Page:Mahometanism in its relation to prophecy - or, an inquiry into the prophecies concerning antichrist, with some reference to their bearing on the events of the present day (IA mahometanisminit00philrich).pdf/150

 In these two verses, it seems to me that we have a recapitulation, or a more enlarged description, of what was stated in the thirteenth verse; and that the Prophet refers to the persecutions raised against the Church by the pagan Roman emperors, which might well be compared to a river, for by their means torrents of Christian blood were shed all over the earth; and such was the impetuosity of their fury, that had if not been for the miraculous help of God the Christian faith must have been rooted out from the world. But when the Prophet adds, "and the earth helped the woman, and swallowed up the river," it seems that he refers to the conversion of Constantine, which by placing Christianity on the throne of the Cæsars effectually swallowed up the river that had hitherto so violently assailed the Church, and it might truly be said "that the earth helped the woman;" for from this moment the riches of the earth were poured into the Church's lap. Now did the glowing prophecies of the Old Testament begin to receive their accomplishment; the gold of Ophir, the precious stones of the East, and the frankincense of Arabia, were combined in the offering of the converted earth to its Lord and Saviour; stately churches now began to be erected all over Christendom, so magnificent that they