that he should take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. Conftantine the Great had procured peace to the Church in 313, by fuppreffing the Roman idolatrous power, as we have before feen; but this peace is foon banished by inteftine broils, occafioned by Arius broaching, in 319, a new doctrine, which impioufly denied, the divinity of Chrift our Redeemer. This blafphemous doctrine, in progrefs of time, raised fuch a flame of contention among the Chriftians, that there enfued commotions, tumults, violences and bloodshed. A great fword was given him, to Arius and the Arians, who were fupported by the great powers of the earth, as by feveral Roman emperors, and by feveral kings of the Goths, the Vandals, &c. who èmployed the fword in defence of the Arian doctrine, and cruelly perfecuted the Catholic Chriftians.This explication will be elucidated prefently by an hiftorical account of that herefy.

The whole drift of the Arian doctrine being to impugn the divine nature of Chrift: in oppofition to it was afcribed to the Lamb the attribute of divinity, or riches according to the Greek text, Apoc. v. 12. See p. 20; that is, the riches of the Godhead, which he fhares equally with the Father; "for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corporally," Coloff. ii. 9. and Christ speaking to God the Father, fays; "all my things are thine; and thine are mine," John xvii. 10.

Let it be remarked that, at the opening of the fecond feal, the fecond living creature which, as we have before fhewn, reprefents the prophet Jeremias, fays to St. John, "come, and fee." This invitation comes with propriety from that prophet, who being a prieft, here thews to St. John the apostasy of Arius, a prieft of the Chriftian Church. Befides! Jeremias was fent by almighty God against the falfe prophets, who deluded the Jews by their pernicious counfels and deceitful promifes; fee Jer. c. 23. In a fimilar

manner he here points out Arius, a falfe teacher in the Chriftian Church.

The Sounding of the Second Trumpet.

Apoc. Chap. VIII. v. 8." And the second angel founded the trumpet, and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was caft into the fea, and the third part of the fea became blood.

v. 9. "And the third part of thofe creatures died which had life in the fea, and the third part of the ships were deftroyed."

In the feal we faw the inteftine convulfions and violences occafioned by the Arian difputes; here we find defcribed by an expreffive allegory, the fpiritual mifchief done by that fame herefy. And thus the fecond feal and fecond trumpet announce to us diftinctly and feparately the two difmal effects, temporal and fpiritual of Arianifm. A great mountain burning with fire, or a great herefy, tending to kindle among Chriftians the fire of difcord in their principles of faith, and the flame of mutual animofity, is caft into the fea, that is, is published in the Church, which it embroils, and which therefore is now reprefented as a troubled fea. And the third part of the fea becomes blood, by which change its waters. become poisonous to the fish that live in them: 'and: in like manner the Catholic doctrine, on which the faithful live, is corrupted by Arianifm through a third part of the Church, and becomes poisonous and deftructive. The confequence of which is, the third part of thofe creatures die, which have life in the fea, or the third part nearly of the Chriftians drink the heretical poifon, and die a spiritual death. And even the third part of the fhips were deftroyed, that is, a third part of the particular churches intire with their paftors, meant here by the fhips, imbibe the fame poifon and perish.

The natural confequences of herefy are, difputes and contentions in the Church; and therefore we

at he should take peace from the earth, and that ey should kill one another. Conftantine the Great d procured peace to the Church in 313, by fupeffing the Roman idolatrous power, as we have fore feen; but this peace is foon banished by intine broils, occafioned by Arius broaching, in 9, a new doctrine, which impiously denied, the inity of Chrift our Redeemer. This blafphemous &trine, in progrefs of time, raised fuch a flame of ntention among the Chriftians, that there enfued mmotions, tumults, violences and bloodthed. A. eat fword was given him, to Arius and the Aris, who were supported by the great powers of the rth, as by feveral Roman emperors, and by feve

kings of the Goths, the Vandals, &c. who emoyed the fword in defence of the Arian doctrine, d cruelly perfecuted the Catholic Chriftians.

is explication will be elucidated presently by an ftorical account of that herefy.

