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/231

 of the Little Horn, or of Antichrist, which is the same as the seventh empire of St, John. "But the beast which was, and is not" (Apoc. xvii. 2), that is, the beast which in one part of the Apocalyptic vision was beheld in all its rampant vitality, but which now "is not," that is, now is destroyed, being utterly ruined by the overthrow of the mystic Babylon, "is the eighth, and is of the seven." By these mysterious words, it seems to me that the Apostle, or rather the angel who speaks to him, means that the beast, taken in its totality, and compounded of these seven several empires, did itself constitute one great whole, which he calls "the eighth," because it represented the sum total of humanity, viewed in its one single aspect; whereas, when viewed in detail, it consisted of seven distinct empires, under whose governing control mankind was successively divided. "This beast," says the angel, "goeth into destruction," that is, the secular organization of mankind shall one day be superseded. by a better organization, viz., by the great dominion of the Catholic Church. Now what do we understand by this? Do we mean to say that in the glorious period of the Church's reign there will be no more earthly rulers, no more kings and emperors? Far from it, we believe the very reverse, but in those blessed