he the brightness of Christs coming cannot be the precise day of Judgment for after it must follow the Calling of the Jews the destruction of Gog and Magog and some Halcyon-days of the Church here on Earth 230. There is a coming of Christ spoken of under the Sixt Vial Revel 16.15 behold I come which is added there as a Cordial to Christs Servants against those great preparations for the Battel at Armageddon Under the Sixt Vial is the overthrow of the Kings that assist the Pope through the manifestation of Christs powerful Presence therefore is it call'd the great day of God Almighty Rev. 16.14 and Armageddons Battel is described Rev. 19.11 to the end 231. There is a plain Coming of Christ mentioned in that Rev. 19.12.13 to the Battle at Armageddon wherein he gives the flesh of Popish Kings and of Captains yea and of all kind of Papists small and great which seems to amount to this utter Extirpation v. 18. then shall all Papists bond and free be destroyed then shall the Beast and the false Prophet in his last War against Christ and his Church be taken v. 19.20 so this casting of them into the Lake is under the Sixt Vial and not as before at the day of Judgement 232. The marriage of the Lamb the 7th Vial brings in under the notion of the New-Jerusalem which begins to be described Rev. 20. in the Book-prophecy and Rev. 11.15 in the Seal-prophecy when all the Kingdoms of the World become the Lords under the 7th Trumpet Now because Christ will not be married but as a Conquerer therefore before this Maraiage he comes and manifests himself in this great Battle to destroy Antichrist's Person with all his proud Helpers Under this 6th Vial as before he destroys Antichrists Seat under the 5th Vial. 233. The 17th of Rev. is but an Interpretation who is this Beast and Whore spoken of that the Church might be able to discern this Antichrist The 18 Chap. is a solemn Funeral-song for Romes Ruine by the fift Vial or rather a Song Triumphant for the Expiration of Antichrist's Kingdom 234. It may strongly be presumed that Antichrists lease of his 42 Months will expire at the end of the fift Vial when the great Fox that hath so long spoild the veins of Christs Vineyard shall be unkennel'd For though he may raise some forces and make some Resistance under the 6th Vial as his Preparation to this battel at Armageddon yet shall he reign no more after his Seat be ruind 235. The Holy Ghost will not teach the Saints Triumphum canere ante Victoriam to triumph before a Victory Now were not the Kingdom of Christs grand Enemy to wit Antichrist as good as at an end at the Destruction of Rome by the fift Vial. This triumphant Song in chap. 18. had been praeposterous and unreasonable and should have been reserved till after the next Vial afterwards 336. There was indeed another triumphant Song to be sung after but it was more high and glorious than this to wit for the Marriage of the Lamb and observe how the bride adorns her self in fine linnen clean and white for this Marriage Rev. 19.8 Then begins the 1000 Years of the glorious State of the Church describ'd Rev. 20. which falls out afer the Beasts casting into the lake so that cannot be the day of Judgement 237. Add to this that after the Beast and the false Prophet be cast into the lake of fire Rev. 19.20 The Devil himself is still reserved Rev. 20.1,2,3 wherein a famous Climax or elegant Gradation is observable 1st the Angel with the great chain comes down from heaven 2. He lays hold on the Dragon or Devil 3. He binds him as it were hand and foot 4. And then casts him into the bottomless pit where he would not have been cast Luk. 8.31 5. He shuts him up there as if chaining only were not sufficient for restraining such a raging Devil yea 6. the door must be seald too with Authority from Heaven that the Peace of the Church might be secured 238. Yet after all this the Devil must be loosed again though it will be for a little season ver 3 7. for the day of Judgement presently follows ver 18. to gather together Gog and Magog against the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City v. 8 9. which some think is the Turkish Empire Satans last enemy against the Church for the Rising of the Turk is mentioned Rev. 9.3 c. but his Fall is no where clearly till in this Chap. this Adversary shall be chain'd up all the 1000 Y. if he be the Gog and Magog as his God and father the Devil is all that time 239. All those things being laid together and seriously ponder'd doth clearly evince that the casting of the Beast and the false Prophet into the lake of fire cannot be meant the precise day of Judgement for the Devil cannot be loosed any more after that day but when his last Agents Gog and Magog be destroyed he is cast in too where the Beast was cast 1000 Y. before Rev. 20.10 240. Besides a glorious Estate is promised to the Church in many Scriptures glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God Psal 87.3 Now this promise was never yet perform'd not in the times immediately after Christ for then the Church was neither visible nor glorious as Mr. Mede saith Diatribae p. 4. not under the persecuting Emperors of the Heathen for then though indeed it was visible having taken foot among the Gentiles yet was it not glorious at that time 241. Go to Constantines time wherein indeed the Sunshine of the Gospel