291, Id ,eq, A commonly received interpre- terpret this number in the same way u we tation makes the name of the beast to be hue ,dealt wiili Ill •ilier numbers in the Nero Cresar, written in the Hebrew cham.o- Apocalypse, 'l'iz. by regarding them u ters ,c,p J\-U; and B8 the name may be symbolical of ql!alities, we ahall be on ■lU'flZ written Nerim or N6f'O, the difference of the ground. In the first place, the number ffl/J final n (= 50) is thought to account for the is typfoal of what is earthly as oppo■ed to dfocrepancy in the manuscript authorities. what is heavenly. As seven is the nWllbe:r Dr. Sa.J.mon shows that Nero could not of perfection, and is deB(lriptive of u•i'Nl'- have been intended, because (1) the pro- sality, and is therefore the aymbol-perlabrlng phecy in tha.t case would have been im- to God, so six is a type of what fall8 short mediately falsified ; (2) the solr.tion would of the heavenly idea.I. Of. the ft# day11 of have been known to the early Christians: the creation: the w, yea:ra of ■ervimde but it was not known, according to Irenreus. (Exod. xxi. 2, etc.) and of work (&od. Dr. Salmon then adds {p. SOO), "Pages xxiil. 10). Again, the threefold employment might be filled with a list of persons whose of the number 1iz, while emphasizing the names ha'l'e been proposed as solutions of fact of the number referring to what is the problem. Among the persons supposed ellll!lntiallyearthly, has a fulnei!s, importance, to be indicated 11.1'8 the emperors Caligula, and seeming completeness which inakes U Trajan, e.nd Julian the Apostate, Genserio a type of that which appears to be perfect, the Vandal, Popes Benedict IX. and Paul but in reality falls short of perfection. It V., Mahomet, Martin Luther, John CalTin, is, in short, symbolical of a deceit, a sham. Beza, and Napoleon Bonaparte. There are It is therefore descriptive of the nature of three rules by the help of which I believe the second beast; of that self-deceit which au ingenious man could find the required causes men to aooept the world as a 81lb- &um in any given name. 1 First, if the stitute for God, or, at least, as not antago- proper name by itself will not yield it, add nistic to him; which enabl88 men to thus a title; secondly, if the s11m cannot be quiet _their consciences, while in reality found in Greek, try Hebrew; o:t &Ten Latin; becommg followers of the worldly JX'Wfl'I thirdly, do not be too particular about the and subjects of Satan. That thia 11 the spelling." The above objections also hold meaning of the number liz ia recognbed by good v&y generally with regard to the some writers, though they do not here so &uggestion of l<a.Tuvos, by which may be apply ii. In the 'Speaker's Commentary.' indicated the .Roman or Latin power, either Introduction, § 11 (a), we find, "Six ia the paga.n or papal. But if we attempt to in- 'signature' of non-perfection:" and, " Thi8 number is also a symbol of hffl'IICln ruk and 1 One example which he gives elsewhere, power." Wordsworth says, "The numerical not, of course, seriously, is amusing, particu- symbol of the beast, 666, indicatei Uiat he larly if Vel'B. 16, 17 be borne in mind. n aims at and aspires to the attribute.. of = is w<J{lpvlMor (,r = 80 + ci = 1 + p 100 + Christ, and put& forth a · semblance of p = 100 + v = 50 + e = 5 + A = 30 + A = Christian truth, but falla away from ii in SO+ 11 = 70 + s = 200; total= 666). a triple decline and degenemoy."
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-18.-The foes of God and qf his <Jh'I.W'ch: tM lwo beasts. The eril one ia responsible for much of the mischief in the world, but his responsibility for it i.a n01; an unshared one. Two other enemies are here portrayed as the emissaries and agents , of the fil'Bt (ver. 2), The thought underlying the chapter is that of the predominance ' of brute force over moral power; or, in other words, of might over right. Here are two beasts. The first, described in vers. 1-10, is seen "coming up from the sea," as if it were the product of the surging restlessness of the troubled sea of godless strife; "having seven heads "-these are so many phases of a corrupt, ungodly world-power. The expression cannot refer to any one distinctive power as auch, for none has ever yet been seen, nor can be, having power over" all k.indreds, and tongues, and nations." As the dragon has seven heads and ten homs, so likewiae has this first beast; what- ever power the devil wields, he wields through it. And as wide as ia the devil's sway, so wide is the sway of this hostile force. Thus, in this symbolic form we get pre- cisely the same truth which meets us elsewhere-that Satan ia "the prince of the power {)f the air," "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Again, this beast has "upon hia heads the names of blasphemy" (ver. 1). A supremac, BEVKLATIOIII', I 338 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIYTh'E. [on. xm. 1-18.