The whole drift of the Arian doctrine being to pugn the divine nature of Chrift: in oppofition it was afcribed to the Lamb the attribute of divity, or riches according to the Greek text, Apoc. 12. See p. 20; that is, the riches of the Godhead, ich he fhares equally with the Father; “for in m dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead corpoly,” Coloff. ii. 9.: and Christ speaking to God e Father, fays; all my things are thine; and ine are mine," John xvii. 10.

Let it be remarked that, at the opening of the fend feal, the second living creature which, as we ve before fhewn, reprefents the prophet Jeremias, s to St. John, "come, and fee." This invitation mes with propriety from that prophet, who being rieft, here thews to St. John the apoftafy of Arius, rieft of the Chriftian Church. Befides! Jeremias s fent by almighty God against the falfe prophets, o deluded the Jews by their pernicious counfels d deceitful promifes; fee Jer. c. 23. In a fimilar

manner

The na

manner he here points out Arius, a falfe teacher in the Chriftian Church.

The Sounding of the Second Trumpet.

Apoc. Chap. VIII. v. 8." And the fecond angel founded the trumpet, and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was caft into the fea, and the third part of the fea became blood.

v. 9. "And the third part of thofe creatures died which had life in the fea, and the third part of the fhips were deftroyed."

In the feal we faw the inteftine convulfions and violences occafioned by the Arian difputes; here we find defcribed by an expreffive allegory, the fpiritual mifchief done by that fame herefy. And thus the fecond feal and fecond trumpet announce to us diftinctly and feparately the two dismal effects, temporal and fpiritual of Arianifm. A great mountain burning with fire, or a great herefy, tending to kindle among Chriftians the fire of difcord in their principles of faith, and the flame of mutual animofity, is caft into the fea, that is, is published in the Church, which it embroils, and which therefore is now reprefented as a troubled fea. And the third part of the fea becomes blood, by which change its waters become poisonous to the fish that live in them: 'and: in like manner the Catholic doctrine, on which the faithful live, is corrupted by Arianifm through a third part of the Church, and becomes poifonous and deftructive. The confequence of which is, the third part of thofe creatures die, which have life in the fea, or the third part nearly of the Chriftians drink the heretical poifon, and die a fpiritual death. And even the third part of the fhips were deftroyed, that is, a third part of the particular churches intire with their paftors, meant here by the fhips, imbibe the fame poifon and perish.

The natural confequences of therefy are, difputes and contentions in the Church; and therefore we

find afcribed to it voices or noises. Apoc. viii. 5. fee P. 28.

The Pouring out of the fecond Vial of the Wrath of God.

Apoc. Chap. XVI. v. 3. " And the second angel," fays St. John, "poured out his vial upon the fea, and there came blood as it were of a dead man: and every living foul died in the fea."

As at the founding of the fecond trumpet, a fiery mountain was thrown into the fea, or among the Chriftians; fo here the fecond vial of God's wrath is alfo poured out upon the fea, or on the corrupted and guilty part of the Chriftians, namely, the Arian heretics. And there came blood as it were of a dead man: On pouring out the vial follows the divine judgment. There appears blood like that of a dead man, or blood, which after having flowed with a free and vigorous circulation during the time of health, gradually retards its motion in a dying man, is to tally loft and stopped when the man is dead. Thus the Arians, after having fubfifted for a while in a vigorous condition and powerful state, are condemned by a just judgment to decline, dwindle, and die away. Hence, every living foul died in the fea; the Arians were, in courfe of time, either deftroyed or converted to the Catholic faith, and the herefy extinguished. Such was their cafe.

The preceding Explication illuftrated by a short Account of the Rife, Progrefs, and Decline of Arianifm.

By the acceffion of Conftantine to the imperial throne, idolatry received a deadly blow, and the Chriftian religion was eftablished and peaceably prac tifed throughout the whole Roman empire from the year 313. The bleffing of fo happy a condition was more than could be expected by the Chriftians to last long, fince Chrift had fixed that his difciples fhould follow him, not by a life of eafe and profperity, but through the thorny road of tribulation. Their pre