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identity preserved with the fourth beast of Daniel. Space will not permit us to exhibit this at length; but our readers will do well to read the seventh chapter of the Old Testament prophet with the present passage lying before them, and they cannot fail to be struck with the close adherence to the description there given.

"And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

And he causeth all, both

small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six."

This second beast is the Papacy, more especially, as distinguished from the Roman Catholic Kingdoms. It is the Church of Rome, not the Roman Empire. It has "two horns like a lamb," or is, in other words, a counterfeit of the true "Lamb of God," the Lord Jesus Christ. Accordingly, we find that the popes have ever assumed the attributes and functions of the Saviour. They have pretended to forgive sins, to offer up an atonement for the people, and to have the keys of hell and death. And their name, whether it be taken to be Lateinos, the Greek word for "the Latin man," or Romiith, the Hebrew word for "Roman," or Apostates, the Greek word for "the Apostate," will count, if reckoned according to the power of the letters as numerals, exactly to the predicted number of 666.

THOUGHTS ON A RECENT MELANCHOLY EVENT AT

RAMSGATE.

ONE of the visitors at Ramsgate, who had the pain to witness, this morning, the fruitless efforts to rescue one of his fellow-visitors from a watery grave, feels constrained to make a few remarks on this melancholy event, in the hope that they may, with the blessing of God, lead those who read them to a right improvement of this painful occurrence. It is many years since any visitor at Ramsgate met death in this sudden and awful manner; and, as such an occurrence could not take place without

the appointment of HIM who numbers the very hairs of our head, and without whom not even a sparrow falls to the ground, it becomes all who witnessed or hear of it to lay it to heart.

A fine young man,* in the vigour of health and years, the joy and hope of his parents, went into the sea from one of the bathing machines this morning; having gone too far in a heavy surf, he became

* W. Nicholson, Esq. Solicitor, of Ludgate Hill, London :-the event took place on Monday, August 22.

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distressed, and made signs for help: two bold men, excellent swimmers, rushed into the sea, one of whom reached him, but was unable to bear him to shore against the reflux of the tide the two men were themselves in danger, but were rescued by the life-boat. In a few minutes, perhaps not more than eight or ten, from his entering the water, the sufferer was lost beyond recovery.

It has been to the writer of this paper a melancholy sight this morning, to witness groups of his fellow-visitors wandering on the beach, and casting wishful eyes on the wide waters which had carried away the body of one so lately alive and vigorous like themselves. He joined one after another of these groups, and wished to throw in a word of christian counsel; but thought that he might perhaps, with the blessing of God, make a more general and permanent improvement of the event by adopting the present method.

When the two men were buffeting the waves, and striving to save their drowning fellow-creature, with what deep interest did we who beheld the conflict look on! And when the life-boat delivered these men from the danger which they were encountering, but left the object of their efforts in the deep, how sad and awful was the feeling which came over our spirits!

The

But is there not a voice in this event which all should hear? agonies of death which the sufferer endured, were but for a moment. If he were one of those who, through the grace of God, lived in habitual preparation for death, his immortal spirit has entered on its state of everlasting felicity; and the loud and affecting call of such an event is, "Be ye also ready."

Few, very few, do in reality live in this habitual preparation for death. Though ever on the brink of eternity, and liable to be called at a moment's warning to the bar

of their righteous judge, yet it is but here and there one who seriously asks "What must I do to be saved?"

But has not the scene of this morning proclaimed to us most feelingly the value of the immortal soul? The cry of distress was heard the hand raised above the wave pleaded for instant rescue— bold men dashed through the surge -the shore echoed with shouts for the life-boat-in a few instants it was on the spot-What! are the uncertain years of human life of such value? Are the strongest sympathies of our nature roused for the rescue of the body of a fellow-creature from untimely death? What, then, is the value of that soul which never dies ? What wise and thoughtful man will not seek, above all things, the salvation of his soul?

Nor need any one who seeks this salvation, fear that he shall perish. The efforts to save the drowning body from death were fruitless; and we heard the mournful declaration over it, when it had been found, and after all means had been tried for its re-animation, “We can do nothing more!" But no such fatal issue can attend the prompt and vigilant use of the means which God has in infinite pity appointed for the salvation of the soul. No one can cry for mercy, with an awakened and penitent heart, but he shall find mercy! No one can stretch forth the suppliant hand, but he shall be delivered from the overwhelming waves! "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

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Seek," then, "the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

J. P.

MISCELLANEOUS. ·

A MINISTER is a Levite. In general he has, and he is to have, no inhis brethren,

heritance among

whose affairs are the little transactions of this world. But a minister is called, and set apart for a high and sublime business. His transactions are to be between the living and the dead, between heaven and earth; and he must stand as with wings on his shoulders.Cecil.

