power and who carries himself as if he were God he is the man of sin the great Antichrist but the Popes of Rome are seated in the temple have subjected all rule and Authority to themselvs and behave themselves as if they were God therefore the Popes of Rome are the man of sin the great Antichrist Thirdly Antichrists Name is written in his forehead Rev. 17.5 Mystery Brocard a Venetian doth avouch it that the word Mystery is written in the Popes Mitre and many others who have been at Rome do profess to have seen it as Dr. Iames the late keeper of the Library at Oxford will further satisfie any man in his Dedicatory Epistle to his Treatise of the corruption of the Scriptures What mystery 't is that is written upon his forehead Saint Paul tell you 2 Thes 2.7 Mystery of iniquity As the Doctrine of the Gospel is a Mystery of Godliness so the Papacy is nothing else but a Mystery of iniquity The Pope pretends to be more for Christ then any man in the World Christs Vicar Christs Vicegerent the visible head of Christs Church Saint Peters successor to feed the flock of Christ and still he hath Christ in his mouth and who but Christ with him I tell you he pretends to be more for Christ then any man alive but let me tell you withall that there is no man alive so much against Christ as he is and therefore most properly called Antichrist which signifies both for and against Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek is pro as well as contra Ioh. 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace for Grace The great Antichrist is one that is pretendedly for Christ but is really against Christ which cannot be affirmed of the great Turk or of any other beside the Pope but of him it may most clearly That he bears the World in hand he is Christ greatest friend I need not prove I suppose we will all take that for granted but let me shew you how in truth he is Christs greatest Enemy in all points One mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus 1 Time 2.5 There are other Mediators says the Pope both for satisfacton and intercession for satisfaction the propitiatory sacrifice of the Mass the blood of Thomas the merits of the Church for intercession the Virgin Mary Saints and Angels are intercessors to God even as to our particular necessities for us there 's but one says Christ there are more says the Pope Christ alone is Prophet of his Church to be heard in all things whatsoever he shall say Act. 3. and for this end he opened the sealed book bids every one of his search the Scriptures grow in knowledge walk in the light of Gospel-truth the Pope expresly contradicts this and tells you that the Doctrine Christ hath left in the Scriptures is not sufficient without his daily supplements of unwritten Traditions which are of equal Authority with the word of Christ and must be beleeved upon pain of damnation Of the written word what he pleaseth he makes authentique what he pleases he cancels he teaches and interprets all by an infallible unerring Spirit He hath sealed up the book or Bible which Christ opened to them forbidding the people the use of Scriptures Latine Scriptures Latine Service all must be to them in an unknown tongue he tells them that ignorance is the mother of devotion and to believe as the Church believes is knowledge and faith enough Christ hath forbidden all kinde of pictures and Images in the Worship of God Deut. 4.15.16 Take good heed unto your selves for ye saw no manner of similitude in the day the Lord spake unto you in Horeb lest ye corrupt your selves and make a graven Image c. John 4.23 The true worshippers worship the Father in Spirit and in truth the Father seeketh such to worship him No says the Pope you shall make Images of the Trinity and pictures of the Cross and shall kiss and worship them with the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same worship ye give God Christ You shall make Images of Saints and Angels and shall worship them with worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a religious worship though not the highest you shall pray unto them and fill all your Churches with them for they are Lay-mens books Christ hath taught us that our own righteousness is as menstruous rags upon our best performances we are unprofitable sevants that we are justified by faith without the works of the Law T is not so says the Pope good Works are meritorious there is a merit of congruity in them before conversion and a merit of condignity in them after conversion nay that some men do works of supererogation more then the Law of God requireth or is their duty to do whereby they are not onely justified themselves but the overplus of their merits helps to justifie others Christ saith he will have the Sacrament of the Supper administred in both kinds 1 Cor. 11 23. to 27. I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you that the Lord Iesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and sayd take eat this is my body after the same manner he took the cup saying this cup is the new Testament in my blood this do ye as oftenas ye eat this bread and drink this cup c. This St. Paul received of Jesus Christ delivered it in charge to all and every of the Churches of Corinth both what and how they were to receive It shall not be so says the Pope the Priest shall receive in both kinds the People shall have nothing but the bread Christ teaches that marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled Heb. 13. No says the Pope 't is not honorable in the Clergy so they call them t is not lawful for a Priest to marry Christ says Let no man judge you in respect of meats or drinks or an holy day Col. 2. You are now freed from the observation of daies and meats every creature of God is good if it be received with thanksgiving No says the Pope ye shall observe Saints daies and for meats touch not taste not any flesh on such and such dayes and weeks of Lent But to what end should I thus go on I profess I can hardly name one Doctrine of Jesus Christ but the Popes of Rome have thwarted it either directly or indirectly and quite subverted it The Pope may see himself in those old Heretiques the Antitactae as in a glass who held it religion to contradict the Laws of their Maker and instead of Gods Laws brought in their own inventions and fooleries Take it thus He on whom such a mystery of iniquity is found as to pretend to be wholy for Christ and yet in every thing crosses and opposes Christ he is the man of sin the true and great Antichrist but upon the Pope is this mystery of iniquity
