I am far from pretending to determine the time when the reign of Antichrist began, which is a point that has been so much controverted among divines and expositors. It is certain that the 1260 days, or years, which are so often in scripture mentioned as the time of the continuance of Antichrist's reign, did not commence before the year of Christ 479▪ because if they did, they would have ended, and Antichrist would have fallen before now. But I shall not pretend to determine precisely how long it was after this that ⟨p. 217⟩that period began. The rise of Antichrist was gradual. The Christian church corrupted itself in many things presently after Constantine's time, growing more and more superstitious in its worship, by degrees bringing in many ceremonies into the worship of God, till at length they brought in the worship of saints, and set up images in their churches, and the clergy in general▪ and especially the bishop of Rome, assumed more and more authority to himself. In the primitive times he was only a minister of a congregation; then a •••nding moderator of a presbytery; then a diocesan bishop; then a metropolitan, which is equivalent to an archbishop; then he was a patriarch; then afterwards he claimed the power of universal bishop over the whole Christian church through the world; wherein he was opposed for a while, but afterwards was confirmed in it by the civil power of the Emperor in the year 606. After that he claimed the power of that temporal prince; and so was wont to carry two swords, to signify that both the temporal and spiritual sword was his; and claimed more and more authority, till at length he, as Christ's vicegerent on earth, claimed the very same power that Christ would have, if he was present on earth, and reigned on his throne, o• the same power that belongs to God, and used to be called God on earth; and used to be submitted to by all the princes of Christendom. He claimed power to crown princes, and to degrade them at his pleasure; and this power was owned: and it came to that, that kings and emperors used to kiss his feet. The emperors were wont to receive their crowns at his hands, and princes were were wont to dread the displeasure of the Pope, as they would dread a thunderbolt from heaven; for if the Pope was pleased to excommunicate a prince, all his subjects were at once freed from their allegiance to him;
I am far from pretending to determine the time when the reign of Antichrist began, which is a point that has been so much controverted among divines and expositors. It is certain that the 1260 days, or years, which are so often in scripture mentioned as the time of the continuance of Antichrist's reign, did not commence before the year of Christ 479▪ because if they did, they would have ended, and Antichrist would have fallen before now. But I shall not pretend to determine precisely how long it was after this that ⟨p. 217⟩that period began. The rise of Antichrist was gradual. The Christian church corrupted itself in many things presently after Constantine's time, growing more and more superstitious in its worship, by degrees bringing in many ceremonies into the worship of God, till at length they brought in the worship of saints, and set up images in their churches, and the clergy in general▪ and especially the bishop of Rome, assumed more and more authority to himself. In the primitive times he was only a minister of a congregation; then a •••nding moderator of a presbytery; then adiocesan bishop; then a metropolitan, which is equivalent to an archbishop; then he was a patriarch; then afterwards he claimed the power of universal bishop over the whole Christian church through the world; wherein he was opposed for a while, but afterwards was confirmed in it by the civil power of the Emperor in the year 606. After that he claimed the power of that temporal prince; and so was wont to carry two swords, to signify that both the temporal and spiritual sword was his; and claimed more and more authority, till at length he, as Christ's vicegerent on earth, claimed the very same power that Christ would have, if he was present on earth, and reigned on his throne, o• the same power that belongs to God, and used to be called God on earth; and used to be submitted to by all the princes of Christendom. He claimed power to crown princes, and to degrade them at his pleasure; and this power was owned: and it came to that, that kings and emperors used to kiss his feet. The emperors were wont to receive their crowns at his hands, and princes were were wont to dread the displeasure of the Pope, as they would dread a thunderbolt from heaven; for if the Pope was pleased to excommunicate a prince, all his subjects were at once freed from their allegiance to him;