The Hon. Robert Boyle when director of the East India Company, in 1677, was very earnest in recommending them to carry the gospel wherever they had factories. It seemed to me (he observes in one of his letters) very fit, that we whose endeavours God has of late so signally prospered, should pay him some little acknowledgment of his many blessings: and that remembering ourselves to be Christians, as well as merchants, we should attempt to bring those countries some spiritual good things, whence we so frequently brought back temporal ones.'Crichton's Lives of Converts.

The late Dr. Bateman, after his unbelief was dispelled, said, 'It is impossible to describe the change which has taken place in my mind; I feel as if a new world was opened to me. All the interests and pursuits of this have faded into nothing, in comparison with it. They seem so mean, paltry, and insignificant, that my blindness in living so long immersed in them, and devoted to them, is quite inconceivable and astonishing to myself.”— Ibid.

The crosses and comforts of this present time would not make that impression upon us that they do, if we did but believe the things of eternity as we ought.-Henry.

The man whom Christ chooses to make truly godly, he first causes to

feel himself almost a despairing sinner; whom he chooses to make strong, he first renders weak; he delivers to death the man whom he means to quicken; he depresses to hell whomsoever he intends to exalt to heaven. This is that wonderful king, who is nearest to those from whom he seems to be most remote. -Luther.

The Lord by degrees allures and draws men out of the pleasing fields of prodigality, into the wilderness of spiritual trouble, (Hosea ii. 14,) that he may there speak unto their hearts; works them to a gracious temper, wherein afterwards he keeps them, partly by presenting sin to the eye and conscience, as he did to David: which is not to sink or drive them to despair, but to nourish and increase in them a hatred of sin, and a longing love after Christ; seeing the one daily, to loathe it; and feeling the want of the other, more to desire him.-Crampton.

Commonly sin goeth not without company; being like the sea, the end of one wave is the beginning of another; or like the circles in a pond, one begets another. And as in a case of stairs, one is a step to help up to higher and worse sins,another; so every sin is a stair to

Ibid.

Sorrow through fear is a prepative for grace. St. Austin compared it to the needle that draweth in the thread.-Ibid.

Haller, the physician," was accustomed to trace the Deity in every thing, and such a spirit of reverence had he attained to, that in whatever company or circum stances he happened to be placed, he never heard that great name mentioned, without some pious expression, and with his eyes lifted up to heaven.-Ibid.

ON THE BIBLE SOCIETY CONTROVERSY.

SIR. IN your number for September, I observe a paper signed Hokytone, on the Bible Society Controversy, the tone and temper of which please me much. All sober-minded persons, I think, must applaud the moderation of its spirit, the wisdom of its counsels, and the importance of its lessons, whether they concur or not in the conclusion towards which it leads. It has given occasion, however, to another paper, in your last number, of a materially different character: which, though it professes' to reply' to the former, wisely declines minutely to examine' its arguments. This is entirely the paper of a partisan, who is abundantly complacent towards his own reasonings, while he scarcely treats those of the other side with decent respect. Admirable reasoning!' he exclaims: Weaker arguments it has certainly never fallen to my lot to meet with.' (p. 375-6.) S. H. S. might have learned from Hakytone that this is not the style in which to treat a question which he himself considers as of most 'serious aspect,' and on which wise and good men take different sides.

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- This correspondent eagerly seizes the opportunity of introducing the discussion into your pages, and thinks it very ' desirable' that it

should be carried on there. I confess I differ from him. I have always considered your Magazine as especially designed for the information of the young, and the edification of plain pious Christians; but I must think these objects painfully sacrificed when fourteen columns are devoted to this controversy, and to such a paper as that on which I am animadverting. As however it has appeared, it is necessary that it should receive an answer: and accordingly I proceed to offer some more particular observations upon it.

NOVEMBER 1831.

