We have explored our way through "the times of the martyrs," and have seen Christianity rising from small beginnings in the preaching of the fishermen of Galilee, feeble at first as the tender plant issuing from the grain of mustard-seed (Matt. xiii. 31, 32), then rising gradually and majestically from the earth, shooting out its branches on every side, budding and blossoming, and unfolding its leaves-constantly assailed by obloquy and persecution from the heathen magistrates, yet, like the current of a river, winding its way silently and slowly through evil report and good report-little indebted to emperors, kings, or statesmen, at any time, beyond that of simple toleration-continually scattering her blessings on the sons of destitution and misery-and never so much annoyed as by the injudicious efforts of pretended friends, who would strip her of her pristine simplicity, and encumber her with meretricious ornaments, or the traditions of men. Such was Christianity for the first three hundred years. But the period was now arrived when the "let,” or hindrance, mentioned by the apostle Paul, 2 Thess. ii. 7, was to be taken out of the way, and the man of sin was to be revealed, the son of perdition, who was to oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped. This was the bringing forth of the "mystery of iniquity," the kingdom of Antichrist, of which you read so much in the book of Daniel and the Apocalypse, as well as in the writings of Paul and John. As the emperor Constantine was a notable instrument in concocting, and maturing, and perfecting this system of abominations, I must, in justice to the importance of the subject, prosecute it somewhat in detail, and with that view shall probably occupy one or two lectures upon it; for I feel fully assured that, unless you are tolerably well informed on the events of this period, you will read or study ecclesiastical history to no valuable purpose. In the mean time, allow me to suggest to such of you as are in possession of my "Lectures on the Apocalypse" to turn, at your leisure, to the eighteenth Lecture, which is upon the opening of the sixth seal, and you will find it to treat of the very same subject as that which we have now had under consideration-the downfall of Paganism in the Roman empire, and the introduction of an entirely new order of things, brought about by the inscrutable workings of Providence, through the elevation of Con

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stantine to the imperial throne. These extraordinary events were set forth by the Spirit of prophecy, in the truly sublime language contained in Rev. vi. 12-17, which I have endeavoured to illustrate in the lecture above mentioned. Pardon me if I further add, in this place, that the completest and most authentic history of the Christian church with which the world was ever favoured, or ever will be favoured in this militant state, is comprised in the book of the Revelation. The whole of that astonishing portion of the oracles of God is taken up with a prophetical delineation of the events which were to befall the church of Christ from the period of his ascension to the final consummation of all things. It is true, indeed, that these events are couched under language that is peculiar to prophecy-symbols and hieroglyphics. We have the opening of seals, the sounding of trumpets, and the pouring out of vials; and to decypher these was the immediate object of my lectures on that book. I may add, that to illustrate the very same subject more at large-to show the correspondency that exists between history and prophecy, in relation to the kingdom of Christ, is my design in the present course of Lectures. Should it please the Lord to lengthen out the brittle thread of life so as to enable me to complete the undertaking, the two works will, I hope, be found to form one entire whole, reflecting light on each other, and jointly contributing to trace the hand of the Lord in his dealings with the children of men. Some over-wise individuals have thought proper to censure this course of lectures as an unfit exercise for the Lord's day, because the subject of them is not "Christ crucified;" but with equal propriety may they censure the Holy Spirit for communicating visions and revelations of these same events to the apostle John on "the Lord's day," Rev. i. 10and, for my own part, so long as I can plead that as a precedent, I am not greatly solicitous about any more laboured apology.

In the next lecture, I purpose to lay before you a sketch of the life and character of that extraordinary man (Constantine the Great) his pretended conversion to Christianity—and the unhappy result of that event, namely, his establishing Christianity by law, as the religion of the Roman empire.

LECTURE XVIII.

Some account of Constantine the Great—Reasons assigned by him for embracing Christianity-Marches into Italy and Defeats Maxentius-Issues several Edicts in favour of the Christians -Builds Constantinople-Convenes the Council of Nice-Proceedings of the Council--Its Decrees sanctioned by the Bishop of Rome-Constantine visits Jerusalem-His Baptism, Death, and Character. A. D. 312-337.

In the preceding Lecture I had occasion to mention the name of Constantine, surnamed the Great, a person whose history is entitled to particular notice in the annals of the Christian church, on account of the very important part he was destined to act in its affairs, but whose character and the quality of his exploits have greatly divided the opinions of mankind. By the advocates of National Establishments of Christianity, he is extolled to the skies, as the achiever of one of the greatest and most memorable revolutions which ever took place in the world—the subversion of the Pagan, and the establishment of the Christian Religion; while to myself and others, who think the religion of Christ incapable of receiving support from an arm of flesh, or of establishment from human laws, the character and conduct of Constantine must of necessity appear in a different light.*

* In proof of the very high estimation in which the character of Constantine is held, by the advocates of Ecclesiastical establishments, I will present the reader with two instances. The first is that of the learned Bishop Newton, who in his very popular Dissertations on the Prophecies, illustrating Rev. xii. 5, "She brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and his throne, &c."-thus proceeds: "It should seem

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However I shall first present you with an outline of his history, including his professed conversion to Christianity, and then trace his conduct in reference to the affairs of the Christians.

