the year of Chrift 95, when and where he wrote these words. It is univerfally known, that the imperiał government was then in existence. "And the o"ther is not yet come, and when he cometh he "must continue a fhort space." After the imperial government fhould be diffolved, another, or as the word in the original imports, one of a different kind from any of the seven forms of govern ment should come, and continue for a short space of time, before the beaft exhibited in the vision fhould arife.

The imperial government continued for 377 years after John wrote this book. At laft, impe-, rial Rome, the proud mistress of the world, crushed by her own greatnefs, weakened by her own luxury, and impoverished by her immenfe riches, fell an eafy prey to the Goths and other northern barbarous nations. Momillus, who was alfo called Auguftulus, the last of the emperors, overcome by Odoacer king of the Heruli, abdicated the empire, A. D. 476. At that time, the empire was diffolved; and in that fatal year Rome ceafed to be what fhe had always been fince the days of Romulus, a feat of government. Odoacer did not refide at Rome, nor take the title of Rome, or any other title borrowed from the city of Rome. He was ftiled king of Italy. When Theodoric, the first Gothic king of Italy, conquered Odoacer, A.D. 494, he made Ravenna the feat of the Gothic

kingdom

kingdom of Italy. The whole western empire was parcelled out into diftinct and independent kingdoms, among the different barbarous nations who had overrun and diffolved it. The city of Rome was not the feat of any government, for any part of the time that Italy was in the hands of the Goths, and other northern nations.

After a confiderable time, Juftinian, the emperor of the Eaftern empire, fent his armies into Italy, under the command of the great generals Belifarius and Narfes. They broke the power of the Gothic kingdom, and recovered the greatest part of Italy to the obedience of the emperors of Conftantinople. The Greek emperors adminiftered the government of Italy by lieutenants, under the title of Dukes of Italy. Narfes was made the firft Duke of Italy, A. D. 553.

Of this government of Italy Sigonius thus writes, De Regno Italiæ, p. 3. "Exactis autem "Gothis, expulfór ipfe victorque Narses a Justini

ano imperatore fummæ rerum præpofitus, titulo "Ducis Italici fumpto; Italiam per hos provin"ciarum præfectos, pro fuo arbitrio, administra"vit." That is, "But the Goths being driven "out of Italy, the victorious Narfes himself, who "had driven them out, was intrufted with the "chief adminiftration of affairs by the emperor Juftinian, under the title of Duke of Italy; and "he administered the affairs of Italy by thefe lieu

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"tenants of provinces, according to his own plea"fure."

About the year 568, the Lombards invaded, and made themfelves mafters of almoft all Italy, except Rome and Ravenna. At this time, though Rome belonged to the Eaftern emperor, yet that city was not the feat of government; the governor refided at Ravenna, under. the title of the Exarch of Ravenna; and Rome was only a small dukedom under the Exarchate. This Exarch of Ravenna was the other, or one of a different kind, who fhould come, and who actually came after the empire was diffolved. nk to 1:24

But he was to continue only for a fhort space. This prediction was alfo verified. For Longinus, was made the first Exarch, A. D. 568, and Eutichius was the laft, when Aiftulphus king of the Lombards took Ravenna, A D. 752. Sigon. de Regno Italie, pages 8, and 374 So that he continued only 185 years, which is a fhort space, when compared with the 382 years which the emperors were to continue after the vifion, or the 1243 years the. he Papal head of government was to continue, bodo tule

From the year 752 to the year 756, the time was fpent by negotiations between Aiftulphus and Pope Stephen II. and by wars and negotiations between Aiftulphus and Pepin king of France, until, in the year 756, Pepin vetted Pope Stephen II.

with the temporal dominion of Rome, which he and his fucceffors have kept ever fince, Sigon. de Regno Italia, p. 75,-80.

"And the beast that was and is not, even he is "the eighth, and is of the feven." The beaft in the vifion was to fucceed the Exarch of Ravenna, and on that account, may be called the eighth form of government in Rome, when the Exarch is counted as one of them. But, according to the fymbol of the seven heads, as explained by the angel to fignify feven mountains and feven kings in union, the Exarch is not to be counted; because the feat of his government was Ravenna; and not Rome, the city built upon feven mountains None are to be counted among the kings, fignified by the feven heads, except thofe who had for the feat of their government the city on the feven hills; and hence, when you take into the count the Exarch, that one of a different kind from the reft, the beast in the vifion will be the eighth; but when you count only thofe who have all agreed in this leading feature, that they had their feat of government in the city of Rome, then the beaft is one of the feven. As fix of the feven were paft before the Exarch, and as the beaft in the vifion hath arifen immediately after the Exarch, he muft be the feventh. Is not the Papal the only form of government which hath had the city of Rome for its feat fince the diffolution of the empire' under Momillus ?

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Momillus? Was not the imperial, which ended in Momillus, the fixth form of government which had its feat in the city of Rome? After the diffolution of the empire, and the unsettled state of Italy under the northern barbarians, none of whom had Rome for the feat of their government, did not the Exarch of Ravenna govern it for a fhort time as a small dukedom under him, while he had his feat of government in Ravenna? And did not Pepin king of France raise Pope Stephen II. to the temporal dominion of Rome, with the city of Rome for his feat of government, A. D. 756? Is not therefore the Papal government of Rome the beaft with the feven heads? Hath that government, with that feat of it, continued for 1034 years? Is not this a ftrong prefumption that it shall continue for the remaining 209 years of the 1243, for which this book fays he should continue.

"And goeth into perdition." He is the laft head of Roman government, for the beaft had only feven heads: When the seventh head, therefore, receives a deadly wound, the beast itself muft die. The Papal and the Roman government fhall both end together in the year 1999.

This key, "he is the eighth and is of the feven," fo exactly fits all the uncommon wards of that lock which is to be opened by it, that when deliberately examined, it appears to exceed all created skill. Had John faid the beaft was the seventh, the vo