Goodwin - BX9315 G6 v2

dn Ext>osd·1oN ~ then in exempting his Ciergy, to make up, and connitute that fecond Bean with PAR T I. him as their Spiritual Head; and the Ten Kingdoms which were to confli– ~ tute the firn Bean under the Pope as their Head, then alfo beginning to arife. And thus i have given :in Account of their Opinion, who fix the Time of Amichrin·s Fall in 1666; together With the Arguments whtch they urge to prove it. CHAP. VIII, 'I'he Expofoionof Chap. 14. 'JPherein the State ofthe True [hurch under tV1nticbrifliJdefcribed. AS in the 13th Chapter you have the Falfe Antichriflia.n-Church, whereof the Pope is the Head ; fo in this I 4th Chapter begins the Defcription of the true Church during the Time of Antichrin,whereof the Lamb is the . Head ; which Church is made up of that Seed of the Woman mentioned Chap. 12.lajl; whom, during her lying hid in the Wildcrnefs, Satan through An– tichrifl's Power did perfecute. Now the feveral Conditions of tlae Church, du– ring thofe Times of Antichrin unto this Day, may be reduced to three Heads. 1. The State ofTrue Believers in thofe darker Times of Popery, when they were mingled with Papins, as making no open feparation from them, and yet preferving themfelves pure from much of their Idolatrous Worihip and Opini. ons; and this during the fpace of 700 Years from the Pope's R.ifing. 2. The State of the Church, when firn a Separation began to be made from the Church of Rome, and the Gofpel to be preached from the Year 1100. 3· The State of the Church under the Reformation fince the Times ofL"ther and Calvin, for thefe lan hundred Years. • Into,.thefe three feveral States the Church of God doth eminently fall divided, to the view of artv that ar.e skilled in Ecclefiaflick Stories. And thefe three States are lively deciphered in this Chapter. . r. The State ofthat confufed Company under Antichrin his firn Times, from verf 1, to the6th. . 2. The Church's firfl: feparation from the Company of Antichrifl:, in three · feveral degrees of it, from verf 6, to 14· 3· The State of the Reformation fince Calvin'sTime, from verf 14, to the end. Firn, The State of Believers mingled among Antichrift's Company, and not feuing up Churches difl:inCl: from them under him, though oppofing the grolf– nefs of his Idolatry, and keeping themfelves pure from it. And thefe are fet forth irt Characters fuitable to that Condition ; They are a fcattered Company of 144000, joining themfelves to the Lamb Chrift, having his Father's Name written in their Foreheads, that is, profeffing the True God, in thefincere Obe– dience and worihip of him, whilfl: the oppofite Company of Amichrift went rvondering after the Beajl, even a World of them, as Chap. 13. 3· and received his A-lark, verf.r7. Thefe are fet forth by the fame Number (of 144000) that the Chrifl:ians in the Eaft, under the Mahumetan Bondage and DarknetS are, (who were the 51/J and 6thTrumpets) their State and Condition being much alike in this, as they are a Company of Perfons fingly to be numbred and fcat– tered up and down, here and there, (as they were) in the midfl: of the Cor– ruptions of thofe Eaflern Churches, under the darknefs. and oppreffion of · Mah11-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=