The Person and Period of the Antichrist, Discourse · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
226. HAving thus demonſtrated Antichriſts lingring Conſumption, and the means whereby it is accompliſhed, which is the 11th clauſe: I come now next to the 12th and laſt part of the Induction; to wit, his utter extirpation, (he muſt be deſtroyed by the brightneſs of Chriſts coming) the word foreign hath an elegancy in it, as its ſimple, is foreign to be idle: The Beaſt hath power foreign (which Mr. Mede Reads faciendi) to do 42. Months, Rev. 13.5. but the brightneſs of Chriſts coming puts a Period to his leaſe of doing, cuts the traces of this wicked plower, and then he can't plow or do no more, Pſ. 129.3,4. he will be then foreign, one out of Employment and out of being alſo.
227. Some indeed take this brightneſs of Chriſts coming to be at the day of Judgment, becauſe its ſaid, then He ſhall come in flaming Fire, 2 Theſſ. 1.8. and then ſhall the Beaſt and falſe Prophet be put to death, and caſt into the Lake, Rev. 19.20. This interpretation makes the final aboliſhment of Antichriſt to be much later, then indeed it ſhall be.
228. This coming of Chriſt is not (ſaith Dr. Sclater) to be taken [foreign] in that Individual point of time, wherein Chriſt ſhall come to Judge the World at the laſt day: but it muſt be taken extenſely and with ſome latitude; ſo as under it may be comprized the Anterior part, and the foregoing (both) Signs and times thereof: and he approves of that Critick Scholiaſt, that ſays, this phraſe is not to be underſtood of his comming in Perſon to General Judgment, but of the manifestation of His Preſence in the Church by effects of Power, Justice, Grace, and Mercy.
229. If this Extirpation of Antichrist be the ſame thing with the downfall of Babylon, that is deſcrib'd, Revel. 18. then under correction, (ſaith he) the brightneſs of Christs coming cannot be the preciſe day of Judgment: for after [it] muſt follow the Calling of the Jews, the destruction of Gog and Magog, and ſome Halcyon-days of the Church here on Earth.
230. There is a coming of Christ ſpoken of under the Sixt Vial, Revel. 16.15. [behold I come] which is added there as a Cordial to Chriſts Servants, againſt thoſe great preparations for the Battel at Armageddon: Under the Sixt Vial is the overthrow of the Kings that aſſiſt the Pope, through the manifeſtation of Christs powerful Preſence, therefore is it call'd the great day of God Almighty, Rev. 16.14. and Armageddons Battel is deſcribed, Rev. 19.11. to the end
231. There is a plain Coming of Chriſt (mentioned in that Rev. 19.12.13.) to the Battle at Armageddon, wherein he gives the fleſh of Popiſh Kings, and of Captains, yea and of all kind of Papiſts, ſmall and great, (which ſeems to amount to this utter Extirpation) v. 18. then ſhall all Papiſts (bond and free) be deſtroyed; then ſhall the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet in his laſt War againſt Chriſt and his Church be taken, v. 19.20. ſo this caſting of them into the Lake, is under the Sixt Vial, and not as before at the day of Judgement.
232. The marriage of the Lamb the 7th Vial brings in, under the notion of the New-Jeruſalem, which begins to be deſcribed, Rev. 20. (in the Book-prophecy) and Rev. 11.15. in the Seal-prophecy: (when all the Kingdoms of the World become the Lords, under the 7th Trumpet.) Now becauſe Chriſt will not be married, but as a Conquerer; therefore before this Maraiage, he comes and manifeſts himſelf in this great Battle, to deſtroy Antichrist's Perſon (with all his proud Helpers.) Under this 6th Vial, as before he deſtroys Antichriſts Seat under the 5th Vial.
233. The 17th of Rev. is but an Interpretation who is this Beaſt and Whore (ſpoken of) that the Church might be able to diſcern this Antichrist. The 18 Chap. is a ſolemn Funeral-ſong for Romes Ruine by the fift Vial, or rather a Song Triumphant for the Expiration of Antichriſt's Kingdom.
234. It may ſtrongly be preſumed, that Antichriſts leaſe of his 42 Months will expire at the end of the fift Vial, when the great Fox (that hath ſo long ſpoild the veins of Chriſts Vineyard) ſhall be unkennel'd. For though he may raiſe ſome forces, and make ſome Reſiſtance under the 6th Vial (as his Preparation to this battel at Armageddon) yet ſhall he reign no more, after his Seat be ruind.
