propagated, and the church brought many children unto Christ, and in time such as were promoted to the empire. She brought forth a manchild, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. (ver. 5.). It was predicted, that Christ should rule over the nations, (Pfal. II. 9.) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's veffel: but Chrift, who is himself invisible in the heavens, ruleth visibly in Christian magistrates, princes, and emperors. It was therefore promifed before to Christians in general, (II. 26, 27.) He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the veffels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers) even as I received of my Father. But it should feem that Conftantine was here particularly intended, for whose life (3) the dragon Galerius laid many snares, but he providentially escaped them all; and notwithstanding all oppofition, was caught up unto the throne of God, 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

(3) Eufeb. de Vita Constant. Lib. 1. Cap. 20. Lactant. de Mort. Perfecut. Cap. 24. Auctor ignotus ad calcem Amm.

but Marcellini. p. 656. Edit. Valesii Paris. 1681.

(4) Eufeb. de Vita Conftant. Lib.

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but of God; the powers that be, are ordained of God. He too ruled all nations with a rod of iron; for he had not only the Romans, who before had perfecuted the church, under his dominion, but also (4) fubdued the Scythians, Sarmatians, and other barbarous nations, who had never before been fubject to the Roman empire: and as the learned (5) Spanheim informs us, there are still extant medals and coins of his with these infcriptions, the fubduer of the barbarous nations, the conqueror of all nations, every where a conqueror, and the like. What is added (ver. 6.) of the woman's flying into the wilderness for a thousand two hundred and threefcore days is faid by way of prolepfis or anticipation. For the war in heaven between Michael and the dragon, and other subsequent events, were prior in order of time to the flight of the woman into the wilderness: but before the prophet, passeth on to a new fubject, he giveth a general account of what happened to the woman, afterwards, and entereth more into the particulars in their proper place.

7 And there was war in heaven; Michael

Lib. 4. Cap. 5. &c.

(5) Spanhemii Difert. Deci ma Tertia de Præftantia & Ufu VOL. III.

and

Numifm. Antiqu. p. 636, 638.
Obfervat. ad Juliani Imp. Orat.
L. in laudem Conftantii. p. 66.

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(6) Niw

and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: 8 And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old ferpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was caft out into the earth, and his angels were caft out with him.

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10 And I heard a loud voice, saying in heaven, Nowiscome salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Chrift: for the accuser of our brethren is caft down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their.. teftimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the fea: for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

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It might reafonably be presumed, that all the powers of idolatry would be strenuously ex

erted against the establishment of Christianity, and especially against the establishment of a Christian on the imperial throne: and these struggles and contentions between the Heathen and the Christian religions are represented (ver. 7.) by war in heaven between the angels of darkness and angels of light. Michael was (Dan. X. 21. XII. 1.) the tutelar angel and protector of the Jewish church. He performs here the fame office of champion for the Chriftian church. He and the good angels, who are fent forth (Hebr. I. 14.) to minister to the heirs of falvation, were the invisible agents on one fide, as the devil and his evil angels were on the other. The visible actors in the cause of chriftianity were the believing emperors and minifters of the word, the martyrs and confeffors; and in support of idolatry were the perfecuting emperors and heathen magiftrates together with the whole train of priests and fophifts. This contest lasted several years, and the final issue of it was (ver. 8, 9.) that the Christian prevailed over the heathen religion; the Heathens were deposed from all rule and authority, and the Christians were advanced to dominion and empire in their stead. Our Saviour faid upon his difciples cafting devils out of the bodies of men, (Luke X. 18.) I beheld Satan, as ligbtning, fall from heaven.

In the fame figure Satan fell from heaven, and was cast out into the earth, when he was thrust out of the imperial throne, and his angels were caft out with him, not only all the heathen priests and officers civil and military were cashiered, but their very gods and demons, who before were adored for their divinity, became the fubjects of contempt and execration. It is very remarkable, that Conftantine himself and the Christians of his time describe his conquests under the fame image, as if they had understood that this prophecy had received its accomplishment in him. Conftantine himself, (6) in his epiftle to Eufebius and other bishops concerning the re-edifying and repairing of churches, faith that 'liberty being now restored, • and that dragon being removed from the administration of public affairs, by the provi'dence of the great God, and by my ministry, • I esteem the great power of God to have been • made manifeft even to all.' Moreover (7) a picture of Conftantine was fet up over the palace gate, with the cross over his head, and under

his