Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/191

 us the name of the MAN,, that is Mahomet, the impious blasphemer, who proclaimed, that he was sent by God, as his last and greatest prophet, and that his mission was to overthrow the Church of Christ, and to put in its place his own diabolical sect.

We have thus far endeavoured to show the agreement between the prophecy contained in the thirteenth chapter of the Apocalypse, in relation to the two beasts, and the history of those two great empires, that have successively upheld the region of Mahomet. It remains for us to consider the objections that may be made to this interpretation, and to refute them.

We have already seen what is the interpretation of Protestant authors, such as the learned Bishop Newton, in reference to the first beast, and that which be gives of the second beast is in keeping with the former. As he believes the first beast to be papal Rome in its secular aspect, consisting of the various kingdoms, into which the western empire was subdivided, so he maintains that the second beast represents papal Rome in its ecclesiastical aspect, consisting of the clergy, regular and secular, whom he supposes to be represented by the two horns of a lamb, that grew out of the head of that beast. But such interpreters never reflect what is involved in their inter-