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fay, that the mytery of iniquity began in his time? Why did Saint John fay in his firft Epiftle, that Antichrift was already come into the World? He was come in his fore-runners, faith Bellarmin. I acknowledge it: But do the forerunners use to go 2000. years before him, whofe fore-runners they are? Types indeed are and may be two or 3000. years before those perfons of which they are Types. But 'tis not fo with fore-runners. Why is Antichrift reprefented as a Beaft, if he be but one fingle man? Is it not ufual in Prophetical vifions, to reprefent an Empire, i. e. all the fucceffive Kings of that Empire, by a Beaft? So the Monarchy of the Babylonians and Affyrians with all their Kings, is reprefented to us by the first Beast, in the feventh Chapter of Daniel, which was like to a Lion: The Empire and Emperors of Perfia, by only one Bear; and fo of the reft. At least, this makes it undeniably clear, that there is no neceffity, that we should understand one fingle perfon by thofe two Beafts in the Revelation, that reprefent Antichrift. How can this be reconciled with that which these men have confeffed, that the fourth Beaft of Daniel, and the firft Beaft in the thirteenth of the Revelation, all are the fame beaft? Seeing the fourth Beast in Daniel by their own confeffion fignifies an Em pire, and a series of men; 'tis neceffary also that the firft Beaft in Saint John fhould fignify á feries of Kings and Tyrants.

'Tis true, the Scripture often speaks of Antichrift, as of a particular perfon. It calls him the man of fin, a King, a Horn, &c. But it speaks of Empires alfo in the fame manner. Kings, the ten Horns are ten Kings.

They are

They are

beafte,

That Anti

not be a

Jew.

beafts, and one Beast in the fingular number. The Empire of Perfia is one Beast; that of the Greeks is another; the Empire of the Romans makes the fourth Beaft. The Spirit faith concerning the Seven Heads of the Roman Empire, the feven Heads are feven Kings, i. e. they are feven forts of Governours and Governments.

II. Antichrift must be a few, of the Tribe of chrift muft Dan. of a mean birth, and must style himself the Meffiah of the fews. Where are the proofs of this? He must be a few and of the Tribe of Dan, because it is written, Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, and an Adder in the path, that biteth jei.8.16. the Horfes heels. The fnorting of his Horfes was beard from Dan.

Gen. 49.

17:

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Doth this deserve a confutation? And because fome of the ancients have been taken with thefe vifions, muft we therefore receive them as Oracles? Among the things that are certain Bellarmin places this, that Antichrift fhall be a lew but doth not give us any fhew of proof for it befides the teftimony of the Ancients. But as to that, we must take all or nothing. Either the Authority of the Ancients must be wholly received in this matter, or elfe be wholly weak. If we must admit what the Ancients have faid concerning Antichrift, we must believe, that it will be the Devil that fhall incarnate himself in the bofom of a false Virgin as the Son of God did in the bofom of a chaft one: We muft believe that Nero was Antichrift. In a word, we must admit of a hundred dreaming opinions about it, which at this day are unanimoufly rejected. If the Authority of the Fathers be not good in many places, 'tis good in none, 'tis doubtfull every where. We muft have proofs drawn from the Scriptures, to fhew

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us that Antichrift must be a Iew. But fee Bellarmines great proof.

Antichrift

be recei-,

their

III. Antichrift must be received by the fews as their Meffiah. And the Jews would never ac- muft not knowledg any for their Meffiab that was a ftran- ved by the ger, uncircumcifed, and one that was not of Jens as their own nation. But where do they find this, Meffiah that the fews muft receive Antichrift for their Meffiah. Thefe Gentlemen, that have a more piercing fight than the Angells themselves., find it in those words of our Saviour, I am come in my Father's name, and ye have not received me; if another come in his own name, him you will receive. He that will come in his own name, and whom the fews will receive, fhall be Antichrift, who will call himself the Meffiah. Have thefe men any fhame left in them, to put this at the 1. 3. de head of fuch a proof, viz. Sunt alia duo certiffi- Rom. there are two things moft certain, of which cap. 12. this is one? Have not the fews already received Sect. pra a very great Number of falfe Meffiah's? Did they not follow their famous Barchocheva in the reign of Adrian, by whofe orders more than a million of fews that revolted from all parts under the conduct of this falfe Meffiah, were Maffacred? Why muft he of whom Iefus Chrift speaks be Antichrift?

ma

Bellarmi,

Pontif.

ter.

is not to

rufalem.

