which they reserve the kingdom, power and glory to themselves.

Seventh, refusing the laity the use of the Scriptures; thus keeping them in perpetual ignorance.

Eighth, impressing the laity with the belief that their church possesses all power in heaven and earth.

Ninth, the laity are not to doubt what the church commands, under penalty of hell fire and damnation, which the church has power over.

Verse 14: "And he deceiveth them that dwell upon the earth by reason of those miracles which he hath power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had a wound by the sword, and did live." It would be a toilsome and disagreeable work to mention all the arts of deception used by bishops from the days of Constantine to the fall of the western empire, and from thence to the completion of the papal power. During the long reign of error ignorance and superstition, the pure, simple precepts of the gospel were neglected. On the deadly wound of the imperial head, the bishops took advantage of the distracted state of Europe, chose one of their own number, and placed him as universal head over their new spiritual empire, by the name of papa or pope, and pretended that the popes descended in a right line from Peter, whom they also said was the chief or prince of the apostles.

Thus the bishops deceived those that dwell on the earth, and made a pope, or image of universal power, and caused men to fear and fall down before him, and thus rejected the Savior, their true Lord. It is very remarkable that a bishop, since those days, is not content with the Lord Jesus Christ as head of the church. He must have either pope, emperor or king to reign over him.

Verse 15: "And he 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 killed." It is well known that the popes have no power until they receive it from the bishops and cardinals. These first create him. The power he receives he exercises for them, and gives sanction to their exercise of power over all of the inferior clergy and the laity. Thus they are mutually a creation of their own self-dependent, self-existent, self-controlled hostile to the laws of God, and to the rights of man.

The bishops being established in their different sees through most parts of Europe, at that time, and allied by kindred to the first families in it, they maintained the papal power, and gave life and energy to the image.

Again, this image, by and with the advice and consent of of the bishops, enacted canons and laws, whereby all who would not obey and worship it should be killed. These truths are so well attested, and the text so clearly points them out, that further explanation on this head is unneces

sary.

Verse 16: "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." This also points distinctly at a practice of the bishops, for these reasons:

First, The inferior clergy, the bishops' obedient creatures, are appointed to administer the sacrament of baptism to all, both small and great, rich and poor, bond and free, and this act cannot be performed without putting on the infant this mark, which is the sign of the cross.

Second, at the sacrament of confirmation, as it is called, which can only be administered by a bishop, the following remarkable language is used: "I sign thee with the sign of the cross, and I confirm thee with the chrism of salvation, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost."

Third, none are admitted, either small or great, rich or poor, bond or free, to the sacrament of the eucharist, in the

Roman church, until they are confirmed by a bishop, and

receive this mark.

Fourth, the laity are taught to put this mark on themselves, which they must do with the right hand, beginning at the forehead.

In these facts are convincing proofs of the truth of this prophecy. According to the Scriptures, the cross was an instrument of torture, for the putting to death of criminals of the worst description, by the ancient Romans and Jews. When the empire was changed, and got the name of Christian, the cross came into high estimation, and none were put to death on it. But when popery was established, it became an object of veneration; and in Romish countries, they pretend to show so many pieces of the cross on which our Savior suffered, that if Simon of Cyrene had had the strength of an elephant, he could not have carried it.

The general estimation in which the cross was held under the imperial head was owing to the extraordinary pretension of Constantine that a sign in the shape of a cross appeared to him in the heavens, with the inscription, " In this overcome," upon it, as he was on an expedition to overthrow Maxentius, who then was in possession of Rome. In order to make his imposture successful, by exciting enthusiasm among his ignorant soldiery, he caused a royal standard to be made, like that he had seen in the heavens, and commanded it to be carried before him in his wars, as an ensign of victory and celestial protection. The believers in this "miracle" declare that it was seen by the whole army, and yet say it caused forebodings. It seems improbable that had it been a veritable miracle designed to encourage, it would have discouraged the army; and that a promise of victory written. on the heavens could have caused foreboding.

Most of his soldiers were

But the true explanation is this. of the Christian persuasion, while he was a pagan.

The

surest way in which he could attach these to his interest was

to make a profession of their faith, and in a manner to imply sincerity. The course he pursued shows deep policy, and stirred up a barbarous enthusiasm which else would not have existed, and which when directed against the pagan Maxentius, overthrew him.

When Constantine entered Rome, after his victory, he caused the cross to be placed at the right hand ef his statue, and ordained that in future, no one should suffer death on the cross. From this time the cross became a household god in the Roman countries; and from it was taken the form of the mark of the beast.

In the apostles' days the cross was deemed odious. They called death upon it the shameful death of the cross.-. -Heb. 13: 2. Christ being made a curse for us, for it is written cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.—Gal. 3: 13. Other passages might be cited of a similar purport. But, as if intent upon reversing the whole plan, spirit, and tendency of the gospel, the Romish church have selected this object of abhorence of the primitive church as an object of ardent adoration. What is this but crucifying Christ afresh, and putting him to an open shame ?

Verse 17: "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." When popery reigned triumphant, all who dissented from its communion, were deemed heretics and schismatics. These were sentenced to the most cruel deaths, of which many instances are recorded. None were suffered to carry on any commercial intercourse save those who had the mark, the name, or the number of the bishops. Our historical records bear clear evidence that this regulation included the whole papal connexion, and was a distinctive feature of that church at every stage of its existence.

Verse 18: "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

Many opinions there are concerning this number. It is thought by some that it is found in the numerical letters of the pope's title. Others in a title given to the pope Paul V, Paulo quinto vice Deo. Efforts have been made to find it in the word Latinas, and again in the Hebrew word Romith. All these can only be applied to the pope as an individual. It is the number of the two horned beast that we want; and it is best to follow the prophet's direction, and count the number of the bishops within the papal jurisdiction when at its meridian height. They were as follows:

The whole number of these added is six hundred sixty-six, the number of the text. Here are the countries in which the papal bishops, or two horned beast, resided, and maintained the jurisdiction of the image. They never extended beyond this limit in Europe. Muscovy and Greece being either of the mahomedan faith or adhering to the Greek or eastern church, the beast was unable to penetrate there. In America and its islands, there are about fifty Romish bishops, but they are not of the image, or pope. The king of Spain has the nomination of these bishops by a trick which he played on the pope at the time of the discovery of these countries. This famous number of six hundred sixty-six was greatly reduced by the Reformation. The French Rev