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THE HEALED HEAD EXPLAINED.

foundation, and exterminate its hated name and nature from existence among men.

Thus the prophets, both Daniel, and John the Revelator on the Isle of Patmos, predicted the rise of the great Infidel power of the latter ages of the world preceding the Millennium. And we are prepared to show, that the long-predicted time has come, and the object predicted, has evidently made its appearance in the world at the French Revolution of A.D. 1789, many days of years after Daniel's last vision. Truly, the time was long before the Infidel empire, the Beast from the bottomless pit, the wounded head of the ancient Roman Imperial Government; the Beast that was, is not, is the eighth, and of the seven forms of Roman Government, should make its appearance. But now, since it has made its appearance, in evident fulfilment of Divine prophecy, we are furnished with materials to understand the symbolical representation of the prophecy of the Beast rising from the bottomless pit, and being the eighth and of the seven kings, (i. e., heads or forms of government.) The following facts will explain this mystery.

The ancient, Pagan, persecuting Roman Empire, had the following forms of government, viz., kings, consuls, tribunes, decemvirs, and dictators, which had passed away before John had his prophetic vision on the Isle of Patmos. The form of Roman government, then existing, was imperial monarchy of absolute authority. This was the sixth form of Roman government. Another form of government was predicted, which would be but of short continuance. When this should come, it would complete the seven predicted heads. And the Beast from the bottomless pit symbolically representing the Infidel power, would be the eighth head, numerically, and yet it would be

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC AND EMPIRE.

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"of the seven," because, it would be only the sixth imperial head, once wounded to death, now risen to life again in the same form, and possessing the same hostility to Christianity. Hence the establishment of the "Terrible Republic" of France, which was but of short duration, [Rev. xvii. 10,] may be understood as the foretold seventh head of government. And when this noted republic was converted into an empire of absolute imperial monarchy, with Napoleon Bonaparte on the imperial throne, distributing his conquered, vassalated kingdoms among his ten favorites, constituting ten subordinate kingdoms of Imperial France, and the Pope of Rome forced into a state of alliance; then, (it is verily believed,) was fulfilled the apocalyptical symbolical prediction of the rise of a Beast from the bottomless pit, of a scarlet color, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns, and a woman upon his back, arrayed in purple and scarlet color, decked with gold, and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations, and filthiness of her fornication; and upon her forehead a name written, "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth, and drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus." This is the Beast that "was," (once the heathen, persecuting, imperial, sixth head of Roman government under the Cæsars.) The Beast that "is not." (When John saw and spake of him in vision; then, it could be said, he" is not wounded to death in his sixth form of government, nor will he be thus wounded, till the Reformation under Constantine shall do it, to prepare the way for Popery to rise to power and take the Beastly reigns of persecuting government.) And this is the Beast that "is the eighth and of the seven, (i. e. the

156

THE POWER OF DIVINE TRUTH.

Beast from the bottomless pit, with a woman on its back; the old heathen persecuting power of Rome, mystically resuscitated again to life; so that the head that was wounded to death by Constantine, is healed by Napoleon Bonaparte, and the new Imperial Infidel power, is the eighth form of government, numerically, but being only the healed head of the ancient imperial sixth form of government, it is therefore, "of the seven," restored to life to make the last great decisive effort for the destruction of Christianity.

Thus, we see the power of Divine Truth exemplified in the fulfilment of Bible predictions. The truth is irresistible, that the Bible is true; that God is Omniscient; that He knoweth all things, even the end from the beginning; and that He inspired holy men of old to foretell events that would come to pass, by his permissive decree, through the instrumentality, and according to the will of his inveterate enemies, who would rise into power among the nations of earth. He foresaw, that in the enmity of their hearts, they would devise measures to favor the cause of Satan in opposition to the kingdom, laws, and grace of the Almighty; for the overthrow of his Bible truth, and the Christian religion; and for the destruction of the souls whom he had "ordained to eternal life, through faith in the grace of the gospel of Christ Jesus unto salvation."

Because God has revealed to fallen man his purpose of mercy through the grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, hence it was foreknown to Him who knoweth all things, that through the influence of anti-Christian spirits from the bottomless pit, enemies of God from among the carnal-minded race of fallen men, if permitted, would rise into existence and power, and exert their utmost skill to defeat, if possible, the whole plan of God's purpose of mercy.

INTERNAL EVIDENCE OF BIBLE truth.

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And, hence, a prophetic Revelation of their rise, character, and measures of opposition to God's truth, and to all his purposes, and works of mercy, made known to holy prophets by the Spirit of inspiration ; and by them promulgated to mankind; and recorded in the sacred pages of the Bible, ages before the existence of the events predicted;* together with the fulfilment of the predictions; authenticated by the positive existence of the events predicted, in exact accordance with the previous revelation, demonstrated by undeniable facts; has established the truth of the HOLY BIBLE above the successful contradiction of the boldest Infidels in the ranks of Antichrist. The Bible is true. Satan himself, knows that the Bible is true. Infidels, of every rank, know that the Bible is true, by its condemning influence on their conscience; therefore, all anti-Christians hate the blessed book of God, as they hate God himself, and are combined in measures to destroy its influence from the world, that they may be delivered from the molestation of its restraints on sensuality; from the binding influence of the Moral Law, which prohibits murder on penalty of death; and from the fears of endless punishment after death, for only having their own will in this short life of trouble.

* Such was the force of Truth on the fulfilment of Daniel's prophecy by the advent of Messiah, that Porphyry, a heathen philosopher of the fourth century, affirmed, that "the prophecy was written after the event came to pass," which, if true, would have been a mere history, and forged prophecy. But authentic history proves that the Books of the Prophets were translated from Hebrew into Greek, by order of Ptolemy Philadelphus, and that when Alexander the Conqueror appeared with his army before Jerusalem, about 330 years B.C., Jaddua, the High Priest, met him in pontificial robes, showed him the writings of the prophets, and by that means a siege of the city was Providentially prevented.

LECTURE VI.

ANCIENT PREDICTIONS of anti-Christian preparation for the great battle-day of the Lord, have long been, and still are in progress, daily fulfilling.

In preceding lectures it has been shown that Popery, Mahometanism, and Infidelity, three extensive powers of iniquity, have practically combined, to root out the religion of the Bible from the earth, by the introduction and influence of their anti-Christian sys-. tems of worldly policy, fabulous religion, and unrestrained sensuality. It has also been shown, that the very fact of the existence of those anti-Christian powers, is incontestable proof of the Truth of the Bible, which contains predictions that such combinations of opposition to God and holiness would arise in the world to wage war against the God of heaven; against his word of inspiration; against the religion which his word inculcates; and against all whose faith, and hope of salvation, are founded on Bible principles. And that, consequently, all Bible representations of the triumphs of DIVINE TRUTH Over all its opposers, and the certain overthrow that awaits all the impenitent enemies of God and holiness, may be looked for with trembling anxiety, for a day of the Lord's holy vengeance, is also revealed.

The subject of this lecture will be to show, that the above-named powers of Antichrist, are now preparing