seem'd to break out from behind a Cloud yet this lasted not but presently it was darkned again with a thick cloud of Arrianism and no sooner was the Arrian cloud blown over but again the very Visibility of the Church was overshadowed with a thicker cloud of Antichristianism that grand Apostacy foretold by the Holy Ghost 242. This cloud indeed after a long night of darkness hath begun to be dispell'd by those 3 Angels formention'd Waldus Wickliffe and Luther yet it shall not wholly be done away till this Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his Wings as Mal. 4.2 both for calling in the Jews and the fulness of the Gentiles then shall Sion be exalted above all Hills And this will be that brightness of Christs coming to abolish Antichrist 243. So then this glorious Estate of the Church never yet had its due accomplishment but shall be when the Lamb comes to marry his Bride and to give her a 1000 years of Tranquillity after the destruction of Antichrist This cannot be that blessed Estate of the Church Triumphant in heaven for 1st 'T is expresly said that the Saints shall reign on earth Rev. 5.10 not doth but shall to wit after the Beast and false Prophet be cast into the lake of fire 2ly There will be no need of binding up Satan when the Saints reign in Heaven 3ly
Cornelius when he fell down at his foot Act. 10.26 Yet a Pope can let a Caesar who is Cornelius Master to lay at his feet and kiss his Toe and to exercise other practices of Insolence towards him See more Parag. 143. o◠succeeding Peter All those forcited instances do well accord with that witty Acrostick made of those four letters PAPA to wit Paparum Ambitio Peperit Antichristum 95. And as if this were too little for the Pope to exalt himself above those titular Gods he exalts himself above the true God too in contradicting his Word disanulling his Institutions and taking upon him to dispense with his Laws as Pope Paul the 3d dispensed with the 5 Commandment in poisoning his own father And that Pope with the 6 Commandment that said Was God so angry with man for an Apple and not he Gods Vicar with his Cook for a Peacock and with the 7th in allowing of Concubines and common Whoredoms and with the 4th in denying its morality and with the 2d in omitting it Et sic de caeteris which might be shown ad Nauseam usque 96. That he exalts himself as God appears by those fllattering Titles that are given to the Pope as Lateran Councel Sess 4. it was cried to him tu es alter deus deus in terra c. and thou hast all power in Heaven and Earth given thee this was said to Leo the 10th and their own Advocates blasphemiously write Idem est dominium Dei Papae besides those many incommunicable properties of God attributed to him as Infallible Almighty supream Head and Husband of the Church Pater patrum Dominus dominantium and Episcopus Episcoporum all which and much more shews the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tanquam God the Canonists usual phrase is our lord God the Pope 97. The 7th clause in the Induction is that he must seduce with lying Wonders This the Papacy owns with not a little boasting of their power of working Miracles insomuch that Bellarmine himself makes this a note of the true Church and proves the Romish Church to be a true Church because she is dignified as he says with this honourable Mark and what strange wonders do we read in Gregory's Dialogues in the life of St. Francis in Jacobus de Voragine in Bellarm. Lives and in many other lying Legends for confirmation of Popery All which are the piae fraudes of Antichrist 98. That many Popes have done Miranda or things to be wondred at is not denied for many of them being in league with the Devil as their own Histories testifie at large might work many things by the Devils help that bred admiration in the beholders as Hildebrand that firebrand of hell in a great concourse of people shakes fire out of his gown sleeve in the sight of them all These things and such like as Conjurers they have done these are indeed miranda but not Miracula 99. True miracles require divine Power exceeding the ability of second causes these neither Satan nor any of his Instruments can do for it is the Royal Prerogative of God Ps 72.18 God only doth wondrous things In this sense the Devil cannot go beyond the power of Nature though through the acuteness of his Angelical understanding and his long observation and experience from the beginning of the World he is able to produce strange and extraordinary effects Yet all falls short of a true Miracle strictly taken 100. There is difference ex parte Rei betwixt miracles and wonders Miracles exceed the power of Created Agents but wonders do not so The Sorcerers of Egypt can imitate Moses and work wonders with their Inchantments they can bring frogs to the increase of their plague but they cannot take the frogs away again their Frogs which they brought were but Phantasms for their frogs were not gathered up on heaps when the Plague was over as Moses's frogs were Exod. 8.7,14 This was a plain figure of the lying Wonders of Antichrist and Rome which spiritually is called Egypt Rev. 11.8 101. Satan did conjure up all his Infernal powers in Pharaoh's time that he might vie with the wonder-working power of God and darken his glory and the honour of his servant Moses therefore t is said the Magicians did so with their enchantments Exod. 7.11 22. 