as to the end of the World an eternal excellency i. e. an excellency while the World stands according to Dans. 2.44 In the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people but shall stand for ever Dan 7.14 His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed But you le say how can this be reconciled with that Rev. 20.7 8 9. When the thousand shall be expired Satan shall be loosed out of prison and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth Gog and Magog to gather them together to battell the number of whom is as the sand of the Sea And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the Saints about and the beloved City hoping to make an end of them at once that the world might be troubled with them no more Where is the glorious Kingdom of Christ at this time shall it not be even broken and lost I answer 1. 'T is nowhere said Christs Reign in the height of its excellencie and utmost amplitude or extent of it should be everlasting we do not anywhere read that 2. A people Christ will have all the Saints will be his and be they never so few he may truly be said to rule in and over the kingdome of the Saints Earthly and worldly kingdoms may but none of the Spiritual kingdome made up of Saints ever was or ever will be taken from him 3. Thought the Devil turned loose deceive the nations in the four quarters of the earth yet I do believe Christ will hold his own in the nation of the Jewes Isa 60.20 21 Thy sun shall no more go down neither shall thy moon withdraw herself for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people shall be all righteous generally righteous they shall inherit the land for ever Isa 59.20 21. The Redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the Lord as for me this is my covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of them mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth even for ever To convince you that this place is properly alleaged for this purpose see Rom. 11. where all confesse the Apostle purposely sets himselfe to treat concerning the calling of the Jews v. 25. sayes he Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written Isa 59.20 There shall come out of Sion the Diliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Jacob. And sayes God when I shall make this good unto them I will bind my self to them by covenant that my Spirit which I shall put upon them my word which I shall put into their hearts and mouth shall not depart from them nor from their seed nor from their seeds seed while the world stands I say surely the people of the Jewes when once they are brought in to Christ again they 'l not forsake him any more for ever which will be enough to make Christ a visible kingdome upon earth And when all the powers and policies of the world are united in this designed of compassing and so destroying the holy City Christ will not suffer his Scepter to be wrested out of his hand nor the visibility of his kingdome and dominion to faile and therefore fire comes down from God out of heaven and destroys them Rev. 20.9 whereupon the glory of this Church and Kingdome will revive and flourish again and thus his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not passe away and his Kingdome that which shall not be destroyed When we speak of the great and glorious Rule and Kingdome of Christ over the generality of nations peoples and languages as here we do of this we say only it shall last a long time it shall continue a thousand years it shall be the joy of many generations You see the Point I doubt not to say it is a sure and impregnable truth viz. Vpon the breaking to peeces of the Church to Rome the Lord Christ will reign and King it so so gloriously as he never did in the world before Vse 1. For application thus But little cause have all Gods people to let their hearts be sadded when they see the famous Governments and Grandeour of this World broken to peeces and laid in the dust Did they rightly understand their true interest it would no more trouble them then the pulling down of an old rotten smoaky cottage doth any man that a strong stately house may be set up for him in its room It God throw down the powers the greatnesse of the kingdoms of men it is that he may bring in the place thereof the power and greatnesse of the kingdom of his Son T is storied when the War began in Germany ann 1619. that a great Brasse-image of S. Peter that had Tu es Petrus super te adificabo ecclesiam meam engraven upon it standing in S. Peters Church at Rome a great and massie sone fell down upon it and so shattered it to peeces that not any word or syllable of that sentences was legible but only these Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam I will build may Church Certainly out of these Wars that are now on foot as I touched in the close of the last point out of the ruines and ashes that shall be made he will bring forth the most glorious Kingdom and frame of Government that ever the World saw Carnal Reason may say 't is pitty that such persons such families such constitutions should be shaken to pieces but I speak to