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Tis impoffible to reckon up the falfe miracles, Popery is which the papifm hath produced to establish its fu- the only perftitions and its power. 'Tis at this day the only that boafts religion in the World that pretends to work of working

miracles.

25. The Chriftian Apoftacy must be promoted by perfons given to lies, lovers of fables. "Tis the true. fignification of the word which St. Paul uses Pfeudologoi. There never was a religion in the World, that hath produced fo many fables as the papifm. I have proved it in my just prejudices.

26. The Teachers of Antichriftianifm must have. a great appearance of Auiterity, they must defpife and difcredit marriage, and command abftinence. from meats. The Teachers of the papifm make it neceffary for them to remain unmarried, and think they merit greatly by abftinence from meats.

27. Antichriftianifm was to appear in the world, when the head of the Roman Emperors was beaten down. The papifm in the time that the Roman Empire was deftroyed by the Goths and the Vandals, began to be fenfible in its idolatry and its tyranny.

religion

figns and

miracles.

1 Tim. 4.

28. This Empire muft have its courfe in the later times. It is unquestionable that we are in the later I Tim. 4 times; therefore the Empire of the papifm at this day fubfifting is the Empire of Antichrift.

29. The Antichriftian Empire muft fubdue three Kings of the ten. The Empire of thepapifm, befides Dan 7i. that it hath fubdued more than a third part of the temporal power of the Western Kings, it hath actually fubjected to it felf in fief and temporal homage many Kingdoms. Among others, that of the Lom bards, of which he poffeffeth one part, the City of Rome and its jurifdiction, and the Kingdom of Naples, for which evenat this day he makes homage be paid him every year.

S 3

30. The

Rev. IV.

Rev. 13,

Rev. 18.

Ecv. 18.

Rev. 18.

30. The Antichriftian Empire muft put to death the Witnesses of the Truth of God. The papifm ufes all imaginable attempts to extinguish thofe Societies, that give teftimony to the truth, and that oppose Superstition and Idolatry.

31. The Antichriftian Empire must interdict fire and water, i. e. all commerce with thofe that will not pay homage to it, and carry its mark and its name. The Papifm excommunicates, damus, preforibes and puts under interdict all those that will not fubmit themfelves to its Laws, and that will not bear the names of Roman Catholiques.

32. Spiritual Babylon must be a Merchant, and there must be great traffique in all precious things, even in fouls. Therefore they that live of its Traf fique, fhall weep bitterly upon her ruins. Of all the Religions in the World there was never any, where avarice, fimony, and the fale of fpritual things reigned to that degree, as they have done in the papifm. If any one can tell of any one, they would much oblige us to fhew it to us.

33. This Babylon must make all the Nations of the Earth drunk, to make them her faves. The Papifm hath poured out on the people a spirit of duluefs, a drunkenness, a charm, which hath bewitch'd them to run after her.

34. The colour of Antichrift fhall be purple and fearler; his magnificence must be extraordinary, he muft be adorned with gold, precious ftones,and pearls. The Court of Rome hath purple for its colour,its chief Prieft in the days cfceremonies is covered with gold and pearls, its Cardinals are as Kings.

35. The reign of Antichriß muft endure 1260. years, which fhall be proved afterwards. The Empire of the papifs hath endured very near fo long already.

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CHAP.

CHAP. XXV.

How Antichrift came to be mistaken, being fo well Characterised in the Prophecies. A comparirifon of J. Chrift and Antichrift in the accidental circumstances of their coming.

Seeing the Empire of the papifm fo exprefly

mark'd with the Characters of Antichriftianifm, one can't fufficiently wonder that men have fo generally mistaken him. 'Tis a fcandal on the faithful, and a prejudicable opinion that feems favourable to the papifts. Therefore we muft fay fomething of the reasons, that have made Antichrift be miftaken when he did come.

