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Of the Ea

444.

in Apoc. p.

57.

de Vitâ

Martini
Cap. 14.

any where else, they must needs look upon this to be no less than a vanquishing of Christianity and triumphing over its Holy Author, and by confequence to be a firm Proof of his own Divinity.

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S13. WHILST thefe Things are tranfactGern Beaft ing in the West, St. John fees another Beaft or Falfe Prophet. arifing out of the East, expreffed by the Earth, in oppofition to the Sea, which is the Weft. This is his falfe Prophet. Ireneus *Lib. 5. p. calls him his Armiger (or momsns, as the Word is prefery'd by Andreas Cafarienfis †) + Serm. 13 and I cannot but think that this is the fame that is mentioned by Lactantius, p. 652. as arifing in the Power of the Evil Spirit out of Syria, diftinct from Antichrift whom he mentions, p. 650, as coming out of the far2. Dial. theft parts of the North. Sulpitius Severus + alfo counts two Antichrifts, one arifing in the East, and the other in the Weft, though it must be confeffed in an order which is the Reverse of ours, fuppofing that Nero fhall rife again in the Weft, and Anti*De Pro- chrift in the East. And Profper afferts the miss. p.65. fame, understanding the 40th and 41ft Chapters of Job concerning Behemoth and Leviathan, one arifing out of the Earth and the other out of the Deep or Sea, of thefe two. This Eastern Antichrift, or falfe Prophet fhall be to the Western, as the Moon to the Sun, his reflex Image or Light, whom in his own Region he fhall preach up as the Meffiah, thar fhall fhortly come and take Poffeffion of his Kingdom. So it is obfervable in Hiftory, that Mabo

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met arofe in the Eaft very near that notable Era of Antichriftianism 606, when Boni face III. was declar'd Univerfal Bishop by Phocas the Emperor of Conftantinople, the Antichriftian Spirit aiming as it were to p. 108. opprefs both Regions at once, to be as a faint Representation of the Univerfal Monarchy he afferts, and to observe the growth of any Enemy that may arife in either Region, Even fo the Angel that limited the Duration of the Antichriftian Times is reprefented as setting one foot upon the Earth or Eaft, and the other upon the Water or Weft, Rev. 10. 2. thereby perhaps fymboli cally reprefenting as well as foretelling the utter abolition of the Antichriftian Power out of the Church both in Body and Soul (if may fo express it), for even that alfo is I believe hinted in the Distinction of Earth and Water. But to return, this falfe Prophet fhall exercife all the Power of the first or Western Beaft, as his Deputy or ViceRoy, Rev. 13. 12. but not fo eminently or Univerfally till after the Western Beaft fhall have received his deadly Wound, and been healed of it. v. 12 and 13. This deadly Wound fhall be probably that he fhall feem to die (perhaps to be flain) and rife again in imitation of our Bleffed Lord's Death and Refurrection, I fay feem to die, for fo the expreffion as ispayiny v. 3. feems plainly to import, after which Sham-Refurrection he fhall impower the falfe Prophet to doe great Wonders in his Name. 2, 13, 14, 15. (probably in imitation of

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our Bleffed Lord, who after his Refurrection and Afcenfion fent his Spirit upon his Holy Apoftles, giving them thereby a Commiffion to preach his Gospel, and doe Miracles in his Name) He fhall caufe to be made an Image of the first Beaft who had the deadly Wound, and by his great Magical Power fhall make it live and fpeak, i. e. perhaps cause some Evil Spirit to inhabit it and give Oracles from it; who fhall command all that will not worship it to be put to Death. v. 15. This Image might probably be in this refpect represented by the Image which was fet up by the King of Babylon. Dan. 3. as Irenæus afferts it was upon another, viz. the Number,it being 69 Cubits high, and 6 broad. Iren. Lib. 5. Cap. 29.

S. 14 AND as the Mystery of Iniquity The Oppe- fhall thus work, fo it is probable there fition that Shall be fhall be a proportionable Oppofition made made by by fome who fhall be anointed to be as the theChurch. First Fruits of the Kingdom of the Lamb,

and who before they are gather'd into one Body, as they fhall be afterwards, may bear their Teftimony in both thefe Regions (perhaps in the two Cities of Babylon or Rome, and Jerufalem) against the Blafphemous Ufurpations of the Antichriftian Beafts. Thefe fhall be fuch who having been long exercifed in the Discipline and Patience of the Crofs, fhall before the Appearance of Antichrift be fo perfected, as to be qualifi'd to receive the Everlafting Gofpel, which fhall be preach'd to all

Nations,

Nations. This we are to understand, Rev. 12. 1. By the Woman cloathed with the Sun, crying out, travailing in birth, and being in pain to be delivered. That is, the Church labouring in pain to perfect Chriftians and convert the Nations, to bring into herself a perfect Number known to God before the great Antichriftian Perfecution. And it is not improbable that there fhall be at that time a very great Efflux of Grace, which may ftir up fome pious Souls to a more frequent and Devout Celebration of the Holy Eucharift, and accompany the Celebration of it, which may be the vifible Medium whereby their Perfection may be wrought out; anfwering to that great and notable Paffover inftituted by good Jofiah a little before the Babylonish Captivity, and that of Hezekiah not long' before, of which the Scripture witheffeth 2 Chron. 20. 26. that the like had not been kept in Jerufalem fince the days of Solomon the Son of David King of Ifrael. For the reafon of that fo folemn Inftitution given by Hezekiah himfelf was, Chap. 29. v. 1o. that the fierce Wrath of the Lord might turn away from them, and that God might be merciful to their Brethren that were gone into Captivity, Chap. 30. 9. i. e. the Ten Tribes carried away by the King of Affyria. v. 6. Thofe then that fhall be thus perfected fhall go forth preaching the Kingdom of God, and foretelling the fudden coming of Antichrift. So fays Abbot Joachim *. The * Lib.7.de Perfons whom God fhall defign for this Tribulat High P. 5.

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High Office, and qualify to bear it, fhall probably be chofen here and there one out of all Nations and People whom the Spirit of Wisdom fhall inftruct and teach, enter into them, and fully poffefs them making them thereby Friends of God, and Prophets, Wifd. 7. 143 27% at first she will walk with them by crooked ways, and bring Fear and Dread upon them, and torment them with her Discipline, until The may truft their Souls, and try them by her Laws; then will the return the ftraight way unto them, and fhew them her Secrets. Eccluf. 4. 17, 18. And from this Divine Teaching and Wifdom these Perfons are frequently in the Prophet : Daniel, called the Wife, and Men of understanding, and those that know their God, Dan. 11. 35. 12. 3, 10. 11. 32. and as they fhall go forth in the Spirit of Wifdom, fo fhall they alfo in the Spirit of Power, being accomplished with the high graduated Gifts of the Holy Ghoft. For to them alfo does the Great Charter of the Apostles extend, Mark 16. 17, 18. that they shall caft out Devils, They fhall Speak with New Tongues, they shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any Deadly Thing it shall not hurt them, &c. For it is not faid that thefe Signs fhould follow the Apostles, but in general all them that believe, i. e.. who have the fame Faith that they had, according to what is faid Mat. 21. 21, 22. Mark 11. 22, 23, 24. that all things are poffible to them that believe. So alfo

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