f Cor. ch. 11, v. 19.) and of fuch tryals had Daniel alfo fpoken as taking place at this period: "And fome of them of understanding fhall fall, to try them, "and to purge, and to make them

46

white, even to the time of end: be"cause it is yet for an appointed time." Where the fuggeftion that this fpecies of probation fhall continue for the tryal of every generation of chriftians, even to the end, correfponds with what is taught us by the command faid in the fourth verse of the nineteenth chapter of Reve lations, to be given to the locufts," that "they fhould hurt only thofe men

which had not the feal of God in their "foreheads." And while from painful experience every fincere chriftian knows, that fuch tryals ftill continue, each may draw the most encouraging confolation, from the affurance of the divine protection being extended unto

him,

him, which the fe paffages afford!" And "after thefe this" (the revolution in the empire) Ilaw" (fays St. John,) " four angels ftanding on the four corners of the earth, holding the four

66.

winds of the earth, that the winds "fhould not blow on the earth, nor on "the fea, nor on any tree. And I faw "another angel afcending from the

caft, having the feal of the living God: " and he cried with a loud voice to the "four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the fea, faying,

86

-hurt not the earth, neither the fea,

nor the trees, till we have fealed the "fervants of our God in their fore

46

heads."*(ch. 7, 1, 2, 3.) Nor was it only

the

These words manifieftly indicate not merely a feafon of peace to the church, fuch as was experienced on Conftantine's declaring in favour of christianity; but a fufpenfion of impending judge

ments

the contentions that arofe between the christians concerning different points of the doctrine of fcripture, that tended to demonstrate who would honeftly feek, and fincerely obey the truth; but the temporary revival of paganifm under Julian had, as we learn from the writer, to whom I am fo much indebted for elucidating the conpletion of this part of the line of prophecy, contributed to the fame purpose. It is indeed" (fays this useful authour) more than probable, that the restoration and encouragement of paganism revealed a multitude of pretended chriftians, who from motives of temporal advantage, had acquiefced in the religion of the for

66

66

66

C

66

46

ments of heaven: while the emblematic bearer of the feal coming from the eaft, and the phrase, our God, plainly exprefs, that the disciples of the gofpel were the fealed.

66

"mer reign, and who afterwards returned "with the fame flexibility of confcience, "to the faith which was professed by the fucceffors of Julian."(Gibb. ch.23.) And how much at a later period, pretended were intermixed with real christians, in the manner which the diftinction of thefe laft by fealing them indicates, and which the phrase of the prophet, “ fhall "cleave to them with flatteries," fo properly defcribes, we have another teftimony from the unfufpected pen of Gibbon. "The churches were filled "with the encreasing multitudes of "thofe unworthy profelytes; who had "conformed, from temporal motives, to "the reigning religion : and whilft they

devoutly imitated the poftures and "recited the prayers of the faithful,

66

they satisfied their confcience by filent "and fincere invocation of the gods of antiquity," (Gibb. 28.) And were

not those who escaped from the errours and scandal of herefy, on the one hand, and from the contagion of hypocrify on the other, so as to preferve the integrity and purity of their principles and prac tice, amidst surrounding temptations, really fuch conquerours through Chrift as to answer to the emblem of a multitude standing before the throne, and before the lamb, clothed with white robes the enfigns of innocence, and having palms, the symbols of triumph in their hands.

How great were the miferies inflicted not by the heathen perfecutors, only but by the barbarians who had embraced christianity under the Arian herefy, may be imagined from the following account of what a large body of citizens fuffered, who were delivered by order of Hun. nerie, king of the Vandals to the Moors,

of