from them leaving them still to the mercy of Popish racks and torments Know assuredly that Pope and Jesuites by any thing that is in their Religion are not nor can they be but skinners over at the best slight healers of the wounds of Conscience miserable Comforters Physitians of no value the Lord in mercy keep all his own out of their hands Vse 3. The next Use is exhortatory that every one of us would admire and bless the Lord and his goodness that he hath brought us forth in such a juncture of time and cast our lot in such a place that we are not constrained to receive the mark of the Beast in our hands or in our foreheads I desire to bless God every day that God did not bring me forth in Spain or Italy but that I am born an English man and at such a time when Popery is not the Religion of the Nation but the light of the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ shines amongst us and into us Troubles I confess we have seen and felt but put them all together with their utmost aggravations so far as concerns the outward man and they are not worthy to be compared with the exceeding great happiness we enjoy in our deliverances from the Egyptian darkness and bondage of popery especially if you take in the light and comforts of Christs blood and Gospel-truths we walk in What would have become of thee poor soul hadst thou lived in times wherein the Sea of Ordinances were no better then the blood of a dead man The Lord grant every one of us to know our Gospel-happiness and priviledges to rejoyce in the light and work the works of him that sent us while we have the light even comfort and Salvation to our selves glory to Christ advancement to his Kingdom and all this by receiving the truth in the love of it and holding forth the word of life Vse 4. Is the Pope Antichrist and Popery Antichristianism Why then let it not trouble you when ever or where ever you see Christ and his Armies in the greatness of their strength and fury marching out against them The Pope hath long time been Apollyon a destroyer of others even of the Church and People of God but he himself shall be destroyed Filius perditionis the Son of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 That day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed the Son of Perdition IN the former Treatise I held forth the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also both the Rise and full Growth of Antichrist It remains that I now shew you his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ebbing or declination of that proud Tide the many several paces and degrees whereof from first to last do make up his total ruine and give him his name Filius Perditionis the Son of Perdition Taking him in his largest capacity the Point will be this The Pope and his Kingdom are appointed of God to most remarkable destruction First God hath foretold and threatned it Rev. 13.9.10 If any man have an ear let him hear He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints God hath proclaimed it to all who have spiritual ears to hear that he hath captivity and a killing sword in store for those who have been such cruel enemies to his People And he would have all his Saints act their faith in believing this threat and their patience in waiting the full Execution of it Secondly Christ into whose hands all power in heaven and Earth is committed hath sworn it I say God hath not onely threatned it but Christ hath sworn it Rev. 10.5 6. The Angel which I saw stand upon the Sea and upon the Earth lifted up his hand to Heaven And sware hy him that liveth for ever who created Heaven the Earth and Sea with all things that are therein that there should be time no longer The Angel of the Covenant set one foot upon the Sea the other upon the Land Sea and Land you know make up the terrestial Globe whereby is prefigured his throwing Antichrist out of all and taking possession of all the World himself He lifts up his hand the ancient ceremony of an Oath The thing he swears is this That there should be time no more not simply but for the Man of sin to reign havocking and destroying his Church Look upon the structure of the Church of Rome the power and policy of its constitution and Government and who could in reason conceive that Babylon should ever be destroyed Says Christ you have my word for it you have my Oath for it it shall shortly come to pass that the time of their domination shall be no more I will certainly ease you of her God willing more abundantly as the Apostle speaks Heb. 6. to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things his Word and Oath in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation in the assurance of Romes headlong downfall Thirdly The Holy-Ghost brings it in as fully performed as either sayd or sworn in the Gross or Lump and also in the Particulars of it First in the Gross and Lump Dan. 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy People and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy People shall be delivered You have a Parallel to this Rev. 16.17.18.19 The seventh Angel poured out his vial into the air and there came a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from the Throne saying 't is done And there were Voyces and Thunders and Lightnings and there was a great Earthquake such as was not since men were upon the Earth so mighty an Earthquake and so great And the great City was divided into three parts and the Cities of the Nations fell and great Babylon came into remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the feirceness of his wrath Such an Earthquake will God raise under them such showers and storms shall God send down upon them as t is in the last verse of that Chapter There fell upon men a great hail out of Heaven every stone about the weight of a Talent that made them curse and blaspheme for the plague thereof was exceeding great I say such terrible Earthquakes and plaguing Storms of troubles will befall them as never any Kingdom in the World felt or heard of Rev. 14 19 20. And the Angel thrust in his sickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine of the Earth the Church of Christ is a Vine of Heaven its root is in Heaven all its fruitfulness is from Heaven and for Heaven
