themas which she has denounced on English Sovereigns; and as if it were possible for us to sever what she declares indissolubly united-her temporal and spiritual sway.

IV. Again: the Woman is described as sitting on a scarlet-coloured Beast, full of names of Blasphemy *. Has not Rome fulfilled this prophecy? The colour itself is one reserved to her Pontiff and Cardinals. Of this we speak not now. How does she designate herself? As Infallible, Indefectible, Eternal. Are not these names of blasphemy? Are not they usurpations of the incommunicable Name? "When that which is temporal claims Eternity, this," says St. Jerome ‡, "is a name of blasphemy." And when she withholds the Word of God, and bestows honour on those who revile it, calling it "imperfect, ambiguous, a mute Judge, a leaden Rule," and by other opprobrious names §, which cannot be repeated here, is she not guilty of blasphemy against the Divine

* Rev. xvii. 3.

+ See Appendix H. Ceremoniale Rom. iii. sect. 5, c. 5. Ruber color præcipuè ad Papam pertinet. Paul II. made it penal for any one to wear hats of scarlet (bireta coccinea) but Cardinals : and he gave them scarlet trappings for their mules and horses. See Platina, p. 312. Vitringa, p. 758. Heidegger i. p. 432. Platina in Greg. IV. Coccinatos nunc aspiceres non homines tantùm (Ecclesiastici ordinis), quod leve fortasse videretur, sed equos et jumenta. See below, p. 395.

S. Jerome ad Algas. xi.

§ See some of them cited by Bishop Andrewes ad Bellarmine, cap. xi. p. 259, 260, and Casaubon Ann. Exerc. Baron. i. xxxiii.

Author of Scripture? And when, with the cup of her own sorceries in her hand, she takes away the cup of Blessing in the Lord's Supper, which Christ has commanded to be received by all*; and when she makes men drink of the one, and will not allow them to drink of the other, is not this an act of blasphemy against the Son of God?

V. Again the Harlot in the Apocalypse exercises both temporal and spiritual sway. She is enthroned upon many waters, which are Nations and Peoples t. She has kings at her feet. She makes them drink of her cup. She trades in the souls of men ‡. It is said of the Beast on which she sits as a queen, and of which she is, as it were, the Governing Power, that, by the agency of the second Beast, he causeth all, both small and great, to receive his mark, and that no one may buy or sell, save he who has the mark, the name of the beast, or the 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 Six hundred threescore and six §.

The latter part of this remarkable description has been the subject of much earnest inquiry; and it is a topic of so much interest and importance, and, at the same time, of so difficult and mysterious a character, that I do not venture to pronounce an opinion upon it from this place.

* John vi. 53. Matth. xxvi. 26, 27. Mark xiv. 23.

Rev. xvii. 5.

§ Rev. xiii. 16-18.

Rev. xviii. 13.

Reserving that for another mode of communication*, I proceed to observe, that these passages of the Apocalypse show that the Harlot combines temporal and secular sway; and that this union of civil and religious supremacy is a very striking characteristic; and it applies to Rome, and to Rome alone.

The Church of Rome sits as a Queen upon many waters, which are peoples, and nations, and multitudes, and tonguest. She claims two swords. Lord, behold! here are two swords ‡. One of her Pontiffs § has interpreted these words of St. Peter as authorizing her double sway. See holds in her hands the two keys

* See Appendix G. On the name and number of the Beast. + Rev. xvii. 15.-The present Pontiff, in an address to the People of Rome, thus speaks: "C'est un grand don du Ciel, parmi tous les dons qu'il a prodigués à l'Italie, que nos trois millions de sujets aient deux cents millions de frères de toute langue et de toute nation. C'est là ce qui dans d'autres temps, et au milieu de la confusion de tout le monde romain, a fait le salut de Rome.

"Bénissez donc l'Italie, ô grand Dieu! Bénissez-la de la bénédiction que vous demandent pour elle les saints à qui elle a donné le jour, la Reine des saints qui la protége, les apôtres dont elle garde les glorieuses reliques, et votre Fils, fait homme, qui a voulu que cette Rome fût la résidence de son représentant sur la

terre.

"Donné à Rome, près Sainte-Marie-Majeure, le 10 février 1848.

Luke xxii. 38.

"PIUS PP. IX."

§ Boniface VIII. in Unam Sanctam. Extrav. Com. Lib. i. Tit. viii. Jus Canon. tom. ii. p. 1159, ed. 1839.

-the emblems, as she asserts, of universal power *. The Roman Pontiff is twice crowned, once with the Mitre, his symbol of an Universal Bishoprick, and once with the Tiara, in token of Imperial Supremacy. He wears both diadems. There is indeed a Mystery on the forehead of the Church of Rome, in the union of these two Supremacies; and it has often proved a Mystery of Iniquity. It has made the holiest Mysteries subservient to the worst Passions. It has excited Rebellion on the plea of Religion. It has interdicted the last spiritual consolations to the dying, and Christian interment to the dead, for the sake of revenge, or from the lust of power. It has forbidden to marry-and yet licensed the unholiest Marriages +. It has invoked blessings on Regicides and Usurpers. It has transformed the anniversary of the Institution of the Lord's Supper into a season of malediction. It has changed the hill of the Vatican into a Mount Ebal ‡, from which it has fulmined curses according to its will.

Other very important characteristics must now be noticed.

VI. The Woman in the Apocalypse is said to be

* See Boniface VIII. ibid. Ore divino Petro data suisque successoribus in ipso, Quem confessus fuit, petra firmata, dicente Domino ipsi Petro, Quodcunque ligaveris. Matth. xvi. 18, 19.

Heidegger i. p. 497. See Sandys, Europa Speculum, p. 37, and p. 49. " On Princes' Marriages," and "On Adulterous and Incestuous Marriages."

Deut. xxvii. 13.

seated on a scarlet beast*; to be also clad in scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls † ; and her merchandise is said to be in gold, and silver, and precious stones, and pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk ‡, and scarlet §; and after her destruction they who weep over her cry, Alas! alas! the Great City, which was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold, and precious stones, and pearls |.

This description of the Woman's dress is so definite, and is repeated with such emphasis, that it is manifestly intended for the purpose of identification.

Such, then, is her attire. Bearing this in mind, let us proceed to consider the following evidence.

Divine honour is claimed for and given to the Beast on which she sits: They worshipped the Beast, saying**, Who is like unto the Beast?

The word here interpreted to worship is προσκυνεῖν, which literally signifies to adore by prostration and by kissing; as described in the divine words, Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him ††.

This word ρоoкvvεiv occurs twenty-four times in

*Onpiov KÚKKLror, Rev. xvii. 3.-Coccineus color est ruber acutus, (says Pliny, N. H. xxi. c. 8) qualis rubedo micat in rosis. Victorin. ad Apoc. xii. 3. coloris rubei, id est coccinei.

+ Rev. xvii. 4.

§ Rev. xviii. 12. ** Rev. xvii. 4.

Η σηρικόν.

Rev. xviii. 16. +1 Kings xix. 18.