IV. But Antichrist must have his feat at Ieru- Antichrift į falem. Therfore he must be accounted by the have his Tews for the Meffiak. Another Chimera. If the feat at Meffiah must have his feat at Ierufalem, why do they make him to come forth from among the ten Horns, i. e. from, among the ten Kings that muft divide the Roman Empire at this day, viz, Germany? For that only at this day doth fubfift under the name of the Roman Empire. What

connection, what coherence can a lew fitting in Ierufalem have, with the ten Horns and the ten Kingdoms of Germany? Why did they acknowledg a little before, that Antichrift must be the laft King that shall poffefs the Roman Empire? What is there in common between the Roman Empire, and the Empire of a lew that muft reign at Ierufalem? Is it, perhaps, because Antichrift fhall reign in Germany? By the fame reason the Perfian Empire must have been the fame with the Affyrian, because the Perfians did extend their dominion in all places, where the Affyrians once did reign. This dream is founded on what St. Paul faith, that Antichrift must fit in the Temple of God; and on what the H. Ghoft faith, that the two Witneffes whom Antichrift should slay, should lie dead on the place of the great City where 7. Chrift was crucified; now he was crucified at Ierufalem. As to the first, we fay, that the Temple of God can by no means fignify the Temple at Ierufalem, which was no longer the Temple of God fince God caufed this voice to be heard there, Let us depart hence; fince God hath entirely abollifht the Mofaical fervice, fince the Law was abrogated, and the Gospel Eftablifht. The Temple of God is the very Chriftian Church, wherin the throne of Antichriftianism is raised up. And as for that city in the Revelation, where Jefus Chrift was crucified, 'tis the Roman Empire in which the Saviour of the World was crucified, 'tis alfo the Empire of Antichrift, who hath crucified Jefus Chrift in crucifying his fubjects. Jerufalem is never called the great City, without the addition of the Holy City.

V. Antichrift must hate Idols, and not be, an Idolater. Why then is Babylon called the mother

of

that in Antichrift

is not to

Idols.

of whoredoms? Who doth not know a fpiritual fenfe Whoredom fignifies Idolatry? be an haWhy do they confefs, that we must understand ter of that place in Daniel concerning him that he Dan. II. fhall worship Mabuzims? Thefe Mabuzims, 38. whatever they be, are they not Idols?

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rhe Aleth,

VI. He must deny the coming of Chrift in the He muft flesh. St. John doth not fay fo. He faith indeed, nor deny that he that denies, that Iefus Chrift is come into ming of the World, and who doth not acknowledg an Chutin incarnate God, is Antichrift, in the fenfe wherin the fame Apostle faith there are many Antichrifts, and in that fenfe wherin they that overthrow the foundations of the Chriftian Religion are Antichrifts.

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to abolish

VII. He shall abolish the facrifice of the Mass and fhall make men renounce their Baptifm. This the Mais, is not faid in any place. It is true, 'tis faid of Antiochus, that he fhall cause the daily facrifice to cease, which he also did. It is true alfo, that in fo doing he was a Type of Antichrift, who hath caufed the true facrifices to cease, which are prayers to God, to fubftitute in their place the worship of Mahuzims, and Demi-Gods.

tichrift is

three

VIII. He is to overcome three Kings, viz. How Anthofe of Lybia, Ethiopia and Egypt. It is true alfo, to overthat this is exprefly fpoken concerning Antio- throw chus, and that it agrees to Antichrift, as to the kings, perfon of whom Antiochus was the Type. And it is very certain, this hath been accomplisht in the Roman Antichriftian Empire, in what sense foever we understand it. For the Court of Rome hath destroyed three Kingdoms in Italy, that of the Lombards that of the Goths, and before these that of the Greeks. These are the three Kingdoms which the Pope hath ruin'd, to ufurp his Tem

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