those who profess to live by a principle above Carnal Reason above flesh and blood to you that profess your selves born of God Members of Christ Subjects of his Kingdom that profess 't is your everlasting joy to see the Crown set upon the head of Jesus Christ T is a hard Riddle to me that it should at all go to your hearts to see great but barren Mountains cast into the Sea that so the way may be made plain for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and for his Kingdom Vse 2. The second thus It were to be wished that every one would set themselves upon the stretch to hasten to bring on this Kingdom Set up that Kingdom in thy self which comes not with observation as our Saviour speaks that Kingdom which consists in righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Let Christ his Truth and Worship rule in thee and over thee Lay down thy self thy name thy estate thy All at the
Prophesie But they who shall be so far honoured and blessed of God to be called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb as the expression is Rev. 19. to see this Kingdome drawn forth in all the just parts and lineaments of it set up to the height of its greatnesse and glory I say the least of them will be greater then John the Baptist my meaning is will be far more able to preach forth the excellencies of that Kingdome in all the dimensions of it then were those who were spectators of Jesus Christ when he was but at work upon it Therefore Reader I say again since you ought in reason let it answer your expectation if I set before you only some unpolisht draughts of it The Church of God will have more knowledge of this businesse ere it be long Dan. 12.4 Shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased The context rightly under stood clearly gives it thus That when the time of Antichrists reign and the Jews captivity shall draw towards an end men and matters will be hurried to and fro there will be great stirs in the world but then the sealed Book will be opened the knowledge of the Popes ruine calling of the Jewes the starry lustre of Christs kingdome will break forth increase and shine more and more unto the perfect day Which is the daily and fervent prayer of Your true Friend and Servant in the Lord E. H. The Reign of CHRIST Rev. 19.6 The Lord God Omnipotent raigneth THe four and twenty Elders we read of ver 4. are the Representative of the Church of Iews and Gentiles arising out of twelve Patriarks and twelve Apostles The four Beasts there also mentioned are the Ministerial Embleme who are elswhere said to have the face of a Lion of an Oxe of a Man and of an Eagle that by their special courage laboriousnesse wisdome speed the work of Jesus Christ in its time might be effectually carried on in the four parts of the world These four Beasts and four and twenty Elders something they do and something they say that which they did was this they fell down and worshipped him which sate upon the throne that which they said was Amen Allelujah be it even so as God hath done and praise and honour and glory be given to God Two grounds they lay down for this their posture and carriage the first this that he had judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth he had pull'd down Babylon the second this he had set up himself as 't is in the text The Lord God omnipotent reigneth There needs but little explanation of the words The Lord God that is the Lord Christ for Christ is truly God 1 Joh. 5.20 This is the true God as might abundantly out of other Scriptures be proved yea the next word makes it good an incommunicable Attribute is given to him Omnipotent the Lord God omnipotent he is elsewhere called the mighty God Isa 9.6 which is of no lesse import then Almighty or Omnipotent Reigneth i. he is King Why was he not King before yes but not so as he is now now he reigns to some purpose The words thus opened and relatively taken afford us this point Vpon the breaking to peeces of the Church of Rome the Lord Christ will reigne and King it so as he never did in the world before Christ hath reigned from everlasting by Gods decree he hath reigned actually since mans fall he hath reigned eminently since his ascension and mission of the Holy Ghost but he will reigne gloriously upon the expiration of the reign of Antichrist The wonderfulnesse of this Kingdome we speak of appears to us many wayes First from those Scripture-epithites and adjuncts of him and his then-government In the very text the Lord God omnipotent reigns Omnipotent such a rule and government shall be set up that all shall be convinced and say Nothing under nothing lesse then the Omnipotencie of the Lord Christ could set it up Rev. 11.17 Thou hast taken to thee thy great power and hast reigned then Christs great power will be seen in his reigning Isa 24.23 Then the moon shall be confounded and the sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shall reign in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and before his Ancients gloriously You remember what I have spoken to the immediately preceding verses there is the great Earthquake v. 