possible; and in this form alone must the name of be found whose number is 666. the power Before we proceed to examine whether any power contains this number, it is essentially necessary to determine what kind of a power it is which is represented by the Apocalyptic Beast. This has been in a great measure proved before, when speaking of the meaning of the prophetic symbol Beast, which was there demonstrated to represent a kingdom. In this place it is necessary to observe that the Hebrew word, used by Daniel, and translated kingdom, is synonymous with the Greek word Baohsia, both being derived from a similar origin, viz., a kingdom, from , a king; and Bahía, a kingdom, from Baneus, a king. And in the Septuagint the Hebrew word is constantly translated Barisia which is no inconsiderable evidence, and may be esteemed a demonstration, that the number of the Beast must be contained in the name of some kingdom expressed by the Greek word Baokeía. A Βασιλεία. second circumstance in favour of the word Baσía is the high sense in which this word is used by all Greek writers, the greatest monarchies of the earth being pointed out by this word. The mighty empires of the Babylonians, Persians, Macedo nians, and Romans, were called Baría, literally kingdoms, and the monarchs of these powers were named Barisis, kings. In the ninth and tenth * *All this is exactly true of the monarchs of the Babylonian, centuries of the Christian era, et seq. the Greek emperors had such a veneration for the appellation -- Persian, and Grecian empires; but the first Roman emperors were not denominated Baotis by contemporary historians, but Autoxpáropes, as is evident from Josephus, who speaks of Kaiσαρ, δεύτερος Pupaiwr auтoxpaтwp, Cæsar, the second em peror of the Romans; Τιβέριος Νάσων — τρίτος αὐτοκράτωρ, Tiberius Naso, third emperor ; Γαῖος Καῖσαρ, αὐτοκράτωρ, δικτά TWP TÒ TÉTαPTOV, &c. Caius Cæsar, emperor, dictator the fourth time, &c. Ἐπὶ Κλαυδία Καῖσαρος αὐτοκρατορίας, Under the empire of Claudius Cæsar. Plutarch styles Galba and Otho autoxpaτopes. See his Lives, Vol. V. Edit. Lond. 1729. The title of imperator, or auroxparwp, which is now of such high import was, in the time of the twelve Cæsars, considered inferior to that of sex, or Bariλaus; and Selden ipforms us that "it was long be fore any of the emperors used the title of king (although the em peror Aurelian wore a diadem and other ensigns that were pro per to the name of king) but in their letters, commissions, and émbassages, they styled themselves always emperors. Which (he adds) is expressly delivered by Synesius that lived under Arcadius, about CCCC years of Christ, shewing also, that it was then usual in the writings and speeches directed to them, to have styled them kings, especially by the Grecians. 'Husis μèv (saith he to the emperor) ὑμᾶς ἀξιοῦμεν καὶ καλοῦμεν Βασιλέας, καὶ γράφομεν οὕτως. Ὑμεῖς δὲ εἴτε εἰδότες, εἴτε μη, συνηθείᾳ δὲ συγχωροῦντες τὸν ὄγκον τῆς προσηγορίας ἀναδυομένοις ἐοίκατε. i. e. We think you worthy of the name, and so call you' kings, and write you so. But you, whether you know so much or not, yet agreeing to custom, have seemed to dislike so swelling a title.-At length the name of emperor and king grew to be as one, although the Romans so much (for the remembrance of their liberty) at first distinguished them." See his Titles of Honour, Part 1. chap. 2, § 3. This last clause is confirmed by Zonaras in his Annals, Lib. xv. c. 13, where, translating the Latin word Imperator by the Greek word Βασιλεύς he says, Ο δὲ τῶν Φράγίων ̓Αρχηγὸς Baohs, that they thought it a degradation to the term to apply it to the emperors of the west which succeeded Lotharius I. Gibbon speaks upon this point in the following words: "During the short union of virtue and power, they (the Greeks) respectfully saluted the august Charlemagne with the acclamations of Basileus, and emperor of the RoAs soon as these qualities were separated in the person of his pious son, the Byzantine letters were inscribed, To the king, or, as he styles; himself, the emperor of the Franks and Lombards. When both power and virtue were extinct, they despoiled Lewis the second of his hereditary title; and, with the barbarous appellation of rex or rega, (gnya,) degraded him among the crowd of Latin princes. His reply is expressive of his weakness: he proves, with some