e, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. If any man have an ear, let him hear.

10. 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.

In this vision John beheld a beast rise out of the sea. His
appearance--like that of a leopard with the feet of a bear and a mouth
like a lion--indicated that he was some terrible creature. He was also a
persecutor of the saints, the same as the dragon that preceded him. As
before explained, this beast, also, symbolizes the Roman empire; for he
possesses the same heads and horns as the dragon, the only difference
being that the supreme power and authority, as indicated by the crowns,
is now vested in the ten horns, or minor kingdoms, instead of in the
seven heads. The dragon as a political power represented Rome before her
overthrow by the barbarians; the beast as a political power represents
new Rome.

A careful study of the characteristics of this beast, however, will show
that he represents more than a civil power. As a mere beast from the
natural world he could symbolize nothing more than some political power;
but it will be noticed that, combined with his beastly nature, there are
also certain characteristics that belong exclusively to the department
of human life--a mouth _speaking_ great things; power to magnify himself
against the God of heaven; the ability to single out the saints of God
and kill them, and to set himself up as an object to be worshiped, etc.
This combination of symbols from the two departments--those of animal
and of human life--points us with absolute certainty to Rome as a
politico-religious system. Ask any historian what world-wide power
succeeded Rome Pagan, and he will answer at once, "Rome Papal."

While it is not my general design to explain the many lines of prophetic
truth described under similar symbols in other parts of the Bible, yet I
will ask the reader here to pardon the slight digression while I call
attention briefly to a few thoughts in the seventh chapter of