The Person and Period of the Antichrist, Discourse · Chapter 3
52. That he muſt carry himſelf (6ly.) in the Church of God, as if he were God, is expreſly declared in 2 Theſſ. 2.4. Antichriſt muſt exalt himſelf above all that is called God or worſhipped, [foreign] either with Civil or Religious worſhip. There are, that are called Gods. 1 Cor. 8.5. to wit, Magiſtrates. Pſal. 82.6. Thoſe he exalts himſelf above, in depoſing Kings, and diſpoſing Kingdoms; yea not only above thoſe titular gods, but alſo above the true God (In ambitione plus-quàm Luciferianâ) beyond Lucifer himſelf; for he ſaid only, I will be like the moſt High. Eſa. 14.14. But Antichriſt will be above the moſt High, not only in diſpenſing with, but alſo in contradicting his Laws.
53. Antichriſt muſt (7ly.) Seduce with lying wonders, this is proved from 2 Theſſ. 2.9. foreign. To aſtoniſh his beholders and to maintain his Reputation, he ſhould come with ſigns and wonders, wrought by the power of Satan. Thoſe ſhould be the means of his advancement, he doth great wonders Rev. 13.13. calling fire down from heaven, as if another Elijah: the ſpirits of devils iſſuing out of the mouth of this Antichriſt works wonders. Cap. 16.14.
54. Antichriſt muſt have (8ly.) a threefold brand put upon him, as appears from 2 Theſſ. 2.3,8. 1ſt. a man of Sin, 2ly. a Son of perdition. 3ly. a wicked one, all thoſe Epithets, to ſhew, what a notoriouſly Sinfull, loſt, lawleſs one he ſhould be, the 1ſt. [foreign] denotes him the eldeſt Son of all the children of Belial, a Superlative Sinner, the worſt of men, as Chriſt (to whom he is contrary) was the beſt; the 2d. [foreign] deſcribes him a man of deſtruction actively, (a deſtroying Son call'd foreign. Rev. 9.11. So he is to the Church of God) and for deſtruction paſſively, to be caſt into Hell, Rev. 19.20. the 3d. [foreign as above fig. 13.] deciphers him one that neither fears God not reverences man, as, Luke 18.2. for the Laws of neither can keep him within compaſs.
55. That he muſt be further Stigmatiz'd (9ly.) for being Idolatrous (the firſt Adjunct) is manifeſt, from Rev. 17.2. not onelyonly in his own perſon, but like another Jeroboam, making others to ſin with his Intoxicating cup of Fornication, thus is Idolatry termed by the Holy. Ghoſt. Ezek. 16.17. the 2d. adjunct is, Ambitious, [foreign] one advancing himſelf above every Monarch on earth, and more than equalling himſelf with the great God of heaven (as above fig. 52.) 2 Theſſ. 2.4. his 3d. Title [Cruel] is Repreſented by the woman made drunk with the blood of the Saints, Rev. 17.6. and by the name of a devouring beaſt, ſo oft put upon him, as before in fig. 7. his 4th. Title [Unclean] is ſhadowed out by thoſe names of Sodom and Egypt. Rev. 11.8. and by thoſe names of great whore, and mother of fornication.
56. (10ly) Antichriſt is one to be revealed in thoſe laſt times, appears plainly from 2 Theſſ. 2.7,8. he muſt be in the world along time, before he be Revealed; while he remains a myſtery of iniquity, or iniquity in a myſtery he is under a vail, The depths of Satan. Rev. 2.24. Unknown, Unrevealed. This myſtery was working out of ſight in perſons (as Diotrephes) and in Doctrines (as touch not, taſt not, &c. forbidding Meats and Marriages betimes; but his Revealing is an Antecedent of Chriſts coming. 2 Theſſ. 2.3.
57. The 11th. clauſe in the Definition of Antichriſt, is, he muſt be conſumed with the Spirit of Chriſts mouth. 2 Theſſ. 2.8. The manner 1ſt. it muſt be gradual, not all at once, but a lingring death, (this the word [foreign] ſignifies) a waſting a little and little, till he be Annihilated: and 2ly. the means of his conſuming, the ſpirit or breath of Chriſts mouth, [foreign] to wit, by the preaching of the Goſpel, whereby the Spirit of Chriſt works powerfully (yet gradually) in the hearts of men to bring them off from ſupporting Antichriſts Kingdom. This is call'd by the Prophet, the Rod of his mouth, and the breath of his lips. Eſa. 11.4. and the Sword of his mouth. Rev. 2.16. 1 Kin. 19.17.
58. The 12th Clauſe is, Antichriſt is one that muſt be deſtroyed with the brightneſs of Chriſts coming. 2 Theſſ. 2.8. wherein 1ſt. the manner [foreign] ſhall be brought to nought and utterly aboliſhed, though he Seat himſelf among the Stars, yet from thence the Lord will bring him down, Obad. v. 4. even into utter deſtruction. 2ly. The means, foreign] which may not be taken ſtrictly for that preciſe point of time, wherein Chriſt ſhall come perſonally to judge the world? See infrá 227 Paragraph (as Eſti… obſerves on the place) but largely for the Spiritual manifeſtation of Chriſts preſence in his Church, before which, this Antichriſt ſhall melt away, as dew before the Sun; even to an utter extirpation.
59. Thus in thoſe 12 clauſes, I have ſhewn the Scriptural marks and definition of Antichriſt, which are beyond Controverſie and Undeniable, theſe are the claws of the beaſt. [Ex ungue leonem] A Lion is known by his paw; my Aſſumption now is, that this difinition doth [quadrare cum Papâ] ſuits with the Pope, hoc reſtat ad probandum; I Argue thus, Hypothetically. If the Pope have thoſe marks, and this definition of Antichriſt, then he is the thing defined; but the Antecedent is true, ergo the Conſequent, or Categorically thus, whoever hath thoſe marks and this definition, is the Antichriſt; but the Pope has them, ergo, this is to be proved by an Induction.