to whom I have already alluded, though, perhaps generally thought little defirous, of bearing any testimony to the truth of prophecy, speaks of Trajan as of a prince by whom, “ the peaceful system " of his predeceffors was interrupted by scenes of war and conquest." (Gibb.ch 1, p5) and of this whole period of profperity, in the following terms, If a man 66 "were called to fix a period in the history of the world, during which "the condition of the human race was " most happy and prosperous. he would " without hesitation name that, which "elapsed from the death of Domitian " to the acceffion of Commodus," Gibb. ch. 3. But then, the scene changed. And what did the opening of the second feal discover?" There went out another 66 " horse that was red; and power was " given to him that fat thereon, to take "peace from the earth, and that they "should should kill one another: and there " was given unto him a great sword." If we turn again to the fame unprejudiced authour; (unprejudiced at leaft on this fide,) we shall find him fpeaking of the tranquillity and happiness of the empire as disturbed by Commodus, whose cruel vanity made him act the part of a gladiator. (Gibb. ch. 4.) form. ing thus a fatal correspondence with the the words of the prophecy; "there was. given to him a great sword." and at the death of his fuccessor Pertinax this was in another mode fulfilled; when the foldiers of the Prætorian guards affumed the prerogative of dipofing of the empire; and in the words of Mr. Gibbon, " ran out upon the ramparts, with a " loud voice, and prolaimed that the Ro. " ma world was to be dipofed of to the " best bidder by public auction.” chỉ 5, After After the purchase of which by Didius. Julianus, again in correspondence with the emblematic sword, a scene of civil wars between the several candidates for the throne ensued, until Severus gained full poffeffion. When another period, diftingushed in its opening by the enaction of "falutary laws, executed with "inflexible firmness, and a constant and • liberal distribution of corn and pro. "visions." (ch, 5. p. 125) and ending with an emperour, " whose paternal care, we are told, ch. 6, p. 156, reduced " the price of provisions, and the interest " of money," opened, and is thus prefigured in the vifion; " And I beheld, " and lo, a black horse; and he that " fat on him had a pair of balances in " his hand, and I heard a voice in the " midst of the four living creatures, "say, a measure of wheat for a penny, " and three meafure of barley for a " penny 1 1 and fee thou hurt not the penny; ar " oil and the wine. The opening of the fourth feal exhibited, "A pale horse, and his name that fat on Him was Death, and Hell followed him, and power was given 66 * unto them over a fourth part of the "earth, to kill with the sword and " with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." If the accomplishment of the predictions relating to the former periods, has, (as, I think it must have) stricken the reader from its accuracy, how powerfully will the completion of this do the fame! It' commences with the fucceffion of the tyrant Maximin to the empire, of of whom w the hiftorian I have already fo repeatedly quoted, notices, not only the savage appearance, and the oppressions so grievous, as to excite" throughout : " the ১১ ১১ "the Roman world a general cry of indignation, imploring vengeance on "the common in my of human, kind" but that "confifcation exile or fample "death, were esleemed uncommon in"stances of his lenity, Some of the "unfortunate sufferers he ordered to be fewed upon the hides of flaughtered animals, others to be exposed to wild beasts, others again to be beaten " to death with clubs ch. 7. Including him fix princes were in the space of a few months cut off by the sword; and fuch were the confequent flaughters and evils under them and their fucceffors;* when civil wars irruptions of barbarians, and struggles fon the throne by what * The curious reader who wishes to see still further indances of the flaughter prefigured by this seal, may read Gallienus's Letter, preserved in the 282 p. p. of Gibbon's first volume. are |