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predicted. Eufebius and Lactantius, who were two eye-witneffes, have (6) written large accounts of it. Orofius (7) afferts, that this perfecution was longer and more cruel than all the paft; for it raged inceffantly for ten years by burning the churches, profcribing the innocent, and flaying the martyrs. Sulpicius Severus too (8) defcribes it as the most bitter perfecution, which for ten years together depopulated the people of God; at which time all the world almoft was ftained with the facred blood of the martyrs, and was never more exhausted by any wars. So that this became a memorable æra to the Chriftians, under the name of the era of Diocletian, or as it is otherwife called the era of martyrs.

12 And I beheld when he had opened the fixth seal, and lo, there was a great earth-.. quake, and the fun became black as fackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the ftars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree cafteth her untimely figs when he is fhaken of a mighty wind:

(6) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift.Lib.8. cum fupplemento. Lactantius de "Mortibus Perfecut. Cap. 7. &c.

(7)--quæ perfecutio omnibus fere ante actis diuturnior atque

14 And

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immanior fuit. Nam per decem annos incendiis ecclefiarum, profcriptionibus innocentum, cædibus martyrum, inceffabiliter acta eft. Oros. Hift. Lib. 7. Cap.

14 And the heaven departed as a scrole when it is rolled together: and every mountain and iland were moved out of their places:

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15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains;

16 And faid to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that fitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

The fixth feal or period produceth mighty changes and revolutions, which according to the prophetic stile are expreffed by great commotions in the earth and in the heavens. The

very fame images, the very fame expreffions are employed by other prophets concerning the mutations and alterations of religions and go

25. p. 528. Edit. Havercamp. (8) Acerbiffima perfecutio, quæ per decem continuos annos plebem Dei depopulata eft; qua tempeftate omnis fere facro

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vernments:

martyrum cruore orbis infectus
eft:--Nullis unquam magis bel-
lis mundus exhauftus eft. Sulp.
Sever. Hift. Sacr. Lib. 2. p. 99.
Edit. Elzevir 1656.
(9) Eufeb.

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vernments and why may they not therefore with equal fitnefs and propriety be applied to one of the greatest and most memorable revolutions which ever were in the world, the fubverfion of the Heathen religion, and establishment of the Chriftian, which was begun by Conftantine the great, and was completed by his fucceffors? The series of the prophecy requires this application, and all the phrases and expreffions will eafily admit of fuch a conftruction. And I beheld when he had opened the fixth feal, (ver. 12,) and lo, there was oεloμos meyas a great earth-quake, or rather a great concuffion; for the word in the original comprehends the fhaking of heaven as well as of earth. The fame phrafe is ufed by the prophet' Haggai (II. 6, 21.) concerning the firft coming of Chrift, I will shake the heavens and the earth: and this shaking, as the apostle faith, (Heb. XII. 27.) fignifieth the removing of those things which are fkaken; and fo the prophet Haggai himself explains it, I will shake the heavens and the earth, And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will defroy the firength of the kingdoms of the Heathen: And where was ever a greater concuffion or removal, than when Christianity was advanced to the throne of Paganism, and idolatry gave place to the true religion? Then fol

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low the particular effects of this general concuffion, (ver. 12, 13, 14.) And the fun became black as fackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree cafteth her untimely figs when she is fhaken of a mighty wind: And the heavens departed as a fcrole when it is rolled together; and every mountain and iland were moved out of their places. Ifaiah fpeaketh much in the same manner concerning Babylon and Idumea; (XIII. 10. XXXIV. 4.) For the ftars of heaven and the conftellations thereof shall not give their light; the fun fhall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine: And all the host of heaven shall be diffolved, and the heavens fhall be rolled together as a fcrole; and all their hoft fhall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig-tree: And Jeremiah concerning the land of Judah, (IV. 23, 24.) I bebeld the earth, and lo, it was without form and void; and the beavens, and they had no light: I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly: And Ezekiel concerning Egypt, (XXXII. 7.)· And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the ftars thereof dark; I will cover the fun with a cloud, and the moon fhall not give her light: And Joel concerning

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Jerufalem, (II. 10, 31.) The earth fhall quake before them, the heavens fhall tremble, the fun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars fhall withdraw their shining: the fun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come: And our Saviour himself alfo concerning the deftruction of Jerufalem, (Matt. XXIV. 29.) The fun fhall be darkened, and the moon fhall not give her light, and the stars fhall fall from heavén, and the powers of the heavens fhall be shaken. Now it is certain, that the fall of any. of these cities and kingdoms was not of greater concern and confequence to the world, nor more deferving to be defcribed in fuch pompous figures, than the fall of the Pagan Roman empire, when the great lights of the heathen world, the fun, moon, and ftars, the powers civil and ecclefiaftical, were all eclipfed and obfcured, the heathen emperors and cæfars were flain, the heathen priefts and augurs were exftirpated; the heathen officers and magiftrates were removed, the heathen temples were demolished, and their revenues appropriated to better ufes. It is cuftomary with the prophets, after they have defcribed

(9) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib. 8. Cap. 17, De Vita Conftant. Lib. 1. Cap. 57. Lactantius de

Mort. Perfecut. Cap. 33. &c.

(1) Eufeb. Ecclef. Hift. Lib.9.

Cap.

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