Kinreds of the Earth shall wail because of him even so Amen That this cannot be meant of the day of Judgement is evident because the mourning here spoken of is a penitential mourning and is taken out of Zach. 12.10 at the last day all the Saints shall rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory all the wicked shall be hardned in impenitency and though they may howl over their own misery yet not mourn after Christ there will be no penitential mourning in that day and therefore Christ will appear in the clouds before that day and every eye shall see him especially the people of the Jews I could give you other Scriptures that speak to the same effect But yet these as express as they are with the rest which look that way are not fully convicing as I conceive for 1. I find often in Scripture what 's carried on by Instruments ascribed to God as if the had done it personally without the use of any such Instruments Rev. 16.456 The third Angle poured out his Vial upon the Rivers and Fountains of Waters and they became blood and they say unto God Thou art righteous O Lord who hast judged thus and thou hast given them blood to drink All grant that this Vial was poured out as were also all the rest by men holy and spiritual men yet they speak to God and say thou hast judged thus thou hast given them blood to drink 1 Chron 16.13 Let the heavens be glad and let the Earth rejoyce and let men say among the Nations the Lord reigneth ver 33. The Trees of the Wood shall sing out at the presence of the Lord because he cometh to judge the Earth Ps 22.28 The Kingdom is the Lords and he is governour among the Nations Isai 33.22 The Lord is our judge the Lord in our Law-giver the Lord is our King but none of all this immediately by himself or personally but in the use of Instruments So that thought it be sayd he shall destroy Antichrist with the brightness of his coming at which time also he 'l set up his Kingdom and raign yet may it well enough be understood of a coming in those ten Kings or Supreme powers that Scripture saith shall hate the whore and burn her flesh with fire and he may as well set up his kingdome and reign also in and by them and such like 2. How can a circumscribed body as Christ hath be personally visibly in all and every of his kingdoms at once When he shall reign visibly personally on mount Sion or at Jerusalem he cannot at the same time reign personally and visibly here in this Nation but must rule it and all others by his Deputies therefore t is safer to let him keep his place at Gods right hand in heaven then bring him down to sway an earthly scepter seeing he may do it in his Spirit by some special Instruments and comparatively in respect of those he hath formerly ruled in it may be said that Christ himself reigns not personally upon earth but after so eminent and wonderfull a manner in certain select servants as he never reigned in the world before 3. Christ will usher in his kingdome with the most glorious conquests over earthly powers that ever were known I have spoken much to this already it was the subject of the last point yet for method sake give me leave to speak a word to it here Rev. 6.12 to the end I beheld when he opened the sixth seale and lo there was a great earthquake and the sun became black as sackcloth of haire and the moon became as blood and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as figtree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind And the heaven departed as a scroll when t is rolled together and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places And the Kings of the earth and the great men and rich men and the chief Captains and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman hid themselvs in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand The most and best reformed Expositors do with one mouth tell us that upon the opening of the sixth Seale Christ in Constantine did pull down Heathenisme set up Christianisme and the victories were so great so terrible that by their description you would think them to be the end of the world The terrors of Jesus Christ were so upon the spirits of Kings Captains mighty men as that had the earth shaken under them the mountains and Islands moved out of their places had the sun turned to darknesse the moon to blood stars fallen from heaven had heaven and earth come together and the world been at an end there could not have been greater feares greater outcries to the rocks and mountains to be hid from the wrath of the Lamb some poysoning some hanging some drowning themselves some flying and fell by the sword all at their wits end Thus Christ set up Christianity by Constantine But as I shewed you at large it soon degenerated into Antichristianism or Papacie the most Politique and strongest consitution against Christ that ever any was the very foundation-stones whereof the must and will pluck up that so he may build up himself a sure throne and kingdome But you will say 'T is impossible Christ should bring in his worship and kingdome with greater and more terrible conquests over the Kings of the earth then those he got over the Heathenish powers Let me tell you Nothing is impossible to the Lord God omnipotent He tels us he 'll bring in his Reign with far greater Rev. 16 17.18 When the seventh Angel poured out his Vial into the aire there were voices and thunderings and lightenings and there was a great earthquake such as was not since men were upon earth so mighty an earthquake and so great To the same purpose understand that of Dan 12.1 At that time shall Michael stand up the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a Nation even to that same time and at that time thy people shall be delivered These matchlesse troubles should be at that time when Daniels people the Jewes all the twelve Tribes that are now lost in the dust should be sound out and delivered which Scripture tels us in places enough shall be upon the breaking of Antichrist Dan. 2.44 And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdome which shall break in peeces all these kingdomes i. e. all these kingdoms of the world putting all rule and authority that is carnal and stands in opposition to this designes under his