found for them; we must of neceffity affent to the obfervation of bp. Hurd, that the four kingdoms of 'Daniel-form a prophetic geography, being confidered, in the eye of prophecy, as coexiftent' and as fill ' alive21;' and we must conclude, that not only in Europe, but in all the countries of the globe, formerly poffeffed by the Babylonians and Perfians, the Greeks and Romans, the modern antichriftian monarchies shall be fo completely deftroyed, that not the minutest portion of their power shall be suffered to maintain its ground. From an obfervation, fhortly to be alleged from Sir I. Newton, this conclufion will appear farther evident. All the best commentators do, indeed, agree, that the fourth of Daniel's empires is the Roman in its largest fignification; and that it includes, not only the republican government of the Confuls, not only the arbitrary government of the Emperors, but the multiplied dominion of their fucceffors, the Ten Kings: and it must therefore be admitted, in confiftency with this, that the other metals are not merely emblematic of the empires of Affyria, of Perfia, and of Greece, properly so called, but likewise of the modern as well as the ancient monarchies, erected in those parts of the globe. These laft, in the ftrict acceptation of the words, had indeed perifhed antecedently to the first propagation of Chriftianity; fo that the symbolic stone, having no existence, could not poffibly have contributed to break them in pieces.

The words of Jurieu and of bishops Newton and Chandler, I next cite, though it must be acknowledged, that on a matter, predicted with so much plainness, there

20 The expreffion alludes, fays Mr. Lowth, to the threshing-floors in the Eastern countries, which were ufually placed on the tops of hills." 21 Vol. II. p. 143.

is

is little need of farther elucidation or of additional authorities. These Ten Toes,' fays the divine of Rotterdam, are the Ten Kings, which were to make up the king'dom of Antichrift 22, and reign together with him, in 'the last period of the Roman empire, during the 1260 ' years marked in the Revelation 23. The kingdom of Chrift,' fays the bishop of Bristol,' was first fet up, 'while the Roman empire was in its full ftrength with legs of iron. The Roman empire was afterwards di'vided into Ten leffer kingdoms, the remains of which 'are fubfifting at prefent. The image is still ftanding upon his feet and toes of iron and clay :--but the ftone ' will one day fmite the image upon the feet and toes, and 'defroy it utterly 24. Not unfimilar is the language of bp. Chandler. The kingdom of the mountain,' fays the prelate, fhall beat the feet of the monarchical ftatue to duft 25. In truth, the prophet himself does not merely predict, that the feet of this image of monarchy shall be broken in pieces; but he afterwards speaks without a figure, adding by way of explanation, v. 44, that all these kingdoms shall be broken in pieces and confumed. To darken the import of fuch language would be a vain attempt. As the ruin of thefe Ten Kings appears plainly announced by the voice of prophecy, will not fome of the readers of Dr. Gill's Expofition of Daniel, when they perufe his enumeration of the countries which they govern, take especial notice of the imperial dominion in Germany, and of the monarchies

22 In order to underkand the apocalypfe, it is of the firft importance, that the reader fix in his mind correct ideas of the genuine extent of the antichristian empire, and learn who are the perfons who hold within it a high pre-eminence of crimes and power.

23 Vol. II. p. 290.

24 Vol. I. p. 426.

25 Def. of Christianity, p. 106. The distinction of Mr. Mede,, herc→ after to be given in his own words, the bishop here adopts.

26 On Dan, vii. 24.

of Sardinia and Spain; and be ready to fufpect, that the overthrow at least of these tyrannic governments is not removed to any very remote distance?

It is observed in v. 42, that the Toes of the Feet were part of iron and part of clay, i. e. fays Mat. Henry, the Ten Kingdoms differed in point of strength; and in the next verse it is added, whereas thou faweft iron mixt with miry clay, they fhall mingle themselves with the feed of men, but they fhall not cleave one to another. This, fays Mr. Lowth, fignifies that these Ten Kingdoms shall be a medley of people of different nations, laws, and cuftoms: and although the kings of the feveral nations shall try to ftrengthen themselves by marriage-alliances into one ⚫ another's families, yet the different interests which they 'pursue, will make them often engage in wars with each other.' Before it was otherwife. Antecedently to the dominion and independence of thefe countries, Pagan Rome formed one firm compact body, governed by the fame laws, and acknowledging the fame fovereign.

