the Roman pontiff was constituted judge in the place of God on earth. Thus, before the close of this period, the Western Churches seem to have acknowledged and supported the Roman pontiff in his pretensions to spiritual supremacy in the Christian Church; at least to the extent necessary, in order to produce the effects ascribed to his fall by this prophecy. For these prophetic periods only determine the commencement and progress of these judgments, until all the features of the images in the prediction are realized; the consequent effects of them may yet be felt, for centuries after their accomplishment.

And there fell a great star from heaven. By the figure of this expression we are induced to contemplate the Church of Christ in comparison with the firmament of heaven; and by the term asnę uyas, a star of primary magnitude, we are invited to pre-suppose other stars, of the same size and bulk. This was actually the case with the bishop of Rome, when compared with the patriarchs of Constantinople, Antioch and Alexandria; who according to this passage, were not considered inferior in rank and office, even in the estimation of Heaven. Kaιóuevos es λaunas, should be rendered flaming like a torch, which is often the signification of λaunas, Acts xx. 8. lxx. Gen. xv. 17. Jud. vii. 16. Zech. xii. 6; and may refer to the lustre of genuine Christianity, and the true spirit of the gospel ministry, as well as the fame of the bishop of Rome anterior to this period, in which he shone forth from his eminent station, to great advantage until his fall.

"Avos, which we have rendered wormwood, signifies a thing poisonously bitter, Deut. xxix. 18. and is here put in the place of a proper noun: as for example, MARA, Ruth i. 20. and Jerem. xx. 3. MAGUR MISSABIB, terror all about. It seems to bear an allusion to Exod. xv. 23. where Israel came panting to the waters of Marah, and could not drink; as a representation of the mournful situation of the children of God in the Western

churches, from the commencement of this period. Rivers here signify the Evangelical doctrines of the gospel, as conveyed by public institutions of instruction; Isa. xliii. 20. Zech. xiv. 8. Jer. xxxi. 9. Joel i. 20; and fountains denote the Sacred Scriptures and the Divine ordinances, from whence they flow. Isa. xii. 3. These waters are pleasant, and salutary for the promotion of spiritual life and happiness in themselves, when permitted to flow uncorrupted; but the Roman pontiff embittered these fountains, and wholesome streams, to a poisonous degree. The word of God was clouded with false glosses, and perverse interpretations; tradition, and the follies of councils were extolled, to an equal degree of credibility with the Holy Scriptures; the divine precepts of religion adulterated by an immense mixture of human inventions, and all classes of public teachers allured, or compelled to inculcate these corruptions into the minds of the multitude. These wicked innovations exasperated the intelligent, and caused much bitterness, distress, and sorrow in the world. Many men spiritually died of the waters, who were beguiled to swallow them in their embittered sense with avidity, and trusted in the supplications of saints, pilgrimages to their sepulchres, image-worship, the singular efficacy attributed to the bones of martyrs, and a torrent of superstition, which now began to eclipse the splendour of primitive Christianity. But a great number also died natural deaths, in consequence of the assassinations, massacres, and civil wars, which were waged in consequence of the schism, occasioned by the fall of this Roman star. Thus the third portion of the waters in the western third part of Christendom, became wormwood, and the other two thirds yet remained wholesome doctrine, for those who were able to distinguish.

IV. TRUMPET ACCOMPLISHED FROM A. D. 522-To 572.

Verse 12. And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

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This trumpet is chiefly distinguished from the preceding one, by its universality, pourtraying the situation of the whole Church of Christ under the pressure of general calamities; the fountain of which was now opened within her own bosom, and threatened to deluge her for ever. see no reason, why we should not proceed to explain the figures of this trumpet, in concordance with those of the foregoing; since St. John continues this prophecy by the same class of images, and in a connected view. There, heaven signified the Church of Christ, and the star an eminent bishop; and here he proceeds to inform us, of the effects of the fourth trumpet on all the rest of the heavenly luminaries, and thus by completing the whole scenery, finishes the representation of the general state of Christendom.

