" Wherefore antichrist must be removed and
destroyed for this; for antichrist is in flat opposition to Christ,
as Tibni was to Omri; wherefore antichrist must die.
The reason is, because Christ's kingdom shall be peaceable, without
molestation, and glorious without the fumes and fogs of
antichristian darkness. Because also, as the world has seen the
manner of the reign of antichrist, and how tyrannical and outrageous
a kingdom his is; so they shall see the reign of Christ by his word
and Spirit in his people, how peaceable, how fruitful in blessedness
and prosperity his kingdom is. And hence it is, that God purposes to
bury antichrist before he sets glory in the land of the living; as
also you read in the book of Revelation, for there you find the
kingdom of antichrist was destroyed before the new Jerusalem was set
up. When men intend to build a new house, if in the place where the
old one stood, they first pull down the old one and raze the
foundation, and then they begin their new. Now God, as I said, will
have his primitive church-state set up in this world, even where
antichrist has set up; wherefore, in order to this, antichrist must
be pulled down, stick and stone; and then they that live to see it,
will behold the new Jerusalem come down from heaven, as a bride
adorned for her husband.
Pages:
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551