is that Daniel's "time, times, and dividing of a time," coincides with the "forty and two months" of St. John; and these "forty and two months" cannot commence before the year 727, because the Pope was not "the Eighth" Head of Rome before that year. In the language of scripture, "the Beast" was not "the Eighth" till then. But in the year 727 Rome and the Roman Dukedom came to the Roman Pontiff. Not only were the eyes of the Governor put out, and the power of all constituted authorities suspended, but Gregory was proclaimed the civil head and first magistrate of the city; after which, the principal inhabitants swore allegiance to him, as succeeding to all the powers and honours of the Duke. The example of Rome was followed by thirty other cities, in all of which the new Magistrates swore allegiance to the Bishop

as their civil sovereign. The Pope was then superior to all Bishops, not only as being declared "Head of all the Churches," but as being "the Eighth" Head of Rome. In this sense also, he had "a look more stout than his fellows."

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In the year 727 "the Beast was the Eighth ; and 66 power was given to the Beast to practise forty and two months." Rome had existed upwards of fourteen centuries under its seven preceding heads; but a new era now commenced. Her empire, under this new Head, was destined to last a time, times, and the dividing of a time," or "forty and two months," i. e. twelve hundred and sixty prophetical days, or twelve hundred and sixty years. The downfall of the Papacy will therefore take place A.D. 1987. This period draweth nigh. Daniel's half time has already begun it began in the year 1807. The Pope had then practised exactly three prophetical years, or thirty-six prophetical months. Six months yet remained, or half a prophetical year. Another month has since rolled on. In the present year (1837) the Pope has power to practise' five prophetical months longer: this is exactly a century and a half. When 150 years shall have passed away, then will come the downfall of the Papacy. The words of God will be then fulfilled. The time, times and a half, the forty and two months, will have then expired. And the Pope shall practise no longer for " 'power was given unto him to practise forty and two months."

CHAPTER XIX.

DOWNFALL OF THE PAPACY ANNO DOMINI MDCCCCLXXXVII. THE WORDS OF GOD ARE FULFILLED. THE MYSTERY OF GOD IS FINISHED. THE SEVENTH ANGEL POURS OUT HIS VIAL INTO THE AIR.

AND POWER WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO

CONTI

NUE (PRACTISE) FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.". Verse 5.

"out of the sea

IN the year 727, the Beast rose having seven heads and ten horns, aud upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy -and power was given unto him to practise forty and two months," or 1260 years. Of this power of 'practising' or 'tampering,' which was given him, the Pope made good use. In the year 755, he plucked up' the exarchate of Ravenna by the roots in the year 774 the kingdom of the Lombards: and in the year 817 the Senate of Rome and the other two horns were secured to him by the Emperor. He thus became a temporal King, as well as Head of all the Churches, as he had been declared by the Emperor

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Justinian. To enumerate all the practisings' of the Popes from that period to the present would be to transcribe whole volumes of Ecclesiastical History. Suffice it to say, in the emphatic language of Daniel, the Pope "practised and prospered."

Since the downfall of Napoleon, the Pope has been at his old work of "practising." No sooner had the nations of Europe set him upon his throne again, and

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given their kingdom to" him "till the words of God be fulfilled," than he showed the Papacy to be the same as ever. In 1814, Napoleon fell, and Pius VII. regained his liberty. In that very year he restored the Order of the Jesuits. Protestant England had no inconsiderable share in restoring the Pope to his power, and his seat, and his great authority." And what has been the result? Popery is now making unparalleled efforts to regain her lost ascendancy. We have Popery in our House of Commons. We have the Second Beast amongst us, the Society of Jesus. And if England has not given her "strength to the Beast," she has opened her Parliament to him. In 1819 and 1820, the Pope addressed two briefs against Bible Societies and Schools to the Popish Prelates of England and Ireland. He was succeeded in 1823 by Pope Leo XII. one of whose first acts was to issue an encyclical letter, dated May 3rd, 1824, addressed to all Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops and Bishops, as follows:- You are not ignorant, my venerable brethren, that a society, commonly called a Bible Society, is audaciously spreading through the earth, and that, in contempt of the tra

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