The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

It is alleged against the Church of Rome being Antichrist—say they, how can he be Antichrist that professes Christ? To that it may be answered, that he is a great deal the more Antichrist

for that, for he is a [great]This word was almost certainly on the margin at a place now broken off. deal the worse for it; and the worse he is, surely the more anti-Christ, against Christ. Now certainly, those wickednesses that are professed, est[ablished]Possibly "est[eemed]" or (if the last visible letter is p) "espoused." The margin is both torn and worn off at this point. and commanded by that church are much the worse for their profession of Christ, for that professing the fundamental articles of the Christian faith. They ever deny Christ, in being so contrary to him. So that now they are much more against Christ, because they profess him, than it is possible for any of those that do not profess Christ to be; more anti-Christ than it is possible for a heathenish, Jewish, or Mahometan church to be.

To illustrate it by example: thus the filthiness of a snake or toad is much more abominable for being joined with life, which is in itself excellent, than the same filthiness and shape would be in lifeless matter. Thus again, the hatefulness of the devil is much greater for its being united with an angelical nature. So there is as much difference [between] the Church of Rome and heathens, Jews, or Mahometans, as there is between a viper or some loathsome, poisonous, crawling monster, and lifeless filthy matter of the same shape.