even the imperial dignity. And I do not know that they ever attempted universal monarchy. Neither had they, after this, any one perfon among them, who anfwered the character here defcribed; viz. " of one, who as a God, fitting in the temple of God, fhewing "himself to be a God." Nor does St. Paul, by any means, appear to be the perfon who obftructed," ver. 6, 7. For the unbelieving Jews perfecuted the Chriftians after his converfion, as well as before it. Nor could he prevent the apoftafy of the Jewish Chriftians; though he earneftly defired and attempted it. But his principal labours were among the Gentiles.

Befides; according to the prophecy of St. Paul, the apoftafy was (in a great degree at leaft) to precede the revelation of the man of fin. Whereas the perfecuting, antichriftian spirit of unbelieving Jews was revealed, or manifefted, before the apoftafy of the Jewish Chriftians.— And, finally; it is a grand objection with me, against that interpretation, that, by the man of fin's appearing, and being revealed, is understood his perishing, or deftruction. In as much as St. Paul has clearly diftinguished his coming, and the continuance of his power, from the punishment and perdition which will at laft be inflicted on him by the Lord.

IV. Others, again, would have the unbelieving Jews, who revolted from the Romans, together with the Jewish converts who apoftatized from the Chriftian to the Jewish religion, to be the very perfons here prophefied of.-Whereas the Apoftle is here speaking of one fort of apostasy only; that is, an apoftasy from the true reli gion. So the word moradia is ufed in other texts of fcripture. And what may lead us to understand it fo in this place is, that the Apoftle is treating about matters of religion, and intimates that this apoftafy would be carried on, and fupported, by fham miracles, and all the deceit of unrighteoufnefs; and that it would prevail only among vicious perfons, fuch as relifhed not truth and goodness, but Joved a lie, and took pleasure in unrighteousnefs.-The unbelieving Jews could not apoftatize from the Chriftian religion, because they had never embraced it. And the Jewish Chriftians, who did apoftatize, had no eminent head, or leader, that deserved the name of "the "man of fin," &c.-Dr. Whitby, who is the most confiderable advocate for this interpretation, plays between the two, and brings in the unbelieving Jews revolting from the Romans, or the Jewish Chriftians apoftatizing from Chriftianity, juft as may best help out his hypothefis. But the prophecy itself is uniform, and defcribes one fort of an apoftafy quite throughout.

The above-mentioned Turretin very juftly objects various things against Dr. Whitby's hypothefis. (1.) That by the man of fin" must be understood one man, or a series of men of the same rank and order; and not a whole nation. (2.) When it is faid, "that "wicked one was to be revealed," it did not well fuit that nation, which had now exifted a long time, which had for fome ages manifefted great wickedness, and daily manifefted it. (3.) Though the Scribes and Pharifees did arrogate to themfelves a divine authority,

and

and therefore might, in fome fenfe, be faid to fit in the temple of "God;" yet the Apoftle could not foretell that, as a future event. They did fo already; and, for fome time, had done fo. Indeed, Dr. Whitby alledges, that the Apoftle does not here foretell what would be, but fpeaks of what was already, as to that particular, the man of fin's fitting in the temple of God.-But the feries of the prophecy will not bear that interpretation; for, though he fometimes fpeaks in the prefent, he is all along to be understood in the future, tenfe: as we find the apoftles and prophets often ufing the prefent for the future tense, in their predictions.

