Popery the Grand Apostasy, Title page – To the reader
POPERY The Grand APOSTASIE: Being the Subſtance of certain SERMONS
Preached on 2 Theſ. 2. v. 1. to 12. On occaſion of the diſcovery of the deſperate Plot of the Papiſts, againſt the King, Kingdom and the Proteſtant Religion.
By John Troughton Miniſter of the Goſpel.
To which is added a Sermon on Rev. 18.4. preached November 5. 1678.
London, Printed for Tho. Parkhurſt at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapſide near Mercers Chapel. 1680.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
Good Reader,
IT was well obſerved by one, That next to the knowledge of Chriſt and of the true way of ſalvation by him, nothing is more neceſſary for a Chriſtian, than the knowledge of Antichriſt: for hereby he may be able to diſtinguiſh the true knowledge of Chriſt, from the corruptions and mixture with which Antichriſt hath adulterated and obſcured the true Doctrine of the Goſpel. That the Pope with his Adherents is Antichriſt hath been the general opinion of learned men for theſe laſt 600. Years, ever ſince Gregory 7. not of Proteſtants only, Hus, Wicleff, and the Waldenſes, but alſo of many that lived and dyed in the communion of the Roman Church. And ſeeing our Papiſts generally confeſs Antichriſt in St. Johns epiſtle to be the ſame with the man of ſin in St. Paul, and with the myſtical Babylon in the Apoc. they do in effect yield that the Pope is Antichriſt, ſeeing all the marks of the two latter do undeniably agree to him. For this cauſe I have waved the particular controverſies, betwixt us and the Papiſts, which have been ſo largely and clearly managed by our Writers, both formerly and of late, as leſs neceſſary for this preſent time; there being little of reaſon, conſcience, or Scripture to urge any Proteſtant to embrace any particular error or corruption of the Papiſts, endeavouring briefly and ſummarily to ſhew that the Church of Rome is, as Wicleff long ſince called it, the Synagogue of Satan, myſtical Babylon, a ſtate of Apoſtate Chriſtians that have joyned themſelves to the Pope as their Head againſt Chriſt, his Goſpel and pure Church; that by this brief conſideration of things Chriſtians may be the more ſtirred up to deteſt, and to oppoſe in their places that body of men which call themſelves the only Catholick Church, that they may be the more zealous for the truth as it is received in the Reformed Churches; and that they may if called to it, ſuffer with the greater comfort what cruelties and violence God may yet permit that Beaſt of Rome to exerciſe upon his Church. I my ſelf, and many that heard this diſcourſe, have thought it might be ſeaſonable and uſeful in theſe days to plain and private Chriſtians (for the learned have no need of it) becauſe through long peace and ſecurity, the error and tyranny of the Papiſts have been much forgotten by the people, and many that hate the name of Papiſts ſcarce know the grounds they ſtand on, and are Antipapiſts by a kind of implicite faith. If any find their judgements informed, their conſciences ſettled, their zeal and courage excited by theſe endeavours, in theſe ſhaking times, I have mine end; and may they and the Church of Chriſt long enjoy that benefit to the glory of God and their own comfort, to the ſtrengthening of their brethren and the ſhame of their implacable and reſtleſs adverſaries.
Thine in the work of the Goſpel, J. T.