to the cumulative evidence of past ages, that the head of Rome is "THE MAN OF SIN," predicted by St. Paul.

We are not alantiquity in any It is an apostate

Again, this novel power "forbids to marry." Here, again, we apply the test. lowed to refer to any sect of Mahommedan, or pagan land. power from the Christian faith, and such only, that is here alluded to. Exists there such a power? Yes the primate of Rome, Hildebrand pope Gregory, in the face of high heaven, who said "marriage is honourable in ALL," enacted a law that it was not honourable in ALL; but dishonourable in his "holy" clergymen to have wives. And hence, he forbade them the holy bond of marriage, on pain of eternal perdition! And so the law remains to this day; and determines to absolute and exact demonstration, where "the Man of Sin" is to be found, and identified before all intelligent men!

Again, he forbids "the use of meats." Apply the same test, and tell us,-what power has sprung up among the clustering heresies of former times, which, by solemn law, prohibits the use of certain meats, on certain days? That congregation of men stands alone, in this particular, which offers incense and. worship to new gods, and forbids to marry. It, alone, forbids meats on Fridays, and in Lent every year. Here again Rome stands forth identified before our

eyes, in its weekly and annual demonstrations forced upon us, and leaving no room for even a doubt of the power predicted.

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Again: this novel power which was to arise, is set forth in these holy visions of heaven, as THE MAN OF SIN."-Has the Scripture been fulfilled in this particular? Has he come? Where is he? What is its name? Is he "the Man of Sin" still?—He exists, there, where stands a tyrant's throne, who has issued laws virtually abrogating the ten commandments; and has actually expunged the second precept from the Decalogue. It exists, where the decree of celibacy has converted its hierarchy into a condition paralleled only by that of the hierarchy of the pagan temples. It exists where the hierophant of the tribunal of penance pardons sins judicially! It exists where Indulgences to any amount of time, are vended for gold, to screen the devout payer from the danger of the punishment of future sin! It exists where the trafficker "in souls" and sin regulates, by a tariff, the prices of sin, by the book called " Sacra Penitentiaria," or the pope's chancery book!* It exists where payments, or, "alms to the church," are paid for masses for the dead! It exists where its officer, by extreme unction, sends pure to heaven, a poor

* I possess a genuine copy, printed from the ancient MS. in the possession of Mr. Mendham of London. The author sent me the copy.

soul laden with unrepented sins, and overwhelmed with ignorance! It exists where Rome's national Bank, otherwise called Purgatory, collects its enormous revenues, for the absolution of sins, and the deliverance of souls from its flames, and intolerable cold, and steam!

Again another very notable mark of this terrific power, is set down in bold relief, in the holy vision of St. John. The first beast seen rising out of the troubled seas, must be the imperial power of pagan Rome. There are, indeed, some traits in its character and deeds, which seem more applicable to Rome papal.

It is certainly true. But the second beast, seen by John rising out of the earth, is unquestionably Rome papal. Now, I beg to impress this fact on your mind, that when in the visions of prophecy one power, set forth in a symbolical figure, is to be followed by another in natural succession, and bearing a similar character, the first symbol contains in it something of the succeeding power's character and deeds. For instance, Daniel saw in vision the beast which symbolized Alexander the Great, at the head of the Grecian empire. He was shadowed forth by the "one notable horn." But, let it be noticed, that before the symbolical Beast was withdrawn from the prophet's view, it was employed to symbolize also the powers which followed Alexander. The notable horn was broken; and while Daniel still contemplated

the vision, he beheld four horns come up in its place. These were the four princes who reigned in his stead.

Even so, the first beast in John's vision of Revelations, chap. xiii., shadowed forth the pagan empire of Rome, and much of its successor, namely, papal Rome, which is more minutely detailed under the image of the second beast; but in such a way, that the full symbol, exhibiting the entire character, place, and deeds of papal Rome, includes many of the parts of the first symbolical beast.

Now, this leads me to one prominent mark, branded in letters of fire, on the front of the second beast; chap. xiii., 11-18-"The first beast had a deadly wound, which was healed," in the rising of the second beast. Pagan Rome is the beast" which was, and is not, and yet is," that is, in the life and power of the second beast. This new power, called the second beast, was to be "lett, until he that letteth," namely, the imperial pagan power, was taken out of the way." "Then he gave life unto the image of the first beast, that it should both speak," that is, call into existence the old religion of Rome, in a new form; 66 and cause that as many as would not worship the 'renovated' image of the beast should be killed." So manifest is the utterance of the holy apostle, that the novel religion of Rome should be modelled on the ancient paganism.

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Now, let us hear the voice of history. Does it proclaim this to be an incontrovertible fact? It does, in every striking point. When the pagan worshipper approached the door of his chapel, what was the first object before him? The pot of holy water; namely, of salt and common water. This is precisely the case with the papal worshipper. The pot of holy water is set before him. The pagan worshipper dips in his hand, and sprinkles himself with it; the papal votary dips his hand in, and makes on himself the sign of the cross. As the pagan devotee entered the chapel, he saw the altars, the round cake-the "mola,”— the incense, the priest, in his appropriate dress, uttering his prayers in Latin; the boys bearing the censers, the images of gods and heroes arranged on every side, which, with the walls, are black with the smoke of incense. And on every hand, he saw suspended on the walls, votive tablets, pictures, garments, rags of those who had escaped some disaster. Exactly in all points do these objects meet the eye of the papal devotee. He sees the altars, the round cake of the Mass, the boys in surplices swinging the censers, the slow curling smoke of incense, blackening the images of the saints, and the walls; the priests in their motley dresses, uttering their mummery in Latin; and on each side, as in ancient Rome, he sees the walls adorned with relics, vials, garments, hung up as votive tablets to the saints.