"ceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by means "of those miracles which he had power to do in "the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image "for the beast, which had the wound by a sword "and did live. And it was given unto him to give "life unto the beast's image, in order that the "beast's image should even speak, and in order "that he might cause that as many as would not worship the beast's image should be killed. "And he canseth all, both small and great, rich poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in

" and

authority thus symbolically described. In our present version it appears as if the bringing down of fire was itself one of the beast's miracles: whereas the participle iva signifies in order that not so that. To justify the common version, the particle le ought to have occupied the place of iva. Thus, after the Apostle has mentioned the different gifts conferred upon the Church, he adds that they were so conferred, "in order that 66 we henceforth should be no more children;" iva μηκετι ωμεν vo (Ephes. iv. 14.). Thus also the same Apostle exhorts us come boldly unto the throne of grace in order that we may "obtain mercy:" iva naßwuer eλeo (Heb. iv. 16.). Thus again, on the other hand, St. Mark informs us, that "Jesus yet an"swered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled:" dels bavμaţeir tor

to

alor (Mark xv. 5.). And thus St. Paul informs the Corinthians, that God comforted him both by the coming of Titus, and by their fervent mind toward him, "so that," says he, “ I rejoiced the more:" wole μs parrow xapnvas (2 Cor. vii. 7.). There are three other passages, besides this in the Apocalypse, where in order that is by our translators erroneously rendered so that: Luke xvi. 26. Rom. i. 20, and Galat. v. 17.

* That is to say, the beast, not the image, might cause. See Dr. Doddridge and Archdeacon Woodhouse in loc.

8

"their

"their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the "mark, or 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."

I. A commentator upon the prophecies of Daniel and St. John can never be too much upon his guard against the fascinating idea, that he may expect to find every passing event of his own day there predicted. Before he ventures to introduce any exposition founded upon present circumstances, he ought to make it clearly appear, that it both accords with the chronological order so carefully preserved in those prophecies, that it strictly harmonizes with the language of symbols, and that it demonstrates every part of the prediction to tally exactly with its supposed accomplishment. How far I have attended to this sound canon of interpretation in the remarks already made upon the character of the king who was to magnify himself above every God, upon the scoffers of the last days, and upon the tremendous calamities conceived to have been introduced by the blast of the thind woe-trumpet, the cautious reader must decide. My object, however I may have succeeded, has been the serious investigation of truth, not the mere estabishment of a system. I have endeavoured to the best of my judgment to follow prophecy, not to lead it to my own preconceived scheme of exposition. Respecting

T3

Respecting this second apocalyptic beast, truth constrains me to say, that neither Mr. Kett, nor Mr. Galloway, appear to me to have attended to the foregeing canon in their remarks upon its prophetic character.

1. Mr. Kett thinks, that the second beast and the image are Infidelity and Democratic tyranny; that the two horns of the beast are the German illuminati and French pseudo-philosophers; and that the particular democratic tyranny symbolized by the image is the revolutionary republic of France. Having laid down these principles, he observes (what no doubt is perfectly true), that it was Infi'delity, which so bewitched the minds of the people as to induce them to set up the atheistical republic; and that, when the image was thus set up, it caused as many as would not worship it to be killed *. He further observes, that all, both high and low, rich and poor, were compelled to wear a mark in their foreheads, the tri-coloured cockade, as acknowledging the authority of the beast and his image; and that those, who refused this badge of democratic atheism, were formerly proscribed, and deprived of the common rights of humanity t

I may here repeat my former observation, that it was not the image which caused such as, would not worship it to be slain, but the beast.

*

Mr. Kett does not expressly say this; but I fancy it is what he means. See Hist. the Interp. vol. i. p. 396, 420.

Hist. the Interp. vol. i. p. 418, 419; vol. ii. p. 152-208,

In this interpretation Mr. Kett has only noticed such parts of the prophecy as apparently accord with it: he is totally silent respecting several particulars, which are altogether inapplicable to Infi-. delity and Revolutionary France. Such being the case, his interpretation cannot be valid: for no exposition of a prophecy is admissible, except the prophecy agree with its supposed accomplishment: in every particular*-St. John describes the second beast as "doing great wonders, in order that he

may make fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men; and as deceiving "them that dwell on the earth by means of those

miracles, which he had power to do in the sight. "of the first beast." The second beast therefore. must plainly be some power, which comes, like the man of sin, with signs and lying wonders, deceiving. for a season the whole world with pretended miracles. Such a character as this however by no means answers to Infidelity. Modern philosophers; so far from making any claims to miraculous powers, take a pleasure in scoffing at even the real miracles recorded in. Scripture. How is it possible then that Infidelity can be the second beast? So again: if we ask an unprejudiced reader of

* It is much to be doubted, whether the very principle of this interpretation be admissible, independent of all the objections to which it is liable. It seems to me so little agreeable to symbolical analogy to term Infidelity a beast or an universal visible empire, that I should certainly not have ventured myself to bring forward such an explanation of the symbol in question.

the whole prediction relative to the two apocalyptic beasts, what his sentiments are respecting them; Ire will answer, that, whatever powers those two beasts, may symbolize, they are evidently two coexisting powers, linked together in the closest manner, perfectly friendly to each other, and apparently contributing their mutual strength for the accomplishment of some common design. I confidently appeal to any person not previously wedded to some favourite system, whether this be not the plain and obvious meaning of the prophecy *. Now, whether the first beast be the Papacy, as Mr. Kett supposes, or the Ronian empire in its divided state after it had elapsed into idolatry, as I have endeavoured to prove; in either case, if Infidelity be the second beast, it certainly has shrewn itself the very reverse of being friendly to the first beast for the anti-social part of the Jacobin con

*This point is so self-evident, that some commentators have thence run into the very contrary extreme to that of Mr. Kett; and have imagined, that the two beasts are actually one and the sume power, 'or, as they express it, the sume Antichrist under twɑ different symbols (See Pol. Synop. in.loc.). Indeed either this, or something very nearly akin to it, is the fault chargeable upon the systems both of Mr. Mede, Bp. Newton, Dr. Zouch, and Mr. Whitaker. Such an opinion, although certainly not agreeable to the plain declaration of the Apostle, who assures as that the second beast is " another beast" and therefore not the slime as the first beast, serves at least to shew, that none of these commentators ever supposed the two beasts to be hostile to each other. Mr. Mede justly remarks, that they are linked together by the strongest bonds of friendship: summa neces"situdine inter se devinctæ.*

ke

spiracy