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A COMPLETION OF THE PROPHECIES

WITH

RESPECT TO THE PAPAL POWER, OR ANTICHRIST,

FROM THE RECENT ACTS OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.
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THE spirit of persecution is acknowledged to be one of the leading marks of Antichrist. Daniel says, that "the king," who was divers from all others, shall wear out the saints of the most High. In like manner, the beast in the Revelation of St. John destroys the saints of the most High. It was given him to make mar with the saints, and to overcome them. The woman that represents Papal Rome is drunk with the blood of saints. How applicable are these descriptions to the conduct of the Papists in various ages! It has been computed that fifty millions of Protestants have at different times been the victims of their persecutions, and been cruelly put to death on account of their religious opinions. But for particular instances of the completion of these Prophecies, we look no farther into the bloody annals of the| Church of Rome, than to the cruelties exercised against the Albigenses and Waldenses;|| the tortures and deaths of the martyrs in our own country in the reign of Philip and Mary; the barbarities exercised upon the innocent natives of South America; the acts of faith performed in Spain and Portugal; the dark and sanguinary proceedings of the Inquisition; the revocation of the edict of Nantz, and the massacre of St. Bartholomew. These facts alone are sufficient to shew, that in this vindictive and persecuting Church was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all || that were slain upon the earth.

"The countries that have been most cruelly harassing and deluging with Protestant blood, are Spain, Portugal, Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, Italy, Germany, England, Scotland, Ireland, Flanders, Holland, Savoy, Piedmont, and France. France, indeed, has exceeded all the nations in Europe for acts of persecu. tion, blood, and cruelty. Persecution for conscience sake began there early, and continued long. Even so late as the beginning of the present century, the Protestants endured there are as much as any people ever did since the beginning of the world. Savoy, Piedmont, and Hungary, have suffered much. But France boasts of more martyrs to the truth than any other kingdom in Europe. We think, and we think justly, that the late No. IV. Vol. I.-N. &

massacres in that distracted nation are very dreadful but what are they, when com→ pared with what the Protestants underwent upon several occasions? At one time, by order of the king, bishops, and priests, thirty thousand (some say sixty thousand) Protestants were murdered in the course of a few days. This shocking business was executed about two hundred years ago. After this a civil war broke out between the Papists and Protestants, which continued to rage near sixty years in the very heart of the country, in which Puffendorf assures us, there were destroyed a million of people. One hundred and fifty millions of money were spent. Niue cities, four hundred villages, two thousand monasteries, and ten thousand houses, were burnt or laid level with the ground.' This is but a little more thau a hundred and fifty years ago."

"And then again in the reign of Louis the Fourteenth, about an hundred years since, that haughty monarch began another persecution against the Protestants, during the course of which an innumerable multitude of people were harassed and put to death in the most cruel and ignominious manner men or devils could invent: and eight hundred thousand persons (Voltaire says five hundred thousand) left the kingdom, and fled into other countries, whithersoever they could escape the safest and most expeditiously.

"All these things were transacted in France. The Pope of Rome, as the head of the church, was at the bottom of the whole. The archbishops, bishops, and clergy, very generally concurred; and many of them even marched at the head of the king's troops with small crucifixes in their hands, exhorting the people to turn and embrace their superstitious and idolatrous nonsense, or commanding the soldiers to execute the law upon them. The king, the parliament, the princes, the nobles, the gentry, and the people of the country, all concurred in the diabolical measures. And when the thirty, or sixty thousand Protestants before-mentioned, were massacred, we are particularly informed, that

and the common people to destroy them. He published a Croisade against them, which oc casioned a long war between Montfort, General of the Cross Bearers, and the Count of Thoulouse, in which much blood was spilt, and many lives were sacrificed. But notwith

the Pope, as soon as he received the news, appointed public thanksgiving, and Te Deum to be sung for joy in the church of St. Louis. He, moreover, published a bull of pardons, and extraordinary indulgences to such as should pray for the heavenly assistance to the king and kingdom of France for rooting outstanding the rage of the Man of Sin so furiousheretics. The king, archbishops, bishops, clergy, and nobles too, went in public proeession, singing the praises of God for this bloody and diabolical transaction."

ly directed against them, they grew and multiplied so fast in Germany, that at the bes ginuing of the thirteenth century, it is com puted that there were eighty thousand of them in Bohemia, Austria, and the neighbouring territories, and they pertinaciously defended their doctrines even unto death." In the fourteenth century John Wickliff, a man of distinguished reputation in the University of Oxford, began in England to oppose the au

corruptions and errors. Among his most eminent followers were John Huss, and Jerom of Prague, persons of great consideration in the University of that place; William Sawtre, parish priest of St. Osith, in London; Thomas Badby, and Sir John Oldcastle. These all suffered death as beretics.-In them was manifest the patience of the saints; here are they that kept the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

