tant
writers, renders it unnecessary to argue this point. That power began
early to be manifested, but its full development was "let," _i.e._,
hindered, by the continuance of the Western empire, which had to be taken
out of its way. Tertullian, near the close of the second century, in
expounding those words, says: "Who can this be but the Roman state, the
division of which into ten kingdoms will bring on Antichrist?" And he
gives as a reason why the Christians of his time prayed for the Roman
empire: that _the greatest calamity hanging over the world was retarded by
the continuance of it_. Cyril of Jerusalem in the fourth century applied
the passage in the same manner, and says:

"Thus the predicted Antichrist will come when the times of the Roman
empire shall be fulfilled, and the consummation of the world shall
approach. Ten kings of the Romans shall arise together, in different
places indeed, but they shall reign at the same time. Among these the
eleventh is Antichrist, who, by magical and wicked artifice, shall seize
the Roman power." A large number of the ancient fathers interpreted this
text in the same manner.

In A. D. 257, 1260 years before the time of Luther, Stephen, Bishop of
Rome, began to act the pope in good earnest,--excommunicating those who
dissented from the doctrines of Rome.

In 312, 1260 years before the massacre of St. Bartholomew in 1572,
Constantine became Emperor of Rome, embraced Christianity, and terminated
the last and bloodiest of the Pagan persecutions--that of Diocletian, which
had continued ten years. Constantine undertook to remodel the church, in
conformity to the government of the state, and the unhallowed union of the
two resulted in the dignities of patriarchs, exarchs, archbishops, canons,
prebendaries, &c., which he endowed with wealth and worldly honors.

While paganism was superseded by Christianity under Constantine, its
ceremonies were not suppressed. The senate was still pagan; and "the
title, the ensigns, and the prerogatives of Sovereign Pontiff, which had
been instituted by Numa, and assumed by Augustus, were accepted, without
hesitation, by seven Christian emperors."--_Gibbon_, v. 2, p. 183. Gratian
became emperor, A. D. 376, and was the first who refused the pontifical
robe. In 378, he invested Theodosius with the Empire of the East; under
their rule paganism was "wholly extirpated," and the senate was suddenly
converted.--_Ib._ That which hindered was thus taken out