Imatges de pàgina
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prophet, but only as one of his two horns.* Yet, to any unprejudiced reader the harlot must appear to perform exactly the fame part to the ten-horned beaft defcribed in the 17th chapter, that the fecond beaft does to the ten-horned beaft in the 13th chapter, and the little horn to the ten-horned beaft in the 7th chapter of Daniel. The Archdeacon indeed himself both draws out in three columns the parallelism of the little horn, the fecond apocalyptic beaft, and the man of fin; and elsewhere parallelizes in two columns the false prophet or the fecond apocalyptic beaft and the harlot. What then can we conclude, but that all three denote one and the fame power, whatever that power may be ; and consequently, fince the barlot and the man of fin are exclufively the papal power, that both the others must be exclusively the papal power likewife ? Before this fubject is altogether difmiffed, I must remark, that the Archdeacon has adduced fome very forcible arguments to prove that the fecond apocalyptic beaft cannot denote, as it hath recently been conjectured, the infidel democratic power of France. He feems to me likewife to defcribe moft justly the motives of the kings in ftripping the harlot. "This hoftility between the kings and the harlot," fays he, "does not feem to proceed from any virtue in them, but from worldly avarice and ambition. They covet her power and her riches; and this change in their conduct feems to take place from the time when they awake from their intoxication. They, who had been the means of exalting the harlot, become the inftruments of her fall."||

The Archdeacon, I am perfuaded, will not be offended at the freedom of these remarks. If we be rapidly approaching to the time of the end, as there is abundant reafon to believe that we are, we certainly ought to redouble our caution in admitting any expofition of prophecy which will not ftand the test of the ftricteft examination. It is by the running to and fro of many that knowledge is increafed: and every perfon, that attempts to unfold the facred oracles of God, ought not only to expect but to defire, that his writings fhould be even feverely fcrutinized. He may indeed fairly demand, that he should be treated with civility : but, while he deprecates the offenfive illiberality of farcasm and the difgufting coarsenefs of vulgar fcurrility, by fome efteemed the very acmé of wit and perfection of criticism, he ought never to fhrink from the manly fincerity of calm and difpaffionate inveftigation. I cannot conclude with greater propriety than in the words of the Archdeacon himfelf. "Truth, in this important refearch, is, I hope, as it ought to be, my principal concern: and I fhall rejoice to fee thefe facred prophecies truly interpreted, though the correction of my mistakes thould lay the foundation of fo defirable a fuperitru&ture."¶

P. 436, 457. felf, p. 350, 434.

+ P 554, 423. $ P. 363.*

See indeed the Archdeacon him-
Pref. p. xx.

P. 435.

FINIS

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