Empires; and is of the seven, being one half of the seventh, and shall go into perdition.  The words, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, are usually referred by interpreters to the time of John the Apostle, when the Prophecy was given:  but it is to be considered, that in this Prophecy many things are spoken of as present, which were not present when the Prophecy was given, but which would be present with respect to some future time, considered as present in the visions.  Thus where it is said upon pouring out the seventh vial of wrath, that great Babylon_ came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath_; this relates not to the time of John the Apostle, but to the time of pouring out the seventh vial of wrath.  So where it is said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and thrust in thy sickle and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap; and the time of the dead is come, that they should be judged; and again, I saw the dead small and great stand before God:  these sayings relate not to the days of John the Apostle, but to the latter times considered as present in the visions.  In like manner the words, five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come, and the Beast that was and is not, he is the eighth, are not to be referred to the age of John the Apostle, but relate to the time when the Beast was to be wounded to death with a sword, and shew that this wound was to be given him in his sixth head:  and without this reference we are not told in what head the Beast was wounded. And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten Kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as Kings one hour with the Beast.  These have one mind, being all of the whore’s religion, and shall give their power and strength unto the Beast.  These shall make war with the Lamb, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet; and the Lamb shall overcome them:  for he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings; and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful.  And he saith unto me, the waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues, composing her Beast. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the Beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, at the end of the 1260 days. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree and give their kingdom unto the Beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.  And the woman which thou sawest, is that great city which reigneth over the Kings of the earth, or the great city of the Latins, which reigneth over the ten Kings till the end of those days.

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FINIS.