exactly as I, V, X, L, C, D, does in our reckoning. For as these letters make 666, according to the Roman reckoning; fo does Lateinos when written in Greek, as is obvious even to Tyros, in that language.

ΛΑΤΕΙΝΟΣ

30 I 300 5 10 50 70 200

400 IO 10

מ

40

1

י

200

S

Sum Total 666.

It also merits our attention, that the Hebrew word Romiith, which fignifies the Roman beaft, or Roman kingdom *, contains the exact number 666, according to the numeral value of the Hebrew letters, n Sum total 666. As the apoftle, though writing in Greek, made fometimes ufe of Hebrew names, as Abaddon, chap. ix. 11. and Armageddon, chap. xvi. 16.: fo might he likewise in this place allude to the name of the beast in the Hebrew language. These are the two languages in which God gave his oracles to his church: and is it not surprizing that there should be fuch a fatal co-incidence in both the names, Lateinos and Romiith? that they should both contain the juft and exact number of 666? One afferts, and I believe truly, that no other word, in any language whatever, can be found to express both the fame number, and the same thing †.' But, 2. It feems to me, that as the number of the beaft's name points out who he is; fo alfo when he fhould appear. The time of his continuance is

ftood.

Haijah, beat; or Mamlaca, kingdom, muft be under

+ Dr. Newton on Proph. Vol. III. p. 246,-248. Turret, de Seceff. Difput. VII. Sect. 35. Pictet. Theol. Chret. lib. xiv. cap. 19. fect.

II.

fignified in the fifth verse, to be forty-two months; that is, twelve hundred and fixty days, the fame time that the two witneffes fhould prophecy in fackcloth, chap. xi. 3. and equivalent to the time of the woman's abode in the wilderness, chap. xii. 14. But after all, it was natural for John to fay, When fball these things be? When fhall the forty-two months, the reign of the beast commence? Add to this, that it was God's path-way, to fhew his fervants to whom he revealed his fecrets, the period when he would make bare his arm to bring deliverence: fo to Abraham he faid, Thy feed fhall be afflicted four hundred years, Gen. xv. 13. which period behoved to commence with the affliction of: his feed, Ifaac. To Daniel he faid, Know, that: from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerufalem, fhall be feventy weeks, Dan. ix. 24, 25.; that is, four hundred and ninety years, taking a day for a year, according to scripture reckoning. Having this key in our hand, we may, I think, know the time when the beaft should appear.

--

That the fecond beaft mentioned, Rev. xiii. 11. is materially the fame with the first mentioned ver. 1, 2. I take for granted *. I cannot think

* I cannot think with fome, that by the other beast, mentioned ver. 11. is meant Mahomet: but judge, with the cur-.. rent of Proteftant writers, that he is the Romish Antichrift, confidered in a different point of view, from that under which he was held forth, ver. 1. He is described as exercising all the power of the first beast, and causing the inhabitants of the earth to worship him, ver. 12.; and as hindering every man to buy, or fell, fave they who have the mark, the name, or the number of that beaft's name, ver. 17. But fuch offices, Mahomet never

that the

however with a late German critic †, beast's number, 666, is the same with the fortytwo months, during which he was to continue.

did for the Romish Antichrift. I therefore cordially give into their fentiments, who think, that by the second beast, is meant the Pope and his clergy. That man of fin, is to be confidered in two lights: either as the pretended head of all temporal power; or, as the fole fountain of all spiritual. View him in the first light, and he is the beaft with feven heads, and ten borns, ver. I. For, to the beaft the ten kings, fignified by the ten horns, give their power and firength, chap. xvii. 12, 13.-Confider him in the fecond light, viz. as the pretended fource of all spiritual power, and he has two horns like a lamb, and speaks as a dragon. He pretends the greatest mildness and innocence, as if he were a lamb; yea, while he speaks and acts like a dragon, he still avers his innocence. For, in butchering mens bodies, he pretends to blifs their fouls. Gibbets, and fires, and racks, are all for this falutary purpose. The two horns of the Romish lamb, are thought by fome, to denote the two orders of the Popish clergy, regular and fecular.

