*08 T O H N. 
wildernefs for fafety, and protected there 1260 days, fig- 
nifying the perfecution and prefervation of the c hurra 
during the fame period. The third defcription repre- 
fents a monftrous wild bealt riling out of the fea, with 
feven heads, ten horns, as many crowns and titles of 
blafphemy, who was to continue 42 months ; dignifying 
that new Roman power, which fhould ufe its authority 
to promote idolatrous worfhip, and to perfecute all who 
would not fubmit to it, and fhould be fupported by ano¬ 
ther power like to its own form and conftitution during 
the fame period. In the xivth chapter, the chorus of 
the heavenly .church celebrates in a hymn the happinefs 
of thofe who remain faithful and conflant; and a nuntius 
or angel is reprefented as coming down from heaven to 
declare the certain and fevere punifhment of the enemies 
of truth and pure religion in this period. In the xvth 
chapter, feven angels are reprefented as receiving feven 
cups full of the wrath of God; fignifying that the ene¬ 
mies of truth and pure religion in this period fhall be 
feverely punifhed in the courfe of it, and be utterly de- 
ftroyed in the end. The feven angels pour out their 
vials or cups: the firft vial poured on the earth, and on 
the worfhippers of the beaft, denotes great commotions 
through the whole empire, under the family of Charles 
the Great, by which that family becomes extindl, and the 
empire and crown of France are transferred to other fa¬ 
milies, from 830 to 988. The fecond v-ial poured on the 
fea, fignifies the great bloodfhed of the holy war, to reco¬ 
ver Jerufalem from the Saracens, from 1040 to 1190. 
The third vial poured on the rivers and fountains, fignifies 
the bloody civil wars between the Guelphs and Gibel- 
lines, the papal and imperial factions, when the popes 
were driven out of Italy into France, from 1200 to 1371. 
The fourth yial poured on the fun, denotes the long 
wars in I taly, Germany, France, and Spain, occafioned by 
a long fchifm in the papacy; the Turks taking Conflan- 
tinople, and putting an end to the ealtern empire; and 
pelfilential difeafes occafioned by intemperate heat, from 
137S to 1530. The fifth vial poured on the feat or 
throne of the beaft, fignifies^ the reformation, and the ef- 
tablifhment of it by the principal ftates of Europe, in 
oppofition to the papal authority, from 1560 to 1650. 
The fixth vial poured on the river Euphrates, makes way 
for the kings of the eaft; this, in the order of the pro¬ 
phecies, feems to be yet future; but may probably mean 
fome invafion of the pope’s dominion from its eaftern 
boundary on the Adriatic, from 1670 to 1850. The 
feventh vial poured on the air, the feat of Satan's empire, 
defcribes the utter ruin of this perfecuting, idolatrous, 
government, or myftical Babylon, at the end of this pe¬ 
riod, from 1850 to 2016. 
The fourth period is defcribed in the xxth chapter; an 
angel being fent from heaven to fhut up Satan in the bot- 
fomlefs pit, as in a fecure prifon, for 1000 years, during 
which time there will be a very happy ftate of the church 
in purity, peace, and profperity. 
The fifth period terminates the xooo years of the 
church’s profpeiity, when Satan will be loofed again for 
a little feafon, and a new attempt will be made to revive 
the corruptions of the church, and a fpirit of perfecution ; 
which fhall end in the final deftruflion of Satan’s power, 
and of all the enemies of peace and true religion. 
The fixth period comprehends the general refurreftion 
and final judgment, and the everlafting deftruflion of the 
wicked. 
The feventh period concludes the whole prophecy, with 
the vifion of new heavens and a new earth, reprelenting, 
in ftrong images, the extent, fecurity, riches, and gran¬ 
deur, of the heavenly Jerufalem ; fignifying the conlum- 
niate happinefs of the heavenly ftate, and the fure reward 
of all who fliall be found faithful and conflant, in the 
true religion of Jefus Chrift. Such is the general inter¬ 
pretation of the prophecies of the Apocalypfe, given by 
,Mr. Lowman, a judicious and approved writer on this 
fubjefl; but the meaning aferibed to particular parts and 
prophecies ot this book by different commentators, is 
very various. 