V. As Mahomet did never profefs the Chriftian religion, he could not be called an apoftate. However, as he caused many Christans to apostatize, and built his religion partly upon the ruin and corruption of Chriftianity, fome have thought that he might, in some fenfe, be faid "to fit in the temple of God." He was likewife "a man of fin," or a very wicked man. And, though he pretended to be a prophet, yet he fhewed himself to be in reality no prophet, but a temporal potentate. And, finally, he arofe after the downfall of the Roman empire; which I take to have been that which letted, or obftructed, the appearance of the man of fin.All these things may be faid in favour of that interpretation which reprefents this as a prophecy of Mahomet-But then, on the other hand, 1. Suppofe St. John and St. Paul prophefied of the fame event (as, I think, they did), it is evident that Rome must be the feat of the grand impoftor; that is, the city which stood upon feven hills. To this it is objected, "Conftantinople ftands upon feven hills; and therefore Mahomet might be intended; for his fucceffor, the Grand Turk, refides at Conftantinople." To which it may be easily and juftly answered, that, fuppofe Conftantinople does ftand upon feven hills, it is notorious that ancient Rome did fo likewife. And Conftantinople is not the city which, in St. John's time," reigned over the kings of the earth." Whereas these two marks were both united in St. John's prophetic defcription of fpiritual Babylon, the feat of that tyrannical power; where idolatry, perfecution, and various forts of wickedness, fhould abound. Rev. xvii. 9. 18. 2. It is a fufficient argument against applying this prophecy to Mahomet, that "the man of fin" was "to come after the working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders;" that is, with open and great pretenfions to miracles. Whereas, though feveral miracles are afcribed to him, by the fabulous and legendary writers among the Mahometans, yet their learned men renounce them all. Nor does Mahomet himfelf, in his Koran, lay any claim to miracles*.

VI. Though heathen Rome oppofed Chriftianity very much, and the emperors exalted themselves above all the kings and potentates upon earth; yet this their exaltation was not a thing then to be re

vealed;

See Dr. Prideaux's "Life of Mahomet, p. 31;" and Mr. Sale's "Translation of Aļ Koran," p. 203, 236, 473.

vealed; neither did they apoftatize from Chriftianity, nor fit in the temple of God, nor attempt to establish their power by miracles.

VII. Some of the Papifts interpret this apoftafy to be "the falling away of the Proteftants from the church of Rome." And fo, by a ftrange legerdemain, the Proteftants are to be "the man of fin," or his forerunners at leaft. Whereas it does not appear that there was a Chriftian church at Rome, when St. Paul wrote "this fecond "Epiftle to the Theffalonians." Nor are the Proteftants united under one common and vifible head upon earth; nor do they pretend to establish their doctrine by miracles.-Thefe and many other things plainly fhew, that it is ridiculous to apply this prophecy to "the Reformation from Popery."

As we have rejected thefe mifinterpretations, the next thing is to point out the Apoftle's meaning. And, however difficult it may appear upon a tranfient reading, we may venture to fay, "that no pro"phecy could have been more exactly accomplished, than this has "been, in the bishop of Rome, and his adherents." And therefore, as it defcribes them, and the whole of it fuits them, and them alone, there is the greateft reafon to think it was intended to reprefent them; efpecially as it is a remarkable and uncommon event, the like to which never happened before, and, most probably, never will hap pen again.

But let us go over the feveral parts of this prophecy.

Ver. 3. Before the coming of the day of the Lord, the Apoftle foretold, that there would be "a falling away," or an apoftafy.And, accordingly, what an amazing apoftafy from the true Chriftian worship, doctrine, and practice, has happened in the church of Rome, and is to this day fupported in and by that church! Inftead of worshipping God in fpirit and in truth, they have introduced external pomp and numberlefs ceremonies, which ftrike upon the fenfes, and ferve for amufement, without making better the heart and the life.Inftead of worshipping God, through Jefus Chrift, the only mediator between God and man, they have fubftituted the doctrine of dæmons, that is, of the fpirits of men departed out of this life; who, as they pretend, intercede with God for us. And they invoke the Virgin Mary, and their other faints, more frequently than God himself.-They have not only fucceeded Rome heathen, in the feat of empire, but have alfo apoftatized to her imagery and idolatry, though they have disguised it with new names and different pretenfions*.

