to Rome, the first representing the political
power, and the second the ecclesiastical power. But this position,
while clearing Protestantism of any moral stigma, is such a manifest
violation of the laws of symbolic language and the general principles
of Scriptural interpretation that I marvel that any critical thinker
could decide to adopt it. The two beasts are especially distinguished,
and in each case the symbol is complete. The first beast combines with
its beastly characteristics the qualities of the human, as did the
little horn of Daniel 7, thus clearly and positively representing
_both the political and the ecclesiastical dominion_ of Rome. It is
the human characteristics that constitute the leading feature of the
terrible work ascribed to the first beast; therefore, the papacy _as a
religious power_ is particularly intended. Hence the second beast can
not be intended to represent the ecclesiastical phase of Rome. Notice,
also, that the symbol of the second beast is likewise complete in
itself--animal and human--thus embracing both the political and the
ecclesiastical. _Another system totally distinct from the first is
therefore represented._

I call attention to certain distinct points proving that these two
beasts are not identical or simultaneous:

1. The first is spoken of as "a beast"; the second is called "another
beast."

2. The first came up from the sea; the second came out of the earth.

3. The first was like a leopard; the second was like a lamb.

4. The first had ten horns signifying ten temporal kingdoms; the
second had two horns, referring to but two temporal powers that
supported it.

5. The first blasphemed God and his tabernacle, and was therefore
antichrist; the second claimed to be the true prophet of God and
brought down "fire from heaven" to attest his claim, but he was in
reality a "false prophet" (chap. 16:13; 19:20).

6. The first obtained his power and authority from the dragon which
preceded him; while the second derived his power from the ten-horned
beast "before him."

7. The first caused people to worship the preceding power styled "the
dragon"; while the second caused people to "worship the first beast."

8. The first was to continue 1,260 years; while the reign of the
second is not here stated, but is covered in a parallel prophecy to
which we shall refer later.

The first beast came up out of the sea, which signifies the empire in
an agitated state; and it is a fact