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eth; and what is wicked to be spoken, an army of priests is prepared." When the papal doctrines and the papal authority prevailed over all, it was natural to think and expect, that the true notion of Antichrift would be ftifled, and that the doctors of the church would endeavour to give another turn and interpretation to this paffage. That night of ignorance was fo thick and dark, that there was hardly here and there a single star to be seen in the whole hemisphere. But no fooner was there any glimmering or dawning of a reformation, than the true notion of Antichrift, which had been fo long fuppreffed, broke out again. As early as the year 1120 a treatife was published concerning Antichrift, wherein the faithful are admonished, that "the great Antichrift was long ago come, in vain was he ftill expected, he was now by the permiffion of God advanced in years:" and the author, having described the corrupt ftate of the church at that time, fays afterwards, "This ftate of men (not a fingle man) is Antichrift, the whore of Babylon, the fourth beaft of Daniel, (to wit in his laft state as it is faid) that man of fin and fon of perdition, who is exalted above every God, so that he fitteth in the temple of God, that is, the church, fhowing himself that he is God; who is now come with all kind of feduction and lies in those who perish." The Waldenfes and Albigenfes propagated the fame opinions in the fame century. That the pope was Antichrift was indeed the general doctrine of the first reformers every where. Here in England it was a advanced by Wickliff, and was learnedly eftablifhed by that great and able champion of the Reformation, Bishop

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Jewel,

z Anno Domini 1120-emiffus eft tractatus de Antichrifto.-In hoc libro admonentur fideles. "Antichriftum illum magnum jam. "dudum veniffe, fruftra adhuc exfpectari, effe jam Dei permiffione "ætate provectum: Hunc hominum ftatum (non fingularem hominem) effe Antichriftum, meretricem Babylonicam, quartam " beftiam Danielis, (nempe in ftatu ejus noviffimo, ut dictum eft) "hominem illum peccati, et filium perditionis, qui extollitur fuper omnem Deum, ita ut in templo Dei, id eft, ecclefia, fedeat, o❝ftendens fe tanquam fit Deus; qui jam venit in omni genere fe“ductionis et mendacii in iis qui pereunt." Mede's Works, B. 3. De Numeris Danielis, p. 271, 722.

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a Dialogorum libri 4. quorum-quartus Romanae ecclefiae facramenta, Antichrifti regnum, &c. perftringit. Cave Hift. Litt, Vol. 2. Appendix, p. 63.

Jewel, in his Apology and Defenfe, and more largely in his Expofition upon the two Epiftles of St Paul to the Theffalonians. This doctrine contributed not a little to promote the Reformation; and wherefoever the one prevailed, the other prevailed alio.

2

Such doctrine as this must neceffarily give great offence to the bigots and devotees of the church of Rome: and no wonder therefore that in the laft Lateran council the pope gave ftrait commandment to all preachers, that no man thould prefume once to speak of the coming of Antichrift. The king of France alfo with the advice of his counfel interdicted, that any one fhould call the pope Antichrift and Grotius, who was embassador in France from the crown of Sweden, in a vain hope and expectation of reconciling the difputes and differences between papifts and proteftants, compofed his treatife concerning Antichrift, not wickedly, but weakly; with an honeft intention it may be prefumed, but it is certain with pernicious effect; more like an advocate for one party, than à moderator between both. At the fame time in England, though James the firft had written a treatise to prove the pope Antichrift, yet this doctrine was growing unfashionable during his reign, and more fo in that of his fon who married a bigotted popish princefs; even while Mr Mede was living, who had exerted more learning and fagacity in explaining the prophecies, and in fixing the true idea of Antichrift, than perhaps any writer in any age. But probably for this yery reafon he was looked upon with an evil eye, and (to the difgrace of the times) obtained no preferment, though he was eminently deferving of the beft and greateft. He fays himfelf in one of his Letters (Epist. 36.) that his notions about genuflexion towards the altar "would have made another man a dean, or a prebend, or fomething else ere this: but the point of the pope's being Antichrift, as a dead fly, marred the favour of that ointment." The abuse alfo that fome fanatics made of this doctrine greatly prejudiced the world against it. It

was

b Conc. Lateran. fub Julio et Leone. Seff. 11. Jewel's Defense,

ibid.

Prudentiffimorum virorum ufus confilio interdixit ne quis papam Antichriftum vocet. Grot. de Antichrifto in principio.

e

was esteemed a mark of a puritan, and was a certain obftacle to preferment, for any man to preach that the pope was Antichrift: and Dr Montague, a famous court-chaplain at that time, who endeavoured to prove that the power of the king was abfolute, d endeavoured alfo to prove that the notes and characters of Antichrift belonged to the Turk rather than to the Pope: and herein he was followed by feveral divines, and by no lefs a man than Bishop Fell, if he was the compiler or approver, (as he is commonly faid to have been) of the Paraphrafe and Annotations upon all St Paul's Epiftles. There are fashions in divinity as well as in every thing else; and therefore the true doctrine of Antichrift was for fome time fufpended, and falfe hypothefes were invented; and it may furprise any one, that fo little was faid upon this fubject in the long controverfies concerning popery during the reigns of Charles and James the fecond. It is hoped that the truth is now emerging again. Some laudable attemps have lately been made to revive and restore it; and if I have not proved that this interpretation is preferable to all others, I have taken pains and proved nothing.