235. The Holy Ghoſt will not teach the Saints [Triumphum canere ante Victoriam] to triumph before a Victory. Now were not the Kingdom of Chriſts grand Enemy (to wit, Antichriſt) as good as at an end, at the Deſtruction of Rome by the fift Vial. This triumphant Song in chap. 18. had been praepoſterous and unreaſonable, and ſhould have been reſerved till after the next Vial afterwards.
336. There was indeed another triumphant Song to be ſung after, but it was more high and glorious than this, to wit, for the Marriage of the Lamb; and obſerve how the bride adorns her ſelf in fine linnen, clean and white for this Marriage, Rev. 19.8. Then begins the 1000 Years of the glorious State of the Church (deſcrib'd, Rev. 20.) which falls out afer the Beaſts caſting into the lake, ſo that cannot be the day of Judgement.
237. Add to this, that after the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet be caſt into the lake of fire, Rev. 19.20. The Devil himſelf is ſtill reſerved, Rev. 20.1,2,3. wherein a famous Climax or elegant Gradation is obſervable, 1ſt the Angel with the great chain comes down from heaven. 2. He lays hold on the Dragon or Devil. 3. He binds him (as it were) hand and foot. 4. And then caſts him into the bottomleſs pit (where he would not have been caſt, Luk. 8.31.) 5. He ſhuts him up there, as if chaining only were not ſufficient for reſtraining ſuch a raging Devil: yea. 6. the door muſt be ſeald too with Authority from Heaven, that the Peace of the Church might be ſecured.
238. Yet after all this, the Devil muſt be looſed again (though it will be for a little ſeaſon, ver. 3, 7. for the day of Judgement preſently follows, ver. 18.) to gather together Gog and Magog againſt the Camp of the Saints, and the beloved City, v. 8, 9. which (ſome think) is the Turkiſh Empire (Satans laſt enemy againſt the Church) for the Riſing of the Turk is mentioned, Rev. 9.3, &c. but his Fall is no where clearly, till in this Chap. this Adverſary ſhall be chain'd up all the 1000 Y. (if he be the Gog and Magog) as his God and father the Devil is, all that time.
239. All thoſe things being laid together, and ſeriouſly ponder'd, doth clearly evince, that the caſting of the Beaſt, and the falſe Prophet into the lake of fire, cannot be meant the preciſe day of Judgement, for the Devil cannot be looſed any more after that day, but when his laſt Agents, Gog and Magog be deſtroyed, he is caſt in too, where the Beaſt was caſt 1000 Y. before, Rev. 20.10.
240. Beſides, a glorious Eſtate is promiſed to the Church in many Scriptures, glorious things are ſpoken of thee, O city of God, Pſal. 87.3. Now this promiſe was never yet perform'd, not in the times immediately after Chriſt, for then the Church was neither viſible nor glorious (as Mr. Mede ſaith, Diatribae p. 4.) not under the perſecuting Emperors of the Heathen; for then, though indeed it was viſible (having taken foot among the Gentiles) yet was it not glorious at that time.
241. Go to Conſtantines time, wherein indeed the Sunſhine of the Goſpel ſeem'd to break out from behind a Cloud: yet this laſted not, but preſently it was darkned again with a thick cloud of Arrianiſm; and no ſooner was the Arrian cloud blown over, but again the very Viſibility of the Church was overſhadowed with a thicker cloud of Antichriſtianiſm, that grand Apoſtacy foretold by the Holy Ghoſt.
242. This cloud (indeed after a long night of darkneſs) hath begun to be diſpell'd, by thoſe 3 Angels formention'd (Waldus, Wickliffe and Luther) yet it ſhall not wholly be done away, till this Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his Wings, as Mal. 4.2. both for calling in the Jews and the fulneſs of the Gentiles, then ſhall Sion be exalted above all Hills. And this will be that brightneſs of Chriſts coming to aboliſh Antichriſt.
243. So then this glorious Eſtate of the Church never yet had its due accompliſhment, but ſhall be, when the Lamb comes to marry his Bride, and to give her a 1000 years of Tranquillity after the deſtruction of Antichriſt. This cannot be that bleſſed Eſtate of the Church Triumphant in heaven, for, 1ſt. 'Tis expreſly ſaid, that the Saints ſhall reign on earth, Rev. 5.10. (not [doth, but ſhall] to wit) after the Beaſt and falſe Prophet be caſt into the lake of fire. 2ly. There will be no need of binding up Satan, when the Saints reign in Heaven. 3ly. That Reign in Heaven is for more time than a 1000 years, 'tis for Eternity.
