in the Apoſtle's time, ſeeing the Myſtery 0: Iniquiry helonging ro this Man of Sin began to work in the Apoſtie's diys, as ver, 7, and he is the ſame whom St. Fobz calls Antichriſt, » 506. 2. 13, and the Spirit of Antichriſt began to be in the World in his cime, Cp, 4.3, ant the Nations are to be made drunk with the Cup of his Fornication, and to ſerve and obey him, &c, Rev. 13. $8. and 17. 4, Ail v.hica requires more time than is allotted by them : Bur they ſet 1m: a great way off, that none may ſuſpett him to be among themlelves ; but he th.c will compare the Church of Rome in the Apoſtle Paul's times with what it is now, and the Dottrine of the Council of ren with that ad downimn his Epiſtle to the Romans, may ſay, How is the Faithful Ciiy become aun Harlot ? And this Man of Sin zs to be revealed aifo, which ſhews that h2 is not a ſingle perſon, not yet born : Revealing relates not {o much to a perſon, as a thing ; in particular to the myſtery of Iniquity, mentio- ned ver, 7, His revealing is either quoad exiſtzntiam, or appar271titm, The former is meant here, and the latter, ver. 8. He grows up into. an exiſtence as the Apoſtacy grows, as Vermin grows out of putreta- ction, As the Churches Purity, Faith, Love, Holineſs declined, and as Pride, Ambition, Covetouſneſs, Luxury prevailed, ſo he grew up 3 And which was che dirett point and time of his full revelation in this firſt ſenſe is conjeur'd by many, but determin'd by none z it is moſt generally refer'd to the time of Boviface'the 34.to whom Phocas granted the ſtile of Oecumenical Biſhop,and to the Church of Rome to b2 the Mo- ther Church. But as the Apoftz. hecars forth this man of fin, fo as he riſeth, he helps it forward, ſo that he both cauſeth it, and is cauſed by it. As Corruption in Doarine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, and Man- ners brought him forth, ſo he was ative in corrupting them more and more. s Another Zebrai/m, where ſometimes that which any way pro- ceeds from another, as its cauſe, is called its ſo, as ſparks, the jons of the coal, Fob 5. 7. and branches, fons of the tree, Ge7, 49. 22, and the Learner the Son of the Teacher, Frov. 3. 1. and ſometimes that which a man is addiGted to, as a wicke.! man is the fon of wickednels,
Pſa}. 89.22. Again, that which gives torth what it hath in it ſelf, as the branches of the Olive Trees giving Oyl are call-d the ſons of Uyl, Zech. 4. ult, and in the Text, the man of fin 5s the Son of Perdition, as Fudas is call'd, Fohn x7. 12. and he is ſo either atively, as he brings others to deftruttion, and ſo may be called 4pollyon, Rev, g. 11, or ra- ther paſhvely, as devoted to perdition ; as Rev. 19. 20» The Baſt and falſe Prophet are both caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone : And the beaſt that was and 5s 101, is ſaid to go into perdition, Kev. 17. 11, The deftroyer of others both in <oul and Body will be deftroyed himſelf : Firſt, Morally by the Word and Spirit, as v. 8. And then Judicially, by God's revenging Juftice in this World, and that to come. The A-
Lottures, Poyſons, *laſfacre, Fire, and Fagot. And this man of fin is Not a tingle Perſon, but a company, order, and ſucceſſion of men, be- cauic all are ated by the ſame Spirit, therefore called, 2 man, as Pſal. Iv, 18, Ihe man of the Earth is, all men of an Earthly Spirit,and a man of the Field,is men whoſe minds and employments are intle kield,Gen, 25427. Or it is a linful State, As the Civil State of the four Monar- Chics in Daniel js repreſented by tour fingle Beaſts,and the Anxichriſti- 4 tate by a Beaſt riſing out of the Sea, Kev. 13. 1, lo by man of fin > meant a tintul State, which though it conſifteth of many People and
auuns, yer being under the intlucnce and Government of one Man,
poile at the very firſt mentioning him, declares his deſtiny ; at his ficſt riſing and revealing, mentions his fall and ruin,
4 Who oppoleth t and * exalteth himſelf above.all x y that is called God #, or that is worſhipped : ſo that he, 5,
as God w, iitteth in the temple of God x, ſhewing liim- {elf that he is God y.