Matthew Poole and continuators on Revelation 13:18

18 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 .

That is, herein is the Wisdom, the unsearchable wisdom of God seen in the trial of his Church. Or (which is more probably the sense) this is a point will exercise the wisdom of Men.

Let him that is spiritually wise, count the number of the Beast

It is such as may be numbred after the way Men use to Number.

What this meaneth hath exercised the Wits of the greatest Divines in all Ages. A late learned and valuable Writer thinks that 666 doth not signify a certain definite number, but an indefinite number, and that not of years, but of pernicious errors, by the broaching and upholding of which Antichrist may be known. But the most Interpreters think a number, and that a definite certain number of years is to be understood here, but they are again divided; some thinking them determining the time of the fall of this Beast: others judging them to determine or define the year or time of his beginning to reign, the time from whence his period and term of 42 months or 1260 years, commenceth: most of those who think this number determinative of the time when he should fall, understood by it 1666, which raised the expectation of many good and some learned Men (though we see in this thing they were deceived) upon that year. A Countryman of our own, who hath wrote an English Dissertation about the Name, Number, and Character of the Beast, hath with much more probability judged this number definitive of the time when he began to Reign under the title of Universal Bishop, which was about the year 606; but there seemeth to be a want then of 60 years; to answer which objection, the aforesaid Author (N. Stephens) undertaketh to make out, that the year which according to our account was 606, was according to Daniel's Chronology 666; for it is the [illegible: 1 letter]ix hundred sixty sixth year of the Roman Monarchy, which, saith he, is to be counted from the time when that Empire first invaded the Church, which was when Cicero and Antonius were Consuls, about 60 years before Christ; for then the Romans first subdued the Iews (the ancient Church of God.) As to this notion, there is nothing to be proved, but that 666, must be counted from that Epocha; for admitting that the time of the Beast's Reign as to the beginning of it, fell much about 666, I shall only say of it, that I do not judge it a contemptible notion. This makes this Prophecy a prediction of the time when this Beast should begin to shew his Power, and therefore it is called the Number of his Name; (Name in Holy Scripture often signifying Dominion and Power:) But there is yet another notion, which is the most Learned Dr. Potters, in his Book, called The Interpretation of the Number 666; a Book justly valuable both for the great Wit and Learning in it, and much magnified both by Dr. Moor, and Mr. Mede, whose Judgment of it▪ is prefixed to it; in which he saith, It is the happiest Tract that ever yet came into the World,—and though at first he read the Book with much prejudice, yet when he had done it, it left him possest with as much admiration. The foundation on which he goeth is, that this number is to be interpreted by the opposite number of 144, chap. 21.17. as the measure of the Wall of the new Ierusalem; which is to be understood of square measure, as he proveth chap. 6. for the Wall could not be 144 Cubits high, nor 144 Cubits broad; but in square measure so much, that is 12 Cubits high, and 12 Cubits broad, (for the length cannot be understood) it being impossible that a Wall 144 Cubits long, should encompass a City 91 Furlongs about: In like manner he thinks 666 ought to be counted by the square root of that number, which is 25[illegible: 2 letters]. Hence he concludeth, that as 12, the square root of 144 is God's number, so 25 is the square root of Antichrist's number 666; and by this enigmatical expression we are taught that Antichrist should be a Political Body that should as much affect the number of 25, as God seemeth to have in his Church affected the number of 12: Under the Old Testament God built his Church upon 12 Patriarchs, it was made up of 12 Tribes; Hierusalem mentioned by Ezek. ch. 48.31. and in this Book, chap. 21.12. had twelve Gates, v. 21. these were 12 Pearles; at the Gates v. 12. were 12 Angels; the Wall, v. 14. had 12 Foundations, in them the names of 12 Apostles; v. 16. the measure of the City was 12000 Furlongs, chap. 22.2. the Tree of Life had 12 manners of Fruits, by all which i[illegible: 1 letter] appears that 12 was the number God affected to use with reference to his Church, and the square root, both of the 144 Cubits, which were the measure of the Wall, chap. 21.17. and likewise of the 144 thousands, mentioned in the next Chapter as the number of Christ's retinue. On the contrary 25 is the square root of 666 (adding the Fraction) which is the Beasts Number, and that Learned Author proves, That the Pope and his Clergy as much affected the number of 25 in their first forming their Church, as God did the number of 12: They at first divided Rome into 25 Parishes (instead of the old 35 Tribes,) over which they set 25 Cardinals (which were their first number) who had 25 Churches: They made 25 Gates to the City; at last they also brought the Articles of their Creed to 25; this that learned Author abundantly proveth, chap. 17, 18, 19, 20, 22. He also chap. 24, 25, 26. sheweth how in a multitude of things of lesser moment, they affected this number of 25: This seemeth a very probable notion. I further refer my Reader to the Learned Author's Book, where he enlargeth upon these things with great Wit and Learning: In this variety I shall positively determine nothing, but have shortly mentioned the senses I think most probable, as to this mysterious Number 666.

Marginal references: Chap. 17.9.; Chap. 15.2.