horned beast or divided Roman empire under its last head will be immediately succeeded by the triumphant reign of Christ. So that, let the matter be viewed in what light it may, Revolutionary France cannot be the second apocalyptic beast-The fourth objection is, that the French Republic cannot be denominated a false prophet. The second beast however is the false prophet of the Revelation. Therefore the French Republic cannot be the second beast-The fifth objection is, that, if the wonders performed by the second beast mean only the French victories, it does not appear how he could deceive them that dwell upon the earth with such wonders as these. The miracles, wrought by the beast, are immediately connected with his bringing down fire from heaven, and his giving life and utterance to an image; and by these miracles, thus performed, he is said to deceive the world. Such is the simple assertion of the prophet; an assertion, which no critical art can torture to mean Gallic military exploits-The last objection, which I shall make, is to the notion, that we are to seek for the number of the beast in the name Ludovicus. This notion is perfectly untenable even according to Mr. Galloway's own scheme. He supposes, that the number 666, is the number of the second beast, of that beast in short which he conceives to be the French Republic. Let us for a moment allow that he is right in this supposition, and discuss the point accordingly. St. John informs us, that the second beast should permit no man either to buy or to sell," save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." Hence it is evident, that the name of the beast (supposing with Mr. Galloway that the second beast is here intended), which comprehends his mystic number, should be something so peculiarly dear to him, that he should compel all his votaries, in some manner or another, to bear it, under pain of a severe interdict. But has this been the case with the chaotic republic and the name Ludovicus? Has she forbidden all to buy or sell, except those who bore, or (to admit the lowest sense) who reverenced, the name of her last unfortunate sovereign? Is it not notorious to the whole world, that her conduct has been exactly the reverse? So far from none being per

mitted by her to exercise the common rights of society except the royalists, or (to bestow upon them the name of their king) the Ludovicians, these of all others are the very persons whom she has formally proscribed. We may reasonably then conclude, that, although the word Ludovicus happens to contain the number 666, it is not on that account alone the name of the beast, any more than various other words which may possibly contain the same number. Thus it appears, that, even upon Mr. Galloway's own principles, Ludovicus cannot be the name of the beast much less therefore can it be that mysterious name, when we find that he has completely mistaken the one beast for the other, attributing to the second beast the name which in reality belongs to the first. What St. John says, in his particular description of the name, is certainly ambiguous; insomuch that, had he said nothing more upon the subject, it might have been a matter of doubt, whether the name was the name of the first or of the second beast. But he has amply cleared up this point in various other passages, wherein he plainly intimates, that the name is the name of that beast to whom an image was made.* But the beast, to whom an image was made, is the first beast: consequently the name is the name of the first beast, and not of the second as Mr. Galloway erroneously supposes. Arguing then with him, either upon his own principles, or upon the real state of the case, we shall find it equally impossible to admit that Ludovicus is the name of the beast.†

On these grounds I am constrained to think, that both Mr. Kett and Mr. Galloway have erred in their respec

* See Rev. xiv. 11.-xv. 2.-xix. 20. and xx. 4.

Both Mr. Galloway and Mr. Kett are of opinion, that the two-horned beast of th earth is the same as the beast of the bottomless pit which makes war upon the witnesses. This opinion I have already shewn to be entirely erroneous. (See Galloway's Comment. p. 162-208. and Hist. the Interp. Vol. i. p. 391.) Their sentiments upon this point must necessarily lead them both into the strange notion, that the faithful witnesses of God are the popish clergy who were murdered and banished by the atheistical republicans of France. Mr. Galloway accordingly avows without hesitation, that the saints of God, who are mentioned by Daniel as worn out by the little born, and who are evidently the same as the apocalyptic witnesses, are those very popish clergy. The impropriety and erroneousness of such a notion has already been so fully pointed out, that it is superfluous now to resume the subject.

tive interpretations of the prophetic character of the second beast and the image.*

Bp. Newton's scheme is much less objectionable. That valuable commentator clearly saw, that the two apocalyptic beasts instead of being at utter enmity with each other, were united in the closest bonds of friendship. Having therefore adopted the opinion that the first beast was the Papacy, he concluded that the second was the Roman Church; thus injudiciously separating what ought never to have been divided, and thus rending

* Mr. Sharpe supposes the second beast to be the secular Roman empire under Justinian. Justinian however was the representative of the sixth head of the first beast. Hence it is manifest, that Mr. Sharpe makes the second beast to be in fact the same as the first. Independent of this palpable tautology, which the prophet carefully guards us against by assuring us that the second beast was another beast, the Emperor Justinian neither performed any miracles for the purpose of deceiving those that dwelt upon the earth, nor can he or any of his successors be termed a false prophet. In short, whatever power be intended by the second beast or the false prophet, it must be some power at this present moment in existence, because the false prophet is not to be destroyed till the battle of Armageddon at the expiration of the 1260 years. (Rev. xix. 20.) The second beast therefore cannot be the Empire of Justinian, because that has long since been subverted by the Turks. Yet does Mr. Sharpe censure all preceding commentators, as having entirely misunderstood the character of the second beast, because they apply it to the Pope bimself: he ought rather to have said the Roman clergy, for I doubt whether any commentators ever supposed the Pope bimself to be intended by the second beast. Append. to An Inquiry into the Description of Babylon, p. 3—6.