St. John’s Day, the name of two Chriftian feftivals : 
one obferved on June 24th, kept in commemoration of 
the wonderful circumftances attending the birth of John 
the baptift; and the other on December 27, in honour of 
St. John the evangelift. 
JOHN, furnamed Mark, an early difciple and fellow- 
labourer of the apoftles, and himfelf an evangelift, is fome- 
times fpoken of in the New Teftament under the title 
above-mentioned, and fometimes called by his furname 
only. This circumltance has induced feveral learned mo¬ 
derns to be of opinion, that Mark the evangelift, and John 
Mark, were different perfons; but we think that the 
weight ot evidence, which the reader may fee collected 
in Lardner, preponderates in favour of the contrary opi¬ 
nion, that there is but one Mark mentioned in the New 
Teftament, who was the evangelift, and alfo fellow- 
labourer with Paul and Barnabas, and Peter. See there¬ 
fore his hiftory under the word Mark. 
JOHN I. pope, was a Tufcan by nation, and the fon of 
a perion named Conftantius. He became a pretbytet of 
the Roman church ; and, upon the death of pope Hor- 
mifdas in 523, was defied his fucceffor. His pontificate 
was fhort, and unhappy, owing to the intemperate zeal of 
the emperor Juftin for the extirpation of all the feels who 
would not conform tp the catholic faith. Among other 
perfecuting ediels, that prince iffued one in the year 524, 
by which the Arians were deprived of all their churches, 
which were ordered to be delivered up to the Catholics. 
In this extremity, the Arians applied to Theodoric king 
of Italy, who profeffed the fame creed with themfelves, 
but who was an enemy to all perfecution, and wifely ex¬ 
tended the benefits of toleration to all his fubjecls, en¬ 
treating that he would interpofe his good offices on their 
behalf. Theodoric wrote to the emperor mod preffing 
letters in favour of his perfecuted fubjecls ; and when he 
found that no regard was paid to them, knowing the 
weight which the advice and counfels of the pope had at 
the imperial court, he ordered John to attend upon him 
at Ravenna. On the pope’s arrival at that place, he di¬ 
rected him to proceed to Conftantinople, with the cha- 
rafler of his ambaffador, to remonllrate, in his name, 
againlt the perfecution of the Arians, and to declare, that, 
if the emperor did not think fit to revoke his ediCl, it 
was the king’s firm refolution to retaliate on the Catho¬ 
lics in the weft all the feverities that were praftifed on 
the Arians in the eaft. The pope, much againlt his will, 
undertook this embaffy, that he might divert the ftorm 
which threatened the Catholics in Italy; and, on his ar¬ 
rival at Conftantinople, is faid to have been received with 
extraordinary marks of honour. He was invited by the 
patriarch to perform divine fervice in the great church ; 
but his pride would not permit him to accept of the in¬ 
vitation, till the patriarch had agreed to yield to him the 
firft place, and that he fhould be feated on a throne above 
hjmfelf. With refpedt to the main defign of the embaffy, 
many authors maintain, that the pope, by his reprefenfa- 
tions, induced the emperor to revoke his edift againft the 
Arians, and to allow them the fame liberty of confcience 
which they enjoyed before it was iffued ; while others de¬ 
clare that he entirely failed in accomplilhing the object 
of his million ; and fome, among whom is Baronius, infi- 
nuate, that he fecretly advifed the emperor by no means 
to grant what he was fent to demand in the king’s name. 
Be the truth what it may, it is certain that the king was 
fo diffatisfied with the manner in which the embaffy was 
conducted, and the refult of it, that on the pope’s return 
to Ravenna, and giving an account of his proceedings, 
Theodoric ordered him to be conducted from the palace 
to the common prifon. He died in confinement, in the 
year 526, after having governed the Roman church two 
years and between eight and nine months. There are 
two 