learning, that, both in sacred and profane history, the name of king is synony mous with the Greek word basileus: if, at Constantinople it were assumed in a more exclusive and imperial sense, he claims from his ancestors, and from the pope, a just participation of the hohours of the Roman purple. The same controversy was revived in the reign of the Othos; and their ambassador describes, in lively colours, the insolence of the Byzantine court. The Greeks affected to despise the poverty and ignorance of the. Καροῦλος Βασιλεὺς Ῥωμαίων παρὰ τοῦ Πάπα Λέοντος αναγν peutels. But Charles, the ruler of the Franks, was denominated" Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo. Franks and Saxons; and, in their last decline, ré fused to prostitute to the kings of Germany the ti* tle of Roman emperors." * Thus it is evident that in the middle centuries the word Babλsus was As Selden's account of the appellation differs consider ably from that of Gibbon, it will be proper to insert it here, that the reader may be put in possession of both sides of the question. "It hath been observed (says Selden) that the eastern emperors did in contempt style the western reges only; allowing their basileus to none but themselves and the king of Bulgary, who had also his crown of gold, his tiar of silk, and red shoes, for his royal, being also imperial, habiliments. And so Georgius Logotheta always names the king of Bulgary Baσiλe τῶν Βελγάρων, but the king of Hungary and Sicily Ούγδρίας and Zixeias Pr, or rex Siciliæ; and the prince of Achaia only Axalas Пpiyle, or Achaia princeps. But I think it proceeded not so much from contempt, as usé, bred amongst them, to call foreign dignities by the names of that prince's country to which they were applied: as appears in Sultan, Ameras, Amermumnes, and Chagan (the same with Chan) and the like, copiously mentioned by Simocatta, Anna Comnena, Codin, Achmet, Cantacuzen, and the more obvious oriental authors. And they never agreeing willingly to that translation of the empire, but supposing themselves as emperors of new Rome, (for so Constantinople was called,) and to be the legitimate successors of that majestic title ro Koous Kúpios, or Lord of the World, (wherewith Antoninus long before blazoned himself to Eudæmon,) could hardly but endeavour such distinction of names, that so they might have one peculiar to their own greatness. Which, how could they better do, than by keeping their own to themselves, (that is, Basi leus,) and giving other princes every one the language of every one's own territory? and the princes of Sicily in the time of Constantine the Great (saith Nicephoras Gregoras) were called Piyes or reges only." See his Titles of Honour, Part 1. chap. 2, § 4. used in as high a sense by the Greeks as the word imperator among the western nations. In the New Testament the word Barineía very frequently occurs; and is commonly applied to the most exten sive dominations. We there find the following expressions : Η βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν, The kingdom of heaven ; Τὸ ἐυαγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας, The Gospel of the kingdom; H Baoλsía rou Oso, The kingdom of God; Τὴν βασιλείαν αυτοῦ τὴν ἐπεράνιον, His heavenly kingdom; Τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν, The everlasting kingdom; Τη βασιλείᾳ - Ἰησοῦ Χριςοῦ, The kingdom of Jesus Christ, &c. &c. This common use of the word Bacinela in the Scriptures is no mean argument that the power of the Beast is also to be numbered as a kingdom; especially as this power is represented as one of the most extensive that ever appeared in the world. But the greatest evidence in favour of the word Baria Asía, which can possibly be produced, and which, of itself, would be sufficient if no other could be advanced, is its direct application to the Beast in the 10th verse of the 16th chapter of the Revelation. The words are as follow: Καὶ ὁ πέμπτος ἄγγελος ἐξ ἔχει τὴν φιάλην αυτοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ θηρίε· καὶ ἐγέ νετὸ ἡ βασιλεία αυτοῦ ἐσκοτωμένη. "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the Beast; and his kingdom was darkened." Having demonstrated that the name of some kingdom or empire must contain the number 666, the number of the various kingdoms or empires that have appeared in the world must be computed |