'It is,' declares Dr. More, the universal sense of all ecclefiaftic writers, that the Fourth Beaft is the Roman empire, as both Cornelius a Lapide and Gaspar Sanc'tius, both of them jefuits, yet do roundly affert 27.'

6

6

That the Roman empire,' fays Dr. Worthington 2

28

was to be divided into Ten Kingdoms, was understood ⚫ from this prophecy, and from Daniel's vifion of the Fourth Beaft, with Ten Horns, correfponding to it, by • many of the ancient fathers 29, who lived fome centuries ⚫ before any fuch divifion was made, or feemed in the * least probable. And that this was the tradition of ec* clefiaftical writers in general before his time, is teftified by St. Jerom 30. To the fame purpofe fpeaks Jofeph

" Myst. of Iniq. p. 410.

23 Vol. II. p. 77.

19 Such are Tertullian and Irenæus, Cyril and Arethas.

30 Hieron, in Dan, vii.

Mede.

Mede. That the Roman empire was the fourth king'dom of Daniel was believed by the church of Ifrael 'both before and in our Saviour's time; received by the 'difciples of the apostles, and the whole Chriftian 'church for the first 400 years, without any known contradiction. And I confefs, having fo good ground in fcripture, it is with me tantum non articulus fidei, 'little lefs than an article of faith 32.

It is to ch. vii. which contains the parallel vifion of the Four fymbolic Beafts, that the attention of the reader is now folicited. Here alfo the fame events are predicted, and the monarchies both of Europe and of Asia are threatened. After giving a prophetic account of the four first Beasts, Daniel fays in v. 7, I was feeing after this in the vifions of the night, and behold a fourth Beaft formidable and terrible, and strong exceedingly, which had large teeth of iron; it devoured and broke in pieces, and trampled upon the remains with its feet, and it was diftinguished from all the Beasts that were before it, for it had Ten Horns 33. The Ten Toes and the Ten Horns,' fays bp. Newton,' were alike fit emblems of the Ten Kingdoms, which arofe out of the divifion of the Roman empire". The generality of commentators, though they hesitate not to acknowledge, that the Ten Horns fignify the modern kingdoms feated in the Western part of the Roman empire, yet, without any reason which I can discover, but a well-founded apprehenfion of giving offence, think proper to apply all the former defcriptive part of the verfe to Pagan Rome. But that they are not authorized in this restricted application of

See this point proved at length in Dr. Creffener's Appendix to his Demonft. of the First Principles of the Prot. Appl. of the Apoc.

3 Vol. II. p. 899.

33 This is from the Improved Version of Mr. Wintle. 31 Vol. I. p. 496.

Aa3

it,

it, an unprejudiced infpection of the prophet's own words will be fufficient to fhew. The defcription is alike applicable to the general conduct of the Roman emperors, and to that of the Ten princes who have fince ruled over the Western provinces of their empire; nor could the prophet, without departing from his fymbol, have pourtrayed it in language more strong and expreffive. This emblematic perfonage had large iron-teeth. Now Dr. Lancaster informs us, that teeth are frequently ufed in fcripture as the fymbols of cruelty, or of a devouring enemy. Its flamping of the remains or the refidue with its feet alludes,' fays Mr. Lowth, to the fury of wild beafts, who ftamp upon that part of their prey which they cannot devour.' And have not the tyrants of Europe been equally lavish in their expences; equally violent in their oppreffions? Of the revenues extorted by them from their fubjects, have they not waited much more than they have enjoyed?

Having treated of the Ten Horns in v. 7 and 8, Daniel immediately fubjoins in v. 9 and 10, I beheld till the thrones were caft down, and the Ancient of Days did fit, and the judgment was fet, i. e. fays Mr. Şam. Clark, God did judge and punish these tyrannical empires, and delivered his people from their oppreffion.' In v. 9 the prophet, fpeaking of the Supreme Being, says, his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels 30 as burning fire; i. e. according to the explication of the fame annotator, the Revolutions and difpenfations of

36

35 To this clause Poole and Clark, bp. Hall and Dr. Priestley, afcribe without hesitation the obvious fenfe; but the Hebrew word, fays Calvin, may be tranflated thronos fuiffe vel erectos vel dejectos. The expreffion, fays Dr. Priestley, clearly implies violence in their diffolution.' Faft Serm. for Feb. 28, 1794, p. 6.

36 Grotius observes, that the ancient thrones and fellæ curules had wheels.' Wintle.