the Pro

under

be accom

The first and the fundamental reason is, the pro. God will found will of God, who will not have prophecies be not have understood, to the end they may have their accom- phecies plishment with the more eafe. If the Jews had un- food, that derstood the prophecies touching the Meffiah, if they they may had apprehended that he must have been a man of plished. griefs, accustomed to weakness, that he must have been led as a Lamb to the flaughter,and offer up his foul as an oblation for fin; and that he was not to be a temporal King, at least in his first coming, they would have been on their guard. Moreover seeing 7. Chrift working of miracles, teaching fo holy a Doctrine, leading fo holy a life, they would not have mistaken him, though he had not been a King. They would not have crucified him, and the Prophecies would not have been fulfilled. This example of 7. Chrift, mistaken by that whole Nation for which he came, will be very useful to us, S 4

Firfi

J. Chrift

by the

tructs us

First, It will teach us, that we ought not to be miftaken fcandalized in any manner at this,because the whole Jews. in- Church during fo many ages did mistake Antichrist, Anti-nor grant that as a favourable opinion for the pachrift pifm. For the thing is not more ftrange than what miftaken happened to the fews. All the whole Nation except a fmall number knew not 7. Chrift. All the whole Church except a few perfons, did not know that the papifm was Antichriftianifm.

might be

by the

Christians.

that the

Secondly, This example teaches us, that as it was neceffary for the accomplishment of the Prophecies touching 7.Chrift, that he fhould not be known; in like manner it was neceffary that the Prophecies touching Antichrift, fhould not be understood by the Church, to the end they might be accomplisht. To the end Ifthe Church had understood that Rome was to be the feat of Antichrift, that the Bishop of Rome was Prophecies touching to be the head of the Antichriftian Empire, that the invocation of Saints was to be a Chriftian Apoftacy, that the worship of Reliques and the adoration of necef- Images was to be an abomination, by which the Sanfary that Etuary fhould be defiled, the Doctors of the Church should not would never have fuffer'd the establishment of be under ranny at Rome, and idolatry in the Temples.

Antichrift

might be

accom

plisht, it

they

food.

A compa

accidents

of the co

Chrift and

ty

Thirdly, This event common to fefus Chrift and rifon of the Antichrift, not to be known by thofe in the midst of of whom they came, gives occafion to make a refleming of ction on the profound and myfterious difpenfation Antichrift. of providence, that would make this conformity between two fubjects, in other refpects fo different and oppofite. But as oppofite as they are, they agree in the manner of their coming, and in the accidents. of that coming; which we will presently fee by the comparison that we will forthwith make.

Antichrift is a falfe Chrift; he is a falfe Image of him. Now 'tis of the effence of falfe Images, to have fome

2

the Pope

265 fomething that imitates the things for which they A parallel would pals. First, Jefus Chrift is the Holy of Ho- between what Jefus lies; Antichrift calls himself his Holiness, and moft Chrift is, holy Lord. Secondly, Jefus Chrift is the true Bride- and what groom ofthe Church; Antichrift affumes the name pretends of the fecond Bridegroom. Thirdly, fefus Chrift is to be,or is. the Vicar and Lievtenant of the Father fent on the Earth to act in his name. Our Antichrift alfo calls himself the Vicar of Jefus Chrift. Fourthly, fefus Chrift is he who opens, and no man fhuts; 'tis he that diftributes the indulgence of his Father, and gives remiffion of fins. Antichrift arrogates the fame rights to himself. Fifthly, 1.Chrift was promised by the Prophets: fo Antichrift hath been fore-told. 6ly, Iefus Chrift was described by fuch lively ftrokes, that it was almost impoffible not to know him; for is there any thing more exprefs than the 53th Ch. of Efai, & the 9th of Daniel? Yet he was not known. Antichrift, though fo exactly defcribed as we have feen, was not acknowledged by them that nourisht him in their bofom. 7ly, The coming of 1. Chrift was mark'd by a circumftance fo notable, that one could not but know it. 'Tis the deftruction of the Jewish nation. Shiloh was to come, when the Law-giver, and the Scepter Gen. 49were departed from Iudah. The coming of Antichrift was mark'd by the ruin of the temporal Roman Empire; a circumftance fo remarkable, that all the World faw it. 8ly, 1. Christ was expected at the time when he came. The Tews perceived, that the time of the fulfilling the Oracles did draw nigh, they reckon'd up the 70 weeks, and apprehended that the end of them could not be far off. The Chriftians expected Antichrift at the time when he was revealed. We learn it from St. Ierom, who feeing the Empire run to ruin by the invafion of

the

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