ed, that he allowed his fubjects to profefs, without moleftation, the faith of the council of Nice, (embraced by the church of Rome), nay that he gave full liberty to the Goths themselves to renounce, if they pleased, the doctrine of Arius, and embrace the catholic faith *. And, as he countenanced the church of Rome, by prefiding at the election of Pope Symmachus, fo we are told, after the year 507, (his grandfon Amalaric, then king of the Goths, being under age), that Theodoric, who was his guardian, exercised the fame authority in this young prince's dominions, as in his own.

As, therefore, the Franks, who perhaps were the moft numerous and powerful nation of the ten, had fubjected themselves to the Roman fee before the end of the fifth century, and as catholic bishops dependent on the pope were fettled in all the reft; the people, then, reprefented by the beaft, in the year 512, were that collective body, who called themselves by the name of Catholics, fubmitted to the authority of the pope, and were by far the greatest fociety in the weftern empire.

If it fhould be alledged that some of thefe, upon occafions, rebelled against the pope's authority, this no more difproves the reality of his government, than an unfuccessful rebellion proves the overthrow of a state.

Soon after, "all the ten kings gave their power "and ftrength unto the beaft;" but as he muft neceffarily have had an exiftence before that event; fo the prediction concerning it muft, of confequence, be defigned only as a mark or characteristic by which the beaft may be discovered.

If, after all, it shall be ftill objected, that a horn always fignifies a temporal power in the prophe

cies;

* Caffiod. 1. 8. ep. 14. Univ. hift. vol. 19. P. 544•

cies; I answer, that there are only two fpiritual powers concerning which we have any large account in fcripture, viz. thofe of Chrift and of papal antichrift; and as the fpiritual government of papal antichrift, in its effential and diftinguishing characters, is reprefented by a horn, Daniel vii. fo Chrift and his fpiritual government is reprefented by the fame figure, cxxxii. pfalm 16th and 17th verfes, and Luke ift chapter and 69th verfe.

APPEN

APPENDIX to Chapter I.

Of the three Horns mentioned by the Prophet Daniel, which were to be plucked up by the little Horn.

T is predicted, Daniel 7th chapter and 8th verfe, that a "little horn" (by which the most judicious interpreters underftand the papal government) fhould pluck up, by the roots, three of the first," that is, three of the ten horns; for all the ten are called the "firft horns" in the 24th verfe, in oppofition to the little horn; not only because they were firft perceived by the prophet in the vifion, but also because, in the order of time, they were fomewhat fooner to arrive at the full exercife of their power and authority; though, as I have already fhewn, as to the complete establishment of both kinds of government, the little horn, and the ten horns were to be contemporary.

Now it is plain from hiftory, that the exarchate of Ravenna, and the kingdom of the Lombards, were fubverted by means of the papal power. For, in the first place, the bishops of Rome, by their violent oppofition to thofe imperial edicts, which were published againft idolatry, in the beginning of the eighth century, inflamed the fuperftitious Italians with an implacable hatred to the Greek emperors; and at length, by their heading the rebellion, and ufurping the temporal government of Rome, they made the exarchate of Ravenna an eafy conqueft to the Lombards.

Afterwards, when the kings of the Lombards began to wreft from them their ufurped authority, they called in the Franks to their affiftance, and never ceafed, until, by their importunities, and the

weight of their authority, they had procured the entire fubverfion of the Lombard-govern

ment.

Thus far the "little horn" did (according to the prophecy)" pluck up two of the first horns," and fo far the author agrees with Sir Ifaac Newton. But that the dutchy of Rome was the third, or fpeaking more properly, that it was the firft of the three, he can by no means allow: fince, from the concurring teftimony of all hiftorians who have written upon the fubject, it appears that the Duke of Rome, as well as the Duke of Naples, was a magiftrate fubject to the exarch of Ravenna, and that all of them depended upon, and were accountable to the Greek emperors; and therefore it would be as great an abfurdity to fuppofe that either the dutchy of Rome or the dutchy of Naples were horns, or, which is the fame thing, independent governments, as to fuppofe that the cities of York or Bristol are states diftinct from Great Britain.

Neither can it be imagined that the empire raifed by Charlemain was the third horn, fince that empire was extended not only over Italy, but also over France and Germany; and therefore, though the popes, by their profound policy, and unwearied oppofition, at length drove the Frank or German emperors out of Italy, and parcelled it into a great mány fmall independent ftates, from which they had nothing to fear; yet, as Italy was only a part of that empire formed by Charlemain, and not the whole, and as both the imperial dignity and government (though greatly limited) have ftill an exiftence, it muit follow that this empire cannot, with

*

Pope Zechary fent letters to Pipin king of the Franks, wherein he told him, that if he came not fpeedily again't the Lombards, pro data fibi potentia, alienandum fore a regno Dei,

et vita æterna,

1

with any propriety, be termed the third horn that was to be extirpated by the papal power. And as neither the dutchy of Rome, nor the Frank empire can be reckoned one of the three governments which were to be overthrown by the papacy, fo, to me, it would feem moft likely, that the very first of these governments was the kingdom of the Oftrogoths.

For, though Theodoric king of the Oftrogoths. beftowed many favours upon the church of Rome, and amongst others in a manner divested himself of all power in church-affairs, by granting a full liberty to the council held by Symmachus, A. D. 499, to make fuch laws or regulations concerning the election of future popes, as they fhould judge moft proper, (which privilege was chearfully embraced; and, in confequence thereof, a decree was paffed, whereby future elections were to be determined by the majority of the clergy); and tho', as we have already obferved, the popes, in the reign of Theodoric, had arrived at the height of fpiritual tyranny, fo that, under his protection, they trampled upon churches, bishops, and emperors, with impunity; yet, afterwards, we find that Theodoric changed the whole course of his behaviour towards them, and feemed as much disposed to pull them down, as formerly to exalt them. One pope he caft into prifon, where he continued until death; and another he raised to the papal chair, without paying any regard to the laws of election.

Now, fince Theodoric is celebrated by many hiftorians, as one of the best, and wifeft princes, the cause of this quite different, nay feemingly cruel and imperious treatment of the pope, and Roman clergy, appears to be altogether inexplicable; unlefs

*Bower's hift. of popes, vol. ii. p. 250. Council. t. 4. P. 1312.