and expelled in 1830: the Orleanist dynasty, founded in 1830, and overturned in 1848. Both these were to rule unrighteously, do mischief, and speak lies; but it has not prospered, for the end has come at the time appointed. Thus the French revolution, the heavings of which began in 1788, ended in 1848, with the extinction of despotic or deceitful monarchical government in France, even at the time appointed.

Ver. 28, 29. "Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south: but it shall not be as the former, nor as the latter." The pope, as the prince of the covenant, being referred to as broken by Napoleon's army, is in these verses spoken of as restored in the year 1814, when he returned into his land with great riches. God had given intimation by those events of the coming overthrow of all wickedness; from thence began the space which God has graciously given for repentance. Popery has remained unchanged; it has made considerable progress apparently since the conclusion of Napoleon's wars; but still its spirit is the same-his heart is against the holy covenant. His return toward the south in 1814 was not to be as the former nor as the latter. He was never to regain his former power and glory; but he was not to be so truly despicable as on his return to his own land after a subsequent flight. The return of 1814 was not to be as the former nor as the latter.

Ver. 30, 31. "For the ships of Chittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with

them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate." The ships of Chittim are the men of Rome who rose against the pope in November, 1848, when he fled, and a Roman republic was formed. He has been grieved, and he has returned with indignation against the holy covenant. The holy covenant is that which makes all men free, secures to them perfect civil and religious liberty in this life and glory in the life to come; against human liberty the pope and his confederates are united. Thus shall he do; intimating the solemn truth that neither the goodness nor the severity of God will move their obdurate hearts. He shall even return, which he has done; and have intelligence with those powers and governments who, like himself, forsake the holy covenant, the true principles upon which all authority ought to be based. Arms shall stand on his part: foreign armies made haste to effect his restoration, and the French arms in particular, overthrew the Roman republic on his account-polluted the sanctuary of strengthshowed the weakness of their own position by such an intervention, and deprived themselves of that high honour at which they were aiming as a nation, when they founded a republic themselves, and professed to be the conservators of human liberty. They have polluted the sanctuary of strength; they have done more than stain the national honour, for they have weakened all the claims they had upon the sympathy of others, and they have done that which, until it be repented of, cuts them off in their national capacity from the favour of God, which is the true sanctuary of strength. "They have taken

away the daily sacrifice;" had they left Rome alone, the people would have been enjoying a large measure of liberty, and would have been learning to offer daily unto God those sacrifices which are alone well-pleasing in His sight; even the sacrifices by faith of a contrite and broken spirit, accompanied with thankfulness for undeserved mercies. The possibility of this sacrifice being offered they have taken away, by placing again the abomination that maketh desolate, which permits not freedom of will to any man in matters of religion opposed to the pope; who must do according to his own will; and this prohibition under penalty of incarceration or death. This is the glory which the French arms have acquired by their unholy intervention in the affairs of the Roman people.

Ver. 32, 33." And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, and by captivity many days." Self-willed men who despise government, whether rulers or subjects, are they who do wickedly against the covenant; and such "shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." (2 Tim. iii. 2-5.) It is not the holy covenant, but the covenant against which they do wickedly; the former includes the civil and religious liberty of men, the latter the civil liberty only;

so that the Roman see is represented as aiding and corrupting those who seek to suppress the awakening spirit of liberty among European nations. "But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits;" this is Great Britain, who shall now be greatly honoured and blessed by God in diffusing religion and liberty throughout all the earth. "And they that understand among the people shall instruct many;" not a few among the nations of the continent shall be enlightened in the true principles of political and religious truth; and they, when so taught themselves, shall instruct many others. "Yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days." This refers to proceedings both prior and subsequent to the overthrow of spiritual wickedness in 1879. Many shall be persecuted ere that time, but many more shall fall during the time of the Russian conquests, until their expulsion in the year 1895.

Ver. 34, 35. "Now, when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed." When they fall they shall not utterly perish, but shall receive grace and strength from on high to preserve those of them who escape from sinking altogether. At that time many shall cleave to them in hypocrisy, who say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Some men of great intellects and many acquirements, whose fame, either as religious or political wise men is great, shall fall; they shall be tried in the school of affliction and sorrow; and by their trial they shall be purified and made white.

These things are now taking place in Britain; they shall also happen among continental nations; and they shall continue as the appointed means of preparing men for their several stations in the one universal kingdom, even to the time of the end, because it is yet for a time appointed.

Ver. 36-39. "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong-holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain." These verses are written as descriptive of the character of the mighty king referred to in the third verse of the chapter, who was to stand up and rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. He was to exalt and magnify himself above any god; by which is meant, his ecclesiastical supremacy as universal bishop. He was to speak marvellous things against the God of gods; oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped. Still he was to prosper until he filled up the measure of his iniquity, for all God's purpose must be accomplished. He was not to "regard the God of his fathers;" the simplicity of primitive christianity would not be regarded by him. "Nor the