poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." The signification of this mark has been a little contested. Lord Napeir supposes the mark to consist in the different 'crosses which the Papists marked themselves with: his paraphrase is as follows: "The Pope caused all his subjects of Christendom, to receiue and bear in their hands and foreheads markes and tokens, representing the name of the Latin empire; such as the marks of xgs and crosses of sundry sorts.” *

*Sir Isaac Newton's opinion of the mark is similar to that of Lord Napeir; and is thus expressed by Faber: "As for the mark of the Beast, which I conceive to be the cross, this mark, no less than the name Latinus, is peculiar to the Beast that is, or the Papal Roman empire, as contradistinguished from the Beast that was, or the Pagan Roman empire. The ancient Roman Beast despised the cross: but the revived Roman or Latin Beast made it his peculiar badge not only in religious but civil matters, introducing it into his standards, blazoning it in the armorial bearings of many of his great men, and displaying it upon the crowns of all his ten horns; insomuch that the crescent is not more the mark of Turkey, or the dragon of China, than the much abused symbol of the cross is of the Papal Latin empire.— The name then of the Beast is Latinus; the number of his name is 666; and his mark,-the cross." This interpretation of the mark is certainly very ingenious, and Faber's quotation of the Rubric of the Roman Missal appears to stamp it with great authority. It is as follows: "In consecrating the baptismal water, the priest is directed to divide it, in the form of a cross, with his extended hand, which he is immediately to wipe with a cloth. Afterwards he is again to touch the water with his hand; next he is to make three crosses upon the font: and then he is to divide the water with his hand, pouring it out, crosswise, to the four parts

Bishop Newton and many others consider that the mark of the Beast is here spoken of in reference to the "ancient custom of servants receiving the mark of their master, and soldiers of their general, and those who were devoted to any particular deity, of the particular deity to whom they were devoted. These marks," he adds, "were usually impressed on their right hand or on their foreheads; and consisted of some hieroglyphic characters, or of the

of the world. Having duly gone through this process, muttering all the while in such a manner as not to be heard by the byestanders, he is to change his voice, and recite a short prayer in the tone of reading. The prayer being ended, he breathes three times upon the water in the form of a cross; and then, resuming the low muttering of his former incantation, he drops a little wax into the water. Thrice he drops this wax into the water, and thrice he takes it out; blowing, at its last immersion, three times upon the water in the cruciform figure of the Greek letter

Psi. Lastly, he mixes oil and cream with the water, moving his hand to and fro in the shape of a cross; and the consecrated commixtio, as it is termed, is thought to be then duly prepared for the administration of the sacrament of baptism. Nor is the cross used in this absurdly superstitious manner throughout the initiatory rite of Christianity alone. Holy eggs and holy candles, holy salt and holy water, go through a somewhat similar ceremony; and are marked in a similar manner, with the sign of the cross. Nay, even when not immediately engaged in performing the rites of his multifarious adoration, let a Papist be assailed either by natural or supernatural terrors, and he will forthwith almost mechanically commence the operation of crossing himself in various parts of his body." Notwithstanding the very great plausibility of this interpretation of the mark, it will be found on more minute examination, that the cross is not the mark of the Beast's name.

name expressed in vulgar letters, or of the name disguised in numerical letters according to the fancy of the imposer." But Dr. Mitchell, with his feeble light of Aarsivos, appears to me to have ascertained the meaning of this passage with singular precision he observes that "the mark is the number of a name, and not of any time. So extensive was this mark," he continues, "that not only the people must be of the Latin church, but things also must have it; the scriptures, the laws of the empire, the mass and offices of the church, must be in Latin, and no other language." All that I can say here is simply by way of comment upon the Doctor's words. That the signification of the mark is to be ascertained by means of the name is abundantly evident from Rev. xiv. 11. where it is said that "they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast, and his image, and whosoever receiveth the MARK OF HIS NAME." The name of the Beast is the Latin empire; the mark of his name must, therefore, be his Latin worship. That this is the meaning of the mark is demonstrable from the circumstance that the two-horned Beast, or false-prophet, causes all descriptions of persons to receive it; and it is well known that the continual employment of the Latin clergy is to enforce the Latin idolatry upon their flocks. The mass and

offices of the church, which are in Latin, and contain the sum and substance of their idolatrous worship, are of different kinds, and abound in impious prayers to the Virgin Mary, and the saints and an

"

gels. They even assert that the mass is one of the seven sacraments; and preach that no creature can be saved unless he implicitly receive it as such. In fact the Latin worship is the universal badge of distinction of the Latin church from all other churches -on the face of the earth; and is, therefore, the only infallible MARK by which a genuine Papist can be distinguished from the rest of mankind: But the two-horned Beast causes all to receive this ❝ mark in their right hand, or on their foreheads Right hand, in Scripture language, is the symbol of the main strength of the person of whom it is spokeh. Thus, in Ps. xvii. 7. God is said to save by his right hand them which put their trust in him.ebIn Ps. xx. 6. we read of the "saving strength of God's right bhand." - Ps. xxi. 8. it is said that “God's right hand shall find out those that hate him."The meaning of right hand is sufficiently obvious in the following words in Ps. xlv. 3, 4. "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously, because of truth, and meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things?" The reception of the mark in the right hand must, therefore, mean that all so receiving it, devote the whole powers of their mind and body for the propagation of the Latin worship, and in the eradication of all they denominate heresies out of their church. But some receive the mark on their foreheads. By cany thing being impressed upon the foreheadis meant, as has been observed upon a former ocoa

sion, the public profession of whatever, is inscribed or marked upon it. Thus in Rev. ix. 4. it is said of the locusts, that "it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God on their foreheads." Here it is evident that the men who are under the Divine displeasure are those who do not make a public profession of the unadulterated truths of the Gospel. In Rev. xiv. 1. mention is made of an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name, written on their foreheads. In Rev. xxii. 4. of the servants of God it is said, "And they shall see his face.; and his name shall be in their foreheads. In these texts the meaning of God's name being written upon the forehead must be, that it is evident to all that these men are the children of God, In Ezek. iii. 7. the children of Israel are called stiff of forehead and hard of heart," that is to say, they are not ashamed of their impieties, but make a public profession of them. The mark of the Beast being received on the forehead must, consequently, mean that all those s marked make a public profession of the Latin worའགལ ship; whereby it is evident to all that they form a part of the Latin church. Many may be marked in the right hand, which are also marked on their foreheads; but it does not follow that those marked on their foreheads, are also marked in their right hand; that is to say, it is not every individual that complies with the Latin worship, who, to the utmost

1