66 Very great every way: for Christ's miracles were true, whereas theirs are false and lying, and by legerdemain; Christ's miracles were from God, but theirs, where there is any strange thing, and above the common reach of men, from the devil; Christ's miracles were for the most part profitable to the health of man, but theirs altogether unprofitable, and for a vain show; Christ's miracles were to confirm the truth, but theirs, to confirm falsehood. "What gather you of this? "That seeing the Pope's kingdom glorieth so much in wonders, it is most like that he is Antichrist, seeing the false Christs and the false Prophets shall do great wonders to deceive, if it were possible the very elect, and that some of the false Prophets' prophecies shall come to pass, we should not therefore believe the doctrine of Popery for their wonders' sake, seeing the Lord thereby trieth our faith, who hath given to Satan great knowledge and power to work strange things, to bring those to damnation who are appointed unto it. Moreover, whatsoever miracles are not profitable to some good, neither tend to confirm a truth, they are false and lying; so that as the Lord left an evident difference between his miracles and the enchantments of the Egyptians, so hath he left an evident difference between the miracles of Christ and his Apostles, and those of the Romish synagogue. Matt. xxiv. 24; Deut. xiii. 12; Exod. vii. 12. "Are not miracles as necessary now, as they were in the time of the Apostles? "No verily; for the doctrine of the gospel being then new unto the world, had need to have been confirmed with miracles from heaven; but it being once confirmed, there is no more need of miracles; and therefore, we keeping the same doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, must content ourselves with the confirmation which hath already been given. "What ariseth out of this? "That the doctrine of Popery is a new doctrine, which hath need to be confirmed with new miracles; and so it is not the doctrine of Christ, neither is established by his miracles. "What force shall the miracles of Antichrist have? "Marvellous great, to bring many men to damnation, God in the just revenge of the contempt of the truth, sending a strong delusion among them. "Hitherto we have heard Antichrist described by his effects and properties: now tell me here where is the place of his special residence? "That is the city of Rome. "How doth that appear? "First, because he that letted at the time when Paul wrote was the Emperor of Rome, who did then sit there, and must be dis-seated (as the learned Papists themselves grant) ere the Pope could enter upon it. Secondly, Rev xvii. 18, John called the city where he must sit, the lady of the world; which at that time agreed only to Rome, being the mother city of the world. Thirdly, it was that city which was seated upon seven hills, Rev. xvii. 9, which by all ancient records belongeth properly and only to Rome. As for the occasion of the Pope's placing there, it came by the means of translating of the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople, from whence ensued also the parting of the empire into two parts, by which division it being weakened, and after also sundered in affection, as well as in place, was the easier to be entered upon, and obtained by the Pope. “What do you further gather of that the Apostle saith, that he that letteth shall let? "That the Antichrist is not one particular man, as the Papists do fancy; for then by the like phrase he that letteth must be one particular man, where it cannot be that one man should live so many hundred years; as from Paul's time to the time of the translation of the Empire from Rome; much less until within two years and a half of the latter day, as they imagine the time of Antichrist: and therefore, as by him that letteth is understood a succession of men, and not only one man; so in Dan. vii. 3, 17, the four beasts, and the four kings, do not signify four particular men, but four governments, in every one whereof there were sundry men that ruled: so that the argument of the Papists who upon the words, (the man of sin) would prove that the Antichrist the Apostle speaketh of is one single man, is but vain, and hath no consequence in it. "But how can Antichrist be already come, seeing the empire yet standeth? "The name of the empire only remaineth, the thing is gone; for he hath neither the chief city, nor the tribune, nor the commandment of the people; and therefore he can be no let to the Antichrist's coming, especially the Pope having gotten such an upper hand over him, as to cause him to wait at his gate barefoot, and to hold his stirrup. "What shall be the end of this Antichrist? "God shall confound him with the breath of his mouth, that is, with the preaching of his word; which serveth for another argument to prove the Pope to be Antichrist: for whereas he had subdued kingdoms and empires under his feet, he hath been of late mightily suppressed by the word preached, and not by outward force, as other Potentates use to be. "What learn you of this? "The marvellous power of God's word to suppress whatsoever riseth against it: for if the mightiest cannot stand before it, much less the smallest and therefore it is expressed by a mighty wind, (Acts ii. 23.) which carrieth all before it; and by fire, which consumeth all, and pierceth all: and it declareth a marvellous easy victory against the enemies, when it is said that with the breath of his mouth he shall consume his enemies, (2 Thess. ii. 8.) "What else shall be overthrow of the Antichrist? "The glorious appearance of the Son of God in the latter day. "What gather you of this? "That before the last day he shall not be utterly consumed, whereof notwithstanding it followeth not that the head shall remain till then; for the beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast into the fire before the latter day; but some shall retain a liking of him, and his errors, and superstitions even till the last day."-Archbishop Usher's Body of Divinity, pp. 437-444. INVITATION TO UNITED PRAYER, FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, ON SUNDAY, 1ST OF JANUARY, 1843. DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD, FOR the SEVENTH time, the delightful privilege is afforded to me of inviting you to unite, on THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW YEAR, IN A GENERAL CONCERT FOR PRAYER FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The purpose of this devotional union, as mentioned in former invitations, is to bring the true members of the mystical body of Christ into the posture of humble suppliants before the Throne of Grace, that whilst offering up their prayers in different places, and following their own accustomed mode of worship, they may with "one mind and heart" entreat our heavenly Father, for the sake of his dear Son, to vouchsafe an abundant grant of his Holy Spirit in his quickening, enlightening, enlivening, strengthening, consoling, purifying, and sanctifying operations; such a grant, as may, at the same time, quicken the dead in sin, enlighten the ignorant, enliven the lukewarm, comfort the afflicted, strengthen the weak and |