Inftead of the Chriftian doctrine, they have apoftatized from the faith; and, in many countries, have taken from the common people the free use of the Holy Scriptures, in their own mother-tongue; that they might with the more eafe propagate their delufions. For

they

*See Dr. Middleton's Letter from Rome:" with which compare "Roma antiqua & recens: Or the Conformity of ancient and modern ceremonies; fhewing, from ind."putable teftimonies, that the ceremonies of the Church of Rome are borrowed from the "Pagans. Written in French before 1666, tranflated into English by James Du Pré. "Lond. 1732."-See alfo "Sir Ifaac Newton's book on the Prophecies of Danial and the Apocalypfe," p. 204.

they are against the Scriptures, because they are conscious the Scriptures are against them. They have fubftituted human power and authority, inftead of reafon and argument; and, in a forcible manner, reftrained the liberty of private judgment; and then they have, with lefs difficulty, fubftituted, instead of the moft excellent doctrine of the Gospel, their own articles of faith, and the forged traditions and lying legends of their church. And, not content barely to promote ignorance, they have dared moft impudently to commend it, by openly afferting it to be "the mother of devotion."-Their encouraging the apoftafy in practice will be taken notice of when we come to explain the fentences which follow.

The grand apoftafy was to proceed gradually to its height. But, when it was come to fuch a pitch, then was to be revealed one, who fhould defervedly be called the man of fin," because of his very great wickedness; and "the fon of perdition," because of the great and exemplary punishment which should at last befall him.

Though that phrase, "the man of fin," is in the fingular number, yer it may denote a fucceffion of perfons, though but one at a time. So we fay, "the king of Great Britain, the king of France, "the emperor of Germany," &c. meaning thereby any one in the fucceffion of those princes. So the Papifts themselves fpeak of "the Pope," meaning thereby any one of the Popes. So the ancients fpoke of "the king of Egypt," and of " the king of Babylon." And fo the Jews that used that phrafe," the king of Ifrael;" meaning thereby any one in the fucceffion of their kings. [See Deut. xvii. 14-20. 1 Sam. viii. 11.] In exactly the fame manner, the Jewish Highprieft is fpoken of as one perfon; though any one of the Highpriefts, in their fucceffion, was thereby plainly intended. [See Lev. xxi. 10. Numb. xxxv. 25-28. Josh. xx. 6. Hcb. ix. 7.25. and xiii. 11.].

And to whom can the title of "the man of fin" be more pertinently applied, than to the fucceffion of the bishops of Rome, for many, many ages! There have been among them fome of the vilest of mankind, notorious for their fraud and treachery, cruelty and difhonefty, infidelity and debauchery, fimony and covetousness, and intolerable pride and ambition *.

But, befides their own perfonal vices, by their indulgences, pardons, and difpenfations, which they claim a power from Chrift of granting, and which they have fold in fo infamous a manner, they have encouraged all manner of vile and wicked practices. Inftead of teaching men the neceffity of an holy temper and practice, they have countenanced all manner of wickedness; having contrived numberlefs methods to render an holy life needlefs, and to affure the most abandoned of mankind of falvation, without a thorough repentance and amendment, provided they will fufficiently pay the priests for their abfolution†.

*See Platina, Baronius, and Mr. Bower's Lives of the Popes.

The

I have had the perufal of "Laurence Banck's Taxa S. Cancellariæ Romanæ, i. c. The "tax of the facred Roman chancery." And Mr. Bayle (in his Dictionary, under the article VOL. V.

T

Ba

The form of indulgences, a little before the Reformation, was fo ample, that rich men were unconcerned what fins they committed; as knowing that they could, living or dead, purchase a pardon. For, fuppofe they neglected it during their lives, it was but leaving fo much money, by their wills, after their deaths, for maffes and indulgences, and they were affured that all would be forgiven them.Can fuch notorious wickednefs always efcape, without an eminent perdition?