And yet while the Man of Sin was thus exalting himself, and pursuing his career of ambition and persecution, the Providence of || God raised up witnesses of the truth in every age, who in a public manner testified against the general corruptious of the church, its idolatrous doctrines and superstitious prac-thority of the Pope, as well as many of his tices. The patience and the faith of the saints were to be conspicuous during the whole time that the witnesses prophesied in sackcloth, for neither the menaces nor the punishments of the church of Rome abated their courage or extinguisbed their zeal. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, Claude Clement, Bishop of Turin, Ratramne, a monk of Corbie, John Scott, and Berenger, who was favoured by Bishop Bruno, opposed the worship of images, and the doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the sacrament. Peter Fitz Cassiodor, Michael Cæsenas, William Occam, and Marsilius, a celebrated lawyer of Padua, exposed the errors of the Church of Rome, its pride, avarice, tyranny, aud exactions. Du Pin observes, whose testimony is the more remarkable, as he is a Popish historian, "that in the twelfth age there were many heretics in many places, who openly attacked the sacra ments of the church, and despised her most holy ceremonies: that the severity with which those who were taken were punished did not hinder the sect from increasing that their doctrines spread through all the kingdom of France: many heretics appeared, whose chief view was to dissuade men from communion with the church in its sacraments, and to overturn its hierarchy, order, and discipline.

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The thirteenth century was more particuJarly distinguished by the victory gained over the superstitions of the Church of Rome by the Waldenses and Albigenses. "Driven from their own country on account of their religious opinions, they fled for refuge into foreign lands, some into Germany, and some into Britain. Pope Innocent III. determined to put a stop to their zealous exertions; and he not only appointed his Legates to preach against them, but excited the secular princes

The number of these faithful witnesses continued to increase, although every engine of oppression and persecution was raised against them; for it was granted to the beast for a certain appointed time, to make war with the saints and to overthrow them; and even to be drunk with the blood of the saints. They arose in every age of the church, and appeared in almost every country; more particularly in Italy, France, Spain, England, Germany, and Bohemia. The many thousands that were destroyed by the armics brought against them, and by the Inquisition, are sufficient evidences of their great numbers. They boldly protested against the corruptions of the Church of Rome, and having witnessed a good confession of the true faith, fell victims to her bloody spirit of persecution. "The assemblies of the Paulicians, or Albigeois, were extirpated by fire and sword, and the bleeding remnant escaped by flight, concealinent, or Catholic conformity. But the invincible spirit which they kindled still lived and breathed in the western world. In the state, in the church, and even in the cloister, a latent succession was preserved of the disciples of St. Paul; who protested against the tyranny of Rome, embraced the Bible as the Jule of faith, and purified their creed from all the visions of the Gnostic theology. The struggles of Wickliff in England, and Huss

in Bohemia, were premature and ineffectual; but the names of Zuinglius, Luther, and Calvin, are pronounced with gratitude, as the deliverers of nations."

The course of history and of prophecy carries us forward to that auspicious period, when the Protestants rejected the errors of the See of Rome, asserted the rights of conscience, and restored the purity of the primitive church. Martin Luther in the year 1517, preached publicly in the church of Magdeburg, against the indulgences granted by the sovereign Pontiff; and by this magnanimous act began the reformation of religion Then did Babylon the great fall from the height of her dominion; then were the followers of the Lamb animated with new zeal by the success of the first Reformers, and the voice from heaven was obeyed with alacrity, which said, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Ever since the time of the Reformation the Church of Rome has gradually been losing its splendour and greatness. The profound reverence in which their governor was held, and the implicit obedience which was paid to his commands, are now confined to very narrow limits.

The memorable events even of the last year have accelerated her decline. The French armies have ravaged Italy, and poured their fury upou the seat of the Beast. Rome itself is become a prey to its apostate conquerors. The temporal authority of the Pope is completely subverted, and the semblance of the ancient Roman Government is etablished at Rome, by the democratic tyranny which reigns triumphant in its place. The Pope hunself, after being exposed to repeated insults, is degraded and driven from his throne: be is divested of his honours and his statestripped of his possessions and his revenues, and reduced to the abject condition of a wanderer and an exile. Germany, Naples, Portugal, and Spain, view his degradation with indifference, if not with approbation: and France, the country of Pepin and of Charlemague, the great founder of the Papal giory, is the instrument of his overthrow, and enriches herself with his spoils.

We have seen that it is according to the usual course of God's providence to make

time the cause of its own misery. And we have seen the Revolution in France, which is universally allowed to be in its origin, its principles, and its consequences, unparalleled in the history of the world, to be the work of the Infidel Antichrist, and the accurate accomplishment of Prophecy, while it baffles explanation upon any principles derived from experience, or any other source of human knowledge.

