The characteristics of the other, or second beast, are also very peculiar.-And 1st. his rise is out of the earth, that is, out of the Roman empire itself; distinguished in prophecy by that emblematical term; whereas the first beast arose out of the sea, the emblem of peoples, and kindreds, and nations, by the conquests of ancient Rome trampled under her bestial hoofs of brass, and in succession added to her empire. 2d. His rise is posterior in time to the first beast, yet to signify his coexistence along with him, he is not called the second, but (eng) another beast, implying that there were at that period of time two distinct beasts co-existing together, out of what had before made up the body of one. This naturally and strongly suggests the idea of the eastern empire, here called by St. John "the

After this date, the reign

not being positively ascertained. of the seventh head of the beast, that is, the three kingdoms of the Goths, which lasted about seventy years, must (according to Mr. Sharp) intervene, before the beast recovers of his wound; and some space further, though a small one, seems intimated, before his term of 1260 years commences, in the 5th. verse. Rev. xiii. 3-5. Gibbon properly enough calls the extinction of the Roman empire in the west, "a memoralle ara in the history of mankind."

1

other beast," as in Daniel the same idea is suggested by the partition of his great image, exactly at that period of time, into the two thighs and legs of iron, or the eastern and western empires of the Romans. 3d. "He bad two horns like a lamb." This Mr. Sharp excellently accounts for, by the conquest of the last of the three Gothic kingdoms in Italy by Bellisarius, the general of the eastern emperor Justinian; and the addition of Italy and Rome to the other bestial empire; by which he acquired both the horns of imperial power, or, as the text says, "exercised all the power of the first beast before him,—and spake as a dragon," or with the authority of sole monarch of the united Roman empire.

Before the division of the empire into two parts, the strong and growing marks of his apostacy were upon the original beast. The fallen dragon then gave up to him his seat and power, as to a very suitable representative of himself, when he could hold them ostensibly himself no longer, paganism being thrust out of the temples of religion, by the exterior forms of christianity; and persecution

The

expelled from the tribunals of magistracy, by the conversion of the government. adoration paid to the beast, the omnipotence ascribed to him, his blasphemy, his war against the saints, extensive power over the nations, and false miracles, are therefore to be considered as common to both beasts, as both were antichristian, idolatrous, and persecuting, &c. This is the reason given by Mr. Sharp for "his resemblance to the Lamb, in both his two borns," that christianity was the religion professed in both empires, though they were as much heathen as christian in fact, and particularly in the persecuting spirit of their edicts, which answers to the voice of the dragon. "But he spake as a dragon."

(107)

The language, indeed, of the original dragon was latin, and that of the other beast was greek, but besides that, little points of distinction like these are not always attended to, in

(107) Rev. xiii. 11, wodęaxwy, like the dragon, or after his despotic manner, and with the same pretended universality of com mand, and to the same subjects.

subjects.

VOL. III.

long continued allegories, if all things of greater importance correspond well together; the remark, "he spake like a dragon," refers to matters of mightier moment than the difference of language, namely, to the full exercise of the dragon's whole authority, and the similar nature, and equal severity of his thundering edicts, against true christianity and its holy professors.

The use he made of this whole power of the first beast, was such an one as was very congenial to it; he set up a new and strange object of idolatry to the Roman world. "He causeth the earth," (from whence he rose, and which was here subject to his dominion, and clearly means the Roman empire,) "and them which dwell therein, to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed." He confers great honours and privileges upon Rome, the ancient and venerable seat of government, which for additional reasons, besides its celebrity and antiquity, began long before this time, to be viewed with the eye of superstition,, as holy ground. And he commanded them that dwell on the earth,

that they should make an image" to represent the beast which had been wounded, but began now, by these restorative means, to recover and live again. And he had power to give life, by his imperial decrees, to the image of the beast, (108) that it should both speak and act in the same cruel and tyrannical manner that the pagan beast, or imperial government at Rome had done before; compelling mankind upon pain of death, to burn incense at the altars of his false gods.

L

The edicts of the emperor Justinian therefore (as Mr Sharp maintains with great probability,) which he issued in support of the Pope's supremacy and other pretensions, and which laid the first foundation for the superstructure of fraud, tyranny and blasphemy, that was carried to so towering an height by future Popes, are one or other of them to be considered as the true date, from whence the computation of the reign of the beast is to be made. (109)

(108) By his decree, coming down "like fire" from the political heaven, says Mr Sharp.

(109) The antichristian spirit and practices prevailed indeed in the church, long before this time, (A. D. 548.) But the