But it hath been proved, as I conceive, that this is the genuine sense and meaning of the apoftle, that this only is entirely confiftent with the context, that every other interpretation is forced and unnatural, that this is liable to no material objection, that it coincides perfectly with Daniel, that it is agreeable to the tradition of the primitive church, and that it hath been exactly fulfilled in all particulars, which cannot be faid of any other interpretation whatsoever. Such a prophecy as this is at once an illuftrious proof of divine revelation, and an excellent antidote to the poifon of popery. It is like a two-edged fword, that will cut both ways, and wound the deift with one fide, and the papist with the other. The papifts are in fome respects like the Jews. As the Jews believe not that Chrift is come according

• See his book intitled Appello Cæfarem, Part. 2. Chap. 5. e Printed at the Theatre in Oxford 1684, and said to be publish ed under the direction of Bishop Fell.

f Mr Langford's Notes and Characters of the Man of Sin. Printed in 1746. Dr Benfons's Differtation concerning the Man of Sin, &c. &c.

according to the prophecies, but ftill live in expectation of him; fo neither do the papists perceive that Antichrist is come according to the prophecies, but ftill maintain that he fhall arife hereafter. The apoftle not only foretels this blindness and infatuation, but likewife afligns the reafon, because they received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteoufnefs.' But to the prote tants, who believe and profefs that both the Chrift and Antichrist are come, we may fay with the apostle, ver. 13, 14. We are bound to give thanks alway to God for: you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, becaufe God hath chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by the gofpel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jefus Chrift.' The apoftle proceeds, ver. 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epiftle:' and certainly there is not any oral tradition that hath a jufter claim to be thought apoftolical, than this of the man of fins' fucceeding upon the decline of the Roman empire, and exalting himfelf over all. Wherefore to conclude, as the apostle concludes the fubject, ver. 16, 17. 'Now

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our Lord Jefus Christ himself, and God even our Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting confolation, and good hope, through grace, Comfort your hearts, and establish you in every good word and work.'

XXIII.

ST PAUL'S PROPHECY OF THE APOSTASY OF THE LATTER TIMES.

ST

T Paul was a man of lively thought and ftrong imagination. None of the apostles had a warmer zeal for Chrift and the Chriftian religion. He was, as he faith himself, 2 Cor. xi. 23, 28, 29. in labours more abundant;' he had the care of all the churches; Who is weak,' faith he, and I am not weak? who is offended and I burn not?" It was natural for fuch a mind to be deeply affected with the forefight of the great apoftafy of Chriftians from

the

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the true Chriftian faith and worship, and to lament it, and to forewarn his difciples of it, as often as there was occafion. He made this apoftafy one topic of his dif course to the Theffalonians, while he was yet with them : and afterwards in his fecond Epiftle to them, he gave them to understand that, the day of Chrift was not at hand,' as they apprehended; for there fhould come the apoftafy firft;' implying that it fhould be both extenfive and of long duration. He mentions this apoftafy again in his firft Epiftle to Timothy, aud defcribes more particularly wherein it fhould confift, and at what time, and by what means it fhould be propagated and advanced in the world, 1 Tim. iv. 1-3 Now the Spirit fpeaketh exprefsly, that in the latter times fome shall depart from the faith, giving heed to feducing fpirits, and doctrines of devils, fpeaking lies in hypocrify, having their confcience feared as with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them who believe and know the truth.' The paffage perhaps may better be translated thus, But the Spirit fpeaketh exprefsly; He had been speaking before of the myftery of godliness, and now he proceeds to speak of the mystery of iniqui ty' in oppofition to it, But the Spirit fpeaketh exprefsly, that in the latter times fome fhall apoftatize from the faith giving heed to erroneous fpirits and doctrines concerning demons, Through the hypocrify of liars, having their confcience feared with a hot iron, Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving by the believers and them who know the truth.'. This tranflation will be juftified by the following confiderations, wherein it is propofed to fhow the true interpretation and exact completion of this prophecy. But this fubject hath been fo fully and learnedly difcuffed by the excellent a Mr Mede, that we must be greatly obliged to him in the course of this differtation. The drefs and clothing may be fomewhat different, but the body and fubftance must be much the fame and they must be referred to his works, who are defirous of obtaining farther fatisfaction. Not that

we

a See Mede's Works, B. 3. p. 623---693. See likewife Monf. Jurieu's Accomplishment of the prophecies. Part. 1. Chap. 18---21.

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