ing reign. Dr. Heylin, in the preface to his hiftory of the reformation, fpeaking of this prince and his reign, fays: "Such was the rapacity of the times, and the unfortunateness of his condition, that his minority was abufed to many acts of fpoil and rapine, even to an high degree of facrilege, to the raifing of fome, and the enriching of others, without any manner of improvement to his own eftate." The hungry courtiers began their facrilegious rapine, by plundering the images and fhrines of the faints, and feizing upon the ornaments, plate, and jewels of the churches. Thefe fpoils not being fufficient to glut their leonine avidity, they invaded the bishoprics, which they ftripped of many of their poffeffions. The detail of all which may be feen in the above-mentioned hiftory of Dr. Heylin.

In Sweden Guftavus Erickfon introduced the Lutheran reformation, and feized the church-lands and revenues, leaving the clergy but a flender maintenance. The fame did Chriftiern III. king of Denmark, in his dominions. Thus robbing people of their property, demolishing their habitations, public buildings, &c. which violences in all civilized countries are punished with death, were in the courfe of the reformation practifed with impunity; and the perpetrators gratified their avarice, which they masked with the pretended vindication of religion. The teftaments of the dead, which even among heathens are facred, were in these times contemptuously violated, and the donations, which the teftators had dedicated to the fervice of God and to the relief of the fick and diftreffed, were fcandaloufly diverted to other purposes.

And they had (the locufts had,) breaft-plates, as breaft-plates of iron, v. 9. In the two laft articles, we faw the spirit of incontinency and avarice of the reformers and their focieties; here we are presented with a picture of their obftinacy, under the figure

of iron breaft-plates. Whoever is not joined with the proteftants in their perfuafion, knows full well that their obftinacy is incredible in defending their doctrine; that for that purpose they are not afhamed to make use of any arguments though ever fo frivolous, inconfiftent or abfurd, and to afperse the Catholic communion with flanders, mifreprefentations, and calumnies. It alfo appears from the account we have before given of the wars of the reformation, that the proteftants were always ready to maintain their new adopted religion at any rate, even with arms, and at the risk of their lives. In that view, the proteftant princes of Germany entered into a league offenfive and defenfive against the emperor Charles V. rofe up in arms, nor could they be prevailed upon to fit down quiet, till they had established the reformation. Thus they carried breaft-plates of iron. Many other wars fucceeded in Germany between the Catholics and Proteftants. After a similar manner in other countries, where the reformation got footing, its abettors so obftinately fupported it by fedition, difturbance, and war, that no peace could be purchased from them, till their religion was admitted and ratified by the laws of the refpective kingdoms. Such was the cafe not only in Germany, but in Holland, in feveral provinces of France, in Scotland, &c. And I believe every one prefumes fuch would be more or less the cafe at this day, if any danger threatened the reformation.

And the noise of their wings (the wings of the locufts,) was as the noise of chariots of many horfes running to battle, v. 9. Here the prophet points at the turbulent, murmuring, clamorous difpofition of the reformed, properly expreffed by the noise of the wings of the locuft which was as loud as the noife of chariots of many horfes running to war. Did not that inflammatory spirit of uneafinefs, loud

murmur, and fedition, appear in all thofe kingdoms where the reformation was received? How often has the public tranquillity been convulfed by that baleful poifon? What fatal disturbances have been raised, and what troubles have princes fuftained to quell them? Some of the fects are infpired with a relentless hatred to government; their complaints are clamorous and unceafing, and they brood upon mifchief, devifing how to deftroy fuperior power, and reduce all mankind to a level. What inteftine murmurs have been heard, what tumultuous fcenes have been seen in England, Scotland, and France?

On another hand the unhappy effects of this uneafy and ungenerous difpofition have been severely felt by thofe of the Catholic communion, living in proteftant countries. Though all the reformed fects agreed in preaching up "Chriftian liberty," the Catholics have feemed to be envied the leaft fhare of that invaluable bleffing.-Without any just provocation, alarming outcries have been often thrown out against them: they have been threatened with the rigour of the laws, and perfecution even has fometimes been fet on foot. We fee then that the loud noise of the wings of the locufts, like the loud rumbling noife of chariots of many horfes running to battle, very fitly reprefents that reftless turbulent fpirit, which continued in the reformed focieties, and banished peace from governments as well as from the Church of Chrift.

Here terminates the period of five months or 150 years mentioned above in verfe 5th; within which fpace of time is comprehended, as we have feen, one share of the hiftory of the reformation, and in reality the principal part of it. During this period, which commenced as we have faid, about the year 1525, and confequently ended 1675, the reformed religion was forcibly introduced, took its

full growth, and was finally fettled. In Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, borne upon the fhoulders of fedition and rebellion, it became fo far victorious as to procure its eftablishment by the celebrated treaty of Munfter in Weftphalia in 1648. The Calvinifts or Huguenots in France made their way by deteftable plots and dreadful civil wars, till they procured from Henry IV. the edict of Nantes, for the toleration of their religion in 1598; which edict was confirmed by Lewis XIII. in 1622, though afterwards repealed in 1685 by Lewis XIV. În other countries where the fovereigns received the reformation, it was fettled more early.

CHAPTER IX.

The Continuation of the Hiftory of the fifth Age.

APOC. Chap. IX. v. 10. " And they (the locufts,) had tails like to fcorpions, and there were ftings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had † over them,

v. 11. "A king, the angel of the bottomlefs pit; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon: in Latin, Exterminans, that is, Deftroyer.

We shall now proceed to the fecond period of time, which begins with the above 10th verfe, and is of equal duration with the first, that is, confifts of 150 years.

That here begins a new period of five months or 150 years, different from that mentioned in verse the 5th, is not a groundless fuppofition, but is

proved

murmur, and fedition, appear in all thofe kingdoms where the reformation was received? How often has the public tranquillity been convulfed by that baleful poifon? What fatal difturbances have been raised, and what troubles have princes fuftained to quell them? Some of the fects are infpired with a relentless hatred to government; their complaints are clamorous and unceafing, and they brood upon mifchief, devifing how to deftroy fuperior power, and reduce all mankind to a level. What inteftine murmurs have been heard, what tumultuous fcenes have been seen in England, Scotland, and France?

On another hand the unhappy effects of this uneafy and ungenerous difpofition have been severely felt by thofe of the Catholic communion, living in proteftant countries. Though all the reformed fects agreed in preaching up "Chriftian liberty," the Catholics have feemed to be envied the leaft share of that invaluable bleffing.-Without any just provocation, alarming outcries have been often thrown out against them: they have been threatened with the rigour of the laws, and perfecution even has fometimes been fet on foot. We fee then that the loud noise of the wings of the locufts, like the loud rumbling noife of chariots of many horfes running to battle, very fitly reprefents that reftless turbulent fpirit, which continued in the reformed focieties, and banished peace from governments as well as from the Church of Chrift.

Here terminates the period of five months or 150 years mentioned above in verfe 5th; within which fpace of time is comprehended, as we have feen, one share of the hiftory of the reformation, and in reality the principal part of it. During this period, which commenced as we have faid, about the year 1525, and confequently ended 1675, the reformed religion was forcibly introduced, took its