the pope the head of all the churches and the corrector of heretics, was
the investing of the papacy with that power and authority which the
prophet foresaw.

It is very evident, therefore, that this leopard beast is a symbol of
the papacy. But there are other considerations which prove this. This
beast has the body of a leopard, the mouth of a lion, and the feet of a
bear, which shows it to be some power which succeeded those three beasts
of Daniel's prophecy, and retained some of the characteristics of them
all; and that was Rome. But this is not the first, or pagan form of the
Roman government; for that is represented by the dragon; and this is the
form which succeeded that, which was the papal.

But what most clearly shows that this beast represents the papacy, is
its identity with the little horn of the fourth beast of Daniel 7,
which all Protestants agree in applying to the papal power.

1. Their chronology. The little horn arises after the great and terrible
beast, which represents Rome in its first or pagan form, is fully
developed even to the existence of the ten horns, or the division of the
Roman empire into ten parts. Dan. 7:24. The leopard beast succeeds the
dragon which also represents Rome in its pagan form. These powers appear
therefore upon the stage of action at the same time.

2. Their location. The little horn plucked up three horns to make way
for itself. The last of these, the Gothic horn, was plucked up when the
Goths were driven from Rome in 538, and the city was left in the hands
of the little horn, which has ever since held it as the seat of its
power. To the leopard beast also, the dragon gave its seat, the city of
Rome. They therefore occupy the same location.