ields, the conflagration of their cities,
and the promiscuous slaughters to which they were subjected, were either
forced to conform to the Catholic church, or driven into other lands. The
Waldenses perished in far greater numbers by the sword, in their struggles
for preservation and freedom, than by the fires of martyrdom; and sunk,
after their contests, to a still more hopeless vassalage to their
persecutors. The resort to the sword by the Bohemians and the Huguenots of
France, to defend their religious freedom, resulted, after vast
slaughters, in their defeat and helpless subjection to the tyranny from
which they endeavored to extricate themselves. And the Protestants of
Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain, who
succeeded in delivering themselves from the dominion of their ancient
tyrants, instead of securing thereby their religious liberty, only placed
themselves, by the nationalization of their churches, under the tyranny of
Protestant rulers in place of Catholics."--_Exp. of Apoc._ p. 384.

In this was to be exhibited the patience and faith of the saints, who,
amid all their persecutions, made a wonderful manifestation of these. Of
the many thousands put to death, or subjected to satanic cruelties for
their faith, only a very few apostatized. Says Mr. Lord:

"Of those who, under the insupportable agonies and distraction of the
scourge and the rack, recanted, or promised a recantation, a large
proportion immediately on being released from the sufferings which had
overcome them, abjured their retractions, re-professed with redoubled
energy the faith of Christ, and met without faltering the hideous death to
which they were immediately hurried. Such is their uniform history in
whatever age they fell, or to whatever nation or rank they
belonged."--_Exp. of Apoc._, p. 385.

If there was no other evidence of their constancy, faith, and patience,
the horrid instruments of torture which were resorted to to terrify them,
testify to their adherence to their principles, which required such
engines for their subversion.

The end of this beast, will be effected by his being cast alive into the
lake of fire and brimstone, when the Lord shall make war with him, 19:20.
This is also the end of Daniel's fourth beast, whose body is to be given
to the burning flame (Dan. 7:11), and of the scarlet-colored beast on
which the woman was seated, which is to go into perdition, 17:8.

The Two-Horned Bea