Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	great_a	2,167	5	3.1621	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52810	A distinct discourse and discovery of the person and period of Antichrist wherein a diligent enquiry is made concerning the time of his rise, reign, and ruine, the answer whereunto is not peremptorily imposed, but modestly proposed / published for publick good by Christopher Ness ...	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1679 (1679)	Wing N453; ESTC R3549	114,929	254

Popery is but mans Wit and Invention 282. Now come we to the other Apocaliptick Number to wit the 42 months or 1260 days or years which some interpret in a way of conjunction with this last Number 666. and therefore I do speak of it the latter though in the Introduction I made it the former Many late Writers hath concurr'd with T. L. in making 1260 Y. to be Antichrists Term and 666. the millenary Number being understood though not express'd as before to be the period of that Term and to find a fit Correspondency betwixt those two Numbers they look out for the rise of Antichrist 283. And finding the Egg of Antichristianism to be lay'd in the Days of Innocent the first in the Ye of Christ 406. and that by express Commission there was furthermore granted to the Beast his Heirs and Successors 1260 Years for the hatching fostering and perfecting of this Egg or Child of Perdition which being added to 406. makes 1666. to be the very Year wherein the Judgements of God denounced shall fall upon Antichrist And he shall as easily weigh the fire or measure the wind or call again the day that is past as avoid the decree of his Down-fall then determined and as T. L. saith then my Lord of Rome must lay down his proud waves 284. Other Interpreters labour for no concurrence or Coincidency betwixt 1260 and 666. but doth measure Antichrist only by that Lease or Term that is given him to do or continue to wit 42 Months or which is all one 1260 Y. Thus many learned and holy Men binding up themselves to this Number only and varying in their judgements where to make the Epocha or Beginning of the Beasts Rise hath likewise exceedingly varyed in their Opinions about his Period and Ruine 285. Mr. Brightman makes the beginning of the Term of Antichrist to be at Constantines coming to the Crown for then began the war with the Dragon c. when the Man-child was brought forth that is advanced to Imperial dignity Rev. 12.5 and so he makes the Authority of the Beast to expire about the Year of Christ 1546. which year or time was so far from ending the Beast that at that time he was rather more advanced for then did the Councel of Trent condemn the Scriptures in advancing the Vulgar Latin to be most Authentick and then did Charles the fift war against the Protestant Princes in Germany 286. Mr. Durham comes near to this Computation of holy Brightman making the close of the 1260 Y. of Antichrists absolute and uninterrupted Tyranny and triumphing over the Witnesses to fall out in the Year 1559. when Reformation began by publick Authority at Ausperg till then he saith the Witnesses ascended not into heaven For then not only in Germany a Dyet enacted for Religion but also in England it was rais'd up by Q. Elizabeth and the Year before that it was receiv'd in Scotland and the year after to wit 1560. in France by Charles the ninth thus he in his Comment on Revel 287. But 't is objected saith he against this Opinion that this Computation places the rise of Antichrist over-high in the 3. Century after Christ which was a time when the Church enjoy'd both Purity and Liberty in the Days of that good Emperor Constantine To this he answers thus As Antichrist began to work from the Apostles time so much more from the time of outward Rest and Peace which the Church enjoy'd by Constantine who freed her from Heathenish Persecution 288. Pride soon saith he infected her Pastors Hodiè venenum in Ecclesiam fudisti was imputed to Constantine when he made the Church as it were luxuriant with Temporal Priviledges and the Roman Pastor having the greatest advantages of sharing in those Priviledges as Rome was then the Lady of Kingdoms began soon to improve them at least ad Potentiam Pontificiam though not suddenly ad Omnipotentiam as afterwards 289. The Pontificial Omnipotency or settled Superiority and the title of Universal Bishop he confesses was not indeed usurp'd till Boniface the third assum'd it in the Year 606. After this came in the Latin Service and the Mass in the Y. 666. as I mention'd before Paragr 274 by Vitellianus the Pope then also was Pantheon the Temple of the Heathen God opened and dedicated to All Saints and so by degrées comes