e
Corinthians, how foully it was denied, is nothing needful to rehearse.
Now tell me, might the Churches of the Galatians and Corinthians go
amiss, and the Church of Rome alone may not fail, nor go amiss? Surely
Christ prophesied long before of His Church, that the time should come
when desolation should stand in the holy place. And Paul saith, that
Antichrist should once set up his own tabernacle and stately seat in the
temple of God: and that the time should be, "when men should not away
with wholesome doctrine, but be turned back unto fables and lies," and
that within the very Church. Peter likewise telleth, how there should be
teachers of lies in the Church of Christ. Daniel the Prophet, speaking
of the latter times of Antichrist: "Truth," saith he, "in that season
shall be thrown under foot, and trodden upon in the world." And Christ
saith, how the calamity and confusion of things shall be so exceeding
great, "that even the chosen, if it were possible, shall be brought into
error;" and how all these things shall come to pass, not amongst Gentiles
and Turks, but that they should be in the holy place, in the temple of
God, in the Church, and in the company and fellowship of those which
profess the name of Christ.

Albeit these same warnings alone may suffice a wise man to take heed he
do not suffer himself rashly to be deceived with the name of the Church,
and not to stay to make further inquisition thereof by God's word; yet
beside all this, many fathers also, many learned and godly men, have
often and carefully complained how all these things have chanced in their
lifetime. For even in the midst of that thick mist of darkness, God
would yet there should be some, who, though they gave not a clear and
bright light, yet should they kindle, were it but some spark, which men
might espy, being in the darkness.

Hilarius, when things as yet were almost uncorrupt, and in good ease too:
"Ye are ill deceived," saith he, "with the love of walls: ye do ill
worship the Church, in that ye worship it in houses and buildings: ye do
ill bring in the name of peace under roofs. Is there any doubt but
Antichrist will have his seat under the same? I rather reckon hills,
woods, pools, marshes, prisons, and quagmires, to be places of more
safety: for in these the prophets, either abiding of their accord or
forced thither by violence, did prophesy by the Spirit of God."

Gregory, as one which perceived and foresaw in his mind th