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contents of this and the 9th verse: for the expression and there are seven kings, according to the original should be rendered as the Vulgate has it, Et reges septem sunt, and they are seven kings, so as to be a continued explanation of the compounds signified by the heads of the beast.t For a more full illustration of the five first heads of this beast and their signification, I would refer the reader to my explanation of chapter XIII.

One is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh he must continue a short space. St. John in his prospective view of the beast, is placed aside of its sixth head, which is the point of completion in this vision, and thus describes its recent catastrophe by saying five are fallen, i. e. the whole fabric erected by the five preceding kings of this succession, is hurled to the ground. He then continues his prophetic history of the beast by the words, One is; which seems to denote, that the sixth king, residing on the sixth mountain, does exist, and should continue the succession of the papacy without interruption, but that this would be his chief act, and all what he would now be able to achieve. It is also worthy of particular observation, that the holy prophet changes his natural course of calculation, and instead of proceeding here, the sixth, the seventh, begins anew by saying. the One, the Other. This change probably indicates, that these two following heads would exist in a very different state of power from the preceding, and also differ from

to suit his Greek concordance, which he intended to publish. In the Old Testament, the verses probably originated in the Masoretic accentuations, where the greatest accent of distinction, Sylluk, is called Sophpassuk, because he always terminates a verse.

+Cluverus, In Apoc. p. 238 says, We can say with propriety of every kingdom, that both the king and his residence are its head. Thus Paris is properly called the capital of France, London the capital of England, the City Washington the capital of the United States.

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them materially as to their time of continuation, which seems to be shortest with the seventh head.

The sixth mountain, as we have seen in the completion, is the Capitolinus. Upon this mountain the woman again established her government A. D. 1798, and exercised her whole authority by means of seven senators. After Buonaparte assumed the crown of Italy, this mountain was again chosen for the residence of his governor. And is it not remarkable, that also Pope Pius VII, when he returned from his exile in the year 1814. took up his residence, and continued his greatly curtailed authority, on this same mountain to this day. Let the historian look about, and examine the records of kingdoms and empires in ancient and modern times, and he will nowhere meet such a vagrant and fugitive government, which has so often changed its place of residence, as the Roman hierarchy since the days of Hildebrand, or Gregory VII. These seven mountains are only its principal places of abode.

The other is not yet come. The sixth head of the beast will probably continue to exist, either in total subjection to the woman, as has been the case, or participating in the govern ment with her, as is now the case during its non-existence. But the lords at Rome are perfectly sensible, that they can never raise their hierarchy to its lost pitch of sovereignty, by the means and management of former ages, and therefore seriously contemplate important, and necessary changes at the termination of the sixth head. These seem to be indicated by the peculiar appellation, the other, here given to the seventh head. He is not termed the second, which would have been the natural manner of expression after the preceding, One is but, o aλaos, the Other, alius, by which he is not only distinguished from the sixth, but from the preceding heads, as in some respect different from them all. Just as one, is termed another Dan. VII, 24. in comparison with the ten kings.

The preceding one, will not be able to disencumber himself from the whore; and this other, in making the attempt, will probably occasion the rise of the Antipope, and of the beast from the bottomless pit, to whom he must give place.

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Thus the holy Seer has now advanced with his prophetic history to that dreadful period, when the beast itself will ascend, with all its infernal plans, powers, and assistance, from the bottomless pit, and venture his last campaign against the Son of God and his Church. It is still the same beast which was, and is not, that now again appears npon the theatre of action; but in a character very different from that of the beast from the sea, which it formerly had. The angel informs St. John, that even He is the Eighth which is a very mysterious expression. Because it cannot signify that he is the eighth head, for the beast has but seven heads during its whole continuation, from its rise out of the sea until its departure into perdition. What I can learn from these words it must be He himself, the whole body of the beast, that will in a peculiar and particular manner be the eighth; which eighth shall in a special form again identify the beast in its resemblance to a leopard, the feet of a bear, and mouth of a lion; and thus the eighth will be the chief and most eminent part of the whole in order to elucidate this subject in some degree, I would observe, that these words certainly indicate a great and material change, which will then take place in the Papal Hierarchy, so as to constitute it in that form, a revivification of the whole beast; and the cause of this revival as well, as what is now added to constitute it the Eighth proceeds from the abyss. To investigate this subject still more minutely is perhaps not advisable. Those, however, who would take a more intuitive view through this prophetic vista, to point out in a limited

sense, the proper subjects of this important change with precision, should carefully distinguish between the beast, its ten horns, and the harlot, and not confound objects in the future revival of the beast, which have been represented as distinct by the spirit of prophecy. For it is the beast, and only the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit; not the bishop of Rome, but that exalted tyrant at the head of the Latin empire, as founded by Gregory VII. Or in other words, it is that power in Christendom, which aims at supreme and universal dominion on earth, and shall again endeavour to wrest it out of the hands of others, under pretence of a divine authority. This has been the aim of Pagan and Christian Rome, and no impartial historian will doubt, that it was the meditated design of the papal hierarchy for many centuries. This final aim of the Old dragon, will be attempted again with great and uncommon success, by the beast from the bottomless pit, though under another mask, and by different means. If therefore all the officers and higher orders of ecclesiastics, immediately depending on, and administering the temporal and spiritual power of the Roman hierarchy should meet in a general Congress or council, establish a representative form of government, and administer the whole power of the Papacy in a body, with a president at their head, under the title, and with some of the powers of the Pope : I say if such a change was to take place at Rome during the reign of the head, & such a body was to continue its government on the seventh mountain, and revive the privileges and pretentions of the preceding heads; this would be in a peculiar manner the body of the beast itself, would be of the seven, and at the same time the eighth. But this prophecy may be accomplished in many different ways, and the sable realms of futurity are impenetrable to our view.

The head or pope of this collective body, who probably will also be the author of this great change in the Roman

hierarchy, is represented as an extraordinary genius of uncommon and shining talents. If he is to act the part of Antiochus Epiphanes, whom all the fathers of the Church have considered a type of Antichrist, he will acquire that eminent station by fraud & injustice, as Antiochus obtained the kingdom of his nephew. But he will soon gain an imperious ascendency over that whole body, in which he presides, and by a few bold steps overawe all their authority, and make it their interest to become instruments for the execution of his extensive and wicked designs. In these schemes he will meet with considerable opposition from those Roman catholics, who are not yet turned infidels; but an apostatized body of Jesuits, with whom he will form a secret league, shall prove a powerful support. If we were authorized to prognosticate the principal achievements of the beast out of the abyss, from a comparative view of the outlines of Antiochus's history; we might anticipate a most cruel persecution of the Protestants in Roman catholic states, soon after the commencement of his carcer. This would also accord with the history of the two-horned beast from the earth. His time will be short, but it will seem very long to the victims of his cruelty. Antiochus reigned from the year 175 to 164 before Christ, only XI years, I Macc. II. 21. VI. 16; his first two years with approbation, and his six last years with rage and fury against the Jews, and the laws of Jehovah. Thus also the beast from the abyss will probably not identify the whole character of Antichrist, except during the six last years of his reign; of which the four latter are represented as peculiarly grievous, Dan. VII, 25. Verse 12. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

14. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and king of kings;

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