Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John by Isaac Newton
page 62 of 224 (27%)
page 62 of 224 (27%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
|
Now the Senate and people and principality of _Rome_ I take to be the third
King the little horn overcame, and even the chief of the three. For this people elected the Pope and the Emperor; and now, by electing the Emperor and making him Consul, was acknowledged to retain the authority of the old _Roman_ Senate and people. This city was the Metropolis of the old _Roman_ Empire, represented in _Daniel_ by the fourth Beast; and by subduing the Senate and people and Duchy, it became the Metropolis of the little horn of that Beast, and completed _Peter_'s Patrimony, which was the kingdom of that horn. Besides, this victory was attended with greater consequences than those over the other two Kings. For it set up the _Western Empire_, which continues to this day. It set up the Pope above the judicature of the _Roman_ Senate, and above that of a Council of _Italian_ and _French_ Bishops, and even above all human judicature; and gave him the supremacy over the _Western_ Churches and their Councils in a high degree. It gave him _a look more stout than his fellows_; so that when this new religion began to be established in the minds of men, he grappled not only with Kings, but even with the _Western_ Emperor himself. It is observable also, that the custom of kissing the Pope's feet, an honour superior to that of Kings and Emperors, began about this time. There are some instances of it in the ninth century: _Platina_ tells us, that the feet of Pope _Leo_ IV were kissed, according to antient custom, by all who came to him: and some say that _Leo_ III began this custom, pretending that his hand was infected by the kiss of a woman. The Popes began also about this time to canonize saints, and to grant indulgences and pardons: and some represent that _Leo_ III was the first author of all these things. It is further observable, that _Charles_ the great, between the years 775 and 796, conquered all _Germany_ from the _Rhine_ and _Danube_ northward to the _Baltic_ sea, and eastward to the river _Teis_; extending his conquests also into _Spain_ as far as the river _Ebro_: and by these conquests he laid the foundation of the new Empire; and at the same time propagated the _Roman_ Catholic |
|


