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calypse, it is not in the first period of the beast's progress that he exalts himself so superbly, and becomes an object of worship. This exaltation is accomplished for him by the intervention of the second beast, his minister in iniquity, whose office and actions are described in the subsequent part of this chapter. But in this description of the first beast, ch. xiii. 1-9, we may discriminate his gradual progress; 1. under verses 1 & 2, the Roman tyranny under its pagan persecuting emperors, to whom the apostate Christians literally offered incense: -2*. his wound at the accession of Constantine: -3. his recovery, and the and the great admiration of him in his new form:-4. his additional power and increased dominion, when, after his division into ten kingdoms, the little horn of Daniel, the false prophet, springs up in him; when the harlot directs the reins †. The period of 1260 years seems to be that of his renewed life, and of his increased dominion, displayed in verses 5, 6, 7. [" They who dwell in Heaven,”] are not only the heavenly inhabitants, literally speaking, but the faithful Christians on earth, whose "conversa"tion is in Heaven;" whose "building" and home are there; who account themselves "strangers and pil“grims upon earth‡."

Ver. 8. Book of Life.] See note, ch. iii. 5.

Ver. 9. If any one have an ear; &c.] See note, ch. ii. 7.

Ver. 10. If any one leadeth into captivity; &c.] After the fearful picture exhibited of the victorious power of the beast, a comfort is derived from these

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↑ Heb. xi. 9. 13. Eph. ii. 6. 19. 1 Pet. i. 17. They are opposed to "those who inhabit the earth," and who are said to worship the beast, ch. xiii. 3. 8. xvii. 8.

words;

words; which contain an assurance from the Almighty, that the wicked shall not finally prosper. The cause of iniquity sometimes flourishes during a long period, and under various instruments: but the individuals employed to promote its reign, have no lasting enjoyment or prosperity. They suffer in their turn the evils which they introduce, and inflict on others. This great truth in the providential government of God, is exemplified by Dr. Jortin, in the sufferings and deaths of the most noted persecutors*. We have seen it exemplified in our own times, during the progress of the French Revolution. The individuals who chiefly distinguished themselves in overturning legal government and promoting persecution, oppression, a beastly domination, and the overthrow of Christianity, have enjoyed but a precarious and short-lived power. We have seen most of them cut off in the midst of their ambitious career, or consigned to misery in a distant wretched colony.

The saints must be patient; the great day of recompense will surely come t.-"Fear not, little flock; "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." And it is the office of the Messiah to lead captivity captive §.”

* Remarks on Eccl. Hist. vol. iii. pp. 246-322.

Luke xii. 32.

+ Heb.

Psalm lxviii. 18. Eph. iv. 8.

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PART

PART IV.

SECTION IV.

The Beast from the Land, or false Prophet.

11 Καὶ εἶδον άλλο θηρίον αναβαῖνον ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ εἶχε κέραια δύο ὅμοια ἀρνίῳ· καὶ ἐλάλει ὡς 12 δράκων. Καὶ τὴν ἐξεσίαν το πρώτο θηρίε πᾶσαν ποιεῖ

ἐνώπιον αὐτῷ· καὶ ποιεῖ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰς καλοικένίας ἐν αὐτῇ, ἵνα προσκυνήσωσι τὸ θηρίον τὸ πρῶτ τον, ὦ ἐθεραπεύθη ἡ πληγὴ τῆ θανάτε 13 αὐτῷ. Καὶ ποιεῖ

σημεία μεγάλα, ἵνα καὶ τοὺς ποιῇ καλα

βαίνειν ἐκ τῇ ἐραν εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἐνώπιον 14 τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ

πλανᾷ τὸς καλοι καλας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς διὰ τὰ σημεῖα, ἃ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ποιῆσαι ἐνώπιον το θηρία λέγων τοῖς καλοικέ σιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ποιῆσαι εἰκόνα τῷ θηρίῳ, ὃ ἔχει τὴν πληγὴν τῆς μα

CHAP. xiii. VER. 11-to the end.

