in a subordinate station, none of them are absolutely new characters, but our old acquaintances with new faces, and a little transposition of situation and outward circumstances, which is no new thing to the Roman empire, considered as the object of prophecy. (236)

The prophet's description of the beast of this period, does not agree with either the first beast or the other beast. For he riseth out of the bottomless pit, and is the actual destroyer of the witnesses, whom the first beast and his image had persecuted for 1260 years, but were themselves cut off before they had effected their entire destruction. The witnesses are therefore still living, and prophesying, and inflicting their plagues with a triumphant hand, as often as they will, upon the growling beast, and them that dwell upon the earth, or Roman catholic empire, his

(236) The Roman empire appears 1st. as the fourth beast of Daniel.-2d. As the same wounded unto death.-3d. As the other beast, acting pro tempore in his stead.-4th. As the first beast alive again, and in union with the little horn, his image.5th. As the great whore riding upon a scarlet beast, and wearing the bestial crown.-6th, As the third beast, which towards the end of the 1260 years rises from the bottomless pit.

dominions. But the first beast who was limited to 42 months, has disappeared, and given place to a new usurper of the imperial Roman power and iron crown; and the image is hereby also changed into the false prophet. "And when they shall have finished their testimony," (or have prophesied to the full extent of their own 42 months,)—“ the beast which ascendeth out of the bottomless pit,”of the French revolution, a short time previous to the finishing of their protest or testimony,)—“ shall make war against them, and overcome them, and kill them." Rev. xi. 7. We may therefore expect that the hope and prospect of effecting (by some concerted measures of secret treachery, or overwhelming combination of powers,) the complete destruction of the Jewish and Protestant prophets, the perpetual enemies of holy church, and the long time successful tormentors of imperial despotism, within a while will become the means of cementing a cordial union between those congenial friends now at variance, and anathematizing one another. This will be a repetition of the warm bug of Herod and Pilate, who, on the joyful occasion of the chief

prophet and shepherd of the sheep himself being taken in their snares, (Lament. iv. 20) from having been bitter enemies became friends, and cemented the bond of their coalition with the heart's blood of the innocent Jesus!

To this hypothesis (237) there may seem to be the less objection, because though the image or little born no more exists, to wage war with the saints, he has left an heir of his virtues, and a willing substitute behind him, in the false prophet, who, mutato nomine-et mutatis mutandis, is the very same. It is out of his mouth, as the head or spiritual chief of the apostacy, or the PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, that the three figurative frogs derive their spiritual and miraculous powers. The death of the witnesses will be still the effect of papal councils and ecclesiastical persecution, though invigorated and perfected by both imperial tyranny and diabolical malice, whether

(237) 1 heartily wish Mr Sharp may overthrow it, and set up any other witnesses in stead of mine,-except conscience and

reason.

it be a real, or a political and figurative death which they undergo. For the chief political Potentate of this period, (the successor of Charlemagne, and of the last beast recently slain by his decree, and who not long ago arose out of the bottomless pit of atheism and anarchy,) is himself ostensibly a worshipper of Antichrist, while still he is divinely impelled to work his destruction. (238) He acts upon the same catholic principles, and with a like holy jealousy and zeal against heresy, as the little born himself had done, in his long and bloody wars against the saints. The whole tragedy moreover is here supposed to be transacted and ended within the determined space of 30 years; which time may very well be set off against the posterior rise of the witnesses. Their 42 months will expire thus much the later, yet still before the modern beast and the false prophet both together come to their end, and are taken in their own toils. (239)

(238) See vol. ii. p, 502,

(239) Rev. xix. 20. This last persecution, as we are now living in the very period assigned to it, may be considered as having begun from the time of the rise of the third beast, when

the nation and church of England drew upon themselves the intense hatred of the imperial despot, their power and incorrupti ble integrity in defending the cause of liberty, ecclesiastical and civil, standing in the way of his gigantic views of ambition. The envied prosperity and greatness of England have been assailed, and her overthrow attempted by every artifice that machiavelian policy and infernal malice united could suggest, or the coalesced forces of the greatest part of the late Roman empire could supply. She has been basely deserted, and treache rously sold, (even by those whose wrongs she sought to avenge, and to defend whose liberty she freely spent her blood and treasure,) envied, calumniated, hated and insulted by all the catholic powers in turn, she will soon be obliged to see her own error;-would to God it be not then too late to profit by the costly experience !

It is impossible to deny that the british name is now, and has been for several years past suffering an almost general persecution, even from that kindred blood, which, if we fall, will immedi ately follow us in our ruin. Britain never appeared greater than in this contest, in which as a true apocalyptic prophet and genuine witness, she is still cloathed in sackcloth and mourning, and bewails the unprofitable loss of her heroic sons, and the vain waste of her strength, while she mows down the ranks of her enemies by the fire which proceeds out of her mouth! To those that are not obstinately blind, this awful prophecy now begins more freely to unveil its mysterious scenes.

Should the overthrow of the generous defenders of the cause of liberty and truth, (upon whose unexampled exertions, truly answerable to their prophetic character, (Rev. xi. 5, 6.) every eye of men and angels friendly to the cause of religion, has been bent for many years past with increasing anxiety and fear,) unhappily turn out to be the accomplishment of this prophecy;