346 Revival of Roman power. [LECT. Providence to serve as a chrysalis or husk to the papacy, the latter begins to appear and advance in development, in proportion as the former crumbles away, or is shattered to pieces by the invaders.” "It was behind the chair of Peter," the writer goes on to say, "that the remnant of the senate and the people sought protection in the extremities of their distress." "The misfortunes of Rome involved the apostolic pastor in the business of peace and war;' he sends governors to the towns and cities; issues orders to the generals; relieves the public distress; treats of peace, and of the ransom of captives with the enemy. What wonder if, in discharging these offices, in conjunction with those of his supreme vicariate over the church, the dignities of prince and pontiff should seem to be united in his person ? ?" To those, however, who recollect the language in which Gregory himself denounced the pride of him who should claim such an office as a 66 supreme vicariate over the Church,"-declaring such an one to be a forerunner of Antichrist, a follower of Lucifer in his presumptuous ambition 3,—there will appear, in such exaltation of the Roman see, and in the universal dominion which it has arrogated, something like a germinant fulfilment at least of the vision before us, "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?" It was 6 [See Gibbon, chap. 45, for the state of Rome in the time of Gregory the Great. It will be observed, that the history is thus resumed precisely where it was broken off before, viz. with the latter part of the sixth century.] 7" Rome as it was under Paganism, and as it became under the Popes." Vol. ii. pp. 274-282. (Lond. 1843.) Cf. sup. p. 79, note 8. 9 Ver. 4. 8 XI.] The Vision further unfolding. 347 indeed irresistible power to which the second Gregory laid claim, when, in language such as this, he defied the Emperor of the East, against whom, in the cause of image worship, he was prepared to stir up the West to rebellion. "The eyes of the nations," he said, "are fixed on our humility, and they revere as a God upon earth the apostle St. Peter, whose image you threaten to destroy. The remote and interior kingdoms of the West present their homage to Christ and his vicegerent. . . . Abandon your rash and fatal enterprize ;—reflect, tremble, and repent'. But we come now to that part of the description which corresponds most closely with that of the little horn of the fourth beast in Daniel's vision, and also with the description given in the preceding vision of St. John, of the beast which was to ascend from the abyss, and to make war upon the two witnesses. "And there was given unto him," we read in the passage before us, "a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue," or, more literally, "practise 2,-forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." This description corresponds closely with that of the little horn in Daniel's vision; each exhibiting apparently the same gradual development, first of arrogance and pride, and then of persecution. And this it is important to observe. In the little 'Gibbon, chap. 49, vol. v. p. 107. 2 ποιῆσαι. : 348 Vision of Daniel compared. [LECT. horn in Daniel's vision, we are told, "were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things;" and his "look was more stout than his fellows1." And then the prophet continues, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them, until the Ancient of days, and judgment was given unto the saints of the most High ; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom"." In like manner, in the interpretation of that vision by the Angel, it is said of the little horn, which should be "diverse from the first,”—that is, from the other ten kings,-" he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times, and the dividing of times"." And corresponding with this in the vision of the two witnesses, we saw first the holy city trodden of the Gentiles for forty and two months, during which time the witnesses fulfil their prophetic ministry; and then, when their ministry is accomplished, the final conflict and persecution begin. "When they shall have finished their testimony," it is there said, "the beast that ascendeth out of the abyss shall make war against them and overcome them;"-the same words precisely being used as when it is said in the vision before us, "it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them." And, to complete the parallel, while in that vision we are told, concerning the witnesses, "they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead 4 Dan. vii. 8. 20. 5 Ibid. vv. 21, 22. Ibid. v. 25. 7 Chap. xi. 2, 3. Ibid. v. 7. XI.] Successive stages in the Vision. 349 bodies to be put in graves; and they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them and make merry";" we are told here that these are the subjects of the dominion of the persecutor, the willing votaries of his service; "power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations; and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world'." I have said that it is important to mark the distinction which is, I think, thus clearly discernible between the former and the latter period of the power here described. It seems to be thus important, because it has been strongly urged as an insuperable objection to the interpretation which would refer the imagery before us to the Papal dominion, that it is impossible to believe that, for many centuries, the power which was regarded throughout Western Europe as the head of Christendom, was indeed all that time, though they knew it not, making war upon the saints, and inflicting upon them cruel persecution. If the view now taken of it be correct, the long period of twelve hundred and sixty years, if so we understand it, represented mystically as three times (or years) and a half, or forty and two months, was the appointed period during which this power should "continue," or "practise," in its arrogance and pride; whereas the three days, that is, on this hypothesis, three years, and a half at the close of that longer period, were to comprise the special time of raging persecution, of bitter warfare and temporary triumph over the saints and witnesses of God. The fearful greatness of that conflict and 9 Chap. xi. 9, 10. 1 Vv. 7, 8. 350 دو Wild Beast out of the Land; [LECT. season of trial, is impressed upon them to whom the message of prophecy should come, by the admonition of solemn import, "If any man have an ear, let him hear "." And of what kind the weapons are by which, in that warfare, Christ's faithful soldiers and servants may hope to prevail, we are further taught, in words of warning which stand significantly in contrast with that which has been the characteristic principle of the so-called chair of St. Peter-a principle adopted in utter forgetfulness of the rebuke given to that disciple in his Master's hour of trial 3. "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints 4." 3 But another form of craft and power was revealed in the vision, co-operating with the former, and ministering to it. "I beheld," says St. John, "another wild beast coming up out of the earth,' -or more properly "the land," as distinguished from "the sea,"-" and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him," that is, before his eyes, and in his presence, as his servant and minister 6,-"and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed "." This second power was to arise out of the "land;" which, in contradistinction from the "sea," we have already had occasion to observe, seems to denote the original heritage of the 2 Ver. 9. 66 3 Matt. xxvi. 52, "for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." 4 Ver. 10. 5 ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. |