CAP. 12. touchingAritichrifL. 707 ments, what reafon have you to depend wholly upon their voyces as upon force divine Oracle,that could not deceive nor be deceived. It is no wife mans part to follow blind guides wilfully, fpecially filch as he himfelf acknowledgeth to be more then halfblind. Rouze up your felf therefore at lalt from this fpirit ofilumber, and learn what Antichrif is, rather from the truth it feif, then from thofe men, who fcarce ever law any fhadowiih refemblance of him. But to let thefe men go. Let us come to thofe which you bring us for moil certain truths ; one whereof is, that Antiebr:f {tall come chiefly for the Jewes, and that he is to be receivedof them as their A1cfïas ; Tht other, that he fhall be born of theJewifh people, andthat bee is to be cirrumcifed, and that he fall keep their Sabbath, at leaf for a time, both which, the time of Antichrifs comming teacheth to be falfe. For feeing he lath raigntd now for thefe many Ages at Rome,name- ly, ftnce that time that the Heathen Emperorswere driven out, and the"env do not fubje$ themfelves to himall this while,it followeth neceffirily, both that he is not to be receivedby them as their A1ef- f.er,nor vet that he (hall come chiefly becaufe of them. Yea, and it followeth thathe ihal not be a IcW,as it appeareth by the experience ofall records ofthings paft,whichdo never reporr,thatone kWhath litten in the Popes Chair at Rome, and is certain in force part that there shall never be any. For hee (hall, not invade the world with, open force,and fo let up a new government : For fo hee fhouldnot be the feven:h, or eighth Head, is all one, but the ninth, which is one headmore then the Bea.£l hath. And it is nor likely, feeing the Cary einals are fo prudent and quick witted, fpecially having the help of, the peftilent Chair of Torphyrie rather then Peter, that any fuch. (hall be chofenby themof their own accord, as long as this ftate of theirs ftandeth fafe. All thefe toyes and devices ofyour own brains, fall to theground by the help of thofe Engines, which the Holy Ghofi? Both turniih_us with all,- which wee have rampired up again(( thefe and the like, in the beginning of this Confutation.. But let us examine the things which you bring to the contrary. First you con- firm your dream ,that Antichriflfhall come chiefly becanre ofthe law. And Ihall be received of them as their Meijias, out of the place above cited : I have come in my Fathers name, and yee have not receivedme, ifanother man Jhall come in his o),Vn name, himyee Will receive, joh. 5. 43 l I anfwer, that it is true, that a certain Antichrif was to be re ceivedof the peWs: But thequeftion is touching Antichrifi properly fócalled,not him that is taken fo commonly : They.lhould never ac-- knowledgt
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