Latin Church, and which may be traced with more or less distinctness through almost the whole range of Commentators from the time of Primasius to the beginning of the fourteenth century'. And the points, to which the attention of the reader is here particularly directed, are first, the statement of Aureolus, that until this period the later visions of the Apocalypse were interpreted as repetitions of the former; and secondly, his repeated admission, that, even according to this historical mode of interpretation, each vision relates chiefly to the times of Antichrist.

2. The Modern Analysis.

AUREOLUS next explains the new scheme of interpretation, which had been proposed by Lyranus. This differs essentially from the preceding, inasmuch as it supposes the six visions not to be repetitions of the same aera, but one continued prophetical history of the Church from the Apostolical age to the day of judgment.

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2. Others have conceived that in this book there are prophetically foretold all the remarkable sufferings, persecutions and changes, which affect the 'universal Church; and not merely the persecution ' of Antichrist.... Comparing, therefore, the histories of past times, in which the remarkable events which happened to the Church are recorded, with this pro

phecy, it may be said; that whatever is there his

1 There are one or two exceptions, which will be noticed hereafter.

2 Visum est aliis, quòd in hoc libro propheticè sint praedictae omnes notabiles passiones, persecuti

ones et novitates, quae circa universam ecclesiam contingunt; et non solum persecutio Antichristi.... Concordando itaque historias de praeterito, in quibus notabilia quae contigerunt ecclesiae conscribun

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torically described, is prophetically contained in ' this book.

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Now the state of the Church, according to the ' records of history, is divided into six periods. The 'first period reaches from the foundation of the 'Church by the disciples and Apostles to Julian the Apostate; during which time the Church existed, ' as it were, shut up and sealed under the persecution of the pagan Emperors. And the whole of that 'time is prophetically predicted in the first vision of the seven seals. The second period was from 'the death of the Emperors Julian and Valentinian 'to the Emperor Justinian, or even to Mauritius, in

whose time Gregory the great was Pope. And 'during the whole of this period the Church was, 'as it were, under the Angels sounding with the 'trumpets, because under the persecution of heretics: for throughout this interval many of the Emperors were Arians, and infected with other heresies: and the whole of this period is prophetically contained in the second vision. The third period extended from the Emperor Phocas, who succeeded Mauri

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tur, ad prophetiam istam, dici potest; quòd quicquid ibi historicè describitur, in hoc libro propheticè continetur.

Status autem ecclesiae secundum descriptionem historiarum dividitur in sex tempora. Ut sit primum tempus a fundatione ecclesiae per discipulos et Apostolos usque ad Julianum Apostatam; in quo tempore ecclesia extitit quasi clausa et sigillata sub persecutione imperatorum paganorum. tum istud tempus propheticè praedicitur in primâ visione de septem

Et to

sigillis. Secundum vero tempus fuit mortuo Juliano et Valentino imperatoribus usque ad Justinianum imperatorem, vel usque ad Mauritium: cujus tempore fuit Papa magnus Gregorius. Et in hoc toto tempore fuit ecclesia quasi sub angelis canentibus cum tubis, quia sub persecutione haereticorum: toto enim illo discursu plures ex imperatoribus ariani fuerunt, et aliis haeresibus infecti: et totum istud tempus propheticè continetur in secundâ visione. Tertium vero tempus fuit a Phocâ imperatore,

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tius, to that Constantine whose eyes were put out by his mother Irene; in whose time the empire ' of the Greeks was transferred to Charlemagne and 'the Germans. For during this time the Church 'suffered the persecution of the dragon, that is, 'Cosroes;-and of the beast, that is, Mahomet; and 'the persecutions of the Saracens: and the whole of that period is prophetically predicted in the third 'vision. The fourth period was from Charlemagne, 'the first German Emperor, to the Emperor Henry IV. in which time the Church was suffering under several plagues and vials full of the wrath of God, by reason ' of numerous schisms and various adversities, as will 'hereafter appear. And the whole of this period is prophetically predicted in the fourth vision, in which are introduced the angels having seven plagues.

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The fifth period commenced at the time of the ' above-mentioned Henry, and continues to the times ' of Antichrist, and the times of judgment: during 'which period the Church is at one time victorious ' over the whore of Babylon, under the kings of Jeru'salem, and at another time is overcome: and this

qui successit Mauritio, usque ad Constantinum, quem excaecavit Hyrene mater sua, cujus tempore Graecorum imperium translatum est in Carolum et in Germanos. In illo namque tempore ecclesia passa est persecutionem draconis, scilicet Cosdroae; et bestiae, scilicet Mahometi; et persecutiones Saracenorum: et totum istud tempus propheticè praedicitur in tertiâ visione. Quartum vero tempus fuit a Carolo magno primo imperatore Germano usque ad Henricum quartum imperatorem; in quo tempore

ecclesia fuit sub quibusdam plagis et phialis iracundiâ Dei plenis, ratione multiplicis schismatis, et quorundam adversorum, ut postea apparebit et totum hoc propheticè praedicitur in quartâ visione, ubi agitur de angelis qui habebant septem plagas. Quintum verò tempus fuit a tempore Henrici praedicti, et durat usque ad tempora Antichristi et tempora judicii: in quo ecclesia quandoque habuit victoriam de Babylone muliere meretrice sub regibus Hierusalem, et aliquando succubuit et hoc tempus descri

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'period is described in the fifth vision. The sixth period will be under the persecution of Antichrist ' until the day of judgment: after which will be the 'glory of paradise, and the completion of the mysteries ' of God: and to this corresponds the sixth vision.'

Such was the first systematic attempt to trace a parallel between the visions of the Apocalypse and the history of the Christian Church. And in proportion as the new principle here assumed, that the succeeding visions relate to succeeding periods of history, was more and more generally adopted; the original idea entertained by the early Christians with regard to the Apocalypse,-namely, that its visions contain repeated predictions of the same series of events, and those events more immediately connected with the second coming of the Messiah,-began to be obliterated from the minds of men, and at last became universally neglected and forgotten.

bitur in quintâ visione. Sextum verò tempus erit sub persecutione Antichristi usque ad diem judicii:

post quem erit gloria paradisi, et consummatio mysteriorum Dei; et huic correspondet visio sexta.

CHAPTER IV..

AN OBJECTION TO THE PROPOSED INTERPRETATION.

BEFORE we quit this part of our subject, it is necessary to obviate an objection, which will be made to the proposed interpretation. Any system, which regards the prophecies of the Apocalypse as yet unfulfilled, is met in the outset by an argument derived from the repeated declarations, contained in the book itself, that the events predicted must shortly come to pass, that the time of accomplishing the prophecies is at hand. This objection has been stated in the following terms.

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WHISTON.

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St John himself does frequently assure us, that he does not relate the past, but foretel the future state of things: and this in express words, and so as to point out the exact time, viz. that the prophecies should begin to be fulfilled immediately. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave 'unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass. (i. 1.) Blessed is he

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'that readeth, and they that hear the words of this

'prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand. (i. 3.) And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things which 'must shortly be done. (xxii. 6.) And He saith ' unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. (xxii. 10.) All

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