18 19 20. see Rev. 16 18. the ruine of the Kings of the earth and of the whole world v. 21. see Rev 16 14.16 the visiting and calling forth of the imprisoned Jews v. 22. the reigne of the kingdome of Jesus Christ v. 23. Take Sun and Moon how you will Politically for the supreme powers of the Nations or literally for the great lights of heaven the Sun and Moon will be ashamed of themselves and confounded as not being the greatest glories and admirations of the world When his Ancients the Jewes shall be fully brought in Christ will reign so gloriously as shall cast shame and darknes into the face of Sun and Moon If you say this Scripture hath been at any time fulfilled I will not deny it but affirm this that a prophesie may have a gradual fulfilling Jer. 31.15 A voice of an old Grandmother raised out of her grave was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted because they were not This was fulfilled when Israel went captives into Babylon which will be undeniably clear if you read on to the 22 verse and yet when Herod kill'd the children upon his search after him that was born King of the Jewes Mat. 2.17 18. then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the Prophet saying In Ramah was a voice heard lamentation c. If Isaias prophesie of Christs reigning before his Ancients hath been at any time fulfilled much more will it be fulfilled in the day may Text points at then it will be fulfilled to the uttermost fulfilled gloriously you see 't is epithited A glorious reign Secondly Christ his then-mannagement of affairs the Holy Ghost sets it forth in such high language to answer the reality of the Kingdom as hath deceived many thousands as if it should be a glorious personal raign 2 Thes 2.8 Then shall the wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming The Lord hath two wayes to bring down Antichrist First He consumes him by the spirit of his mouth i. e. by the ministry of the Word ever since Luther the Pope hath been in a Consumption you might see it in his face The second is by his own coming the brightness of his coming some take it for a personal appearance to give him his deaths wound Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which peirced him and all
THE Rise Growth and Fall OF ANTICHRIST Together with The Reign of CHRIST By Edw. Haughton Minister LONDON Printed by R.W. for Francis Tyton and are to be sold at his Shop at the three Daggers in Fleetstreet near the Inner-Temple Gate 1652. HAving perused this Discourse concerning the Rise Growth and Fall of Antichrist together with the much desired and waited-for succession of the Reighn of our Lord Jesus Christ I conceive the publication of it in Print very usefull and seasonable for these Times both to settle the minds of some about the Great Motions and Changes through the wonderfull Providences of God lately made among us and to stirre up the spirits of all to higher actings and more earnest prayers towards the accomplishment of that more glorious Change Octob. 10. 1651. Ioseph Caryl To the Reader IF thou art learned and studious in Divine things these Country-pieces were not intended for thee That they now appear in the Light must be ascribed to that commonly pretended but trully in this no so Midwife of Friend-Sollicitations drawing me much beyond my first Purposes who hearing them preached were at a stand as if so be some new and strange things had been brought to their ears such is the darkness of these parts in the great things Christ is about to do but freely and frequently confessed they brought the evidence of truth and certainty in their very foreheads and so divers of them grew impatient to feed also their eye with them that whetting them upon their spirits by study and meditation they might come more fully to understand these ways of God and grand Designs Christ hath in hand Here thou hast the Picture of the Pope Rampant I would it were more in the hearts and mouths of the People that he is the great Antichrist his strange but certain ruin and the application of both Thou hast a Discourse engraffed concerning Kings the Subject fairly leading to it particularly of the last Race of the English Monarchs and upon what account the late Charls fell these VVars on foot being indeed part of the Battel you read of in the 16. and 19. chapters of the Revelations I say the begun quarrel between Christ and Antichrist and that he with his Armies fell as the Popes second Howbeit they neither did nor yet do think so the Devil having put other glosses and interpretations upon things I pray God open mens eyes more generally to see into the devices and depths of Satans delusions in playing his game A Tract also of the so much talked-of desired Kingdom of our Lord some oppose it by forcing the streams of Prophesies to run in other channels thereby sufficiently discovering both their wilfull blindness for they say they see and dis-affectation to Christ and Holiness which God will build up and establish upon the ruins of the Man of Sins Kingdom Therefore I thought I had not done my VVork till I had spoken something to that also enough