The World's Prophetic History

WE now come to the most interesting portion of the prophecy of the 7th chapter of Daniel. In the last number, the ten kingdoms were found which arose out of the Roman Empire. The enumeration there given was according to Machiavelli; in his History of Florence, and as approved by Bishop Lloyd, Bishop Newton, Faber, and Dr. Hales.

Among these ten horns the prophet saw another horn, little at first, thrusting itself up. This horn is represented something as we may suppose it appeared to the prophet, in the illustration at the head of this article. It was a horn of a different nature from that of the others. It has eyes, denoting great foresight and discernment; a mouth, denoting power to speak great words. It plucked up three of the ten horns and became more stout than his fellows.

This horn, by the general consent thus far of the Protestant world, symbolizes the papacy. First, it arose in Italy, among the ten horns or the nations of Western Europe.

Secondly; it arose at the right time, that is, after the ten horns of the Roman beast were developed. The division of Rome into ten parts, was accomplished, as we have seen, by the year 483 A.D.; and the papacy was established fifty five years later, that is, in 538 A.D.

Thirdly; it was diverse from the others. They were political kingdoms. This must therefore be a religious or ecclesiastical power such was the papacy. When that arose, the world beheld for the first time the strange spectacle of a spiritual ruler, controlling nations by means of ecclesiastical authority over which he had no political jurisdiction.

Fourthly; it plucked up three kings to make way for itself. Justinian, emperor of the East issued a decree in 533 A.D. that the bishop or pope of Rome should be head over all the churches. The pope himself aspired to this supremacy; but three of the nations represented by the ten horns were Arian in faith, and consequently opposed to the pretensions of the bishop of Rome. This opposition must first be broken down. To this end the machinations of the emperor and the pope were directed; and the three Arian nations in question, first the Heruli, secondly, the Vandals, and thirdly; the Ostrogoths, were soon removed out of the way, the last one in 538, when the decree of Justinian was carried into effect, and the papacy was fully established. On this point the reader would do well to consult Gibben's Rome, Stanley's History of the Eastern Church, Ranke's History of the Popes, Machiavelli's History of Florence, Bower's History of the Popes, Evagrius's Ecclesiastical History, and Elliot's Horae Apocalyticae. The Heruli were plucked up in 493, the Vandals in 534, and the Ostrogoths In March 538. See also the testimony of Scott, Bagster, Barnes, and the Cottage Bible, given on the last page of this paper.

It is further shown that the little horn now before us is symbol of the papacy; by what is said of its blasphemous character. In this respect the papacy towers, like a colossus above every other organization on the earth. What other power has ever dared to call itself "Vicegerent of the Son of God," "Lord God," " God upon earth" the "King of kings, and Lord of lords" the "Lion of the tribe of Judah," and "above God"? All these titles the papacy has, in the most audacious and heaven-daring manner, appropriated to itself. See the testimony from "Other Witnesses" on the last page of this paper.

Another point showing the application of this symbol to the papacy, is its terrible work of persecution against the saints of the Most High. The little horn was to "wear out,"—mark the intensity of the expression "wear out" the saints of the Most High; and a no less forcible expression will serve to describe the fearful work which the papacy has done in this direction. In reference to this, history has spoken, and its testimony cannot be suppressed. Perjury, treachery, massacres, tortures, and abundance of blood, stand as witnesses, all along the centuries, against this papal hierarchy; and the voices of fifty millions of martyrs cry to heaven continually that their blood may be avenged at her hand.

The following comprehensive statement concerning papal persecutions, we quote from Albert Barnes. In his notes on Dan. 7:25, he says :—

"Can any one doubt that this is true of the papacy? The inquisition, the persecutions of the Waldenses, the ravages of the Duke of Alva, the fires of Smithfield, the tortures of Goa,—indeed the whole history of the papacy may be appealed to in

proof that this is, applicable to that power. If anything could have worn out the saints of the Most High, could have cut them off, so that evangelical religion would have become extinct, it would have been the persecution of the papal power. In the year 1208 a crusade was proclaimed by Pope Innocent III against the Waldenses and Albigenses, in which a million of men perished. From the beginning of the order of Jesuits in the year 1540 to 1580, nine hundred thousand were destroyed. One hundred and fifty thousand perished by the inquisition in thirty years. In the low countries fifty thousand persons were hanged, beheaded, burned, and buried alive for the crime of heresy within the space of thirty eight years from the edict of Charles V. against the Protestants, to the peace of Cateau Cambresis in 1559. Eighteen thousand suffered by the hand of the executioner in the space of five years and a half, during the administration of the Duke of Alva. Indeed, the slightest acquaintance with the history of the papacy will convince any one that what is here said of 'making war with the saints' (verse 21) and 'wearing out the saints of the Most High' (verse 25) is strictly applicable to that power, and will accurately describe its history."

In corroboration of these statements see Buck's Theological Dictionary, Dowling's History of Romanism, Fox's Book of Martyrs, Charlotte Elizabeth's Martyrology, the Wars of the Huguenots, Motley's Rise of the Dutch Republic, Wylie's History of Protestantism, Histories of the Reformation, etc, etc.

Read also from the article already referred to in this paper what the Cottage Bible says about the massacre of Saint Bartholomew's day.

No candid reader of the Scriptures and of history can possibly question the application thus far made. Two more points remain to be spoken of in the exposition of this part of the prophecy; namely, the efforts of the papacy to change the law of God, and the time which is specified as covering the period of papal supremacy. It will be shown that the prophecy in its grand sweep holds in its grasp our own generation; and points out in the immediate future the destruction of both beasts and horns, wicked governments and apostate churches, in the fires of the last day. Then this little horn, this papal power which Paul in the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians calls the "man of sin" and the "son of perdition," shall be consumed by the spirit of Christ's mouth, and destroyed by the brightness of his second coming.