on the Excellency of chriJ. 131 the Beaft that was and is not and fit is , faith bee thole whole names are not written the book of life , that was written from the foundation of the world, they (hall make a wonder at Antichrift , and at his great power , and at the way of his falling too. So in Rev.i 3.2,3. And the Dragon gave him his power,and his feat,andgreatAtnthority,&c.When the Dragon had givgnhis power to the Beaft,that is the Ci- vil Rate and power , had given its power unto Antichrift , unto their Church -Rate , to that they had the Civil fword in their own hands , an were able by that Civil power to force all to come in to their Did }aces, now the Text faith, That they all wondred at it;but who are they ?in Chap.r 7.v.8. thole whofe names were not written in the hookpf life; fo that carnal hearts now may bee taken with the wondring after the pomp and glory of the word , and after the power of Antichrift , becaufe Antichrift prevails in the world , but they are thole whole marnes are not written in the book of life ; thofe whofe names are written in the book of life, they will never Rand wondring at the excellency of Anti- chrift , becaufe of his outward glory ; no Thófe whofe names are written in the book of life they have learned to wonder at Jefus Ciril+, not at Antichrift; let Jefus Chrißc bee never fo mean, and humbled, and low, and perfecuted in his members, in his Ordinances, yet they fee that excel- lency in Jefus Chrif}, as makes them wonder, and it is fuch a wonder as it doth darken all the wonders in the world be- fides. s 2
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