only to provoke abler VVits and Pens Aud now if thou shalt make by these my Labours any addition to the Stature of thy Knowledge Zeal Resolution of contending for the Faith delivered to the Saints and Kingdom of our Lord agaist the Common Enemy as thou 'lt answer it another day banish me out of thy thoughts in giving Glory to Him who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb. These two things are enough for me 1. That a few Saints confessed their bowels refreshed by them yet nothing thence is due to me 2. That I have the clear Testimony of my Conscience in this undertaking both in the Preaching and Publishing I had no Designe above or equal to this the Advancement of Christ and his Kingdom in the VVorld 't is the constant breathing of his Spirit at the Throne of Grace who is Thine E. H. TO MY Godly learned and reverend Friend Mr. Edw. Haughton Upon his Book called The Rise Growth and Fall of Antichrist With the Reign of Christ SEe see what desolation now appeares In many Countries mourn and shed thy teares O wretched Rome thou blind and bloody place For thy foundations God intends to race What mean the Wars of England and the fall Of Kingly Lordly and Episcopal Power I pr'e thee see what alterations Are lately made in three adjacent Nations Read Stories both Prophane and Scriptural Thou shalt not find such Conquests in them all As GOD hath given to his Servants here Canst thou know this and not be fill'd with feare Surely this Cup of Trembling maketh haste Vnto thy palace thou O Pope must tasaste The dregs of Gods displeasure Thou hast slain The Saints of Christ and this will cause thy pain That we may sing for joy now Babylon Is like to mourn let 's often look upon This Book of Comfort for it doth contein Antichrists Ruine and Christs Gospel-Reign Randolph Yearwood Carmina quaedam Latine De opere Autoris optatissimo PErdite Papa precor quo vades nonne coronane Christus habet nunc est Romaruina tua Descendit regnum Domini nunc omnipotentis In terram praese flectet omne genu Christe venito veni sic Spiritus orat omnes Sancti cum toto corde precantur Ego Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dico Randolphus Yearwood THE Rise Growth Fall OF Antichrist c. 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 THe Devil transforming himself into an Angel light brought some into the Church of the The ssulonians who taught the day of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Was just at hand would take them in the flesh This shakes their hearts exceedingly that they are in danger of denying and casting off the whole fath of Christ Now for the clearing up of their understanding in the point their confirmation in the Doctrine and work of Christianity the Apostle doth beseech them as brethren yea adjure them by the comming of Christ and their appearance before him to receive rewards of glory that they would not be shaken in their minds or troubled at the Doctrine broach'd amongst them what plausible pretences soever they had for it though they pretended the spirt for many false spirits are gone out into the World whereof this is one though they pretend the Word i. e. that we have imparted this Doctrine privately to them by word of mouth as if it were an Apostolical tradition No nor yet though they shew you a letter for it as from us believe it not t is a forgery Thus the Apostle plucks up every foundation-stone those false teachers could possibly buid upon Spirit Word Epistle though they offer to confirm their Doctrine by any or all these wayes or testimonies yet be not deceived by any wile by any means be not moved or troubled at it 't is all false And to his assertions and exhortations hee adds as a back of steel a strong convincing argument taken from Gods
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
of revealing of him was most sutable serviceable to the great design God had upon the base rotten Christian World Fourthly The revelation of him in this Book and elsewhere is sufficiently clear to all the Elect who have set themselves to find out Antichrist As it fared with the Jews concerning Christ Rom. 11.7 so also with the Gentilish Churches concerning Antichrist The election have obtained knowledge of him when the rest are blinded by their own wilfulness by their self interest and God holds their eyes in a just judgement that they shall not see and know him Dan. 12.10 None of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand If the sense of the Context be rightly drawn down it speaks to this present business concerning Antichrist and bringing in the Kingdom of our Lord the men of the world will be blinded to the last but the spiritually wise do discern and judge of all things Rev. 15. ult The Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God and from his Power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled This verse will bear a double Interpretation one of them is this the Temple or Church of Christ gained out of the hands of Antichrist hath the glorious presence and Power of God abiding in it for the smoak that filld the Tabernacle and Temple upon their