The massacre of St. Bartholomew, an event that filled all Europe with consternation, the infamy and horrors of which have been dwelt on by so many eloquent writers of all religions, and that has held Charles IX, up to the execration of ages, dwindles into child's play, when compared to the present murderous Revolution, which a late writer in France emphatically calls a St. Bartholomew of five years. According to Mr. Bossuett, there were about thirty thousand persous murdered in all France on one day--there have been more than that number murdered in the single city of Lyons, and its neighbourhood; at Nautz, there have been twenty-seven thou sand; at Paris, one hundred and fifty thousand; tu La Vendee, three hundred thousand. In short, it appears that there have been two millions of persons murdered in France, since it has called itself a Republic, among whom are reckoned two hundred and fifty thousand women, two hundred and thirty thousand chil dren (besides those murdered in the womb), and twenty-four thousand Christian Priests."

The comparison of historic facts with Prophecy establishes Revelation, and strengthens Faith. The examination of Prophecies which relate to the present times, particularly interests our feelings, and must be allowed to be a proper exercise for our judgment. But the Prophecies which respect future times, must be considered as objects of our faith, rather than our understanding. A dark veil hangs before them, which the curiosity of man cannot penetrate, nor his ingenuity wholly remove. But though the precise time, aud the manner in which the Divine designs will be accomplished, may be doubtful, mysterious, and unknown, the predictions concerning the events are conspicuous and unleniable, and offer to the pious mind many subjects of devout contemplation. From me. ditations arise, almost iuvoluntarily, con

a people remarkable for their wickedness, || jectures concerning their completion; and if

"the rod of his anger." We have seen, from the course of Prophecy, that the power ap pointed to execute his wrath upon kingdom of the Beast," was to be at the same

"the

these conjectures are accompanied with due humility and caution, they cannot be deemed reprehensible.

Thus has an attempt been made to point Cc 2

out some of the most remarkable Prophecies of the Old and New Testament, and to shew their connection and their object. These Prophecies were remote in point of time, extraordinary and improbable in point of circumstances, and full and clear in point of accomplishment; and this accomplishment was such as accident could not effect, nor the contrivance or imposture of man bring to pass."

These Prophecies, when considered collectively as forming one grand assemblage of proofs of their divine authority, and as having à reference to one grand connected scheme, bear a strong and clear testimony to the truth of every particular recorded in the holy Scriptures. They establish the truth of Prophecy upon acknowledged facts, and point out the use and ultimate end of Prophecy to be the establishment of the Christian Religion upon the basis of Divine Revelation. They show that the establishment of Christianity was only the beginning of the Messiah's reign, and that the objections to Christianity drawn from the corruption and distresses of the Church, and the small number of Christians, result from a partial and confined view of the whole scheme, as it is displayed by the prophetical writings; it being clear, from the Prophecies themselves, that a long series of time is required for their fulfillment.

They shew that the different powers of Antichrist was clearly predicted; and as it has evidently appeared under different forms, it furnishes an argument, upon prophetic and historic ground, for the truth of that religion it aims to destroy.

They prove that the history of the Church of Christ agree exactly with the Prophecies concerning it, and that the present state of the world not only agrees with the Prophecies which have been uniformly understood to beJong to the latter ages, and from the combined light of history and Prophecy are seen to be now in their regular succession before us, but that it seems to point towards the accomplishment of those Prophecies which seem to be fulfilled, and which will gradually complete the stupendous scheme of Providence, it has been the design of this essay to point out, as a protection against the torpor of indifference,

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the artifice of scepticism, and the violence of infidelity, which so dreadfully infest the present age.

These Prophecies are a warning voice to the thoughtless, to reflect, and to "search the Scriptures, and to examine whether these things be so." In them we see the plain traces of a Diety, the proofs of his Provi dence, and the authentic evidence of a Revela. tion.

Prophecy is indeed the voice of God appealing to the records and the observation of man for its eternal truth: it speaks to unbelieving Jews, to careless Christians, and to Infidels of all denominations, and it adapts its awful declarations to the spiritual wants of all mankind in every age. The truth of Prophecy admits not only the clear illustration of history, but the evidence of daily experience and common observation. The present hour bears witness to its divine origin, as well as the generations that are passed.

Babylon," that great city," is fulfilling her destiny of" never being inhabited; it has not been dwelt in from generation to generation; it has never risen from the desolation brought upon her; the wild beasts lie there,” and all is solitude and desolation.

Let all then, who bear the name of Christians, consider the real dignity of the charac ter, and "walk as children of the light amidst a crooked and perverse generation, looking for the glorious appearance of their Lord." Let those who remain unconvinced of the truth of Revelation by the evidence derived from Prophecy, remember that many other unan. swerable proofs may be drawn from other sources. Let them examine the various arguments presented by the internal evidence of the Scriptures. Let them pursue the opening path of Oriental Literature, and consider with particular attention the Chaldean sphere, recording, as it were, the earliest annals of the world first written in the Heavens. Then let them search the earth for testimony, for the earth itself bears constant witness to the truth of the Mosaic History. What shall we say more? If they will not" then "hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though One rose from the dead."

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Engravd for N4 of the New Series La Belle A semblee Pub by Bell Southampton Str. Strand May L1819

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