himselfe to die and rise againe therefore the Pope is not Antichrist I answere to the proposition that no such miracle in the scripture is assigned vnto Antichrist but that it is a sond imagination of the Papists which by some of them and namely by Lib. 3. de pontif Rom. cap. 5 Bellarmine himselfe is propounded more fondly to wit that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die and by the helpe of the diuell shall rise againe For if his death be but counterfeit he shall not neede the diuels helpe to raise him Notwithstanding they would grounde this miracle vpon those words Apoc. 13. 3. And I sawe one of his heads as it were wounded to death but his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondred after the beast I answere that in these words the holy Ghost speaketh not of Antichrist that he of whom he speaketh doth not saigne himselfe to die and rise againe As touching the first of those two beasts described in this chapter the former is not Antichrist but the latter The former which is described vnto the 11. Verse is the Romane Empire especially vnder the persecuting Emperours as hath bene shewed euery part of that description fitting the same And that the latter beast signifieth Antichrist it is in a maner confessed of all Heare what Bellarmine saith in the beginning of his tenth chapter speaking of the Lib. 3. de Pontif. Ro. ca. 10. 16. 17. and 18. Verses of this 13. chapter of the Apocalyps which are spoken concerning the second beast Fatentur omneo saith hee pertinere omnino ad Antichristum verba illa Ioannis Apoc. 13. fuciet omnes pusillos cum magnis c. All men confesse that those words of Iohn Apoc. 13. And he shall make all both small and great c. do wholy appertaine to Antichrist And in this very chapter how doth Bellarmine proue 1. that Antichrist shall worke great signes because it is said verse 13. fecit signa magna and he wrought great signes 2. that many of the signes of Antichrist shall be phantasticall and onely in appearance because it is said in the same verse that he doth cause fire to descend in the sight of men 3. that Antichrist shall cause fire to come downe from heauen and make the Image of the beast to speake because it is so prophesied of Antichrist verse 13. and 15. Now if this be confessed that the latter beast is Antichrist then can it not be truly affirmed that the former beast is Antichrist vnlesse we may say that the former and the latter are one and the same But that cannot be truly saide For of the latter Iohn saith And I sawe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an other beast verse 11. If it be an other then is it not the same and the great difference in the descriptions of both doth shewe that they are diuerse beasts The one arising out of the Sea hath tenne hornes the other arising out of the earth hath two hornes like the Lambe The latter exerciseth the power of the former and that in his sight causeth men to worship the former beast whose deadly wound was healed maketh an Image to the former beast which had a deadly wound liued verse 14. Therfore the second Vers. 12. beast which signifieth Antichrist is not that beast which had the deadly wound and was cured thereof nor yet the head which was so wounded 4 Againe to come to that obiection which Bellarmine maketh vnto himselfe and doth not satisfie this miracle and the two first doo not belong to one and the same subiect if therefore the two first concerning fire and the Image belong to Antichrist then this doth not or if this do then the other two do not but all confesse that those two do belong to Antichrist therefore this doth not Herevnto Bellarmine would seeme to answere that the former beast signifieth either the Romane Empire or the multitude of the wicked and that one that is to say the chiefe head thereof which seemed to dye and rise againe is Antichrist For saith hee Antichrist shall be the chiefe and the last head of the wicked as also of the Romanes The second beast signifieth either Antichrist himselfe according to Rupertus or the Ministers and Preachers of Antichrist according to Richardus and Anselmus And therefore these three miracles belong either to Antichrist alone or to him and his Ministers In which answere of Bellarmine we see that prouerbiall speech verified that Great it the truth and it shall preuale Seeing the force and euidence Esdr. 341. of truth hath expressed from him in this place a confession that ouerthroweth the popish concerning Antichrist and manifestly proueth the Pope to be Antichrist Namely when hee confesseth according to the true interpretation of the auncient Interpreters and Fathers of the Church that the beast with seuen heads is the Romane Empire that Antichrist is one of those seuē heads as also else-where he hath confessed that the whore of Babylon is the citie of Rome From hence therefore it followeth that Antichrist shall be the head Cap. 13. not of the Iewes but of the Romanes that his chiefe seate or See shall be not Ierusalem but Rome that the name of the beast is Romane or Latine that Antichrist is not one particular man no more then the other sixe heads