The fame of Constantine, says Mr. Gibbon, has rendered posterity attentive to the most minute circumstances of his life and actions. The place of his birth, as well as the condition of his mother Helena, have been the subject not only of literary but of national disputes. His father, as already mentioned, was Constantius Chlorus, emperor of the west, and consequently a that Constantine was here particularly intended, for whose life the dragon Galerius laid many snares, but he providentially escaped them all; and notwithstanding all opposition was caught up to the throne of God," i. e. was not only secured by the divine protection, but was advanced to the imperial throne, called the throne of God;' for, Rom. xiii. 1, "There is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God."

The other instance shall be from a work which has recently made its appearance, entitled, “A Key to the Revelation of St. John, &c., by the Rev. Philip Allwood, B. D., Fellow of Magdalen College, Cambridge, 2 vols. 8vo., 1829." This learned writer, in an attempt to illustrate Rev. vii. 2, 3. "I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. &c,," thus comments:

6

"The fifth

angel, who is here endued with an authority so superior to that of the rest, was evidently Constantine the Great. He is seen ascending,' or rising to the plenitude of his power, 'from the east,' partly because he became sole monarch of the empire by his conquest over Licinius, and partly because, in the year 330, he formally transported the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople, &c. He is said to have had "a seal of the living God," that is, he encouraged by every means in his power the propagation of Christianity throughout his extensive dominions, professing it himself, establishing it as the religion of the empire, and constituting himself the temporal head of the church. The particular initiation requisite for the right profession of this sacred system is by the sacrament of baptism, which is the seal of the covenant' between God and his church now, in the same manner as the rite of circumcision was the seal of the covenant between God and his peculiar people in ancient time. For the convenient solemnization of this, therefore, he took care that every suitable accommodation should be afforded; and accordingly bapstismal fonts were now erected in the porch of every church. And, besides these places, there were also particular seasons appointed for its celebration; these were, during the vigils of Easter and Whitsuntide. Having thus contributed to the sealing of multitudes of his subjects in all parts of the empire, with this seal of the living God,' he himself, before his death, was consoled with the same sacred impress. He is further represented as giving a solemn charge to the four angels; viz. the Prætorial Prefects of the four Pagan emperors, as Diocletian, Galerius, Maximian, and Chlorus, &c." So far my author; and the quotations now adduced may serve to show us the use that he, and writers of his class, make of the book of the Apocalypse. Surely, those who can deliberately write and publish such monstrous statements as these, ought to be Roman Catholics; for where shall we meet with any thing in that school more extravagant! The reader, if he please, may find the texts above referred to illustrated in the Author's Lectures on the Apocalypse: Lect. xix. and xxxi.

British King; and his mother was the daughter of an innkeeper, whom the emperor had betrothed. The great Constantine was most probably born at Naissus, in Dacia; and it is not surprising that, in a family and province distinguished only by the profession of arms, the youth should discover very little inclination to improve his mind by the acquisition of knowledge. He was about eighteen years of age, when his father was promoted to the rank of Cæsar; but that fortunate event was attended with his mother's divorce, and the splendour of an imperial alliance reduced the son of Helena to a state of humiliation and disgrace. Instead of following his father into the western provinces, he remained in the service of Diocletian, signalized his valour in the wars of Egypt and Persia, and gradually rose to the honourable station of a tribune of the first order. In person, he was tall and majestic; dexterous in all his exercises; intrepid in war, and affable in peace. In his whole conduct the active spirit of youth was tempered by habitual prudence ; and, while his mind was engrossed by ambition, he appeared cold and insensible to the allurements of pleasure. The favour of the people, and that of the army who had named him as a worthy candidate for the rank of Cæsar, only served to exasperate the jealousy of the emperor Galerius with whom he was stationed, when the approaching death of his father induced him to retire precipitately from Nicomedia, as mentioned in the preceding Lecture.

After his father's decease, which took place at York, in the year 306, as already mentioned, Constantine at the head of his army returned to the continent of Europe, and, having gained several victories over the Germans and Barbarians, he took the title of Augustus, or Emperor, in the year 308, with the consent of Galerius himself. Some time after this he marched into Italy, with an army of forty thousand men, against the emperor Maxentius, who by his cruelties had nearly desolated the city of Rome; and after several engagements, in all of which he was successful, eventually subdued him. It was in this last and memorable expedition that Constantine professed to have seen a luminous body in the heavens in the shape of a cross, with the two Greek words inscribed on it rOVTW VIKA: "By this thou shalt conquer." Eusebius who relates the circumstance, declares that Constantine solemnly protested the fact to him,