that would give 676, but yet the Holy Spirit might advert to this fractional difference to show why the Pope for instance, being included among the cardinals, would have raised them to twenty-six; so that this very ambiguity of a fluctuation between twenty-five and twenty-six may explain more exactly why a number was chosen which in its exposition would allow for some variation, and yet be strictly confined to the true root of that given number.

"And I looked, and lo a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps. And they sung, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the elders, and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; these were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found M 2

no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of God."

The beginning of the fourteenth chapter exhibits a direct contrast to the reign and characteristics of the beast. There we find our blessed Saviour as the Lamb of God, who was sacrificed for our sins, standing on Mount Sion, the place of God's true worship, and with him a glorified company of 144 thousand, that is, the apostolical number of twelve, apostolically multiplied by twelve thousand, the same number which were represented as sealed in chapter vii. 4'.

This is the number of the true Church, as 666 is of the false. And as the followers of the beast bore his mark on their, foreheads, or their right hands, so the company of the Lamb bore his Father's name (and, as many of the copies read, his name likewise) written on their foreheads. An allusion is here evidently made to the rite and seal of baptism, which being, as our Saviour commanded, administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and the sign of the cross being at that time impressed on the foreheads of the baptized, they thenceforth bore the name of the Father, and the sign

1 And which is one of the links connecting the vision of the seals with that of the little book.

of the Son in their Christian name, which was then given, being the mark of their adoption as the children of God, and of their regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

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The angels and the heavenly choir are now heard singing with a loud voice, as the voice of many waters, and accompanied by instruments of music, that new or Christian song which they are represented as singing in the fifth chapter, and which no man could learn, or understand, but the 144,000 of the redeemed. W Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."-" Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." And in which the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders joined.

These were the first pure and undefiled disciples of the Apostolic Church. They were not contaminated with spiritual fornication or adultery; they had no connexion with the Babylonish harlot; they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; they adhere stedfastly to him, and to him alone, without any other mediator; they are the first fruits to God, and to the Lamb, and an earnest of a future harvest. In their mouth was found no guile: they handled not the word of

God deceitfully, but were considered as without fault before the throne of God.

They were therefore in all respects directly opposed to the new and idolatrous image of the beast, which had just been established under the influence of Satan.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

This chapter, I conceive, is a general one, extending even to the end of the apocalyptical period, and leaving more particular details for future revelation.

At the time when Rome, under the dominion of the new beast, was wholly given up to idolatry, God left Himself not without witness. Three angels are sent in succession to announce His will and His judgments to mankind. The first is here called another angel, to distinguish him from those angels which chaunted the praises of God on Mount Sion. An angel generally implies the ruler or president of the state over which he presides, to execute the commands of the Al

mighty. And not only did the Greek emperor endeavour to preserve the truth of the Gospel, and to prevent the introduction of idolatry, but Charlemagne, the new Emperor of the West, held a council at Francfort in 794 of about 300 French, German, Italian, Spanish, and British bishops, which condemned the worship of images, and rejected the second Council of Nice, which had authorized it. His son, and successor likewise, Lewis the Pious, ratified the acts of the Council of Francfort, and the books called Caroline from their author, which exposed the adoration of images, as unscriptural.

This was a public testimony to the Christian world of the truth of the everlasting Gospel, preached to all nations, that they should fear God only, and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is at hand, and should worship him alone who made all things. And it was at this time that the Christian religion was propagated among the Saxons, Danes, Swedes, and other northern nations.

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of her fornication."

The second angel announces the threatened fall of Babylon, or Rome; for that by Babylon Rome was intended, all ages and countries under