The sun, the source of all light and nutrition on earth, signifies the gospel of Jesus Christ, Mal. iv. 2. and the moon, which only reflects the light of the sun, the Christian worship as comprehending ceremonies and Church discipline, Isa. xxiv. 23. the stars, the ministers of the Church, Dan. xii. 3. the day, when we enjoy the benefit and influence of the sun, the state of genuine, practical religion, Rom. xiii. 12. and the night, when only a faint visage is afforded by the borrowed light of the moon, denotes the religious state of the Jews, under their ceremonial law, Rom. xiii. 12. Math. iv. 16. Luke i. 79; or the state of letters and philosophy.

Here we behold a prophetic representation, of that visible decline of all human and divine knowledge, and the ensuing profound darkness and ignorance, which broke in upon all Christendom, in consequence of the invasions of the Barbarians, by historians called the barbarity of the middle ages. Both religion and literature suffered a fatal shock by the incursions of these Asiatic and German nations, who during their invasions sacrificed the lives of many geniuses and men of science, razed the churches, destroyed many libraries, schools and academies, works of art, and other means for the promotion of useful knowledge. They had no respect for religion, and held arts and sciences in perfect contempt. And though these scenes of horror and desolation were now past, the Barbarians had formed settlements in almost every part of the Roman territories, and divided the Western provinces, where they established kingdoms for themselves, and only encouraged military skill and bravery. However, anterior to this period, many of every class of society were yet living, who had been educated in more auspicious times. But now when also these worthies were locked up in the chilling arms of death, the celestial luminaries of the Church were eclipsed, and one third of their light withdrawn from the world.

This was equally the case with divinity, with letters and philosophy. There were but few divines, who possessed penetrating views, and an accurate knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, or who were able to give a rational explanation of the Christian doctrine. Even the sacerdotal and monastic orders had departed from their primitive simplicity, and spread a thick cloud of fantastic notions and superstition over the evangelical light and worship; by which thousands were led from the paths of sober faith, and humble piety, into a round of pompous ceremonies, only capable of exciting the veneration of a gazing populace. The councils enacted the observance of many human rites and institutions, and the bishops and patriarchs inculcated

superstitious fancies concerning the worship of images and saints, the fire of purgatory, the efficacy of good works, the power of relics to heal the diseases of body and mind, the public supplications, the holy pilgrimages, and of temples, altars, penitential garments, &c. &c. By these corruptions, the genuine lustre of Christianity was in a great measure eclipsed, and the doctrines of the gospel rendered almost unintelligible to the multitude, to whom it was particularly preached.

The page of history furnishes conclusive testimony of the ignorance, into which all ranks of society so evidently relapsed, from the commencement of this period. Many bishops and the inferior clergy, being incapable to compose their own sermons, read a collection of Homilies, made for that purpose; and those who could write exhortations, or the biographies of the saints, were considered as men of great erudition. So destitute of knowledge and true religion was the multitude, that in the East they held those religious fanatics, the Stilites, or Pillar Saints, in the highest veneration; and all without exception tamely submitted to an enormous burden of ceremonies, and the private confessions to priests, as now for the first time introduced by Leo the Great. This dark cloud of ignorance and superstition, which already obstructed every perspicuous view of heaven, was yet greatly increased by those swarms of monks and holy virgins, who hitherto had followed the rules of Augustine, Basil, Antony, Athenasius and Pachomius, and were now since A. D. 529, by a strange enthusiasm, all absorbed by the Benedictine order. These cloistered idlers, who had retired from the world on account of some sore disappointments in love, riches and honour, or from misconceptions of piety, were by their manner of life prejudicial to genuine Christianity. But in addition to this, they likewise excited a most ardent desire for the relics of saints and martyrs, and the antiquities of the Holy land; which, as it proves the stupid devotion

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