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nity, or supernatural power to the Gregorian succession of the Roman hierarchy, whatever its pretence or plausibility may be. Whoever acknowledges the Gregorian Papacy as of divine origin, power and authority, or confides his soul's eternal interest to its boasting pretensions, as possessing all power in heaven and earth for remission of sins and acceptance with God, and assists in the propagation of its spirit and corruption in doctrine and worship; he it is who worships the beast, and his name is not written in the book of life of the Lamb.

However, according to this prophecy, the worship of the beast has different degrees, with annexed pauses, something new being added in every degree; and as the tense changes all at once in this verse to the future, they shall worship him, that damnable offence against the Lord here spoken of, will probably consist in something more, than what has hitherto been practised and which shall great- ́ ly increase the guilt of this heinous worship. This criminal worship will yet, at a future period, rise to a great height. The earth here signifies the Roman empire, and those who dwell on the earth, are the earthly-minded men of the world, who make earthly honours, pleasures, and profits their sole or principal aim. All these will be induced to admire and adore the beast; but, the Lord be praised, these only, and true believers will be saved, whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb, as such who abide in the Lord and endure to the end, Joh. xv, 6. Math. XXIV, 13. This book is termed the book of the Lamb, because Christ the Lamb of God is the author of it, John XIII, 18. and the giver of the life it promises. He is said to be slain from the foundation of the world, namely, by the fore-appointment of God for the redemption of the human family, and in allusion to the Passover-lamb of the Israelites. From this expression it would moreover appear, that the worspippers of the beast seek salvation by good works, and not in the death

and sufferings of Christ; or that they even deny in those days the all sufficiency of his merits for the eternal salvation of mankind. May the Lord preserve us in the pu rity of his worship, when that day of trial shall arrive!

JUST RETRIBUTION.

Verse 9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10. He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The sovereign rulers of Europe have often turned cruel persecutors of the old witnesses, and in more modern times, of the Protestants; but always, either by the instigation of the Roman pontiff and his clergy, or in order to make themselves more agreeable to that imperious court. However since the middle of the last century, the Roman Catholic powers have gradually adopted the maxim, that the Roman see had no right or authority, to interfere in the temporal concerns of the world. This great change of measures, so important to the peace and happiness of Europe, was brought about by the unanimous exertions of three eminent Ministers, who then held the reins of government in the Roman Catholic world. They were the Marquis of Pombal at Lisbon, the Duke of Choiseul at Versailles, and Prince Kaunitz at Vienna. These great counsellors procured the banishment of the Jesuits, the strongest pillar of the Papacy, and thus commenced the downfall of the Roman hierarchy and power of the Pope; which was greatly accelerated by the enterprizing exertions of the emperor Joseph II. From this time, the papal pretensions met with evasive answers, and the pontiffs retained in Catholic kingdoms, only an in

significant power, even within the limits of the Church. Though the Pope exhibited glorious canonizations, filled the Church and almanacks with new saints, and made every effort to support his tottering fabrick; yet since that period only the uninformed multitude remained worshippers of the beast, and believed in his pretensions to supernatural power and authority. He retained his supremacy and power in the Catechism, and among the clerical orders; but the more enlightened in every country assisted to tie his hands, while they kissed his feet. The infallibility of the Pope, of which the ecclesiastical orders have boasted so many centuries, was considered a chimera even at Rome, while it was still believed in distant countries, and has now met with an almost general disregard.

However, the foregoing efforts against the Papacy, had their desired influence more particularly on the higher classes of society. The second preparatory cause for the righteous judgments of retaliation on the papal hierarchy, began to operate about the same time, and with a more general influence on all ranks in Christendom. It was that flood of infidelity and political innovation, which since the days of those arch-infidels, Voltaire, Rousseau, their associates, and the German Illuminati, has deluged every Christian country of the civilized world. As it was their common and principal aim, to deify reason and reject all Revelation, it followed of course, that they hurled superstition, and with it the papal hierarchy from the throne. By these instruments, the minds of the multitude were prepared for the succeeding horrors of the French Revolution.

These two verses now under consideration, contain a general and brief declaration of God's righteous judgments of retaliation on the beast and his abettors, throughout the whole extent of his empire. They are afterward specified in the account of the seven vials of the wrath of

God, chap. XVI; for these judgments and the contents of the vials are the same. They terminate the 666 years of power and prosperity of the beast of the sea, and are announced by that important call to attention, If any man have an ear let him hear! By these words we are informed, that in the days of these judgments, but a few of the adherents of the beast will lend an ear to this prophecy, and consider these judgments in their true and proper light. Infidelity would then be almost general, and the scoffers of religion so numerous, that even those few who have an ear, stand in need of admonition to osberve the righteous deeds of God. There would be but a few, and these few would communicate and unbosom themselves only privately, into an ear: We are verily guilty concerning our brethren the Vallenses, Albigenses, Waldenses, Lollards, Wickliffites, Hussites and the Protestants, whom we have so cruelly persecuted, in that we saw the anguish of their souls, when they besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us, Gen. XLII, 21. We have led into captivity, and now we go into captivity; we have killed with the sword, and now we are killed with the sword.

This judgment of righteous retribution has been executed in part in our own time against the beast and his adherents, and this prophecy accomplished before our own eyes, in the French revolution. The Papacy, and the whole Romish Church was thereby cruelly afflicted, and shaken to its very basis. These terrible and bloody scenes fell principally on the heads of the Roman catholic clergy, and the most zealous abetto s of the Papacy; as they were equally ardent and passionate defenders of royalty. The proper instruments of that revolution, were men without religion or virtue, imperious, thirsting after power, and totally destitute of fixed and correct political principles; who considered the lives of millions as trifles, when opposed to their wishes. From such instruments

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of divine wrath, the Church could expect nothing but desolation and ruin. Her pastors were murdered or banished by numbers, her monasteries destroyed, her churches demolished, her virgins deflowred, her churchgovernment annihilated, and the Pope dethroned, made prisoner, and led captive with every mark of disrespect and contempt. These infamous scenes disgraced France, Spain, Portugal, and almost every country under the influence and government of the beast. Italy has already suffered much; but her final, and still more dreadful doom, is yet to come chap. XVIII. She filled her cup of fornication for many nations, she tyrannised over the heritage of the Lord and lived sumptuously, she has led many thousand children of God into Captivity, and from thence to the torture, the block, and the stake; but the time of retributive justice is now arrived, when in retaliation she must drink the cup of God's wrath. France first assisted the Papacy to mount the throne, since A. D. 757; and France has now commenced its overthrow, and will probably effect its total ruin in due season. He, who yet has an ear for the voice of the Lord, let him arise, and save his soul. During the time of these judgments, patience and faith, are the most necessary armour of the saints, and should be their only weapons of defence. Opposition by force, is both imprudent and against the advice of the Lord. These words contain the special and fatherly instructions of the great head of the Church, Jesus Christ, to the saints within the empire of the beast, in regard to the measures and conduct necessary for them to adopt, at this time of great peril and temptation; in order to encourage their drooping spirits, and direct their steps into the path of wisdom and duty, under all their sufferings.

I would entreat the indulgent reader, to pay particular attention to the following opinion concerning the ascent of the beast out of the bottomless pit. I shall not venture far upon the perilous ocean of prophetic conjecture; but

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