How

Banck, Laurence) hath given us the hiftory of that remarkable book. In which there is a very particular account, how much money was paid into the Apoftolic or Pope's chamber, for almost all forts of vices. For inftance; "He who had becn guilty of inceft with "his mother, fifter, or other relation, either in confanguinity or affinity, is taxed at 5 gros. "The abfolution of him who has deflowered a virgin, 6 gros *. The abfolution of him "who has murdered his father, mother, fifter, wife,-5 or 7 gros.

"The abfolution and pardon of all acts of fornication committed by any of the clergy, "in what manner foever, whether it be with a nun, within or without the limits of the "nunnery, or with his relations in confanguinity or affinity, or with his god-daughter, "or with any other woman whatsoever; and whether alfo the faid absolution be given in the "name of the clergyman himself only, or of him jointly with his whores, with a difpenfa❝tion to enable him to take and bold his orders and ecclefiaftical benefices, and with a "claufe alfo of inhibition, cofts 36 tournois, and 9, or 3 ducats.-And if, befides the "above, he receives abfolution from fodomy, or beftiality, with the difpenfation and claufe "of inhibition, as before, he must pay 90 tournois, 12 ducats, and 6 carlins.-But, if " he receives abfolution from fodomy, or beftiality only, with the difpenfation or clause of inhibition, he pays only 36 tournois, and 9 ducats.

"A nun, having committed fornication feveral times, within and without the 'bounds of "the nunnery, thall be abfolved, and enabled to hold all the dignities of her order, even "that of Abbefs, by paying 36 tournois and 9 ducats.

"The abfolution of him who keeps a concubine, with difpenfation to take and hold his orders and ecclefiaftical benefices, cofts 21 tournois, 5 ducats, and 6 carlins."

This is a tranflation of the very words of the book itfelf; only the first articles to the * are wanting in one edition. However, these articles alfo are in the most perfect and correct editions.

This book has been feveral times printed, both in Popish and Proteftant countries; and the Proteftant Princes inferted it among the causes of their rejecting the Council of Trent. When the Papifts faw what ufe the Proteftants made of it, they put it into the lift of prohibited books. But then they condemned it, only upon the fuppofition of its having been corrupted by the (Proteftants, or) Heretics. But, let them fuppofe, as much as they please, that it has been corrupted by heretics; the editions of it which have been published in Popish countries, and which the Papifts cannot difown; as that of Rome, 1514, that of Cologn, 1515, thofe of Paris, 1520, 1545, and 1625, and thofe of Venice; one in the 6th volume of Oceanus juris," publifhed 15235 the other in the fifteenth volume of the fame collection, reprinted 1584-thefe editions, I fay, are more than fufficient to juftify the reproaches of the Proteftants, and to cover the church of Rome with confufion.-The Popish controvertifts, who have not a word to fay against the authority of the edition of Rome, or that of Paris, &c. are under great perplexity. However, fince the Proteftants have made fo great a handle of this book, the Papifts pretend that, though fome of the Popes have been guilty of fuch infamous practices, and fuffered fuch books to appear, yet the church of Rome in general abhors them. [A fine proof of the infallibility of their Popes !]

But the church of Rome has never fhewn, by the fuppreffion of thefe taxes, that he has had them in abhorrence. They have been printed, as has been already obferved, thrice at "Paris, twice at Cologn, and twice at Venice. And fome of thefe editions have been publifhed fince Claude d'Efpence, a Popish doctor, exclaimed publicly against the enormities of this book. The Inquifition of Spain, and that of Rome, have condemned the book, only as they [pretend] it to have been corrupted by heretics.

I must add, that the fuppreffion of fuch a work is not a fure fign of difapproving the rules which it contains. This may only fignify that they repented of the publication of it, as it gave fo fair a handle for the Proteftants to reproach the court of Rome, and to wound the Church of Rome through the fides of the Pope.Thefe ought to be efteemed myfteries of kate, arcana imperii," not fit to be divulged.