of the Romane Empire but a state of gouernment as the Kings were one head and the Consuls an other and the Emperours but one head and the Popes and Papacie but one head and lastly that the head of the beast or Romane Empire which is Antichrist can be no other but the Pope of Rome For of these seuē heads S. Iohn saith that in his time fiue of thē were fallen one was an other was not yet come These fiue which were fallen were the fiue first viz. kings consuls Decēuiri tribunes dictators The head that then was out of question was the Emperours who were the sixt head the seuenth which is of the Popes was not yet come Which then of these seuen heads doth signifie Antichrist surely none of the fiue first for they were past before S. Iohns time nor the sixt which is the state of Emperours for that then was and Antichrist was not yet come and as the Papists confesse that was it which hindered the reuelation In 2. Thess. 2. of Antichrist and therefore was to be done out of the way before Antichrist could bee reuealed It remaineth therefore that the seuenth head which is of the Popes is Antichrist For as touching the Imperiall state renewed in the West the holy Ghost plainely saith that the beast which was and is not though it be as being but the Image of the olde Empire is the eight and is one of the seuen that is in name and title it is the same with the sixt as Images beare the names of those things which they doo represent If therefore Antichrist bee one of the
seuen heads of the Romane state as vndoubtedly hee is and as our aduersary here confesseth then can it not be denied but that the Pope who is the seuenth head is Antichrist 5 The other interpretation that the beast with seuen heads doth signifie the whole multitude of the wicked is senselesse and absurd For if the beast be the vniuersall company of the wicked what is the world which verse 3. is said to wonder after the beast what are all the kinreds tongues nations which are made subiect to the beast verse 7. who are all those inhabitants of the earth that do worship him doth not the holy Ghost plainely say verse 8. that they are those whose names are not written in the booke of the Lambe that is to say the company of the wicked and reprobates When as Bellarmine therefore saith that this beast signifieth either the Romane Empire or the whole company of the wicked wee may adde but it signifieth not the whole company of the wicked It remaineth therefore that it signifieth the Romane state whereof Antichrist is a head But although Antichrist bee one head of the seuen yet it followeth not that the head which was as it were wounded to death is Antichrist but rather the estate of Emperours which then was For albeit the bâ—…ast with seuen heads doth signifie the Romane state in generall yet in that place it seemeth to bee described as it was subiect to the sixt head In the 17. chapter as it is renewed and subiected to the Antichristian state For the beast which he there speaketh of which was and is not though it be was after to arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and being the eight in order was in name one of the seuen on which beast as also vpon those waters that is nations wherof the old Empire did arise the whore of Babylon whereby is meant the Antichristian state sitteth that is ruleth and raigneth as a Queene 6 And that it may appeare that there is no necessitie that we should vnderstand this wound of Antichrist let vs consider what wounds the Romane state had receiued and was cured thereof First therefore by the death of Iulius Caesar and the ciuill warres therevpon ensuing the Romane Empire receiued as it were a deadly wound yet recouered it so againe as that in Augustus and some of his successors it flourished more then euer before And this some thinke to be the wound of the beast which was cured whereof the holy Ghost here speaketh describing the beast by that which was knowne to haue bene done in the Romane state The second wound which the Romane Empire receiued was at the death of Nero in whom the stocke of the Caesars ended which being cut off the succession of the Imperiall Crowne was vncertaine and by the vncertaintie of succession the like desolation threatned to that Empire which happened to the Graecian Monarchy after the death of Alexander the great the Empire being left as a prey for the mightiest Neither was this wound cured vntill Uespasian obtained the Empire For after Nero Sergius Galba seized vpon the Empire and enioyed the same but seuen monethes and seuen dayes And albeit to establish the succession hee had adopted Piso yet was hee murdered by Syluius Otho who succeeded him and Otho after three moneths and fiue dayes was slaine by Uitellius who also after eight moneths was deposed and put to an ignominious death by Uespasian In whom the Empire which since the death of Nero had bene incertum vagum as Suetonius saith was established and as it were cured of the former wound which diuers learned men thinke to be vnderstood in this place Others rather expound this deadly wound of the dissolution of the Empire in the West Augustulu being ouercome