Moses his choice with his eye fixed upon Heaven, discovering the happy condition of…

As for after times, it pleased God to stir Constantine a Christian Emperor, and then the Church had some rest; to which some apply that place, Rev. 20. 2. Satan was bound a thousand years, not to rage for a thousand years after, so as he then did, until Antichrist got strength: but the Text will not bear this interpretation; we read Rev. 8. 1. at the opening the first seal, there was silence in Heaven half an hour; that is, a space of intermission, wherein the Church had some little breathing for a while, but yet continued not long; for Licinius, who first joined in the maintenance of Christian Religion, fell off and turned an outrageous persecutor. After that the Church endured infinite troubles by the heresy of Arianism, that spread it self mightily abroad, so that the whole world almost was become an Arian; at this time says Hilary, the Church was so obscured, as it was not to be sought in any external pomp in public places, but in prisons and dens; Non in tect is, & exteriori pompa, sed potius in carceribus & speluncis. Arrius was a man of excellent parts, and forward in good, but through pride, being disappointed of his expected preferment, fell off. Mr. Brightman upon Revelations 8. 11. thinks it was he, that was meant by that Star which fell, which was called wormwood, by which the third part of the matters ⟨p. 24⟩were made bitter, and many dyed of the waters.

As for after times, it pleased God to stir Constantine a Christian Emperor, and then the Church had some rest; to which some apply that place, Rev. 20. 2. Satan was bound a thousand years, not to rage for a thousand years after, so as he then did, until Antichrist got strength: but the Text will not bear this interpretation; we read Rev. 8. 1. at the opening the first seal, there was silence in Heaven half an hour; that is, a space of intermission, wherein the Church had some little breathing for a while, but yet continued not long; for Licinius, who first joyned in the maintenance of Christian Religion, fell off and turned an outragious persecuter. After that the Church endured infinite troubles by the heresie of Arrianism, that spread it self mightily abroad, so that the whole world almost was become an Arrian; at this time says Hilary, the Church was so obscured, as it was not to be sought in any external pomp in publique places, but in prisons and dens; Non in tect is, & exteriori pompa, sed potius in carceribus & speluncis. Arrius was a man of excellent parts, and forward in good, but through pride, being disappointed of his expected preferment, fell off. Mr. Brightman upon