11 And I beheld another
wild-beast, coming up
out of the land. And
he had two horns like
a Lanıb, and he spake
12 as a dragon. And he |
exerciseth all the

pow-
er of the first beast
before him; and cau-
seth the earth, and
those who dwell there-
in, to worship the
first beast, whose
deadly wound was
13 healed. And he doeth

great wonders; so that he even maketh fire to come down from heaven, upon the earth, 14 before men. And he

deceiveth those who dwell upon the earth, by the wonders which were given him to do before the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, to make an image to the beast, who hath the wound of the sword, and did 15 live. And it was given

11 And I beheld another

beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as 12 a dragon. And he ex

erciseth all the power

of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound. 13 was healed. And he

doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth, in 14 the sight of men. And

deceiveth them that dwell on the earth, by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, say. ing to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword, 15 and did live. And he

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χαῖρας, καὶ ἔζησε. 15 Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ δέναι πνεῦμα τῆ εἰκόνι τα θηρία, ἵνα καὶ λαλήσῃ ἡ εἰκὼν τα θηρία,και ποιήσῃ, ὅσοι ἂν μὴ προσκυ νησῶσι τὴν εἰκόνα το θηρία, ἵνα ἀποκίαν 16 θῶσι. Καὶ ποιεῖ πάνας, της μικρές καὶ τὰς μεγάλης, καὶ τις πλεσίες καὶ rès właxes, xxi τὲς ἐλευθέρως καὶ τὰς δέλες, ἵνα δῶσιν αὐτοῖς χάραμα ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν τῆς δεξιᾶς, ἐπὶ Tñs dežūs, ʼn imì τῶν μελώπων αὐτῶν. 17 Καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται ἀγοράσαι ἢ πωλῆσαι, εἰ μὴ ἔχων τὸ χάραμα, τὸ ὄνομα τὸ θηρία, ἢ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τὸ 18 ονόματος αὐτῇ. Ωδε ἡ σοφία ἐγίν· ὁ ἔχων νῦν, ψηφισάτω τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῷ θηρίε· ἀριθμὸς γὰς ἀνθρώ πεἰτὶ, καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς αὐτῇ χει

him to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should even

speak; and he should cause that as many as should not worship

the image of the beast 16 should be slain. And he causeth all, both the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, that they should give them a mark upon their right hands, or upon their foreheads. 17 [And] that no one might be able to buy or sell, but he who hath the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his 18 name. Herein is the wisdom; let him that hath understanding, calculate the number of the beast: for it is a number of a man; and his number is 666.

had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast, should be 16 killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in 17 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 18 name.

Here is wis

dom. Let him that understanding,

hath

count the number of

the beast: for it is the number of a maņ; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.

Ver. 11. Another wild beast-out of the land.] 'Hy, the land, in opposition to

acce, the sea,

signifies the Israel; the peculiar people of God; the

* See note, ch. viii. 7.

Jews,

Jews, so long as they continued such; but, after the Divine rejection of them, the Gentiles; who now, during the 1260 years, tread the courts of the Lord's Temple*. This beast therefore ariseth from among the professed Christians. He is of the kind foretold by St. Paul; "grievous wolves, not sparing the flock; "also of your ownselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things;" &c. † Thus also Saint John describes antichrist ἐξ ἡμων-αλλ' οὐκ ἐξ ἡμων:—he is a Christian in pretence, but in fact an enemy to the faith‡: and he propagates new doctrines, and seduces or forces others from the ancient faith §. This is the spirit of antichrist which began to shew itself even in St. John's days, but was to be manifested in full growth at that later period, which seems foretold in this passage of the Apocalypse.

Ib. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.] Horns signify power, and two horns two branches, into which that power is divided. They are of the same beast; a power of the same kind; but exercised in two separate divisions or kingdoms. They are made to appear like the horns of a lamb, professing to be that spiritual power which belongs to the Lamb, and is peculiar to his kingdom; to the kingdom of Christ. They are, in short, ecclesiastical powers. But though their outward seeming be such, not such is their reality. This beast is no lamb,-he is the very wolf in sheep's clothing, foretold by our Lord; after which passage the venerable Ignatius calls false prophets and deceivers in the Church λυκοι αξιοπιςοι. This beast

* See notes, ch. ii. 9; vii. 4; xi. 1.
+ Acts xx. 29, 30. Phil. iii. 2.
§ 1 John ii. 24, 25, 26; iv. 2, &c.
See note, ch. v 6; xvii. 12.

‡ 1 John ii, 18, 19.

2 John 6, 7.

Matt. vii. 15. xiii. 22.

is

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