REMARKS ON REVELATION.

CHAPTER THIRTEENTH.

REV. xiii. 1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

In this verse we are taught that John had a vision, and saw himself standing among the tumultuous nations of the earth; and he saw the Roman kingdom rise up out of the nations, having seven forms, or all kinds of governments, seven being a perfect number in this prophecy. Heads denote governments, or supreme power: 1, Republican; 2, Consular; 3, Decemvir; 4, Dictatorial; 5, Triumvirate; 6, Imperial; 7, Kingly. John saw until the Roman was divided into ten kingdoms, all jointly reigning at one time over these ten separate kingdoms, denoted by ten crowns; and this kingdom was a blasphemous power, because they claimed the ecclesiastical power or authority over mind, and dictated how and what men should worship.

2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

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The Roman kingdom, John saw, was like the Grecian in conquering the world; and his march, or power to tread under foot, was equal to that of the Medo-Persian kingdom. His laws and commands were as lion-like as Babylon, and as imperious as Nebuchadnezzar's decree. The Emperor of Rome, who had obtained power by means of the arch-deceiver of mankind, the devil, Rev. xii. 9, having received his august, supreme power over all nations, and exercised the ecclesiastical power of Paganism over the people of the earth-he, the Emperor, called "the dragon" in the text, would destroy or take Paganism out of the way, 2 Thess. ii. 6, 8; and would give the saints into the power of the Bishop of Rome, Daniel vii. 25. Thus the Emperor Justinian did give the Pope of Rome power over all the Christian churches, eastern and western, and gave him "his seat," the city of Rome in the west; he also gave him great or supreme authority in his pandect or code of laws. This was in the year A. D. 538; from which time the Pope exercised his supreme power over the saints and kings of the

3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered after the beast.

John saw the blasphemous Pagan head wounded to death and taken away, and the Papacy take its place as a supreme head. Then the deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondered when they saw the power of the Pope of the Roman kingdom.

4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

And they worshipped Justinian, the Emperor of Rome, submitted to his arms and Orthodoxy, and they worshipped the kingdom of Rome, saying, boastingly, Who is able to make war with the kingdom of Rome ?

5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

A mouth was given to the Pope, or Papal civil power, to speak great words or things and blasphemies, claiming universal power over the kings and kingdoms of the earth, as vicegerent of God; and he was to exercise this power forty-two months, or

1260 literal years, beginning A. D. 538, and ending A. D. 1798. Dan. vii. 10, 20, 21, 25; 2 Thess. ii. 4.

6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

The Papal power blasphemes God by calling himself by names which belong only to God; claiming the offices and power of a God, by his pretended power to forgive sin, not only in this world, but in the place of departed spirits. He blasphemes them which dwell in heaven, by praying to, and teaching others to worship and to pray to the departed saints. He also blasphemes the tabernacle of God by calling the city of Rome a holy city, and their abominable places of idolatry and sin, holy places.

7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

This Papal kingdom will make war with all real Christians and churches, who will not obey the laws of the Catholic church. This power will make war upon and overcome the kingdoms and nations of the world. This prophecy has been literally fulfilled for more than twelve centuries past.