in all the Romish Trash till Antichrist came to his full Growth 290. But there is yet a stronger Objection against this Opinion which the judicious Scot labours to remove to wit that the Kingdom of the Beast is contemporary with the Sackcloth-Prophecy of the Witnesses and this must be for after the Ascension of the Witnesses and the Earthquake the 7th Trumpet sounds and all Kingdoms become the Lords Rev. 11.11,12.13,15 The downfall of the Beasts kingdom must be before this though he say the Ascension of the Witnesses may consist with the decaying Kingdom of the Beast who must be destroyed gradually under the 7th Trumpet yet this sense is cumbred with many difficulties as will appear afterwards 291. Mr. Cotton goes yet a little lower then either of the former in placing the beginning of this 1260 Y. to wit to 96 or 97 Y. after Constantine rendring this Reason that though the War began with Constantine and the Woman fled into the wilderness as Mr. Brightman rightly observes yet it cannot be said in his time that there was no place found for the dragon in Heaven for this saith he was the failing of that good Emperor that he stil allowed the Heathen-Idol-Temples to continue only shutting their Doors which his Successor Julian opened again and restored the Dragon to his Heaven of spiritual Authority 292. Though the war was begun by Constantine yet was it not accomplished by him so as to cast out the Dragon wholly and so as no more place to be found for him in Heaven this was not he says till the time of Theodosius then did the Emperors renounce and not before the title of Pontifex Maximus Hereupon the Beast the Pope the very next year after takes up this Name and holds it to this day What ever be the Popes name 't is Pontifex Maximus now this was about 396. Y. after Christ as 96. after Constantine which Number being added to 1260. makes up 1656. Antichrists Period 293. This learned and holy man was not alone in his Expectations of eminent Providences in that Year or about it as is manifested before in Paragr 262 267. yet his modesty in this his Conjecture is very eminent saying I will not be too confident because I am not a Prophet nor the Son of a Prophet to foretell things to come yet he expected a great blow would be given to the Beast and to the head of the Beast yea and the Expiration of his Power and great Authority in his Comment on 13. Rev. pag. 87 88 90 93 94. 294. Yea Mr. Mede himself whose Labours the Church of God hath much cause to

beast excercises all the power of the first beast Rev. 13.12 that is takes on him Civil Authority and using a Secular as well as an Ecclesiastical Sword he must sit in the same Seat where the Imperial civil Courts hath been kept and there set up his own Courts that as a compleat Plenipotentiary he may hear all causes Civil aswel as Sacred Rev. 13.2 52. That he must 5ly exercise this his Monarchy and Kingdom in the great City that Rules over the Nations appears from Rev. 13.2 The Dragon gives to the beast not only his power but also his Seat where his Throne had been and the woman that Rides upon the beast is call'd plainly the great City which then had the Empire and Reigned over the Kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 call'd the great whore Sitting upon many waters to wit many Nations of sundry languages Rev. 17.1,15 which shows not onely the largeness of Antichrists Territories but also the Instability of his Kingdom which hath no better a foundation than as built upon Unconstant-waters 52. That he must carry himself 6ly in the Church of God as if he were God is expresly declared in 2 Thess 2.4 Antichrist must exalt himself above all that is called God or worshipped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either with Civil or Religious worship There are that are called Gods 1 Cor. 8.5 to wit Magistrates Psal 82.6 Those he exalts himself above in deposing Kings and disposing Kingdoms yea not only above those titular gods but also above the true God In ambitione plus-quàm Luciferianâ beyond Lucifer himself for he said only I will be like the most High Esa 14.14 But Antichrist will be above the most High not only in dispensing with but also in contradicting his Laws 53. Antichrist must 7ly Seduce with lying wonders this is proved from 2 Thess 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To astonish his beholders and to maintain his Reputation he should come with signs and wonders wrought by the power of Satan Those should be the means of his advancement he doth great wonders Rev. 13.13 calling fire down from heaven as if another Elijah the spirits of devils issuing out of the mouth of this Antichrist works wonders Cap. 16.14 