Mr. Bicheno endeavours to prove, that the second beast is the tyranny exercised by the Capets since the time of Louis XIV, and that the image is the system of persecution adopted by them against the Protestants. The memory of him who revoked the edict of Nantz I detest as much as Mr. Bicheno himself can do ; but mere abhorrence is no argument. It will be superfluous to discuss this scheme at large, when a single word is sufficient to overturn the whole fabric. The second beast or the false prophet, for Mr. Bicheno very justly maintains their identity, is to be overthrown at the battle of Armageddon under the last vial; and the Ottoman empire, for so Mr. Bicheno with equal propriety understands the mystic Euphrates, is to be subverted under the sixth vial. But the Ottoman empire is not yet subverted; therefore the sixth vial is not yet poured out: and, if the sixth vial be not yet poured out, of course the seventh is not: and, if the seventh be not, the false prophet is not yet overthrown: and, if he be not yet overthrown, he is now in existence. The tyranny of the Capets however is already overthrown therefore that tyranny cannot be the second beast. Signs of the times, Part I. p. 17-25.

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Mr. Lowman thinks, that the second beast symbolizes the German ecclesiastical electors, prince-bishops, baronial-abbets, and other ecclesiastico-temporal states that resemble in their constitution the bishopric of Rome united with St. Peter's patrimony. Independent of every other objection that might be made to this scheme, it has received, like the foregoing one of Mr. Bicheno, a practical confutation. The recently adopted system of secu larization, for the purpose of indemnifying (as it is called) those German temporal princes who have been despoiled of their territories by the robberies of France, has effectually slain this supposed second beast previous to the war of Armageddon under the seventh vial, to which period his overthrow is assigned by the prophet. Hence it is manifest, that the second beast certainly cannot be what Mr. Lowman supposes him to be. Paraph. in loc.

(as it were) the head from the body. The fact is, what might appear a contradiction till it was actually fulfilled, the two beasts are two universal empires, not only existing together each under its proper and distinct head, but mutually supporting and strengthening each other. Daniel however declares, that the ten-horned beast is the last universal empire; and yet St. John represents this very beast as co-existing with another beast, or another universal empire: for, that the two beasts are two powers perfectly distinct from each other, is manifest, not only from their different symbolical conformation, but from the express words of the prophet: "I beheld," says he, "another beast." Hence it is plain, that the second apocalyptic beast cannot be a temporal universal empire: both because it is physically impossible, that two temporal empires, each universal so far as the Church is concerned, should exist together; and because, if the second beast of the Apocalypse were a temporal empire, it would be a fifth temporal empire, whereas Daniel declares that there shall only be four. But, if the second beast be not a temporal empire, it must be a spiritual empire; for nothing but a spiritual empire can co-exist with a temporal empire. Accordingly we find this to be the very case: for St. John, as if to prevent the possibility of error, explicitly informs us, that the second beast should be a false prophet,† or an ecclesiastical power; which, under the pretence of a divine commission, should grievously corrupt the genuine Gospel of Christ.+

Here then we have a plain prediction of some spiritual power, which should come in the name of God as a sound evangelical prophet or preacher; which should arrogate to itself universal or catholic authority in religious matters; which should co-exist upon the most friendly terms with the ten-horned temporal empire, instigating it to per

* Mr. Mede more judiciously supposes the second beast to be the Roman pontiff with bis clergy. "Bestia bicornis, sive pseudopropheta, pontifex est Romanus cum suo clero." Com. Apoc. in loc.

+ Compare Rev. xiii. 12—17. with Rev. xix. 20.

"The false prophet," says Bp. Newton very justly, "is a body or succession of men propagating false doctrines, and teaching lies for sacred truths." The second beast is manifestly styled a false prophet in direct opposition to the two mystic witnesses, who are the true prophets of God.

secute, during the space of 42 prophetic months or 1260 years, all such as should dare to dispute its usurped domination; and which, in short, should solve the symbolical problem of two contemporary beasts, by exhibiting to the world the singular spectacle of a complete empire within an empire. Where we are to look for this power, since the great Roman beast was divided into ten horns and during the period of his existence under his last secular head the Carlovingian line of feudal Emperors, let the impartial voice of history determine: and that voice without hesitation will declare, that the catholic church of Rome, the spiritual empire of which the Pope is the allowed head, can alone answer to the prophetic description of such a power.* At its first rise, the Papacy appears in the book of Daniel only as a little horn springing out of the first or secular beast: but that little horn is represented as soon becoming exceeding powerful, and as influencing the actions of the whole beast. When the saints were given into its hand in the year 606, the papal kingdom became an universal spiritual empire; and, as such, it is represented by St. John under the symbol of a distinct beast having a proper head and horns of his own. That the little horn of the Roman beast typifies the same power as the second apocalyptic beast, is manifest indeed from this circumstance. Daniel, who fully delineates the character of the little horn, is entirely silent respecting the two-horned beast; and St. John, who as fully delineates the character of the two-horned beast, is entirely silent respecting the little horn. Accordingly we find, that the little horn, and the two-horned beast, act precisely

*The Papists, by a wonderful fatality, have constantly styled themselves Cathe Pics, and their particular church the Catholic Church; thus holding themselves forth as members of the body of the second beast, or catholic ecclesiastical empire. In this sense of the word, we readily concede to them the title of Catholics; in its genuine sense, as importing members of the spiritual body of Christ, we claim the title no less than themselves. These pretended Catholics the Church of England uniformly denominates Papists; and, as I have no inclination to uncatholicise myself, I have throughout the present work adopted her phraseology in preference to the more fashionable one of the day. I freely allow, that the Papists are members of the catholic beast; but I cannot bring myself to style them Catholics, as if they were the only members of the true catholic church. If protestants, in the height of modern liberality, grant that none but the adherents of the Papacy are real Catholics, they do indeed plead guilty_to the less courteous appellation of Heretics, with which I am not aware that the Fapists have ever ceased to honour us.