8.7 Thus he endeavour'd to obscure the gifts of Miracles in the the Apostles by the Sorceries of Simon Magus and what a representation Satan made to Saul of raising up Samuel from the dead thus by the subtilty and agility of his nature he can amuze the minds of men with strange actions 102. Many such things Satan hath done for those in Confederacy with him as the Popes have been to raise admiration in the beholders especially where blind Ignorance and credulous Superstition hath sat as Judge by the help of the External Senses only Such are the miracles that Rome boasts so much of some of which being true in Genere Rerum may well be called lying wonders though they be false in Genere miraculorum Others be meerly fabulous which never were done and so to be call'd Wondrous Lies 103. Their lying Legends are full of this latter sort as that St. Dunstan pull'd the Devil by the nose with a pair of Pincers that St. Patrick drove all the Venemous Beasts with his Staff out of Ireland that St. Gooderick tamed Wolves and Serpents with the Sign of the Cross that St. Nicholas when he was but an Infant abstain'd from sucking his Mothers Breasts every Wednesday and Friday and many more such trash Imputing the driving away of the Devil to their Crucifixes Holy-waters as Dr. Morton's Grand Impostor shews at large they can shew of the Milk of the Virgin Mary and the foreskin of Christ and Feathers of the Cock that crew at Peters Denial of Christ 104. Suppose those Stories of their Legends true which they write of an Image gratulating Aquinas for his Voluminous labours saying bene de me Scripsisti Thoma as if it had been a Voice from Christ out of Heaven or as others say from the Mother of Christ for clearing her from Original Sin This might be done by the Devil to deceive 105. Such an other delusion was Bernard complemented withal when the Image of the blessed Virgin saluted him with good morrow Bernard at his entrance into the Church which the good man though devoutly Superstitious tartly replied to that her Ladiship had forgotten both her Self and her Sex for it is not permitted to Women to speak in the Church 1 Tim. 2.12 the Psalmist tels us that Idols or Images have mouths and speak not These must therefore be Juggling tricks unto which that Scripture alludes Rev. 13.15 in making their Images to speak 106. Our own Historians tell us how Frier Bacon made the Devil speak through the Brasen nose at Oxford and what else was it but the same Devil that gave out all those Ambiguous Oracles at Delphos to the Heathens Their
enemy to the God-head and pure Gospel of Christ so he is an Antichrist called Orientalis Antichristus the Eastern Antichrist 39. Yea our Dr. Holmes doth strongly assert that the Turk and the Pope make up one Antichrist and he gives those reasons for it 1st Mahumetism was hatched by Sergius a Popish Monk 2ly according to Dan. 7. ver 8.24 The Turk possesses three of those Kingdoms which were under the Pope 3ly the Turk sits over the Material as the Pope over the Spiritual Temple 4ly both their names amounts to 666. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5ly both are Sons of perdition the two Master-limbs of Antichrist the one Eastern the other Western 40. Unto all this concerning the Turk I shall only subjoyn the choice observation of that holy and learned Servant of Christ Mr. John Cotton who intimates in his Treatise upon Revel 13. that while the Pope stands no war against the Turk can prosper for it was because of Romes sin that the Turk was so advanced God raising up a beastly Engine to punish a beastly Religion Thus may the Turk be one Antichrist but not The Antichrist or at most but one Limb of him which shall stand longer than the other Limb for we Read of the Turks Rise in Revel 9. but no where of his Ruine till Revel 20.8 CHAP. III. 41. HItherto Negatively what is not The Antichrist now I come to shew Positively what is If we hunt this beast home quasi cum Catulis fidelibus this Fox that hath most spoil'd the Vineyard of Red-Wine will be found to Kennel in Rome The Ld. Chancellor Bacon told K. James in a dispute about Antichrist had he an Heu and Crye for it he must apprehend the Pope by it And as for his birth and Nativity his Father was an Amorite and his Mother an Hittite what ever he profess to the contrary 42. Antichrist is taken either Generally for every one that is against Christ and thus all those opposers of Christ forementioned are Antichrists in this Sense there were many Antichrists in the Apostles time or t is taken Specially and that two ways 1st Either for some notable Empire that openly opposes it self to the Kingdom of Christ thus the Turkish Empire may be Antichrist or that doth it privily and closely so 't is the Popish Empire 2ly 'T is taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the most principal part of that Empire and so the head of the Popish Empire is truly call'd The Antichrist 43. That we may come more distinctly to the knowledge of this Antichrist Learned Chamier lays down a most sure Rule Quicunque omnes Capit Antichristi Notas quas Scriptura delineavit est Antichristus whosoever hath all those Characters wherewith the Scripture deciphers Antichrist by is the Antichrist but it will appear by the Sequel