this title. The latter thinks the Euphrates means the Adriatic sea, and that an invasion of the Papal territories is here intended.

KINGDOM.

Used sometimes to signify heaven,

as in Matt. xxvi. 29; 2 Tim. iv. 18.

Also, government or supreme administration, 1 Sam. xviii. 8.

Also, the state of the Christian church under the gospel dispensation; Matt. iii. 2, &c.

Also, the royal priesthood of the true people of God; Exod. xix. 6; 1 Peter ii. 9.

Kingdom of the stone, Dan. ii. 34, 44, and kingdom of the mountain, Dan. ii. 35, 45, are both meant of the kingdom of the Messiah.

See Mede's Works, p. 743, &c.

KISS. The symbol of idolatrous worship.

Hosea xiii. 2, "Let the men who sacrifice kiss the calves." See 1 Kings xix. 18.

Thus Cicero describes a statue of Hercules, as having "rictum ejus ac mentem paulo attritius, quod in precibus et gratulationibus non solum adorari, verum etiam osculari, solebant ;" in Verr. act 2, 1. 4, § 43.

Job xxxi. 27, "Or my mouth hath kissed my hand." There is here an evident allusion to the superstitious rites of idolators. The custom of kissing the hand, in token of adoration, is very ancient, as well as universal. The ground of it appears to be awe or respect: thus Job, when he determines to be silent before God, says, "I will lay my hand upon my mouth;" ch. xl. 4.

Pliny, where he enumerates strange customs, says, "In worshipping, we use the right hand for kissing,

and move the whole body round: in Gaul, they prefer using the left;" Nat. Hist. b. 28, c. 2.

Apuleius observes, that many of his countrymen applied their right hand to their mouths, the first finger being upon the thumb erect, in order that they might perform due adoration to the goddess Venus.

Lucian also remarks, that the poor, who had nothing to offer in sacrifice but the kissing of their hands, were not excluded.

Demosthenes, being carried into a temple, is said to have kissed his hand, in token of adoration.

The Syrian churches, to this day, when they receive the sacrament, are said to kiss the bread and cup before they partake of them.

Thus courtiers kiss the king's hand when presented to him, or when appointed to office; and it is customary now in many countries to kiss the garment of a superior, out of respect.

The holy kiss, or kiss of love, Rom. xvi. 16, 1 Cor. xvi. 20, and elsewhere, was a mere transfer of the common mode of salutation in Eastern countries, in ancient times, into an affectionate expression of pure attachment for the truth's sake, each saluting those of their own sex only, as described in the Apost. Constit. l. 2, c. 57. This practice is mentioned by Justin Martyr in his apology: "Prayers being ended, we salute one another with a kiss, and then the bread and cup are brought to the president." The men and women sat apart in the Christian assemblies, the same as was done in the Jewish synagogues.

Psalm ii. 12," Kiss the son, lest he be angry." To kiss in this place implies to reverence. Thus, "all

the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him ;" 1 Kings xix. 18. KNEE. To bow the knee is to worship; 1 Kings xix. 18; Rom. xi. 4.

Also, to pray; Eph. iii. 14.

Also, to be in subjection; Phil. ii. 10.

That kneeling was the posture of prayer, see 2 Chron. vi. 13; Dan. vi. 10; Luke xxii. 41; Acts vii. 60, ix. 40, xx. 36, xxi. 5; Ezra ix. 5; Eph. iii. 14.

Knees are sometimes put for persons, as in Job iv. 4; Heb. xii. 12.

LAMB, the symbol of meekness.

Isa. xi. 6, "Then shall the wolf take up his abode with the lamb."

Isa. lxv. 25, "The wolf and the lamb shall feed together."

Jer. xi. 19," For I was like a tame lamb that is led to slaughter."

Hence it is the special and peculiar symbol of Jesus Christ, who is declared by the Baptist to be the Lamb of God, because he was to be sacrificed to him, in order to take away the sins of the world. We find Isaiah predicting his suffering under this character, ch. liii. 7,

"It was exacted, and he was made answerable;

And he opened not his mouth,

As a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

And as a sheep dumb before her shearers,

So he opened not his mouth."

See Acts viii. 32.

Jesus is recognised as such in the visions of John, Rev. v. 6, &c. "And lo, in the midst of the throne stood a lamb, as it had been slain."

True Christians, who resemble their Master, have the same name assigned to them, Luke x. 3, "Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves." See John xxi. 15.

The hypocritical assumption of this meekness, and the carrying on of persecution under a show of charity to the souls of men, and bestowing absolutions and indulgences on those who conform to its rules, appears to have given rise to the application of this otherwise sacred title to Antichrist, Rev. xiii. 11, "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." To what particular power or period this passage is applicable, it is extremely difficult to decide. Every commentator differs from another. Lowman tries to reconcile them, but I think unsuccessfully.

LAMP, on account of its light, is the symbol of government or a governor. Thus concerning the law of God, the Psalmist says, Ps. cxix. 105, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths," the law being that whereby the king was to be guided. And in 1 Kings xi. 36, a lamp signifies the seat and domains, or else the perpetual succession of a kingdom. The words are, "That my servant David may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem." But the Septuagint have, "That my servant David may have a seat or position." So the Septuagint turn the Hebrew of 1 Kings xv. 4, by xalaλuμx; and it follows iva snon, a remnant to settle a foundation. But in 2 Kings viii. 19, they have λʊx, a lamp; all which expressions are parallel to this in 2 Sam. vii. 13, "I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever."

This being more proper, and the rest being symbolical expressions of the same promise of God.

The Oneirocritics apply the misfortunes that happen to the lamp, to the loss of a kingdom or power to rule.

In the Greek Church, in the consecration of a Bishop, among other symbolical ceremonies, there was a lamp delivered to him, and to the Patriarch of Constantinople, a double lamp.

In the eastern countries, weddings were celebrated with lamps or torches, the bridegroom and bride, the bridemen and bridemaids having each one in their hands. And the same custom was observed among the Greeks and Romans. See Matt. xxv. 1; Homer, Iliad 6, v. 492, Eurip; Phoenis. v. 346; Medea, v. 1027; Virgil, Eclog. 8, v. 29.

The Jews used to light lamps at their festivals, a custom sneered at by Persius, Sat. 5, v. 179. And the same was common among the Romans, on occasions of domestic rejoicing, the doors of the house were hung with laurels, and illuminated with lamps. Juvenal thus expresses himself in one of his Satires,

"Longos erexit janua ramos.

Et matutinis operatur festa lucernis."

It appears from Tertullian, that the Christians adopted this practice. He thus charges the alienated disciples of the faith, "Sed luceant, inquit (nempe Christus) opera vestra. At nunc lucent tabernæ et januæ nostræ plures jam invenies fores sine lucernis et laureis quam Christianorum."

The Jews probably took their custom of burning lamps at their feasts from the Egyptians. Herodotus,