God of his fathers,-nor regard any God." (Dan. xi. 36, &c.) And St Paul says,—“ he exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped," insomuch that "he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God:"-for what other business has he to sit enthroned upon God's altar? "the mount of the divine presence?" as the catholics consider it! St John's report of him is the very same, as an impious, atheistical wretch, opening bis mouth in blasphemy, and usurping the power and apeing the divine majesty of the Supreme Being. So that the accuracy of this very ancient and original painting of HIS HOLINESS THE POPE, drawn by Isaiah, about 150 years before Daniel, and by Daniel almost 700 years before St Paul and St John; cannot be called in question. For every lineament and feature of the portrait is exactly alike in all the drawings, allowing for the stile and fancy of these different masters; and agrees also so perfectly well with the authentic reports of history, that there is no need for the inscription under it," This is not Sennacherib." "But thou shalt be brought down to the grave, to the sides of the pit. Those that see thee, shall look attentively at thee, they shall well consider thee. Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that shook kingdoms? That made the world like a desert? That destroyed the cities? That never dismissed his captives to their own home?* All *The prophet heightens the irony, by the look of attentive astonishment, with which he represents the inhabitants of HADES (who on earth had trembled at the nod of this wrath ful sovereign of gods and men) now contemplating his insigni ficant appearance. They cannot well believe that it is the same once mighty potentate!" Is this the man" &c.—he is spoken of here in the singular number, by that common figure of speech with which we say-the pope,-the king, &c.—not meaning one individual man, but a line of popes and kings.The captives whom he never dismissed, may allude to the jews, taken captive by the pagan Roman emperor, and retained in durance vile by his image and successor in the same throne. Or it may allude to the strong gripe of his Holiness and Co. when they got their enemies, the witnesses, in hold. They never let them go out alive, unless by the forfeiture of their * the kings of the nations, all of them, lie down in glory, each in his own sepulchre: but thou art cast out of the grave, as the tree abominated, cloathed with the slain, with the pierced by the sword, with them that go down to souls. (Matt. x. 28, 33.) How he shook kingdoms, the history of every nation can avouch; and if ever any tyrant can have been said to have made the world like a desert, by the slaughter of the innocent, his holiness may super-eminently claim that glory. He has destroyed the bodies of his enemies, and the souls of his friends, *The contrast here drawn between his motley pageantry of mimic royalty, and the legitimate kings and monarchs whom he spurned under his feet, is very remarkable. With respect to the posthumous fame of " the kings of the nations," the memory of the wise and good is immortalized in history, and cherished in the affections of their subjects: and even with respect to the bad kings, time has the effect of softening down their ill qualities, and embalming their virtues and exalting them. They lie down in glory, when put in competition with this abominable branch,) each with his royal ancestors, in the peaceful tomb; but it is not so with those execrable monsters the pontiffs of Rome. The very grave will cast out their memory to eternal infamy and execration; and the stench and smoke of their imposture "will rise up for ever and ever.” "Thrown out among the slain, and covered with the dead bodies."-LOWTH. As they have cloathed themselves with laughter by the persecution of the saints, a retaliation of the stones of the pit, as a trodden carcass! Thou shalt not be joined unto them in burial; because thou hast destroyed thy country, thou hast slain thy people:* the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned." divine justice shall overtake them, and the bodies of the slain, pierced with the sword, shall be their covering. *The sovereigns of papal Rome rise out of the church, which is therefore mystically called their people and country. But they have played the wolf, (and not the shepherd,) in every sense to the flock of Christ; draining the nations of their wealth by pious frauds, destroying the bodies of their people by persecu tion, and their souls by doctrines of devils." "There shall be false teachers amongst you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them :"-(to put their trust in dead men and women, or Mahuzzim.) “ And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the WAY OF TRUTH shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment (though) now of a long time," (and at a great distance,) "yet lingereth not," (at the time appointed,) "and their damnation slumbereth not;" but will assuredly take place in its season. (2 Pet. ii, 1-3.) SECTION XVII. Unreasonableness of unbelief in the ancient Jews: -that of modern sceptics little less so.-A continuation of miracles less convincing than the evidence now afforded us.-They are capable of being counterfeited by LYING WONDERS ;—but ancient prophecy, now fulfilling is no counterfeit.-God challenges the world to examine and judge of divine revelation, upon the evidence of the scripture prophecies. WHEN we reflect upon the publicity of those wonderful circumstances that preceded and attended the birth of Jesus Christ, and in how very striking a manner the whole course of his life and ministry, and above all, his death and resurrection, pointed him out as the Messiah of Moses and the prophets: if we take into the account, morcover, the singular |