that the Pope of Rome hath all those Characters upon him by which the word of God describes him therefore it necessarily follows that the Pope of Rome is the Antichrist 44. And there is another infallible Axiom used by our Protestant Divines to the same purpose Cui Competit Definitio ei Competit Definitum but the Definition that the holy Scriptures afford us of Antichrist doth best accord with the Pope of Rome therefore he is the thing defined to wit Antichrist that description the word of God gives of Antichrist doth not only shew what but who he is called Antichristus ille magnus the Great Antichrist 45. The holy Scriptures gives us this definition of Antichrist 1st he is an Apostate or Runegado-Christian 2ly professing friendship to Christ but practising enmity against him 3ly Stirred up by the efficacy of Satan 4ly Usurping a Monarchy in the Church 5ly Excercising his Kingdom in the great City that Reigneth over the Kings of the Earth 6ly Behaving himself in the Church of God as if he were God 7ly Seducing the Nations with lying wonders 8ly A man of Sin a Son of perdition a wicked one an Idolater 9ly Ambitious Cruel full of all uncleanness 10ly To be revealed in those last times 11ly to be Consumed by the breath of Christs mouth and 12ly to be destroyed by the brightness of his Coming 46. That he must be 1st an Apostate a faller away from the truth 2 Thess 2.3 demonstrates Refuga à domino suo as Austin calls him one that departeth from the faith and purity of Religion 1 Tim. 4.1 2ly in pretence a Friend to Christ but in truth an Enemy He must be a Christian titulo-tenus is shown us by his sitting in the Temple of God 2 Thess 2.8 and by his having horns like a lamb Rev. 13.11 This veil of the name of Christ colours over all his wickedness and makes him a mystery of iniquity 2. Thess 2.7 47. Yet in reality Antichrist must be an enemy to Christ notwithstanding all his pretences for him 1. Joh. 4.3 though the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Substitution and Vicegerency so Antichrist is one for Christ yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it implies opposition and Contrariety shows he is one against Christ though he look like a lamb yet doth he speak like the Dragon Rev. 13.11 yea and Acts like the Dragon also for the Dragon gives power to the beast Rev. 13.4 and the beast makes war with the Saints v. 7 yea and with the lamb too Rev. 17.14 though he seem to be like him and for him the beast and all his ten horns do war against Christ Rev. 19.19 he is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2.4 an Adversary 48. It appears 3ly that Antichrist is one stirred up by the efficacy of Satan not only because the Dragon gives power to the beast Rev. 13.4 but also his coming is described to be by the working of Satan 2 Thess 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist must have the most eminent Activity of Satans skill both to found and finish his Kingdom Satan delivers the Key of the bottomless pit to him Rev. 9.11 and makes him the great Steward of his house insomuch as Antichrist hath a greater power according to their belief in Hell then Joseph had given him by Pharoh in Egypt thus Antichrists Doctrine is call'd the Doctrine of divells and his habitation the habitation of divells 1. Tim. 4.1 and Revel 18.2 49. Antichrist must 4ly Usurp a Monarchy in the Church not onely a Spiritual but also a Temporal Kingdom for this beast is describ'd with two horns to signifie his double power Rev. 13.11 his Spiritual power Consists in the Excercise of that Key of the bottomless pit which Satan gives to the Star of the Antichristian Church as above whereby he binds and looses not Ministerially in Christs name but rather Magisterially in his own name usurping an absolute Authority of Decreeing and Condemning what he pleases without the Authority of the Holy Scriptures 50. He hath also a Temporal or Political Kingdom for the Antichrist or second
and many others 129. All these characters of Antichrist being thus aptly accommodated to the Pope how can we but say with Dr. Sclater in his Comment upon the 2d Epist to the Thessalon pag. 115. If a man may be so bold with the Pope as John Baptist was with our Saviour to ask Art thou he that should come or do we look for another The like answer should be returned Go and tell what you have heard and seen to wit Devils worship'd God contemn'd Religion prophaned Superstition hallowed Beastly lust practised Parricide not only committed but defended and much more horrid Hellishness those parùm probi homines hath done Is not this the man of sin without a Peer foretold of in the Word 130. The 10th branch of the Induction is He must be revealed in those last times this also suits to the Pope as the coat to the body for Antichrist hath several Periods he was a long time in the Embryo before he was born as he was a mystery of Iniquity so must he have a secret rising of his Dominion whereof some Foundations were laid in the Apostles times by Satan and his Instruments The itch of preheminency began the groundwork of this Romish Babel betimes 3 Epist John ver 9 10. Thus the time of his Conception held proportion with his Continuance in the world this Mystery was working long in the Pope before he was reveal'd to be Antichrist 131. If there must be 1260 years