only tyrants, proud, covetous, obstinate, stubborn, blood-thirsty people, which practise only how to get away that which is another's, and seek after power and honour? The very Heathen are not so malicious: We will not make ourselves partakers with them: God dwelleth every where, he is as well with us as with them: We will lead an honest, virtuous, and pious life, and call upon the only true God, who hath created all things, and go out from their contentious disputations: We will continue in one sort of opinion, and then our country will continue in peace; when we all believe in one God, then there is no strife, but then we have all one and the same will, and may live in love one among another.
91. See here, beloved Christian, this is that which hath so advanced the Turk, and brought him to that great strength, so that their might is climbed up into the number thousand: They rule in one opinion and love towards [or over] the whole world;
for they are a tree of nature, which standeth also in the presence of God; but it groweth no higher than to the number thousand, for then its wild heart gettefch a countenance, having eyes, [or he will then come to see] .
92. Thou Antichrist shalt not devour him with thy dragon's mouth, as may be seen in the Revelation: He possesseth his kingdom to the end: but when thou shalt be gone down into the pit, and that Christ himself shall feed his lambs, then will he come to be [of the fold] of the lambs, when thy murdering sword is broken; thou shalt not be broken with spears, or weapons of war, thou hypocrite, but thy lies shall stifle thee.
93. He that goeth about to slay Antichrist, is Antichrist's beast, upon which he rideth: he will be but the more potent in contention; for the hearts of people turn away from the truth, and go out from God into contention: and there every one looketh after the wonders of the contention, and runneth after the eloquent sermons, and so cometh out from Christ into opinions, and seeketh ways in the darkness, wherein there is no light: thus the devil ruleth in the Antichrist, and leadeth the children astray into by-ways of human invention, so that they see no more in the light of Christ.
94. Thus it happened also to the mighty countries over which the Alcoran ruleth, where they departed from Christ, and fell into opinions, and then there grew to them a tree out of nature in their heart, and they fell upon one opinion, and so lived in that wild tree.
95. But the Antichristian kingdom liveth in many trees; they run from one to another, and know not which is the best; for they are gone forth from the paradise of Christ, they boast of the doctrine of Christ, and deny the power thereof, and thereby they testify that Christ is not in them:
nay, they desire not to have him in them: they thrust him, with his body and blood, with his humanity, out of the congregation, they will have a sign from him, whereby they may in their pride possess his place, and so keep up their rich fat bellies: Christ, in this outward life upon earth, was poor, and had not whereon to lay his head: But they in Christ's place will be rich and fat: they say, He is in heaven, we will therefore erect a stately glorious pompous kingdom to his honour, that we may enjoy good times, and honour in his office. We are the highest in this world, for we are God's stewards, we manage the office of Christ, and have the Mysterium Magnum: How dare any speak against us? We will quickly make them hold their peace.
only tyrants, proud, covetous, obstinate, stubborn, blood-thirsty people, which practise only how to get away that which is another's, and seek after power and honour? The very Heathen are not so malicious: We will not make ourselves partakers with them: God dwells every where, he is as well with us as with them: We will lead an honest, virtuous, and pious life, and call upon the only true God, who has created all things, and go out from their contentious disputations: We will continue in one sort of opinion, and then our country will continue in peace; when we all believe in one God, then there is no strife, but then we have all one and the same will, and may live in love one among another.
91. See here, beloved Christian, this is that which has so advanced the Turk, and brought him to that great strength, so that their might is climbed up into the number thousand: They rule in one opinion and love towards [or over] the whole world;
for they are a tree of nature, which stands also in the presence of God; but it grows no higher than to the number thousand, for then its wild heart gettefch a countenance, having eyes, [or he will then come to see] .
92. You Antichrist shall not devour him with your dragon's mouth, as may be seen in the Revelation: He possesses his kingdom to the end: but when you shall be gone down into the pit, and that Christ himself shall feed his lambs, then will he come to be [of the fold] of the lambs, when your murdering sword is broken; you shall not be broken with spears, or weapons of war, you hypocrite, but your lies shall stifle you.
93. He that goes about to slay Antichrist, is Antichrist's beast, upon which he rids: he will be but the more potent in contention; for the hearts of people turn away from the truth, and go out from God into contention: and there every one looks after the wonders of the contention, and runns after the eloquent sermons, and so comes out from Christ into opinions, and seeks ways in the darkness, wherein there is no light: thus the devil ruls in the Antichrist, and leads the children astray into by-ways of human invention, so that they see no more in the light of Christ.
94. Thus it happened also to the mighty countries over which the Alcoran ruls, where they departed from Christ, and fell into opinions, and then there grew to them a tree out of nature in their heart, and they fell upon one opinion, and so lived in that wild tree.
95. But the Antichristian kingdom lives in many trees; they run from one to another, and know not which is the best; for they are gone forth from the paradise of Christ, they boast of the doctrine of Christ, and deny the power thereof, and thereby they testify that Christ is not in them:
nay, they desire not to have him in them: they thrust him, with his body and blood, with his humanity, out of the congregation, they will have a sign from him, whereby they may in their pride possess his place, and so keep up their rich fat bellies: Christ, in this outward life upon earth, was poor, and had not whereon to lay his head: But they in Christ's place will be rich and fat: they say, He is in heaven, we will therefore erect a stately glorious pompous kingdom to his honour, that we may enjoy good times, and honour in his office. We are the highest in this world, for we are God's stewards, we manage the office of Christ, and have the Mysterium Magnum: How dare any speak against us? We will quickly make them hold their peace.
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