Thus by the two beafts, the Pope is pointed out in his twofold pretended power, temporal and fpiritual, Under the emblem of the first beaft, he is confidered as making one body with the ten horns, or kings: under the notion of the second, he is a head to the clergy, making one body with them. In the one cafe, he acts by civil power, warring against the faints, and overcoming them: in the other, by spiritual, as excommunication, pardons, difpenfations, &c. accordingly he is defcribed as working miracles, ver. 14. It is obvious, that this second beast working miracles in the fight of the first, is elfewhere called, The false prophet, chap. xix. 20. The Pope, as head of the ecclefiaftic body, by his pretended miracles, ftrengthens his hand as head of the civil: the one power tends to promote the other. In this sense the falfe prophet is distinguished from the beaft, though in another fenfe they are one. And that one, and the felf-fame enemy fhould be represented nder the emblem of different beafts, is nothing ftrange, when

↑ Bengelii Gnomon Novi Teftamenti,

That, instead of throwing light, cafts a cloud upon the fubject. The number 666, must be referred to time; and what fo natural, as to think of fo many years? Taking it thus, it fignifies, that 666 years fhould run, and then the beaft fhould rise up out of the earth; then he fhould appear in his full power. In this view of the matter, the number of the beaft, points out when he fhould appear. This number must refpect fome future period, as a paft period is faid to be numbered. So Daniel faid to Belshazzar, God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it, Dan. v. 26.

The number of the beaft is 666; i. e. as we take it, there were from that date to be 666 years until the beaft fhould come. Now, when was it that John had this revelation? The general received opinion is, that it was about the year 94; and if to this we add 666, it will bring us down

we recollect, that in this very book, the true head of the church is held forth both as a Lion, and a Lamb, chap. v. 5, 6. Though one perfon, he sustains both characters; a Lion to protect his church, and a Lamb flain to atone for her fin. A Lamb, in his tranfactions with God; and a Lion, to destroy the destroyer.

There is an infernal three mentioned, as give rife to all the troubles of the church: the dragon, ver. 2.; the beaft rifing out of the fea, ver. 1.; and that other beast coming out of the earth, or the falfe prophet, ver. 11. And accordingly, when the Halfyon days of the church fhall come, these three enemies shall be taken out of the way. The dragon fhall be bound a thousand years, and caft into the bottomlefs pit, chap. xx. 2, 3. and the beast and the falfe prophet fhall be caft alive into a lake of fire, burning with brimftone, chap. xix. 20. See Goodwin and Durham on the Revelation.

H

to the year 760. And, what took place about that time? Something very remarkable indeed. For, in the year 755, or, according to some 75 6, the Papacy received the temporal power, and became the beaft, or was conftituted the last government of Rome. For, at that time Pepin, king of France, recovered Ravenna from the Lombards; which, with the territory about it, he conferred on the Pope, who thereby became a temporal prince. This territory was granted to the church, as St. Peter's patrimony. And the Popes, being now temporal princes, did no longer date their epiftles and bulls by the years of the Emperor's reign, but by the years of their own Pontificate, or advancement to the Papal chair. In the year 606, Boniface III. got himself declared universal bishop and head of the church, and affumed the title of Pope. But ftill he and his fucceffors, were without any temporal dominion; their fupremacy was fomehow limited by the civil powers. But now in the year 756, the Pope having obtained the Exarchate of Ravenna, and being feated as a temporal prince at Rome, independent on any civil power, the project of fpiritual monarchy was perfected and confirmed. Now the beast rofe out of the earth: now Rome came under a new form of

government. -Thus from the number of the beast, it appears, that the Pope of Rome is that beaft; and confequently the Antichrift, the enemy of Chrift and his people *.

*Lowman's preface to his paraphrafe on the Revelation, p. 33, 34. Mofheim's hiftory, Vol. I. p. 353, 354.

I am the more confirmed, that the number of the beast points