244. And 4ly. Satan muſt be let looſe again (as before) which cannot be after the day of Judgement. 5ly. This marriage of the Lamb with the bride, and ſo (by conſequence) this glorious eſtate of the Church muſt be a ſtate on Earth, becauſe it is ſaid at that time, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and God will dwell with men, Rev: 21.3. Now were it a ſtate in heaven, then it ſhould rather be ſaid, that men dwells with God, then God with men.
245. There muſt therefore be a Coming of Chriſt (I ſay not, perſonal) before the Day of judgement, to receive his Kingdom of the Father, Dan. 7.13. Not the natural or eſſential Kingdom, which he has (as he is God) for ever: but a diſpenſatory Kingdom delegated to him (as he is Mediator) which, when he hath put down all Power, all the 4 Monarchs, and all the 10 Kings (of the laſt Monarchy) the Beaſt and falſe Prophet, yea, Gog and Magog; after the 1000 Years of the Churches peace, and after his Judging the World he reſigns up his Kingdom again, 1 Cor. 15.24.25.
246. Thus we ſee there is a coming of Chriſt which will be a Reſtitution of all things, Acts 3.21. (Whereas the coming of Chriſt at the Day of judgement, ſhall be the Diſſolution of all things) and this coming of Chriſt may be cal'd [Epiphany] from the brightneſs of it, for then the clouds of Antichriſtianiſm ſhall be diſſolved, and ſo ſhall it be not only bright to the Church, but deſtructive to Antichriſt, who ſhall be Deſtroyed by the brightneſs of the coming of this Sun of Righteouſneſs: at his preſence will the mountains of the Man of Sin melt away, like Snow before the Sun, Pſal. 114.7.
247. This is the Brightneſs of Christs coming, that brings in Antichrists utter extirpation, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. For at the ſounding of the 7th Trumpet in the Seal-prophecy, the Angel ſwears that [time ſhould be no longer] to wit, for Antichrist, Rev. 10.6,7. then the mystery of God ſhall be finiſhed, and then Chriſt comes (at the 7th Trumpet) and takes to himſelf his great Power, and reigns, Rev. 11.15,17. Then all Kingdoms become the Lords, though the Nations be angry at it.
248. In the like manner, at the pouring out of the 7th Vial, in the Book-prophecy, it is ſaid [It is done] Rev. 16.17. that is, all is finiſhed concerning Antichrist; not only his Seat and Kingdom is ended, but the Beast and the falſe Prophet are taken in Perſon, and all his Retainders are utterly deſtroy'd by Christ, Rev. 19.20,21. And then begins the Kingdom of Christ.
249. Thus we have ſeen at large, how Antichrist's doom is, to be deſtroyed. O daughter of Babylon who art to be destroyed, Pſal. 137.8,9. This Beaſt must go into perdition, Rev. 17.8. 'tis ſaid [Go, not Run] for it muſt be gradually done, every Vial muſt bring a degree of Ruine on him (as before.) Now thoſe two laſt clauſes of the Induction are ſubordinate, but not contrary: for Antichrist may be both conſumed and destroyed, ever ſince the Separation and Reformation he hath been wasting away.
250. But when Christ ſhall come with a brighter Manifestation of himſelf, of his Grace, and of his Goſpel to the World, then men ſhall be clearly convinced, that this is the great Whore that bewitches the Nations with her wine of Fornication, and that ſhe is a common Strumpet with the Kings of the earth, Rev. 17.2. The Lord will then alſo mightily diſcover her to the Kings of the earth (that have given up their Power to her) and cauſe them to hate her, and to burn her for a Witch, Rev. 17.16. As the Beast hath killed with the Sword, ſo he ſhall be killed with the Sword (himſelf) at last, Rev. 13.10. (after a long Conſumption and Captivity) as if one kind of death were to little for him.
251. This Antichrist therefore is a Son of perdition paſſively, (as well as actively) for he muſt go into perdition, but whether, by the battle of the Warriour, and by Garments rolled in bloud at firſt, ſome doubteth. Oſiand. Epitome 7. Cent. Pa. 315. However it ſhall be by burning and fewel of fire, Eſa. 9.5. God will kindle a fire in the hearts of thoſe Kings, and they ſhall make Roſt-meat of the Whore: at laſt, ſhe ſhall have bloud to drink, (for ſhe is worthy) ſooner or later, Rev. 16.6. & cap. 18.6. And ſomething hereof is mention'd in the 3d Vial, Rev. 16.6.