they must mean so many years as there are days contained in them, viz. 1260, each month containing 30 days. The beast, therefore, will continue in existence at least 1260 years." And I will add, the termination of this period will doubtless be accomplished at the end of the next century, having commenced his existence A.D.740. “Verse 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name-The Latin empire is here represented as a blasphemous power in three respects: first, he blasphemes the name of God. This has been most notoriously the case with the different popish princes, who continually blaspheme the sacred names of God, by using them in their idolatrous worship. The mouth of blasphemy against God cannot be more evident than in the following impious words which form a part of the Golden Bull published by Charles IV. in January, 1356: 'But thou, envy, how often hast thou attempted to ruin by division the Christian empire, which God hath founded upon the three cardinal virtues, faith, hope, and charity, as upon a holy and indivisible Trinity; vomiting the old venom of discord among the seven electors, who are the pillars and seven principal members of the holy empire; by the brightness of whom the holy empire ought to be illuminated as by seven torches, the light of which is reinforced by the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.'

And his tabernacle-Tabernacle is any kind of dwelling-place; and, in an eminent sense among the Jews, was a kind of tent to take up and down, as occasion required; which was, as it were, the palace of the Most High, the dwelling of the God of Israel. It was

divided into two partitions, one called The Holy Place, and the other The Most Holy Place; in the latter of which, before the building of the temple, the ark of the covenant was kept, which was a symbol of God's gracious presence with the Jewish church. All this the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, in the eighth and ninth chapters, explains to prefigure the human nature of Christ. The beast's blasphemy of the tabernacle of God is, therefore, as Dr. More and others properly observe, his impious doctrine of transubstantiation, in which it is most blasphemously asserted that the substance of the bread and wine in the sacrament, is literally converted by the consecration of the priest, into the very body and blood of Jesus Christ! This doctrine was first advanced among the Latins, in the tenth century; and in 1215 fully received as an article of the Roman Catholic faith. It is for the pages of ecclesiastical history to record the incredible numbers which have been martyred by the papists for their nonreception of this most unscriptural and antichristian doctrine.

And them that dwell in heaven.-By heaven is here meant the throne of God, and not the throne of the beast, because it is against God the beast blasphemes. This must, therefore, allude to his impious adoration of the saints and angels, whose residence is in heaven. He blasphemes against God, by paying that adoration to the celestial inhabitants, which belongs to God alone. That this sort of worship has been, and still is, kept up among the Roman Catholics, their mass-book is a sufficient evidence.

Verse 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them-"Who can make any computation," says Bishop Newton, "or even frame any conception, of the numbers of pious Christians who have fallen a sacrifice to the bigotry and cruelty of Rome? Mede upon the place hath obe served, from good authorities, that in the war with the Albigenses and Waldenses, there perished of these poor creatures, in France alone, a million. From the first institution of the Jesuits, to the year 1580, that is, in little more than thirty years, nine hundred thousand orthodox Christians were slain, and these all by the common executioner. In the space of scarce thirty years, the inquisition destroyed, by various kinds of torture, a hundred and fifty thousand Christians. Sanders himself confesses, that an innumerable multitude of Lollards and Sacramentarians were burnt throughout all Europe; who, yet, he says, were not put to death by the pope and bishops, but by the civil magistrates." The dragon, in a new shape, or Roman empire of Germany, acted a very conspicuous part in this nefarious warfare against the remnant of the woman's seed, who kept the commandments of God, and had the testimony of Jesus Christ.-See the imperial edict of Frederic II. against heretics, in Limborch's History of the Inquisition.

And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.-As the book of the Revelation s a prophecy of all that should come upon the Christian world till the end of time; all kindreds, and tongues, and nations, must imply the whole Christian

world. That the Latin empire, in the course of its reign, has had the extensive power here spoken of, is evident from history. It is well known that the profession of Christianity was chiefly confined within the limits of the Greek and Latin empires, till the period of the Reformation. By means of the Crusades, the Latins extended their empire over several provinces of the Greeks. In 1097, Baldwin extended his conquest over the hills of Armenia, and the plain of Mesopotamia, and founded the first principality of the Franks, or Latins; which subsisted fifty-four years, beyond the Euphrates. In 1204 the Greeks were expelled Constantinople by the Latins, who set up an empire there which continued about fifty-seven years. The total overthrow of the Latin states in the East soon followed the recovery of Constantinople by the Greeks: and in 1291 the Latin empire in the East was entirely dissolved. Thus the Latins have had power over the whole world professedly Christian: but it is not said. that the whole world was in utter subjection to him; for we read in the following verse

Verse 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb-The earth here is the Latin world, as has been observed before in similar cases. The meaning, therefore, is, that all the corrupt part of mankind, who are inhabitants of the Latin world, shall submit to the religion of the empire, except, as Bishop Newton expresses it, "those faithful few, whose names, as citizens of heaven, were enrolled in the registers of life."

Slain from the foundation of the world-That is, of the Christian world; for this has been shown to be the meaning of all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. The year of the crucifixion is properly the commencement of Christianity, as the apostles then first began to promulgate the religion of Christ with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. But as Jesus Christ was in the Divine purpose appointed from the foundation of the world to redeem man by His blood, He therefore is, in a very eminent sense, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, i. e. from the creation.

Verse 9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.— These words are evidently introduced to impress the reader with the awfulness of what has just been spoken, all shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life; as well as to fix his attention upon the following words :

Verse 10. He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity-The Latin empire here spoken of must

go into captivity, because it has led into captivity, by not only propagating among the various nations its abominable antichristian system, but also in compelling them to embrace it under penalty of forfeiting the protection of the empire.

He that killeth with the sword must be killed by the sword The Latin empire must be also broken to pieces by the sword, because it has killed the saints of God. This prophecy will not receive its full accomplishment till the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.