ing to his will, the interpretation is, that "He opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thess. ii. 4.) Although he did not accomplish all he desired, he became great. When our Lord appeared unto John in the isle of Patmos, and desired him to write unto the seven churches in Asia, there were churches in Europe perhaps much more numerous than those in Asia. The design of our Lord was to mark out the churches in the two continents as distinct and separate from one another. The christian churches in Asia became a second rib, and the christian churches in Europe being another rib, complete the three ribs. During the first three centuries the christian church in Europe had not lost wholly its resemblance to the Lamb. After Constantine's time it gradually lost its heavenly character and spirit, until at length it became, in the person and power of the pope of Rome, the "he-goat who came from the west, on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground; having a notable horn between his eyes." (Dan. viii. 5.) When the Emperor Phocas declared the pope of Rome universal bishop, which means the vicar of Christ upon earth, then it was that the "he-goat came to the ram that had two horns, and ran unto him in the fury of his power, and came close unto the ram, and was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. Therefore the he-goat waxed very great." (Dan. viii. 6-8.) This is an exact representation of what has happened. The bishop

of Constantinople from thence declined, and has long since ceased to have any existence. The pope of Rome has waxed very great, and thus it was that the bear raised itself on one side, having three ribs in the mouth of it, between the teeth of it, to whom it was said, Arise, devour much flesh.

"After this I beheld, and lo, another like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl: the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it." (Dan. vii. 6.) The Grecian kingdom, the third of the four great ones is here referred to-like a leopard having upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; indicating that unlike the Babylonish and Persian kingdoms, it was not to be at once and utterly overthrown, but divided into four heads or lesser kingdoms, was as it were with four wings to fly on, until it also was merged in the mystery of iniquity, which has so happened. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Zechariah, when the Lord said, "I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord." (Zech. xi. 10, 11.) It is the beauty of holiness in which the Lord delighteth: God's mountain is a mountain of holiness; and it is written, "Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever." (Psalm xcix. 5.) God cut His staff, Beauty, asunder, and it became two. Then was fulfilled that which is written by the same prophet, when he saith, "Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that

goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: (he that hindered was then taken out of the way that that Wicked might be revealed:) and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is Wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah: and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof." (Zech. v. 5, 8.) Instead of holiness Satan substitutes wickedness; the great mystery of godliness is supplanted by the mystery of iniquity. The church is corrupted and has become a putrifying body-an harlot; that woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess begins to teach and seduce Christ's servants, and to cause them to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. When Satan ruined man he did not stop there. Not satisfied with corrupting and apparently destroying what God had created, he further set to work to imitate God so far as wickedness can be called in any sense an imitation of holiness. He and the other wicked spirits brought into being serpents like themselves; it is to the praise of God that their power was limited to one each, otherwise they would have filled the world in a very short space of time with incarnate devils. Be it further observed, that when God became incarnate, the devils also became incarnate. Step by step they have followed Jehovah, imitating Him in all He has done; and what devils would do, and would have done, if the weight of lead was not cast upon them, is manifested in the marvellous contrast between the meek and lowly Jesus of Nazareth, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, and "the man who met Him out of the tombs with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the

tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces; neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones." (Mark v. 2-5.) In the one, Jesus of Nazareth, we behold the great mystery of godliness, a Sovereign, yet the servant of all. In the other, the demoniac, we behold the mystery of iniquity, a subject, who ought to serve, but will nevertheless be a sovereign by disobedience, and as the necessary consequence, cannot rule or control himself, far less others. Let us lift up our voices and thank our God that the wrath of devils and wicked men is restrained, and that He causes what He permits to praise Him; for we know that although Satan has deformed the body as well as defiled the spirit of man, still all things work together for good to them who love God, who are the called according to His purpose. Satan must therefore, after having thoroughly corrupted the church from heaven, and made it his own seat, proceed to erect and establish one of his own, in the doing of which he copies, so far as he can, the work of God. In the year 612, Mahomet is raised up, who becomes the founder of a religion which has done for the descendants of Shem, what popery has done for the descendants of Japhet. The beginning of his career is thus described by Gibbon. "The first and most arduous conquests of Mahomet, were those of his wife, his servant, his pupil, and his friend; since he presented himself as a prophet to those who were most conversant with his infirmities as a man. Yet Cadijah believed the words,

and cherished the glory of her husband; the obsequious and affectionate Zeid was tempted by the prospect of freedom; the illustrious Ali, of Abu Taleb, embraced the sentiments of his cousin with the spirit of a youthful hero; and the wealth, the moderation, the veracity of Abubeker, confirmed the religion of the prophet whom he was destined to succeed. By his persuasion, ten of the most respectable citizens of Mecca were introduced to the private lessons of Islam; they yielded to the voice of reason and enthusiasm; they repeated the fundamental creed-There is but one God, and Mahomet is the apostle of God;' and their faith, even in this life, was rewarded with riches and honours, with the command of armies, and the government of kingdoms. Three years were silently employed in the conversion of fourteen proselytes, the first-fruits of his mission; but in the fourth year he assumed the prophetic office, and resolving to impart to his family the light of divine truth, he prepared a banquet, a lamb, as it is said, and a bowl of milk, for the entertainment of forty guests of the race of Hashem. Friends and kinsmen,' said Mahomet to the assembly, 'I offer you, and I alone can offer the most precious of gifts, the treasures of this world and of the world to come. God has commanded me to call you to his service. Who among you will support my burden? Who among you will be my companion and vizier?' No answer was returned, till the silence of astonishment, and doubt, and contempt, was at length broken by the impatient courage of Ali, a youth in the fourteenth year of his age-'O prophet, I am the man: whosoever rises against thee, I will dash out his teeth, tear out his eyes, break his legs, rip up his belly. O prophet, I will be thy vizier over them.' Mahomet accepted his offer with