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CHAPTER XII.

CONTAINING A REFUTATION OF DR. ADAM CLARKE'S HYPOTHESIS OF

Η ΛΑΤΙΝΗ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ.

HAVING now fully discussed the demerits of Mr. Faber's favourite word Ansατns, Apostatès, as neither contractedly nor uncontractedly containing the true Number xs', or 666, nor the name of any Manand having also established that the numerical επισημον Fav, or cypher s', which has been brought forward by Mr. Faber to represent the contraction of σ and T (5) is spurious orthography,—and finally, that the word Apostatès itself contains no sufficiently definite signification, -I gladly leave both the Theory and the Theorist, and proceed to consider—

II. The Hypothesis of the learned Dr. Adam Clarke, concerning the Number x§s', which he affirms to be

1

Η ΛΑΤΙΝΗ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΕΑ, THE LATIN KINGDOM.

1 See Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on Rev. xiii. 18.

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This opinion of the learned Doctor (against the orthography of Aarêivos) will soon be seen to stand on very slender ground, though backed by much learning and ingenuity, and the aid of Cardinal Bellarmine. To this end it will only be necessary to contrast, or bring in opposition the words of the Apostle John with those of Dr. Clarke, to see how well they agree. St. John says, 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," or "666." whereas the "wisdom" and understanding' evinced by the learned Dr. Clarke is to the following effect, "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 THE LATIN KINGDOM; " and his number," (i. e. of the LATIN KINGDOM) is "Six hundred Threescore and Six." Now then, it must be evident to all reasonable men that the NUMBER OF A KINGDOM and "the NUMBER OF A MAN" can never be construed to mean the same thing, unless it can first be proved that MAN and KINGDOM are synonymous terms, which is impossible, and, therefore, whatever amount of learning, talent, and ingenuity has been displayed by the Doctor on this subject, it is nevertheless wholly irrelevant to the subject proposed for our consideration by St. John,

1 Rev. xiii. 17, 18.

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which is from the given Number xs', to find the NAME of a MAN, written in Greek characters, answerable to the Number 666; and not only must the Name of the Man contain the precise given number, but it must likewise portray the general and particular character of such a MAN as is described in the xiiith Chapter of the Revelations from ver. 11 to ver. 18, inclusive. And however nearly Dr. Clarke may have arrived in idea at the given Number from the sentence ǹ Aativn Barikeia, The Latin Kingdom,' yet from the simple Facts that this sentence does not denote the Name of a MAN, and that there is another sentence of similar and equal importance, which contains the same number 666, viz. Ekkλŋoα ITλika, ITALIAN CHURCH; the Doctor's hypothesis is more fanciful than real, and must of necessity be disputed, as we shall proceed to demonstrate. For if the sentence η Λατινη βασίλεια, THE LATIN KINGDOM will produce the Number of the Beast, so also the sentence Ekkλŋσia Iraλika, ITALIAN CHURCH will produce the same number: but as neither of them contains the Name of a Man, so they must both be rejected, not on account of the Number, which is correct, but because they are inapplicable.

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As' Piscator, Brightman, and others, have given us the sentence Εκκλησια Ιταλικά, ITALIAN CHURCH, which will produce the Number 666 in a legitimate manner; what advantage has the learned Dr. Adam Clarke derived by the adoption of the sentence Aation Baoiλeia-THE LATIN KINGDOM? for it is evident that both, THE LATIN KINGDOM' and 'ITALIAN CHURCH,' when written in GREEK LETTERS Will severally produce the same Number 666, yet as neither of these sentences can exhibit the Name of

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1 Piscatoris Commentarii Novi Testamenti. Scholia in cap. xiii. Apocalyps Johannis, ver. 18, p. 1549. Ed. Herbornæ Nassoviorum, 1613. Brightman on Rev. xiii. 18. Amsterdam 1611.

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a Man, they cannot properly be said to represent the Number of a Man, but are both spurious: because St. John says most plainly that, "the NAME of the Beast," "is the Number of a MAN;" now the words KINGDOM,' or 'CHURCH,' or APOSTATÈS,' are none of them the Names of Men, and as the WORD OF GOD is to be our GUIDE to the interpretation of the sacred numerical enigma, and not the learning of Dr. Clarke, or Mr. Faber simply considered, therefore, their authority must bow in submission to that SUPREME authority, as being the infallible guide to, and Fountain of all revealed Truth. And although neither The Latin Kingdom,' nor 'Italian Church,' are suitable sentences to prove the point at issue, yet I must confess that Dr. Adam Clarke has used much greater fairness than Mr. Faber, in his search after the Number 666, in the sentence η Λατινη βασιλεια, inasmuch as the Doctor has strictly confined himself to the well known numerical use of the 24 Greek Letters, without running wild after an episèmon to prove it equal to the contraction of two Letters; it is however abundantly certain that the Doctor's argument cannot be sound, although the said sentence may be considered in a comparative point of view, as strengthening the long existing arguments against Romanists or Papists, but not more so than the sentence Εκκλησια Ιταλικα, • Italian Church,' which is more appropriate for the Papacy. Yet after all I feel satisfied (yea, I might say positive) that the only one proper and Appellative Name of a MAN, which, when written in Greek Letters, can

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