betwixt his Revelation and his Desolation or Destruction then there must be a proportionable time for the Conception of this Monster before his Birth and Revelation Pliny writes of the Elephant whom Job calls Behemoth the Hebr. Foemin plural as if he were many Beasts in one that he is two years in breeding in the womb before he be brought forth so this great Beast or Behemoth was breeding some hundreds of Years before his Revelation 132. It is unquestionably true that Antichrist had many Periods The Beast that John saw rise up out of the sea Rev. 13.1 and come out of the earth v. 11. ascended up by little and little and not all at once till at last his whole Body appeared above ground in a full view and above Water even to a full manifestation His first Period was Nascens his 2d Crescens his 3th Triumphans his 4th Decrescens and his 5th Period Expirans as Rome the city was not built in one day no more was the Romish Church or Antichrist And this Beast rose up by degrees being hid in a mystery before he was Unvailed 133. Crakanthorpe in his Vigilius Dormitans observes that Antichrist was Nascent when Rome usurp'd authority first over all the Churches 2ly he was Crescent when he maintained Adoring of Images and Praying to Saints 3ly Regnant when he exalted Himself above Kings and placed his Mitre above their Crowns 4ly Triumphant when he became Lord of the Catholick Faith 5ly Cadent we see him saith he in our Day by Luther Calvin Perkins c. who unmask'd him and he adds a 6th Period to wit Morient saying If we do not yet our Posterity shall see him die for God saith that his day is coming Ps 37.13 134. In his first Period he was conceived in the Apostles time yea then animated for the spirit of that Antichrist was then in the world 1 Joh. 4.3 and strove long to see light He was well nigh an 100 Y. in lifting up his head of Supremacy above the Earth Ambition and Superiority shewed it self in some of those Bishops of that See betimes though they were reputed generally good men yet had they from the following Centuries of the Apostles a tincture of Antichrist 135. Ecclesiastical History tells us how the purity of Doctrine was notoriously darkned and defiled with Humane Traditions from the time of Sylvester the 1st that was Bishop when Constantine the great was Emperour then began poyson to be sown more rank in the Church and so on to Sabinianus Yea and many endeavours were used by Innocent the first in Y. 404. And by Leo the first and by Pelagius the first and 2d to bring forth this monstrous brat of Supremacy long before Boniface the third got full strength to do that work by the Midwivery of the Parricide Phocas in the Y. 606. So then his first Period Nascent is from the Apostles time to Boniface the 3d in the 6th Century then was he Antichrist revealed indeed 136. His 2d Period Crescent is from this Boniface to Hildebrand in whose time Hell broke loose and that woman Wickedness perk'd her self higher and higher in the Ephah Zech. 5.7,8 From him to Luther may be accounted the 3d and 4th Period Regnant and Triumphant wherein the Pope reigned and triumph'd over all Princes and Nations even with both Swords The 5th Period Cadent must be from Luthers time after whom they confess Popery never prospered but languished daily And his 6th Age Morient is this our day wherein he grows sick of his Consumption which is a lingring death more and more the Gospel hath won ground of Popery and many Kingdoms are alienated from this Antichrist 137. The Romanists have a saying among them thar since their Pope was so publickly preach'd to be Antichrist their Religion never throve and this hath been done long not only by Wickliffe Luther and other great Reformers which are supposed to be those Angels preaching the everlasting Gospel c. Rev. 14.6,8,9 But by the Waldenses Arnulphus Parisiensis and many others Illyric Catalog Testium Veritatis The fulfilling of this 6th and last Period which is Morient we must patiently wait for The Vials of Gods wrath are begun already to be powred out upon him and shall at last bring his final Extirpation CHAP. VI. 138. BUt before I can touch the two last Paragraphs of the Induction there be some objections which the Romanists lay in our way which here must be remov'd as Amasas body that hindred the People from going End way 2 Sam. 20.12 They say first that Antichrist shall have no such period or proportion of time as is here specified for he is some single Person only because he is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoteth some Individuum some singular Person 139. To this I answer 1. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not always point at a single Person for Mark 2.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is man at large but man for the Sabbath and not any Individual Person and the same word is taken in this large sence Luke 4.4 Man lives not by bread alone and not in their contracted signification and likewise in 2 Tim. 2.17 in all which places the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is annexed with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 2ly Deut. 18.15.18 a Prophet there is a Succession of Prophets so here a Succession of Persons of the same Function is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God raised up more Prophets then Moses to