from its being the main support of what is termed the holy Catholic church, the emperor being styled, on this account, Christ's temporal vicar upon earth: see Cæsarini Furstenerii Tractatus De Suprematu Principum Germaniæ, cc. 31, 32.) is, in the highest sense the words can be taken, a name of blasphemy. The name of blasphemy is very properly said to be upon the seven heads of the beasts, or seven electorates of the German empire, because the electors are styled SACRI Imperii Principes Electores, Princes, Electors of the Holy empire; SACRI Romani Imperii Electores, Elec tors of the Holy Roman empire.

Verse 2. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard-This similitude of the beast to a leopard appears to be an allusion to the third beast of Daniel, which is well known to represent the empire of the Greeks. The Latin empire greatly resembled the modern empire of the Greeks; for, that the power of the Greeks was still said to be like a leopard, even after its subjugation by the Romans, is evident from the 12th verse of the seventh chapter of Daniel, "As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time." The Latin empire was, in the first place, like to its contemporary, because both adhered to an idolatrous system of worship, professedly Christian, but really antichristian; and it is well known that the Greek and Latin churches abound in monstrous absur Cities. Secondly, both empires were similar in their opposition to the spread of pure Christianity; though it must be allowed that the Latins far outstripped the

Greeks in this particular. Thirdly, both empires were similar in respect to the civil authority being powerfully depressed by the ecclesiastical; though it must be granted the authority of the Latin church was more strongly marked, and of much longer continuance. The excommunication of the Greek emperor by the patriarch Arsenius, and the consequences of that excommunication, afford a remarkable example of the great power of the Greek clergy. But the beast of Saint John, though in general appearance it resembles a leopard, yet differs from it in having feet like those of a bear. The second beast of Daniel was likened to a bear, and there can be no doubt that the kingdom of the Medes and Persians was intended; and it is very properly likened to this animal, because it was one of the most inhuman governments that ever existed; and a bear is the well known Scripture emblem of cruclty.— See 2. Sam. xvii. 8. and Hos. xiii. 8. Is not cruelty a striking characteristic of the papal Latin empire? Have not the subjects of this empire literally trampled to death all those in their power, who would not obey their idolatrous requisitions?

! In Fox's Book of Martyrs, and other works which treat upon this subject, will be found a melancholy catalogue of the horrid tortures and most lingering deaths which they have obliged great numbers of Christians to suffer. In this sense, the feet of the beast were as the feet of a bear. Another particular in which the beast differed from a leopard, was in having a mouth like a lion. "It is," says Dr. More, "like the Babylonish kingdom (the first beast of Daniel, which

is likened to a lion,) in its cruel decrees against such as will not obey their idolatrous edicts, nor worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Their stubbornness must be punished by a hot fiery furnace; fire and fagot must be prepared for them that will not submit to this New Roman idolatry."

And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. It was said of the dragon in chap. xii. 8. that his place was found no more in heaveu; the dragon here cannot, therefore, be the heathen Roman empire, as this was abolished previously to the rising up of the beast. It must then allude to the restoration of one of the DRACONIC heads of the beast, as will be seen in the explanation of the following verse, and more fully in the notes on chap. xvii

Verse 3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death-This is the second and last place where the heads of the beast are mentioned with any description; and, therefore, the meaning here must be forms of government, as these were noticed last in the angel's double explanation. The head that was wounded to death can be no other than the seventh draconic head, which was the sixth head of the beast, viz. the imperial power; for "this head," as Bishop Newton observes, was, as it were, wounded to death, when the Roman empire was overturned by the northern nations, and an end was put to the very name of emperor in Momyllus Augustulus.' It was so wounded that it was wholly improbable that it could ever rise again to considerable power; for the western empire came into the possession of several barbarious nations of independent interests.

And his deadly wound was healed-This was effected by Charlemagne, who, with his successors, assumed all the marks of the ancient emperors of the west, with the titles of Semper Augustus, Sacred Majesty, First Prince of the Christian world, Temporal Chief of the Christian people, and Rector or Temporal Chief of the Faithful in Germany: Mod. Universal History, Vol. XXXII. p. 79. But it is said in ver. 9, that the dragon gave the beast his power, his armies, or military strength; i. e. he employed all his imperial power in defence of the Latin empire, which supported the Latin church. He also gave his seat, literally, his throne, to him; that is, his whole empire formed an integral part of the Latin empire, by its conversion to the Roman Catholic faith. He also gave him great authority. This is literally true of the Roman empire of Germany, which, by its great power and influence in the politics of Europe, extended the religion of the empire over the various states and monarchies of Europe; thus incorporating them, as it were, in one vast empire, by uniting them in one common faith.

And all the world wondered after the beast.-As the original word signifies earth, and not world as in our translation, the Latin world, which is the earth of the beast, is here intended; and the meaning of the passage consequently is, that the whole body of the Roman Catholics were affected with great astonishment at the mighty sway of the Latin empire, considering it as a great and holy power.

Verse 4. And they worshipped the dragon-Worshipping the dragon here evidently means the volun

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tary religious subjection of the members of the Latin church to the revived western empire, because of the eminent part it has taken in the support of their faith.

And they worshipped the beast-Not only the dragon or revived western empire was worshipped; the beast, the whole Latin empire, is a partaker in the adoration. The manner in which it is worshipped consists in the subjects of it

Saying, Who is like unto the beast? Is it not the only holy power in the universe? Is it possible for any person not a subject of it to be saved?

Who is able to make war with him?-Can any nation successfully fight with it? Is not the Roman empire, which is its most principal bulwark, invictissimum, most invincible? Invictissimus, most invincible, was the peculiar attribute of the emperors of Germany. See Modern Universal History, Vol. XXXII. P, 197.

Verse 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things-That is, there was given to the rulers of the Latin empire, who are the mouth of the beast, (and particularly the Roman emperors of Germany,) power to assume great and pompous titles, indicative of their mighty sway over many subjugated countries, (see the imperial instruments of the middle centuries in the Corps Diplomatique :) and also to utter against their opponents the most terrible edicts.

And blasphemies-The system of worship supported by the beast is a system of blasphemy; as there will be occasion to show presently.

And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months-As these forty-two months are prophetic,