3. Three of those ten kingdoms have been plucked up by the roots before, or to prepare the way for, the establishment of another (little) horn.

The authority for the historical facts on this point, is Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman empire. The first of the ten kingdoms which fell, was the kingdom of the Heruli, in Italy. Their kingdom was subverted by the Ostrogoths, A. D. 493, ten years after the last of the ten was established. The second which fell was the Vandal kingdom, in Africa. This was conquered by the army of Justinian, emperor of Constantinople, under the command of Belisarius, his general, A. D. 534. The third was the Ostrogothic kingdom, in Italy, which was conquered also by Justinian's army, under Belisarius, A. D. 538. The war commenced 536; and March, 538, the Ostrogoths raised the siege of the city of Rome and retired, leaving it in peaceable possession of Belisarius. Thus the third point was accomplished, A. D. 538, in the month of March.

4. The saints were, by a formal act, given over into the hands of a blasphemous, persecuting power; and the fall of the Ostrogothic kingdom opened the way for the carrying of that decree.. into effect. In A. D. 534, Justinian, emperor of Constantinople, published a new code of laws for his empire, regulating and settling some difficult points of jurisprudence.-Ruter's Church History, page 138. Among other edicts, was one declaring the Bishop of Rome the head of all the churches.-Justin. Novell. Lit. 14. Constitut. cap. 2. Thus the saints were, by a formal edict of the Greek emperor, given into the hands of

the Roman pontiff, 534. But Rome was at that time in the hands of an Arian monarch, and a most bitter enemy of the Roman Catholic church and the pretensions of the Pope.

Nor had the three horns, or kingdoms, yet fallen; but in 538, the third, or Ostrogothic kingdom, did fall, and the Arian power was removed from Rome: the city also came into the possession of the same power which had constituted the bishop of Rome head of all the churches. Thus all that was predicted to precede the commencement of the time, times, and dividing of time, was brought to a focus; therefore, that period must commence at that time.

That the Papal power has done all that is ascribed to the little horn by the prophet, is so well understood at the present time, that it needs no further evidence. If any doubt it, let them read Smith's "Downfall of Babylon," or "McGavin's Protestant."

5. The dominion of the Papal power was taken away just 1260 years from the above occurrence, 538. From A. D. 538-1260 years will bring us to A. D. 1798. At that time General Berthier, a French general, with a French Republican army, entered Rome, took possession of the city, deposed the Pope, abrogated the whole Papal government, instituted in its place a republican form of government, and carried the Pope a captive to France, where, in 1799, he died. Thus the dominion of the little horn, which was to continue a time, times, and the dividing of time, continued 1260 years, viz., from A. D. 538 to A. D. 1798. Therefore, a time is a year of 360 days; times, two years of the same

length; and the dividing of time half a year, the whole making 1260 days, and each day standing for a year; the whole period being 1260 years. Again; the Papal power existed just that time, and was then taken away; therefore, the Papal power is the kingdom predicted by the little horn of Daniel's fourth beast.

6. From 1798, when the Papal dominion was taken away, and God's great judgments were poured upon Papal Europe, the Papal power and influence, although nominally restored, have been steadily consuming up to the present time.

This point is so evident and so fully before the community, that it is needless to present evidence on the point. Popery is the mere shadow of what it once was; nor can it by any artifice ever again resume its former vigor and power. It is a plant of darkness; it cannot live and flourish under the flood of light and liberty which irradiates almost every point of our earth. Protestants are now tolerated in every Papal kingdom on the continent of Europe.

It only remains, then, that the body of the beast should be slain and given to the burning flame, to introduce the glorious, everlasting kingdom of God in all the earth. Is not the evidence decisive, then, that the kingdom of heaven is at hand? I have now done what I proposed, and here I rest the cause. I challenge the world to refute the above argument. And until it can be done, we have indubitable evidence that the kingdom of heaven is at the very door. The apostle's argument, that in his day "the day of the Lord" was not at hand, finds no place here; on the contrary, that very argument is incontrovertible evidence that it is now at hand, that we

should constantly look for the brightness of his coming for the destruction of "that man of sin.”

"The time, times, and a half" has long been a subject of deep interest to prophetic expositors; and labored arguments and deep research have been expended to fix the time of its commencement, with the expectation that when that was done they would be able to find the beginning of the Millennium. The time most generally fixed upon at the present time to begin the period, is A. D. 606, when the emperor Phocas conferred on the Roman pontiff the title of Universal Bishop. And from that date they fix on A. D. 1866, as the time when their anticipated millennium is to be ushered in. But it must be obvious to every reader of their theory, that the argument by which it is supported is very vague and indefinite. The only reason, indeed, which they can assign for fixing on 606, as the time for beginning the 1260 years, is the one above named, viz., that the Pope received the title of universal bishop at that time. They do not attempt to show the concurrence of a single circumstance beside, predicted by the prophet to precede it and point out the time. But what does the grant_of Phocas amount to? Just nothing at all. Dr. Ruter remarks, (Ch. Hist. p. 142,) that "this title, however, was unaccompanied BY ANY NEW POWERS, and only served to increase the animosity which invaribly subsisted between the patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople." Nor did the conferring of that title give the saints into his hand. Moreover, they had been given into his hand 68 years before, and we shall in vain look for another such grant of power over them.

The foregoing argument, I believe, will stand the test of the most rigid criticism. And until it is proved unsound by argument, (for time will have no effect on it, for it is all matter of history,) whatever may become of the calculation in this work, on the events of futurity, I must still believe the kingdom of God is just at hand, and continue to look for and hasten to its coming.

IDENTITY OF THE APOCALYPTIC BEAST, REV. XIII. WITH THE LITTLE HORN.

2. The lit

saints, and The beast

The great similarity between the characters of the beast, described in Rev. 13th chapter, and the little horn, Daniel 7th chapter, must be obvious to every reader. For instance,-1. The little horn was to be a blasphemous power. Dan. vii. 25. 66 He shall speak great words against the Most High." The beast also was to do the same thing. Rev. xiii. 6. "He opened his mouth in blasphemy against God." tle horn was to make war with the prevail against them. Dan. vii. 21. also was to make war with the saints, and overcome them. Rev. xiii. 7. 3. The little horn, Dan. vii. 8, 20, had a mouth which spake great things. So also it was with the beast, Rev. xiii. 5. 4. Power was given the little horn, for a time, times, and the dividing of time, (1260 years.) Dan. vii. 25. So also power was given to the beast to continue 42 months. Rev. xiii. 6. 5. The dominion of the little horn was to be taken away at the end of the specified period. Dan. vii. 26. So also the beast, which had led into captivity and conquered by the sword many of