Power or Person as that described by St. John in the Book of Revelation, and by St. Paul in our text.

But this is a gratuitous supposition, and for my own part I am persuaded that it is a very erroneous

one.

It is carefully to be observed that the word "AntiChrist" does not occur even once in the Book of Revelation, nor in St. Paul's Epistles, nor, in fact, in any part of Holy Scripture, except only in the First and Second Epistles of St. John'. In one of those Epistles St. John says, There are many Anti-Christs2. And "the Anti-Christ," of which he speaks in them, is a Power or Person who openly denies the Father and the Son. He is an avowed Infidel. St. John draws his character in three or four words. There is no "Mystery" in him; all is clear and open: he defies the power, and denies the being, of God,

This, then, we may regard as certain, that St. John in his two Epistles is not speaking of any Power which professes Christianity,-is not speaking of any spiritual Power, —and, consequently, is not speaking of the Church of Rome.

It must, however, be remembered, that the word "Anti-Christ" signifies opposing Christ; and that St. John says there are "many Anti-Christs;" and if that Church opposes Christ, then it is one form of the many Anti-Christs, though it is not the AntiChrist there specially characterized by St. John.

1 John ii. 18. 22. iv. 3. 2 John 7.

21 John ii. 18.

Hence, also, we perceive why some of the Ancient Fathers, especially those who wrote in the Latin Language, which has no definite article, sometimes speak of the Man of Sin in St. Paul's prophecy and of the Beast in the Apocalypse as "AntiChristus:" and many modern writers have adopted the language of the Fathers in this respect.

It must also be remembered, that the early Fathers, viewing all these prophecies from a point long anterior to their fulfilment, would see them, as it were, blended together, and that it is only by a nearer inspection and minuter scrutiny that their distinctive characters are recognized.

But to return. This, we repeat, is clear, that St. John in his two Epistles is describing a Power or Person avowedly Infidel: and though the world has seen-especially in the last and present centuriesmany forerunners and shadowings forth of this Infidel Power or Person, whom St. John calls "The AntiChrist," yet it seems probable that this Power or Person has not yet been fully revealed in the gigantic stature of all his fiend-like enormity. How soon he may appear, God only knows'.

Let, then, the words of St. John in his Epistles

1 If a conjecture may be permitted on this mysterious subject, it seems probable that the full Revelation of the Anti-Christ of St. John's Epistles belongs to a time subsequent to the fall of Papal Rome, (Rev. xvi. 19. xviii. 1-24,) and also subsequent to the destruction of the Beast and False Prophet; see above, p. 441 (Rev. xix. 20); and coincides with the open war of Satan against the Church, which is to be consummated by Satan's full and final overthrow. (Rev. xx. 8. 10.)

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be kept apart, as they ought to be. Let us not intermingle them with other expressions of Scripture to which they have no affinity, lest by such a confusion we involve ourselves in error, and introduce perplexity into the interpretation of the Word of God.

This being premised, let us now proceed to enquire, whether St. Paul in our text, and St. John in the Apocalypse, are not speaking of one and the same Power? and, if so, whether the Power, there described by these two Apostles, is not vested, not in an Individual, but in a Society, and in a Succession of Official Persons? and whether it is not professedly Christian, and not Infidel? and whether it is not a Power already in existence, and enduring, not for a few years, but for many centuries, and having its seat, not at Jerusalem, but at Rome?

In this investigation let us carefully bear in mind that the HOLY SPIRIT writes with more than human exactness. His least words are to be scrupulously weighed. Verbal criticism, applied to Scripture, is a faithful guide to divine Truth.

1. Here, then, first let us observe, that in describing this Power St. Paul uses a remarkable word. He calls it a "MYSTERY;" the Mystery of Iniquity. The Mystery of Iniquity (he says) doth already work'.

1 2 Thess. ii. 7.

Let us mark now that St. John in the Apocalypse twice designates the Power, which he there describes, by the same word as its proper name, "MYSTERY." Upon her forehead was a name written, MysAnd again: I will tell thee the MYSTERY of the Woman and of the Beast that carried her'.

TERY.

Hence we derive one inference, that the two Apostles, using the same word as a name, are speaking of the same power.

Let it also be remembered, that the word MysTERY-whether derived, as some suppose, from the Hebrew, or, as others think, from the Greek-signifies something sacred and secret, (such as the Ancient Mysteries were,) and that it is used more than Twenty times in the New Testament, and always in that sense, and therefore it cannot refer to an openly infidel Power, which is any thing but a Mystery,but designates one professing to be religious, such as a corrupt Church.

2. St. John describes the same power as a "MAN." The number of the Beast (says he) is the number of a MAN 3. Similarly St. Paul also calls the power which he describes, a MAN, the MAN of Sin, the Son of Perdition. This coincidence also corroborates the proof that the two Apostles are speaking of one and the same Power *.

1 Rev. xvii. 5. 7.

2 Casaubon. Exerc. xvi. sect. 43. Drus. ad Ephes. i. 9.

3 Rev. xiii. 18.

Similarly Daniel identifies the Little Horn (Dan. vii. 8) with the Power here described by St. John and St. Paul, by saying that it had

3. Let us also observe that the very remarkable words, "THE SON OF PERDITION," are used in this prophecy by St. Paul, and that they are found in one other, and only in one other, place of the New Testament, namely, in St. John's Gospel and that they are there applied by our Blessed Lord not to an Unbeliever, not to an Apostate, but to one of His own Apostles, one who, a few days before his death, communicated with Our Lord Himself in the Holy Eucharist; one who sold Him for money, and yet confessed Him to be innocent, saying, I have betrayed the innocent blood 2,-and of whom it was spoken prophetically by the Holy Ghost, Let his Bishoprick another take. Thus the Holy Spirit, Who writes always with minute precision, and commands us to compare things spiritual with spiritual, as our best clue for understanding Scripture, seems by this name— "the Son of Perdition"-to point at some Apostolic person, some Christian Bishop, one who confesses Christ, and yet is treacherous to Him. And if this be the case with the Bishop of Rome, then this name, "the Son of Perdition," may designate him.

4. Another verbal coincidence must be observed here. The Mysterious Power described by St. John in the Apocalypse is twice said by him to go unto

the eyes of a MAN (as well as a mouth speaking great things, cp. Rev. xiii. 5).

1 John xvii. 12.

3 Psalm cix. 8. Acts i. 20.

2 Matth. xxvii. 4.

4 1 Cor. ii. 13.