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after, and from among, the ten horns, that is, the Antichriftian kingdom, as before explained, fhall be DIVERSE from the ten kingdoms, out of which it fhall arife [o]. "But a kingdom may be diverse from other kingdoms, in various refpects." Without doubt. And, therefore, we cannot certainly conclude from this fingle text, that the diverfity, mentioned, will confift in its being a spiritual kingdom. Yet, if ye reflect that this diverfity is given, as the characteristic mark of the antichriftian kingdom; that, although there may be other and fmaller differences between kingdoms, the greatest and most signal is that which fubfifts between a temporal and fpiritual power; nay, that Government, as fuch, is, and can only be, of two forts, civil and fpiritual, as correfponding to the two conftituent parts of man, (the subject of all government in this world,) the Soul

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[o] Dan. vii. 24. The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that fhall arife; and another shall arife after them, and He fhall be diverfe from the first

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and the Body: Taking, I fay, thefe confiderations along with you, ye cannot esteem it a very harsh and violent interpretation, if, without looking any farther, we incline to think that this diverfity of regimen, fo emphatically pointed out, refpects that great and effential difference in human government, only. At least, it will be admitted, that, if, from other and more exprefs teftimonies, the government of Antichrift appear to be a spiritual government, we shall, then, be authorized to put such a construction on Daniel's prophecy, as will reach the full force and import of his expreffion. Such a kingdom must be allowed to be eminently diverfe from fecular kingdoms. So that the harmony between the prophets on this fubject will be clear and ftriking.

Now, fuch a teftimony we feem to find in the Apostle, St. Paul; who, prophefying of the man of Sin, or Antichrift, to be revealed in the latter days, makes it a dif tinguishing part of his character, That he

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SITTETH

SITTETH IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD [p]. Confider the force of these words. A power, feated in the temple of God, can be nothing but a power suitable to that place, or a Spiritual power: juft as a power, feated in the throne of Cafar, could only be interpreted of a civil power.

Nor fay, because the context runs thus→→→ that he, AS GOD, fitteth in the temple of God, SHEWING himself that he is GOD

that therefore it only means his claiming divine bonours: a degree of blafphemy, very applicable to a civil power." This objection has clearly no force because his fitting in the temple of God was the very means (if we rightly apply this prophecy) by which the man of fin rose to that abo minable pre-eminence. It was by virtue of his fpiritual, that he affumed a divine character. So that the phrafe-as God— and that other-fhewing himself that he is Godfets before us, indeed, the extrava

[P] 2 Theff. ii. 4.

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gant height to which the man of sin aspired, and to which he afcended; but, no way invalidates the conclufion from his fitting in the temple of God—that he was a spiritual power. Rather, we see the propriety of this conclufion: because the text, thus understood, fuggefts the way in which the man of fin accomplished his blafphemous purpose: His fuccefs arofe, from his ftation in the temple. On the other hand, a power fitting in the throne of Cafar, might fit there as God, and might few himself that he was God (as many of the Roman Emperors did :) So that the claufe-fitting in the temple of God-has evidently no pecu-, liar fitness, as applied to the ufurpation of divine honours by a civil tyrant; whereas we fee it has that fitnefs, when applied to a fpiritual tyrant. The context therefore proves nothing against the interpretation, here propofed and defended.

But, what is this temple of God? The temple at Jerufalem, it will be faid; the only temple, fo called, then fubfifting in

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the world [9]. Admit this to be the literal fenfe of the words. Yet ye remember fo much of what hath been faid concerning the prophetic style, as not to think it ftrange, that the literal fenfe fhould involve in it another, a mystical meaning. And this, without any uncertainty what foever. For fo, the term, Jew, means a Chriftian; the term, David, means Chrift: the incenfe of the temple-fervice, means the prayers of Chriftians; plainly and confeffedly fo, in numberless inftances. Agreeably to this analogical ufe of Jewish terms, in the ftyle of the prophets, the temple of God, nay the temple of Jerufalem [r] (if that had

[4] See Grotius, on the place: who applies this pro phecy to Caius Cæfar, and thinks it was fulfilled when that Emperor commanded his ftatue to be placed in the temple of Jerufalem. A ftrange conjecture! which many writers, and very lately an excellent prelate bas well confuted. Bishop Newton's Diff, on the Prophe cies, vol. ii. p. 375.

[ Hierofolyma in fcriptis prophetarum occurrit ut emblema alterius cujufdam Hierofolymæ, mysticè fic di cenda; quæ Hierofolyma non poteft effe urbs quædam in montibus Zione & Acra conftructa, qualis fuit antiqua

been

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