the little interests of a world that will soon pass away, there is no true Christian-no man who really loves the Redeemer, and seeks the prosperity and. glory of his kingdom-to whom the approaching DESTINY OF PAPAL ROME can be any other than a subject of deep interest. For, next to the advent of Christ the accomplishment of the great promise given to the fathers, it will be the most signal manifestation of divine faithfulness that ever has been given,-it will be the most glorious" coming" of Christ, on behalf of his kingdom, that will be beheld till" the time of the consummation of all things,"it will be the introduction of the most splendid era of prosperity that the Church of the Redeemer has ever enjoyed. Prophets, apostles, and martyrs, glorified in heaven, anxiously expect it, and will rejoice over it with rapturous exultation; it occupies a place in the pleadings and in the expectation of our ascended Intercessor; and the mind even of the blessed God dwells on it with joy, as the fulfilment of many of his purposes and promises, and as an eminent display of the glory of his beloved Son. In such aṇ event, what Christian does not feel a deep interest? For such an event, what Christian does not pray? And in contemplating such an event-described in the sublime symbols of holy writ-what Christian is there who does not experience joy?

In discoursing to you respecting PROSPECTS of the Church of Rome, I would call your attention to the following remarks.

I. THE PAPAL SYSTEM IS DIVINELY DOOMED TO BE OVERTHROWN.

The overthrow of the Papacy is an event which, independently of prophecy, might be expected to take place in due time. It would be contrary to every notion which we are warranted to entertain of the character of God, to suppose that a system which stands forth in such avowed contradiction to his revealed will, and to the benevolent designs of his providential government, would be permitted always to exist and to prosper in the earth. It is the divine purpose, that the religion of Jesus Christ shall be universally disseminated, and that depraved man shall be thereby renewed, and human society purified and exalted; and as the Antichristian system is the chief of those devices by which the adversary of God seeks to frustrate his gracious designs, it must in one mode or other, be removed out of the way.

When we contemplate the expressive symbols under which the Papal system is represented in Holy Scripture, we are led to expect that it will be visited with utter destruction. On account of its pre-eminent wickedness, it is termed "Sodom ;" and the application of this name induces us to suppose, that, like the profligate city of the plain," it is destined to ruin. On account of its relentless and persevering oppression of the Church of God, it is termed "Egypt;" and the inference is not unnatural, that, like the strength of Egypt, its power and influence shall ex

perience a decisive overthrow. On account of its proud, idolatrous, licentious, and persecuting character, it is called by the name of "Babylon ;" and, resembling "the glory of the Chaldees" in its character, it will resemble it also in its end. Nor, I apprehend, is it without emphatic reference to the doom of the Papacy, that it is termed by Paul, in his second epistle to the Thessalonians, "the son of perdition." This appellation is no doubt intended to express the agency of the Papal system in leading multitudes of souls to everlasting destruction; but, unquestionably, it has especial respect to its own approaching ruin. Only in another part of Holy Scripture does the term in question occur,* and there it is applied to the betrayer of our Lord. He perished in his treachery and hypocrisy, and "went to his own place." And, like its prototype-Judas, this great system of hypocritical perfidy against Christ is destined, in its. appointed time, to "go into perdition."

The doom which we would thus be led to anticipate as awaiting Antichristian Rome is explicitly predicted in holy writ. "The judgment shall sit," says the Prophet Daniel, foretelling the overthrow of the Antichristian "horn," "and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."+ "Whom," says the Apostle Paul, after enumerating the marks of Antichrist, and the signs of his coming," whom the Lord shall consume with the +Dan. vii. 26.

* John, xvii. 12.

spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." "And after these things," says the beloved disciple, recording the visions of Patmos, "I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird."—" And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."+ In such solemn and explicit announcements as these is the doom of Babylon declared. An overthrow more fearful and decisive than she has ever yet experienced awaits her, and no power or policy will avail to prevent its infliction. The sentence has gone forth against her from on high, and the Omnipotent hath pledged his faithfulness and truth for its infliction. "Hath He said it, and shall he not do it? Hath He spoken it, and shall it not come to pass?"

II. THE OVERTHROW OF MYSTICAL BABYLON WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED, PARTLY BY THE CONVERT◄ ING GRACE, AND PARTLY BY THE AWFUL JUDGMENTS OF THE MOST HIGH.

In the memorable prophecy to which I have already referred, (2 Thes. ii. 8.) we are told that "the man Rev. xviii. 1. 2. 21.

Thess. ii. 28.

of sin" the "son of perdition"-shall be “consumed with the spirit of the Lord's mouth, and destroyed with the brightness of his coming." By "the spirit of his mouth" we are, doubtless, to understand that word of the gospel, which is "mighty through God to the pulling down of strong-holds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." —This is the great instrument which "Messiah the Prince," has employed in extending his kingdom, and achieving his glorious triumphs among the children of men; and the apostolic prediction just referred to warrants us to believe that this instrument shall, in the latter days, be successfully employed against the Antichristian cause. Inroads shall be made on its territories, and it shall be weakened and wasted, in the withdrawment of many of its adherents through the potent efficacy of the Word of God.-But while Babylon is destined to be thus "consumed," we are assured, in the same prophecy that the total destruction of the Antichristian system and power will be "with the brightness of the Lord's coming." This expression does not refer to "the glorious appearance" of our Saviour at the day of final retribution-for, before that event Antichrist shall have been overthrown, and a thousand years of prosperity enjoyed by the Church. Neither has it respect to any personal appearance that our Reedemer will make before the day of judgment