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    persecute the true Christian worship * Ver . 9 * The importance of the subject causes John to call on Christians to pay the greatest attention to this description , and not to be disheartened . God was their avenger ; and he , ver . jO , who slew the Christian with the sword , should himself be slain by the

    sword . Having described the Germanic Roman empire as existing for fortytwo months of years , or 1260 years , and during that time speaking blasphemies , the prophet sees in vision , at the close of this period , that is , after the vear 1791 » another empire

    rising , the eighth form of government like unto the seventh , xvii . 11 . The first beast , or empire , rose out of the sea , or confluence of nations ; this arose out of the earth , or the internal

    tumults of that part of the Roman empire over which he was to rule-The French Italian empire of Buonaparte appears to answer the description given by the prophet .

    Ver , 11 . The beast , or empire , springs like the produce of the soil imperceptibly from the earth . It has two horns , or kingdoms , Gaul and Italy , like a lamb , all mildness and playfulness ; but spake like the dragon %

    with the same authority and daringness of power , as the consuls , generals and emperors of idolatrous Rome , and for the same purpose , increase of dominion , and making every additional increase the means of subjugating

    others . Ver . 12 . It exercisetk all the power of the first beast in his presence ; the dominiam of the first beast Was Italy , Bohemia , Hungary , and the German States ; and this second beast leaving him his Austrian dominions to reside

    in , took from him his crown of Italy and the German States , and compelled him , at his will , to yield him in addition the whole strength of his hereditary dominions whenever he required it ; and besides , compelled the whole Continent to acknowledge in his

    imperial dominion , the first beast , or Clovinian and Chariemagnian empire . Ver . 13 , foretels , that from the heaven of his power he would most miraculousl y 8 C orch the earth ; the distressed and depopulated nations of the Continent can judge best of the accomp lishment of this prediction . Ver . $ 4 . The nations were to be

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    deceived by his prodigies of victory , and , at his command , to form , by the confederation of the Rhine , a resemblance of the seventh beast , or Germanic Constitution , united with Italy and Gaul , and give it life * so that like

    those states in the reign of Charlemagne , all the heads of the empire became the dependants of the emperor , and instruments of his purposes , being his lieutenants , generals , and governors under other names .

    Ver . 15 , declares , that those who would not worship this image he would cause to be put to death . The very confederation was manifested by its frequent changes to have had but . a political existence : such as hesitated at obedience were removed or

    newformed , and whoever would not unite with the confederacy was , dethroned ; the only alternative being , the worship of the political image , or political death .

    Vers . 16 , 17 , declare , that every state must acknowledge this confederacy , or not be permitted to buy and sell . Here is another distinguishing mark of this second beast . The first

    beast was to be a religious persecutor for 1260 years , the second a commercial persecutor for a short time ; and tills distinction well defines the period of his rise to be at a time when commerce would be to the nations the bond of union , whether a nation was

    great or small , wealthy or poor , free or enslaved . The mighty empires of Russia or Austria , or the impoverished Hamburghers ; the vast continent of America , or the little city of Papenburgh ; the independent Swedes or

    Danes , or the vassals of Norway , unless they had his decree , signed with his signature , they dared not buy or sell throughout the world . Here was the great lever of ambition that finally broke the arm which first gave it motion .

    Ver . 18 , describes the character by the No . 666 : for ttie present , at least , I shall not attempt to explain it . For the snke of shewing more clearly the contrast between the two beasts , I have not noticed the state of the church during the last part of the dominion of the first beast . It will

    be recollected that the dragon was to pursue the woman for 1260 years in the Wilderness . The rise of this Christian dragon was A . D . 3 IS 5 add

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    Biblical CriticisM . >—~ On the Contents of the Book of Revelation . No . III . 31 J )

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), May 2, 1819, page 319, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1772/page/39/