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the three Ribs, seen in its mouth, represent, according to the interpretation of Sir Isaac and Bishop Newton, provinces," which were con "quered by it, but were not properly parts and "members of its body."

I might here observe, that much of the beauty of the representation which consists in a great degree in its minute accuracy, would be lost in those prophecies which relate to the four great empires, if we were not to consider each of the four symbols as referring to a territory peculiar to itself. And in the instance before us, were I to adopt the principle advanced by Mr. Faber, "that the four Beasts themselves are the four

great empires considered as respectively ex"tending to their several utmost limits," including therefore all their conquests, I should be totally at a loss how to interpret the symbols of the three ribs, which he appears also himself to leave unexplained.

Sir Isaac Newton, Bishop Chandler, and Bishop Newton, consistently with their hypothesis, consider them as representing the conquests of the Medes and Persians over Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. In their interpretation of these symbols, I find therefore that I have partially, but not exactly, followed them; thinking it necessary on the principle of analogy, that these symbols should be interpreted so as to answer

to the pushings "westward, northward, and "southward" of the Ram, and should be limited to the first conquests by Cyrus, through which the Medo-Persian empire was established, or "became great." I consequently exclude Egypt, which was not conquered till a later period, or till the reign of Cambyses, and adopt Armenia, or the Northern parts of Asia, instead of it; which is referred to by the pushing, northward of the Ram, and which is particularly mentioned by Prideaux, as being conquered by Cyrus after Lydia, and before Babylon. ⠀⠀

In the latter part of the interpretation of this prophecy, I am, I fear, without the support of the high authorities I have quoted; for I do not find that they, or any of my predecessors, have extended the principle of a territorial division to the interpretation of the symbols of the ten toes of the Image, and the ten horns of the fourth Beast; which, it is agreed, represent ten minor kingdoms, formed on the division of the Western Roman empire.

It becomes therefore necessary, in conformity to the plan upon which I have proposed to proceed, and from the consideration that there can be but one true interpretation of every prophecy, that I should now state upon what grounds I consider the various expositions which have been given by former writers of this important

part of prophecy to be unsatisfactory and inad missible..:

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Bishop Newton introduces the following lists of the ten kingdoms into his work, as being those of the most approved commentators, in whose general principles of interpretation he agrees; although, in order to include Ravenna, Lombardy, and Rome, he names the kingdoms himself as existing at a later period than has been chosen by others.

The list of Bishop Chandler and Bishop Lloyd (which has been adopted also by Mr. Faber and Mr. Cuninghame) contains the following kingdoms :

1 Burgundians, in Burgundy.

2 Franks, in France.

3 Heruli and Turingi, in Italy,

4 Huns, in Hungary.

5 Lombards upon the Danube, and afterwards in Italy,

6 Ostrogoths, in Mæsia.

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7 Saxons and Angles, in Britain.

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8 Sueves and Alans, in Gascoine and Spain.

9 Vandals, in Africa.

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10 Visigoths, in Pannonia.

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Mr. Mede reckons up the ten kingdoms thus, as they are supposed to have appeared in the year 456, the year after Rome was sacked by

Genseric, King of the Vandals. Here it will be seen, that three kingdoms named in the preceding list are omitted, and others are substituted in their place.

1 Burgundians, in France.

2 Franks.

6 Ostrogoths, whom the Longobards sueceeded in Pannonia, and afterwards in Italy.

7 Saxons, in Britain.

8 Sueves and Alans in Gallicia and Por

tugal.

9 Vandals, in Africa.

10 Visigoths, in south of France and part of Spain.

[3] Alemanes, in Germany.

[4] Britons.

[5] Greeks.

The list of Sir Isaac Newton is as follows:

1 The kingdom of the Burgundians.

2 The kingdom of the Franks.

4 The kingdom of the Huns.
5 The kingdom of the Lombards.

7 The kingdom of the Britons.

8 The kingdom of the Suevians, in Spain. 9 The kingdom of the Vandals and Alans, In Spain and Africa.

10 The kingdom of the Visigoths.

[3] The kingdom of the Alans, in Gallia. [6] The kingdom of Ravenna.

The following is the list of Bishop Newton; the kingdoms are here named from a later period of the Western Roman Empire, than has been fixed upon by other commentators, which oc casions the great variation perceptible between his list and the foregoing.

1 Burgundians, in Burgundy.
2 Franks, in France.

4 Huns, in Hungary.
5 Lombards in Lombardy.
7 Saxons, in Britain.

[3] Alemanes, in Germany.
[6] Britons.

[8] Goths, in Spain.

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[9] Greeks, in Ravenna.

[10] The Senate of Rome," who revolted from

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The first observation to be made on these lists is, that even the first three, which are equally formed with reference to an early period of the divided Roman empire, are yet found to vary from each other.

This Bishop Newton accounts for as arising from the great disorder and confusion of the

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