01-20-2021, 01:11 AM
The authority, then, from which the revolt is to take place is that of the kingdom of God on earth, prophesied by Daniel as the kingdom which the God of heaven should set up, after the four kingdoms should be destroyed by the stone cut out without hands, which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth; or, in other words, the one and universal Church, founded by our Divine Lord,and spread by His Apostles throughout the world. In this one only supernatural kingdom was deposited the true and pure theism, or knowledge of God, and the true and only faith of God incarnate, with] the doctrines and laws of grace. This, then, is the authority from which the revolt is to be made, bethat revolt what it may.
Such being the authority against which the re volt is made, it cannot be difficult to ascertain its character. The inspired writers expressly describe its notes.
The first is, schism, as given by St. John : “It is the last hour: and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh: even now there are become many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us; but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us.”*
The second note is, the rejection of the office and presence of the Holy Ghost. St. Jude says, “These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men” (i. e. Yvxukot, animal or merely rational and natural men) “having not the spirit.”1 This necessarily involves the heretical principle of human opinion as opposed to Divine faith; of the private spirit as opposed to the infallible voice of the Holy Spirit, speaking through the Church of God.
The third note is, the denial of the Incarnation. St. John writes, “Every spirit, which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that dissolveth Jesus” (that is, by denying the mystery of the Incarnation, either the true Godhead, or the true manhood, or the unity or divinity of the person of the Incarnate Son) “is not of God, and this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh, and he is now already in the world.”* Again he says, “Many seducers are gone out into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: this is a seducer and an Antichrist.”+
These, then, are the marks by which, as the Church is to be known by her notes, the antichristian revolt, or apostasy, may be distinguished. We will now see whether they can be verified in the history of Christianity, or in the present position of the Church in the world.
* 1 St. John ii. 18, 19.
1 St. Jude 19.
* St. John iv. 2, 3.
+ 2 Ep.7.
Such being the authority against which the re volt is made, it cannot be difficult to ascertain its character. The inspired writers expressly describe its notes.
The first is, schism, as given by St. John : “It is the last hour: and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh: even now there are become many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us; but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us.”*
The second note is, the rejection of the office and presence of the Holy Ghost. St. Jude says, “These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men” (i. e. Yvxukot, animal or merely rational and natural men) “having not the spirit.”1 This necessarily involves the heretical principle of human opinion as opposed to Divine faith; of the private spirit as opposed to the infallible voice of the Holy Spirit, speaking through the Church of God.
The third note is, the denial of the Incarnation. St. John writes, “Every spirit, which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that dissolveth Jesus” (that is, by denying the mystery of the Incarnation, either the true Godhead, or the true manhood, or the unity or divinity of the person of the Incarnate Son) “is not of God, and this is Antichrist, of whom you have heard that he cometh, and he is now already in the world.”* Again he says, “Many seducers are gone out into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh: this is a seducer and an Antichrist.”+
These, then, are the marks by which, as the Church is to be known by her notes, the antichristian revolt, or apostasy, may be distinguished. We will now see whether they can be verified in the history of Christianity, or in the present position of the Church in the world.
* 1 St. John ii. 18, 19.
1 St. Jude 19.
* St. John iv. 2, 3.
+ 2 Ep.7.