by the Gothes and the Empire in the West lying voyd vntill Charles the great in whom this wound was after a sort cured Therefore although Antichrist be one of the heads of this beast yet seeing he is but one of the seuen and the holy Ghost speaketh of this Empire especially as it was ruled by the sixt head that is to say the Emperours there is no necessitie nay no probabilitie that by the head which was wounded wee should vnderstand Antichrist especially seeing Antichrist is afterwards described at large and that by these notes among others that he causeth men to worship the former beast whose mortall wound was healed verse 13. and caused an Image to be made to the beast which had the deadly wound verse 14. which as appeareth also by the Image was the Romane state vnder the Emperors for thereof the Empire renewed is an Image 7 But now suppose that Antichrist were this head which was wounded and cured as he is not yet how doth it follow that therefore Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die and rise againe seeing he speaketh not of a particular mans death and resurrection as the Papists imagine but of the wounding and curing of a state signified by the head Neither speaketh he of death and resurrection but of wounding and curing neither is the wound and the cure counterfeit and faigned but the wound is truly inflicted and truly cured such as was both the wound of the Romane Empire either at the murther of Iulius Caesar or death of Nero or vanquishing of Augustulus and also the cure in Augustus in Vespasian and as Bellarminee else-where De translat imperiâ—… lib. 1. cap. 4. saith in Carolus Magnus If therfore neither Antichrist be spoken of in this place nor yet he who is spoken of doth faigne himselfe to die and rise againe how is it proued from these words that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die and rise againe Chap. 16. Of the kingdome and battailes of Antichrist COncerning the kingdome and battailes of Antichrist we reade foure thinges in the scriptures 1 saith Bellarmine 1. that Antichrist arising from a most base estate shall by fraude and deceit obtaine the kingdome of the Iewes 2. that he shall fight with three kings to wit of Egypt Libya and Aethiopia and hauing ouercome them shall possesse their kingdomes 3. that he shall subdue seuen other kings and by that meanes shall become the Monarch of the whole world 4. that with an innumerable army he shall persecute the Christians in the whole world and that this is the battaile of Gog and Magog Of all which seeing none agreeth to the Pope it followeth manifestly that he can by no meanes be called Antichrist To these foure points I will answere first ioyntly to them all and then seuerally to euery one For whereas Bellarmine saith that these foure thinges are read in the scriptures concerning the kingdome and battailes of Antichrist I answere that not any one of these foure is to be found in the scriptures and therefore that this argument as it is the last so of least force and that his disputation standing now as it were on the tilt he seemeth to drawe of the lees Notwithstanding the
personall The 4. Chapter maintaining against Bellarmine his first demonstration that Antichrist is come 1. TO prooue that Antichrist is not yet come and consequently that the Pope is not Antichrist he bringeth sixe slender conjectures from sixe signes which as shall be shewed are neither proper nor necessarie And these by a strange kinde of Logicke he calleth forsooth sixe demonstrations For so haue I read of some troubled with melancholie who haue thought euery Strawe or small Reed in their hands to haue beene so many Speares We must know saith he that the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath giuen vs sixe certaine signes of the comming of Antichrist Whereof two goe before viz. the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole world and the desolation of the Romane Empire Two accompanie Antichrist to wit the preaching of Enoch and Elias and the most grieuous persecution of the church insomuch that the publicke seruice of God must wholy cease Two come after namely the ruâ—…e of Antichrist after three yeares and a halfe and the end of the world Of which signes none saith he is yet fulfilled We hold the contrary namely that all those signes which the holy Ghost hath giuen concerning the comming of Antichrist are fulfilled and that those which are not yet fulfilled are none of those signes which the holy Ghost hath assigned For I will not stand now to tell you how fitlie he maketh the death of Antichrist and the end of the world which according to Bellarmines conceit followeth after his death to be two signes of his comming 2. The first signe which goeth before the comming of Antichrist is the Preaching of the Gospell throughout the world From whence he reasoneth thus If the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world then is not Antichrist as yet come But the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world therefore Antichrist is not yet come But in this argument nothing is sound no necessitie of consequence in the proposition nor truth in the assumption The proposition notwithstanding he would prooue because our Sauiour Christ maketh this vniuersall preaching of the Gospell a fore-runner of Antichrist Mat. 24. 