number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man; and his number is fix hundred threefcore and fixi."

The firft beaft arofe out of the fea, that is, in prophetical language, out of, or during, violent commotions, wars and tumults, or times of violence and troubles. The fecond beaft arifes out of the earth, that is, according to general interpretation, exactly the reverse of the first description:- -rifing gradually in times of calm and quiet, like a plant out of the earth, which establishes itself inperceptibly by a thousand roots, before it fhews its head, and filently attains its destined height and strength.

This beaft has " two horns like a lamb." Horns are the acknowledged fymbols of

Various have been the conjectures concerning this myftical number - Vicarius Filii Dei, a title which the Popes have affumed to themselves, and caufed to be infcribed over the door of the Vatican, exactly makes 666, when decyphered according to the numeral fignification of its constituent letters. Lateinos (the word mentioned by Irenæus), Romiith, and Ludovicus, each contains the fame number. See Pyle on the Revelations, p. 103, and Fleming, p. 140.

ftrength

ftrength or power-the first beaft has ten horns, which are explained by the angel to be ten kingdoms which gave their power to the beaft, and thus increased his civil power. But the horns of the fecond beaft are of a peculiar kind, they are like a lamb, or the lamb," which fymbol throughout the Revelations reprefents Chrift-It is this which has especially led to the opinion that the second beaft is the Ecclefiaftical power of Rome, because these horns muft denote fomething which feems to be like Chriftianity - they are not faid to be the horns of a lamb, but like, or refembling, the horns of a lamb.

"He fpeaks (however) as" in the fame manner with "a dragon, or the dragon." As words proceed from the heart, or soul, or mind, which are truly the man, the real nature of this perfonage is thus declared in very plain terms, and fo are the arts by which he shall obtain and support his power.

It appears then, that this fecond beaft is not to wear the form of civil tyranny, but. is to derive his power or ftrength from its femblance to the religion of Chrift, or the Lamb; by which it will deceive many (who

are

are elsewhere faid to be under the influence of 66 strong delufion, and to believe a lie”), and will thus gain poffeffion of public opinion, though this "feducing form of godliness" breathes in reality "the doctrine of devils." -It is ufually understood that this fecond beaft is called k "the falfe Prophet," or Teacher, which was taken with the (first) beaft, and "the beast that arifeth out of the bottomless pit" (or "hell, in which the dragon is afterwards bound") " and that maketh war against the witneffes, overcometh and killeth them." This defcription agrees perfectly with that of his rifing out of the earth, but (unless the pit and the sea mean the fame, which I think they cannot mean) not with that of the beast which riseth out of

the fea. It agrees also with the power of the second beaft to give power to the image of the first beast, "to cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast fhould be killed."-This fecond beaft did not appear to make the image of the first beast himself, but he caused them that dwell in the earth to make it: having first deceived them into obedience to his will by means of the miracles or wonders, which he had power

* Rev. xix. 20.

1 Rev. xi. 7.

to

to do in the fight of the first beast; that is, before the expiration of the 1260 years, or within his kingdom.—And so absolute and univerfal was his fway, that “small and great, rich and poor, bond and free," were deprived of all commerce with men, and civil privileges of life, if they did not in fome way or other make profeffion of obedience to his conftitutions and decrees, and adopt some fign, or wear fome mark denoting their enrolment into the fervice of the beaft and his image, by which they are themselves formed into an affociation or fraternity.-And all men are confidered and "treated as worthy of death, who refuse an entire fubmiffion, in any particular, to thefe decrees "." The fecond beast, and the image to which he gives life, are then PERSECUTING powers. This fecond beast "exercifeth all the power of the first beast," that is, his tyranny extends over the minds as well as the bodies of men~ their Spiritual as well as their temporal interests—their religious as well as their civil liberties-he was "6 to make war with the faints and to overcome them, and to have power over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."

Lowman, p. 190. but applied by him to the Pope.

n Lowman,, p. 190.

Daubuz

Daubuz obferves, that "the powers conftituting the first beast, or Papal Rome, carried on the fame defign against true religion, though in another form, as the dragon did when the empire was Pagan." "It was the dragon who gave power to the first beast who fpake great things and blafphemies; and all that dwell on the earth worshipped the dragon and the beaft, except those whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world." And the fecond beaft has also the power of the dragon, whofe Spirit dictates his words, or doctrines and commands but this con

66

is now

nexion, the real origin of his power, more concealed from the world, who are not fo much fubdued, as deceived into fubjection; for it is to be remarked, that this second beaft has no marks whatever of civil power The counterfeit likenefs to the Lamb feduces them at firft to believe that his power is from heaven, because of the wonders that he doth in their fight," to expect from him univerfal happiness, and by degrees to follow his orders implicitly, however contradictory to his pretenfions to true morality, truth, and genuine religion (which indeed muft ever include moral virtue) till they are led "to make an image by his direction," which fhall punish their

cre