54. Antichrist must have 8ly a threefold brand put upon him as appears from 2 Thess 2.3,8 1st a man of Sin 2ly a Son of perdition 3ly a wicked one all those Epithets to shew what a notoriously Sinfull lost lawless one he should be the 1st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes him the eldest Son of all the children of Belial a Superlative Sinner the worst of men as Christ to whom he is contrary was the best the 2d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 describes him a man of destruction actively a destroying Son call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 9.11 So he is to the Church of God and for destruction passively to be cast into Hell Rev. 19.20 the 3d. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as above fig. 13. deciphers him one that neither fears God not reverences man as Luke 18.2 for the Laws of neither can keep him within compass 55. That he must be further Stigmatiz'd 9ly for being Idolatrous the first Adjunct is manifest from Rev. 17.2 not onely in his own person but like another Jeroboam making others to sin with his Intoxicating cup of Fornication thus is Idolatry termed by the Holy Ghost Ezek. 16.17 the 2d adjunct is Ambitious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one advancing himself above every Monarch on earth and more than equalling himself with the great God of heaven as above fig. 52. 2 Thess 2.4 his 3d. Title Cruel is Represented by the woman made drunk with the blood of the Saints Rev. 17.6 and by the name of a devouring beast so oft put upon him as before in fig. 7. his 4th Title Unclean is shadowed out by those names of Sodom and Egypt Rev. 11.8 and by those names of great whore and mother of fornication 56. 10ly Antichrist is one to be revealed in those last times appears plainly from 2 Thess 2.7,8 he must be in the world along time before he be Revealed while he remains a mystery of iniquity or iniquity in a mystery he is under a vail The depths of Satan Rev. 2.24 Unknown Unrevealed This mystery was working out of sight in persons as Diotrephes and in Doctrines as touch not tast not c. forbidding Meats and Marriages betimes but his Revealing is an Antecedent of Christs coming 2 Thess 2.3 57. The 11th clause in the Definition of Antichrist is he must be consumed with the Spirit of Christs mouth 2 Thess 2.8 The manner 1st it must be gradual not all at once but a lingring death this the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a wasting a little and little till he be Annihilated and 2ly the means of his consuming the spirit or breath of Christs mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit by the preaching of the Gospel whereby the Spirit of Christ works powerfully yet gradually in the hearts of men to bring them off from supporting Antichrists Kingdom This is call'd by the Prophet the Rod of his mouth and the breath of his lips Esa 11.4 and the Sword of his mouth Rev. 2.16 1 Kin. 19.17 58. The 12th Clause is Antichrist is one that must be destroyed with the brightness of Christs coming 2 Thess 2.8 wherein 1st the manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be brought to nought and utterly abolished though he Seat himself among the Stars yet from thence the Lord will bring him down Obad. v. 4. even into utter destruction 2ly The means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may not be taken strictly for that precise point of time wherein Christ shall come personally to judge the world See infrá 227 Paragraph as Esti●… observes on the place but largely for the Spiritual manifestation of Christs presence in his Church before which this Antichrist shall melt away as dew before the Sun even to an utter extirpation 59. Thus in those 12 clauses I have shewn the Scriptural marks and definition of Antichrist which are beyond Controversie and Undeniable these are the claws of the beast Ex ungue leonem A Lion is known by his paw my Assumption now is that this difinition doth quadrare cum Papâ suits with the Pope hoc restat ad probandum I Argue thus Hypothetically If the Pope have those marks and this definition of Antichrist then he is the thing defined but the Antecedent is true ergo the Consequent or Categorically thus whoever hath those marks and this definition is the Antichrist but the Pope has them ergo this is to be proved by an Induction CHAP. IV. 60. THe 1st part of the Induction The first thing to be now demonstrated for clearing my assumption is that the Pope and his Church hath apostatized from the Faith which is evidenced thus the Church of Rome with her Pastors in the primitive Apostolical times was a beloved Spouse of Christ as that famous Epistle of the