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1. The first relates to its title, which I hold to be flagrantly unfais. On the attempted union of Socinianism and Christianity!'-Not merely of Socinians and Christians, but of Socinianism itself and Christianity. Where and by whom is any such union attempted? By none, I am bold to say, in the quarter to which your correspondent directs us.This title not only begs the question at issue, but actually raises the cry of a conspiracy and virtually, however unintentionally on the part of the writer, goes about to settle the question by the most injurious representations of those who are ranged on the other side.

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2. In the next place, I observe that the paper is almost all theory against fact; speculation and prediction as to what will happen in opposition to all that has happened. Whatever it urges of a different kind from this, will be noticed presently. The Socinians will do so and so: but they never have done it, nor attempted it-as S.H.S. admits when he says, they have never yet ́ understood their own position in the Society:' nor are they, I will venture to say, ever likely to attempt it to any extent.By the way I must observe, that your correspondent seems to take ample pains to point out to that body of persons how they may, or even ought,' (p. 375.) to act, so as to annoy and embarrass, and perhaps dissolve the Bible Society. All even 'allusion' to the fundamental truths of the gospel, he imagines again, must in future be dropped, because it will offend the Socinian. But in point of fact, the speeches at Bible Meetings ever have turned, and still do turn, in great measure upon such topics, and no objection has perhaps any where been offered, except where the speaker has gone out of his way

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to attack some who differed from him: and to attack any persons, at least any who do not object to the dispersion of the scriptures, or otherwise assail the Society, is, I do think, uncalled for and improper in Bible Meetings. Yet again, 'the Divine blessing,' has been vouchsafed: that the writer admits : but he has no doubt of its withdrawal!'-To confirm this anticipation, he cites the text, I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me' evidently understanding this 'lifting up' of the Saviour of Christ's exaltation, for he opposes it to the tacit dethronement of the Lord Jesus by the Bible Society!! But the evangelist expressly informs us concerning this sentence of our Lord's, This he said, signifying what death he should die.' (John xii. 32, 33.*)-Let S. H. S. remember the maxim, Bonus textuarius, bonus theologus.

But your correspondent will aver that he has facts to adduce, and does adduce them. Hokytone had, I believe, properly disposed of these facts before: (p. 347.) To his observations I add, that for one of the stories I understand the advocates of change have had to travel seven years back, for want of something more recent; and also that it was a case, in which the Socinians were made the objects of that sort of attack which, I have already said, may well be dispensed with on these occasions:-for- even the proper exposure of errors has its suitable time and season.'t

3. But now, sir, what do a great part of the reasonings, and all the imputations of your correspondent, turn upon? Upon a misunder

*The whole verse is. And I, if I be lifted up FROM THE EARTH, will draw all men unto me.

† I here quote from the admirable little The Constitution of the Bible pamphlet, Society impartially considered: by a Clerical Member.' (Published by Cochran and Key.) Persons on the other side have called for a scriptural consideration of the question: Here they may find it-I should hope to their satisfaction.

standing, and consequent misrepresentation of the terms on which Socinians are admitted into the Society, and of the sense in which they are acknowledged as 'a Christians.' denomination of

The admission of Socinians, as such, is a part,' he says, ' of the fundamental law of the Society." (p. 372.) 'You take him, (the Socinian) therefore, now into union with you, explicitly as an unbeliever and a blasphemer of the Lord Jesus Christ.' (p. 375.) 'You take them with their creed.' (p. 376.) All this I utterly deny. The Society takes no man with his creed.' If it did, it would still take the antinomian, the papist, the denier of justification by faith, not to say the Mahometan or the Jew, 'with his creed,' and make itself answerable for that creed, after the Socinian and the Arian were east out. It has nothing to do with any man's creed, except in the case, which will be immediately adverted to, of his admission on the Committee. The admission of Socinians, as such,' is no part of any law, fundamental' or not fundamental, of the society. There is no rule whatever in their favour : it is only that there is none against any man.

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But with respect to their admissibility to the Committee as 'members of a denomination of Christians: here again your correspondent indulges his propensity to treat those who differ from him as devoid of common sense. says: While constantly denying that a Socinian, individually, could be a Christian, they yet argued most strenuously that Socinians, in their collective capacity, might be, and in fact were, a denomination of Christians.' Aggregation, strange to say, had so entirely changed their nature, that those who, taken one by one, were nothing else than goats, became, by being massed together, entitled to be called a flock of sheep !'

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