dedications had that signification whereto the Holy-Ghost here alludes God hath been powerfully and gloriously present amongst his Saints since the Vials began to be poured out The other which I aim at is This the Temple or Church of Christ to the eye of the Antichristian Partie as a powerfull and just judgement of God upon them is full of the smoak of Apostacie smoak of Errors Heresies the smoak of Schisme the smoak of Treason the smoak of Rebellions the Church of Rome and Popish Faction can see nothing of Righteousness Equity Honesty in any or all those wayes the Saints take against them their Assemblies and Councels their Doctrines and doings are the darkness and grievance of smoak unto them and will be so yet a while for none of them says the text can come into the Temple To be true members of the Church of Christ to own the Assemblies of the Saints in their worship and wayes till the seven plagues of the seven Angels be fulfilled I say till then such a smoak is in their eyes they will not be able to get any clear vision of things though there be the light of noon day to guide us in our work and way The whore hath layed Kings mighty men Merchants and all them both great and small that dwell upon the Earth except two poor witnesses dead-drunk with the wine of the spiritual fornication Rev. 14. Those who are drunk with Heresies Errors their own Inventions and Opinions can have no right understanding or discerning spirit in them neither of themselves nor of the great Antichrist nor of the true Church nor of God in Christ God in his works or worship they know no body they know nothing but what their drunken fancy and strong delusions suggest to them Popery is a mystery 2 Thes 2. Rev. 17. and do you wonder if Papists and carnal impenitent People do not or cannot understand mysteries See but one text more Hos 14.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein This Scripture can hold truer in nothing then in this business between Christ and Antichrist wicked men are blinded in it they stumble at it and fall but the Saints of God being wise and prudent they discern they know go on in the right wayes of the Lord. I am perswaded there is no man in the World that hath the Spirit of Jesus Christ in him that is a Saint indeed but if he set himself to study this point which Humility Diligence Faith and Prayer he shall be led into the very City of Rome and there comparing predictions with the Popes actions for Paul had no other way mightily to convince the Jews that that same Jesus who was born of Mary suffered so ignominously under Pontius Pilate was the very Christ but by laying his birth in the circumstances of it his manner of Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection to the Prophesies that went before of him and this did it I say when he shall have taken a full veiw of things there comparing the Popes carriage with what Daniel Paul and the Apostle John have spoken of him and see how fully they joyn and cloze one with another he shall be forced to sit down satisfied that the Popes of Rome are the great Antichrist and the oftner he reads this Chapter of Paul to the Thessalonians and Saint Johns Revelation he shall wonder at the clearness of this truth shining and breaking in upon him more and more and marvel that any who ever read Saint Paul and Saint John do not see it Though God hath expressed things darkly in this point yet clear enough to all the Elect if the rest be deceived and perish he matters it not 't is the Elect he intends to Communicate secrets Mysteries and do good unto But the Bishops of Rome that were once by common confession such good men some of them even Martyrs for Christ they were planted as Jeremiahs expression is wholy a right seed how were they turned into the degenerate plant of a strange Vine into the Vine of the Earth Rev. 14.18 How came they to so much vilenes as to make up the man of sin the great Antichrist For satisfaction to this 1. Those of them that were truly good righteous and holy persons doubtless their seed abode in them so they lived and so they died their Righteousnes Holiness Services Sufferings went along with them Secondly God hath not so annexed grace to any Function or Rank of man not yet to any one place in the World but in process of time that Function may fail that place basely degenerate Sure if God had Entailed grace and goodness on any succession of men it was Aaron and those that followed in the Priesthood but how it was with them may be known if you read 1 Sam 2.12 to the end of that Chapter The Holy Ghost spake nothing bad but all good of the Angel and Church of Philadelphia yet now t is the Synagogue and habitation of Turks and Devils But a most ominous Prophetical Warning did Paul give the Church of Rome Rom. 11.17 to 23. If some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive-tree wert graffed in among them and with them partakest of the Root and Fatness of the Olive-tree Boast not against the Branches if thou Boast thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee Thou wilt say then the Branches were broken off that I might be