17. Antichrift's invading_the_26. Antichrist and the Falfe Eaft, and the Prophecy of Joel explain'd in this Senfe. 149 18. Of his taking Jerufalem.

The OPINION of

Dr. GRABE

ABOUT THE

Scripture Prophecies

CONCERNING

The Church of Rome:

AND

His REASONS why the Spiritual Adultery of this Church, as foretold by the Holy Ghoft, is not properly an Antichriftian State; but only a Falling Away introductory to it.

Extracted from fome Letters of His, and other Manufcripts left by Him on this Subject.

I

Na Manufcript Treatife of Dr. Grabe, Intitul'd Roma Meretrix, which is mention'd in a Difcourfe of Dr. Hickes's lately publish'd, his Opinion concerning the Spiritual Adultery of the Church of Rome from Chrift, as diftinct from the Kingdom and State of Antichrift, but preparatory and introductory to it,is very clearly expreffed and defended. He lived

not indeed to perfect this Work, but he ha left enough to fhew clearly his Mind in this Matter: which I am perfuaded the Learn ed will be curious to know; especially fince it appears not to have been written in his younger Years, but when his Judgment had arrived to a full Maturity, after a long and laborious Examination of the Controverfie betwixt the Proteftants and Roman Cathe licks; and particularly of the Plea of many of the Former against the Latter for At chriftianifm. It feems this Great Man had an Intention of publishing what is to be found in the Antient Holy Fathers concern ing the Judgments of God upon the Apoftati zed Chriftians, or relating to the Queftion of Antichrift: and for a confiderable time be fore the Oxford-Edition of St. Ephrem by the Reverend Mr. Edward Thwaites,Late Learned Greek Profeffor there, it is certain he was preparing a correct Edition in Greek of tha very Piece of this Father which is here done into English, with that of St. Hippolyt, herein refer'd to; whereto a Differtation was to be added concerning the Books of this laft, with fome confiderable Fragments ne ver yet Printed, and Notes upon them Both. This was foon after his Edition of St. Irenæus, that fo the Disciple might fucceed the Ma fter: And much about the fame time, I fup; pofe, he began to write the aforementioned Treatife, on a particular Occafion which it is not neceffary to give the Reader an Ac count of. His principal Design herein is to prove, That Rome fhould by impure Mix

tures

tures fall from the True Faith in Chrift, and introduce a very great Corruption in Religion, which would not fail to draw down very heavy Judgments upon her: But that however this her departing from the Simplicity of the Gofpel, as delivered to the Apoftles, by many Innovations and Interpolations of her own, was not to be accounted the fetting up a new Gospel; and that her Worship might be not only Superftitious, but even in part alfo Idolatrous, without being therefore properly Antichristian. And, firft, his Purpose was to prove in general how Rome was to be the Mother of a Falfe and Idolatrous Worship: and that St. John doth Prophefie of Rome under the Name of Babylon,by the almoft univerfal Confent of Roman Ca tholick Expofitors themselves. 2dly, To shew to what Time this Falling Away of Rome Chriftian, by committing Spiritual Fornication, muft refer. 3dly, That after this Antichrift muft appear, and fhall fhew himfelf at Rome, according to the Notion of the Antient Fathers. 4thly, That Rome fhall after this be deftroyed by Fire, in a manner very extraordinary. And sthly, That Antichrift, whofoever that is, fhall last of all be made to undergo a like Fate. Moreover, in a Letter of his to a certain Gentlewoman, which was written to divert her going over to the Church of Rome from the Church of England, bearing Date July the 20th, 1703. wherein there was a Challenge made to the Popish Miffionaries; I find that among the Seven Chief Points which he was prepared

e 2

to

to infift upon against them,had they thought fit to accept his Challenge, these Two that follow are the First: viz. 1. I would lay "down as a fure Foundation of my Dif "courfe, the Heavenly Revelation of Jefus

Chrift given us by his Angel to St. John, "and by him to all Believers, in which he "hath Foretold for a plain Warning to "them, That Rome in the latter Times "fhould fall again into Idolatry, (as it was guilty of that Crime in former Times) and feduce or compel the whole World to it, partly by their Fallacies and Enchantments, partly by the external Splendor "of their Worfhip and Glory of them that "follow her, partly by horrible Bloodfhed " and moft grievous Perfecution of them "that oppofe her. Which Revelation is in that Point fo clear, that almost all the Je "fuits that have written Comments upon "St. John's Revelation, acknowledge this to be true. 2. Then I would fhew next, "That this Prophecy is fulfilled already, and that it may be written now of the ACC poftatized Roman Chriftians, what formerly St. Paul wrote of the Heathen Romans, namely, That they worship and ferve the Creature befides, yea more than the Creator, and that they change the "Glory of "the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible Man. Rom. 1. 23, 25. And "that for this very Reason they have maim

66

ed or quite taken out of their Catechisms (C the Second Commandment, wherein God hath manifeftly forbidden fuch Practice :

Whence