The marrow of Christianity, or, A spirituall discovery of some principles of truth meet to be knowne of all the saints : represented in ten sections / by T. Collier ; whereunto is added an epistle, written by M. Saltmarsh.

SECT. III. The discovery of Antichrist.

THE Revelation of Antichrist may be consi∣dered, either first as he openly and publickly reveales himselfe to be the Antichrist by his confi∣dence, and powerful acting as the Christ, or above Christ: of this the Apostle speakes, 2 Thes. 2.3.

2. It may be considered, as a mystery of ini∣quity, and so revealed by the spirit of Christ un∣to his Servants; and so the revelation or discovery of Antichrist unto the Saints, shall be by the spi∣rit of Christ in the preaching of the Gospel; as it is a mystery of iniquity in it selfe; so it must be that hidden wisdome in a mystery, 1 Cor. 2. that must discover it. Now where the Lord worketh for his discovery, hee first discovers him to be the Antichrist; he helps the soule to find him out: And then secondly, he discovers the evill, the ini∣quity of him he lets the soule see that it is the greatest and the subtlest adversary that ever it

had to deal withall; the most dangerous, because clothed under so faire and Christ-like a Garb, and the hardest to be discovered; such an adversary, as bears soules in hand that they are going to hea∣ven when they are in the broad and rode-way to ruine, like a cunning Hoc as Poc as, that jugleth a∣way a mans Estate before he is awarc of it, and all the while pretends friendship, and thus it is the spirit of God in the Gospell, that must discover and reveale Antihrist in the mystery, that same spirit who revealed it to the Apostle Paul, and the same who revealed both his rising and falling to Iohn in the Revelations, those who think to attain the discovery of him by humane industry, historicall readings &c. are exceeding low in their apprehensions and come short of the discovery of him: he may be strongly working in a man while he is discovering of him.