both these,) that pain, and sorrow, and hunger and thirst, shall then be no more, under the reign of the Lamb, who "shall wipe away every tear from "their eyes." Joseph Mede observed this synchronism*; but has applied it, as I am inclined to think, improperly, to an earthly millennium, or reign of Christ and his saints on earth. The expressions of perfect felicity in both passages are by much too exalted to bear application to any thing possible under the present constitution of things. They can be fulfilled only in heaven; or in an heaven upon earth (which is much the same thing) succeeding to the destruction and regeneration of the present globe t. Having thus formed, upon the scriptural grounds above stated, this notion of the application of this prophecy, I found myself, when I came to read the exposition of some eminent commentators, little disposed to subscribe to their opinions, which represent this seventh chapter of the Apocalypse as containing "a description of the state of the church in Constan"tine's time; of the peace and protection that it "should enjoy under the civil powers, and the great "accession which should be made to it both of Jews and "Gentiles ." Now the history of this period, faithfully related, informs us, that although the Christian Church was delivered from persecution, and advanced in worldly consideration and power, yet did it acquire no real accession of worth, dignity, or exaltation, by its connexion with the imperial throne. Nay, from that very time, its degeneracy and cor * Clav. Apocalypt, pars ii. syn. vii. † See notes, ch. xxi. ruption From that ruption are most indubitably to be dated. period, worldly power and riches became the objects of its leaders, not purity and virtue. Many entered the Christian Church, and obtained its honours and dignities, by base dissimulation of their principles, to please the emperor, and recommend themselves to his favour*. And the consequent extension of the Christian Religion among the heathen nations was, as Mosheim observes, n name, not in reality †. Thẹ worldly professors of Christianity in this century were so far from fulfilling the prophecy, by "wash ing their robes white," and by being fed and conducted by the Lamb, that they appear rather to have assumed the hue of another leader, the fire-coloured dragon, and to have greedily sought from him those worldly riches and that power, which their Lord had refused at his hands. This grand enemy of the Christian Church, the devil, had begun his attack upon her, first, by the terrors of persecution. He failed in this attempt: the blood of the Martyrs became the seed of the Church. He then changed his mode of operation. He beguiled the Christians with the promise of worldly power and splendour: and it was from this succesful mode of corruption, that he was at length enabled to produce Antichrist;— § Thus Satan sped, and fix'd his artful reign Where ten years' persecution rag'd in vain. The last great persecution under Dioclesian continued almost ten years. Quotations Quotations might easily be multiplied from cotemporary authors, and from learned and judicious writers of later date, to shew by their testimony, that this is the true history of the Christian Church in the fourth century. I shall content myself with a few. Gregory of Nazianzum will be allowed to be a most unexceptionable witness, both as to character, and as to the time in which he wrote; about the middle of the fourth century. This writer, speaking of the Emperor Julian, says, "It was not long before this (power of injuring "the Christians) was afforded him against us, by "the abounding wickedness of the many, and by "the prosperity of the Christians, verging, as one may say, from the highest pitch to a contrary "change, and the power, and the honour, and the "plenty, by which we were become insolent." Then, after asserting the danger of prosperity, and supporting his assertion by quotations from Scripture, he continues; "For having been exalted when we were "meek and moderate, and by degrees advanced, so 66 as to arrive, under the Divine conduct, to so great "a figure and multitude, when we were fed up we kicked, and when we were enlarged and set at liberty we were reduced and narrowed: and that glory and power, which we had acquired in persecutions and "afflictions, we lost in prosperity." Jerome wrote at 66 xogos, * Ου πολυ το εν μέσῳ, και ταύτην δίδωσιν αυτώ καθ ̓ ημων, ἡ πληθυνθεισα των πολλών ανομία, και επ' ακρων, ὡς αν είποι τις, Χριστιανων ευεξία την εναντίαν ζητησα μεταβολην, και ἡ εξεσία, και ἡ τιμη, και δι' ών έβρι σαμεν. Ημείς γουν ὑψωθεντες, οτε ημεν επιείκεις τε και μετρική και κατα μικρον αυξηθεντες ὡς εις το δε το σχημα και πληθος συν χειραγωγια Θεα προέλθειν, ἡνικα ελιπανθημεν, εσκίρτησαμεν, και ηνικα επλατύνθηκεν εστενοχωρηθημεν και ήν εν τοις διωγμοις και ταις θλίψεσι συνελεξαμεθα δόξαν και δυναμιν, ταύτην εν πρατο Toiles xareλvoamer. Orat. iii. p. 62, edit. Morelli. the close of this century, and at the beginning of the next. This learned and able Father, speaking of the Christian Church, says, "After it came to the Chris"tian emperors, in power indeed and in riches it "became greater, but in virtues less." These ancient cotemporary testimonies are far superior in credibility to those of Eusebius and Lactantius, quoted by Bishop Newton, to shew the beata tranquillitas, the rare felicity, of the Church, from the time the emperors became Christian. And this, not from the superior veracity or judgment of the writers, but because Eusebius and Lactantius lived at the time when the change was taking place, and seeing the Church delivered from persecution, and supported by the supreme power, they naturally promised to themselves and their successors the most flourishing prosperity. But Gregory and Jerome lived a generation or two later, and had thereby the opportunity of seeing the actual effects of these measures, which proved highly detrimental to the true prosperity of the Church, and are acknowledged to be so by all our judicious writers on Ecclesiastical History. The learned Dr. Jortin seems to have had this passage of Jerome in mind, when, introducing his remarks on the ecclesiastical history of the times of Constantine, he mentions his subject in these words; "The Church of Christ increasing in splendour, and "decreasing in virtue t." And to these times of • Scribere enim disposui, ab adventu Salvatoris usque ad nostram ætatem; id est, ab apostolis usque ad nostri temporis fæcem ; quomodo, et per quos, Christi Ecclesia nata sit, et adulta persecutionibus creverit, martyriis coronata sit; et postquam ad Christianos principes venit, potentiâ quidem et divitiis major, sed virtutibus miner facta sit. Hieron, de Vita Malchi; tom. i. p. 116, edit. Basil. ↑ Dedication to vol. iii. Constantine, Constantine, he justly attributes the rise of those two most pernicious maxims in the Church; 1st, that her interests may be laudably served by deceit and lying; and 2dly, that heretics are to be punished with civil penalties, and corporal punishments. By such steps, not Christianity, but Antichristianity was advanced. "The number of immoral and unworthy Christians," continues this author, "began so "to increase, that the examples of real piety and vir"tue became extremely rare." Spanheim's observations on this part of ecclesiastical history are to the same effect: "Luxus glis"cens in ecclesiam cum opibus, dignitatibus, am"bitione, superbiâ clericorum, et requie à persecutionibus, sub Christianis jam principibus, unde morum, corruptio; &c." Mosheim, having produced some strong facts, as specimens of the degenerate state of Christianity in this century, adds; "the discerning reader will easily perceive what detriment the church received from "the peace and prosperity procured by Constantinet." Joseph Mede, speaking of this century, says; "Alas! "now began the ego nago, or latter times; this was "the fatal time, and thus was the Christian apostacy "to be ushered in: if they had known this, it would "have turned their joyous shoutings and triumphs "into mourning.' -"Alas! (says an eloquent and "learned writer of our own times) from the very "æra of the security, prosperity, and splendour of "the Christian Church, we must date the decay "of the true spirit of Christianity! Honour, wealth, "and power, soon excited pride, avarice, ambition: Introduct. ad Hist. Nov. Test. tom. i. p. 373. ' and |