killed, those who did not worship this image. This was the doing of this hierarchy; they had power to do this. It is not said, he had them all killed, but he had power to cause all this.[1]
But he did oppress in earthly things, he caused all to receive “the mark of the beast” (in profession or service, as slaves), and would allow no man to buy or sell, “save he that had the mark;” or if he had “his name” it would do, though perhaps not thus actually a slave;—or “the number of his name,”—a person might be a ruler or leader in this system, and then, though not actually a slave, he would have the character of it yet more indelibly and intelligently stamped upon him, The name, and the number of the name, would be there. I do not pretend to wisdom; indeed, far from it: but I find if the Lord means such a sense, tradition as well as apostasy gives the number of his name. As I have said in the note, these seem to me not the last actions in crisis, but the character of the preparatory agents: we shall see the results afterwards.[2] That which
