pretended miracles, and fabulous legends, the arts of those who teach lies in hypocrify.

In

(1) As an inftance of fabulous legends being used to recommend image-worship, one of the apoftatical doctrines, take the account of Bale, (Script. Illuft. Britan. as quoted by Mede, b. iii. ch. 6.) He relates, that about the year 712, one Egivin of Worcester publifhed in writing. certain revelations,yea exprefs vifions he had feen, wherein he was enjoined to fet up in his diocefe of Worcester the image of the Bleffed Virgin, for the people to worfhip; which Pope Conftantine I. having made him confirm by an oath, not only ratified by his bull, but caufed Brithwald the Archbishop to hold a council of the whole clergy, at London, to commend them to the people.

In that idolatrous council, the 2d of Nice (Act 4.) one of their proofs, among many others of a fimilar nature, for worshipping of images, is a tale (quoted out of I know not what Soppronius) of a certain reclufe, who using to worship an image of the Virgin Mary, holding Chrift in her arms, had been a long time tempted by the Devil to fornication; for which the old man being much grieved, the devil vifibly appeared to him, and told him in plain terms, but under an oath of fecrecy, that he would never cease to vex him, until he left off worshipping the image of the Blessed Virgin.

The monk, notwithstanding the Devil had made him fwear by the Moft High he fhould tell nobody, yet acquaints one Abbot Theodore with the business, who not only allows of his perjury in revealing it, but gives him

this

In the 13th and 17th chapters of the Apocalypfe the finishing touch is given to the defcription of Antichrift; whatever was obfcure in the former passages is there cleared up. Every queftion that can occur to an inquifitive mind is fully answered, particularly refpecting the feat of his government, the time of its erection, the temper and spirit of it, its form and manner.

1

The feat of government appears to be the city of Rome; for we are told, that the dragon" gave "him (the beast) his power, and his feat," (or throne.) The dragon reprefents Satan ruling by means of the Pagan Roman Emperors; "giv"ing his feat to the beast," must therefore fignify, that he would bestow on Antichrift the fame throne on which they governed, that is, the city of Rome. Again, the feven heads with which the beaft is reprefented, fignify feven mountains, on which the woman fitteth, chap. xvii. 9; a mark well known to be defcriptive of Rome. But to put the matter beyond all controverfy,

this ghoftly resolution: " Συμφέρει δέ σοι μη καταλιπείν ευτών« πολω ταυτην πορυεῖον εἰς ἐν μὴ εισηλθης. η ινα αργησητο ηροσκυγειν

66

τον Κυριον ήμων και Θεον Ιησεν Χριστον μετα της ίδιας αντε μητρος,

EY ELXOVE It were better he frequented all the ftews in "the city, than not to worship Chirst and his Mother "in an image." I am afraid fome of this monk's fucceffors ftill obferve this wholefome counfel. Ibid.

troverfy, he adds, ver. 18.

"The woman thou

"faweft is that great city which reigneth over "the kings of the earth;" a character applicable to Rome only, termed in the days of the Apostle John, the Mistress of the World.

The time of its erection is pointed out, by directing our attention to the fucceffive forms of government exercised in the city of Rome, cf which the Antichriftian dominion is declared to be the eighth. So the angel, interpreting the feven heads, fays, Rev. xvii. 10. "There are

"feven kings: five are fallen, one is, and the "other is not yet come; and when he cometh, "he must continue a short space. And the beast "that was, and is not, even he is the eight, "and is of the feven, and goeth into perdition." Kings, in the language of prophecy, fignify kingdoms, or a fucceffion of perfons in authority'. Here they denote fo many forms of government, fucceffively exercised in the city of Rome. Of these, fays the angel, “ five are fal"len, and one is;" that is, five are already paffed previous to the vifion, and the present form of government, the imperial, is the fixth. This reprefentation perfectly accords with that of Tacitus the Roman hiftorian". "Rome,"

(1) See Dan. vii. 17.-23. Dan. viii. 20, 21, 22. (2) Tacit. Am. lib. i. c. 1.

fays

says he, "was first governed by kings, then by "confuls, by dictators, by decimviri, by mili

tary tribunes, with confular powers." The next diftinct form of government was the imperial, settled by Auguftus, and exercised by Domitian at the time of the vifion; fo that the angel fays with all propriety," One is." He then directs us to look forward, till the imperial form of government should pafs away, and another not existing at the time of the vifion fhould be fet up, which would continue but a short space, and representing this as giving place to the Antichriflian dominion, making the eighth form of Roman government.

of

Now, it is well known that the imperial form

government continued in Rome, till Odoacer king of the Heruli obliged Auguftulus to abdicate the empire. Odoacer in a little time was overcome, and flain by Theodoric king of the Oftrogoths. The Oftrogoths were ftripped of their conquests by the generals of Justinian, emperor of the eaft. Juftinian conftituted Rome and its territory a small dutchy, subject to his deputy, under the title of Exarch, refiding at Ravenna. This was the only new form of government fince the fall of the imperial; for the Goths and Oftrogoths governed Rome, by the title of Kings of Italy, which was only one of the ancient forms revived. Rome remained fub

ject

ject to the Exarch of Ravenna, till by a grant of Pepin king of France the Exarchate was given to the Bishop of Rome, which his fucceffors retain to this day. Upon his being raised to the rank of temporal prince, Rome became again the feat of government, and of a government perfectly diftinct from all the different forms exercised in it before, fo that, according to the interpretation of the angel, he is the eighth that goeth into perdition. There is an admirable propriety in the angel's expreffion, if attentively confidered. "He is the eight, he is of the "feven;" that is, the Antichriftian dominion that shall be erected in Rome, may in fome respects be termed the eighth form of government, though in other refpects the feventh. The reafons will appear obvious, if the history of Rome is attentively confidered. From the extinction of the imperial to the erection of papal dominion, Rome was not the feat of govenment: Neither Odoacer, Theodoric, or his fucceffors, nor the Exarchs of Ravenna, refided in Rome, or took a title from Rome. Their government there could not be reprefented with propriety as exercifed by Rome, that is, as a distinct head of Roman government; for this reason, those were but feven heads, and the Antichriftian dominion may be reckoned the feventh. But in regard a confiderable period of time elapsed be