14. This Gospell of the kingdome shal be preached in all the world for atestiâ—…onie to all nations But our Sauiour Christ doth not say that the Gospell shall be preached throughout the world before the comming of Antichrist but before the end as it followeth in the very same verse and then the end shall come Whereby we are to vnderstand either the destruction of Jerusalem which is most like or the end and consummation of the world as Bellarmine expoundeth it And therefore vnlesse he take it for granted that the comming of Antichrist shall not be before the very end of the world which we do constantly denie as being the matter in question betwixt vs there is not so much as any shew of reason in this allegation being vnderstood according to his owne exposition which also is false Neither is it the purpose of our Sauiour Christ to signifie vnto his Disciples the time of Antichrists comming but by way of answer to the question propounded by his Disciples verse 3. to shew them when Ierusalem should be destroyed as also to giue them some signes of his comming and of the end of the world But because the former part of this Chapter is diuershe abused by the Papists in this matter concerning Antichrist I thinke it needfull by way of a short analysis to giue you the true meaning thereof that by one labour all their cauils may be refuted 3. Whereas therefore our Sauiour Christ had foretolde his Disciples the vtter desolation of Ierusalem and destruction of the temple they being perswaded that the temple and citie of Ierusalem should not haue an end before the end of the world demand therfore of our Sauiour Christ when should be the end of both Tell vs say they vers 3. when these things shal be that is when the temple shall be destroyed what shal be the signe of thy coÌ„ming of the end of the world Which questioÌ„ hauing two parts receiueth an answer to both To the former concerning the destruction of Ierusalem from the 4. vers to the 23. To the latter concerning the comming of Christ and the end of the world from thence to the 42. As touching the former our Sauiour prophecieth first of the calamities and troubles which should go before the destruction of Ierusalem vnto the 15. verse And secondly of the destruction it selfe and the greeuousnesse thereof vnto the 23. The troubles and calamities which were the forerunners of the destruction of Ierusalem were either temporall or spirituall The temporal either publique and common or peculiar to the disciples of Christ among the Iewes The publique warres and rumors of warres famine pestilence earthquakes which were but the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sorrowes in the land of Iewry being about to be deliuered of her inhabitaÌ„ts verse 6. 7. 8. The peculiar troubles to the Christians persecution and hatred for Christs sake and the effects thereof in the vnsound falling away and betraying and hating one another verse 9. 10. The spirituall in the teachers spirits of errour and heresie vers 5. 11. In the heaters seduction by false Prophets and falling away verse 11. 12. Now vnto this Prophesie are admixed both admonitions and consolations Admonitions that they should take heed of false Prophets verse 4. that they should not be troubled or dismaide with rumors of warres verse 6. Consolations grounded vpon a two-folde promise first of saluation to those who notwithstanding these temptations shall perseuere to the end verse 13. Secondly of the successe of their Ministery that before the desolation of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached throughout the world for a testimonie to all nations verse 14. And therefore that they should not feare least together with Ierusalem his Church should bee ouerthrowne For before the destruction of Ierusalem he would by their Preaching to all nations both Iewes and Gentiles plant his Church in many nations of the world And for asmuch as the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem were types and figures of the Church of Christ which were to be abolished when the church of Christ should be established therefore he addeth that vpon the planting of his church by their ministery should the end and destruction of Ierusalem come And these were the calamities which went before the destruction of Ierusalem The destructioÌ„ it selfe is described partly by the efficient foretold by Daniel chap. 9. 27. that is to say the Romane armies besieging Ierusalem Luke 21. 20. which because they were Idolators are called Sic Augustine ad HesychiuÌ„ et Chrysost homil 49. in Mat. oper imperfect abominable and because of the desolation which they were to bring vpon Ierusalem are called desolators and by a metonymy Mat. 24. 15. the abomination of desolation and by a Synecdeche Dan. 9. 27. abominable wings that
is armies bringing desolation partly by the greeuousnesse of the destruction verse 21. To this prophecie also he admixeth counsel and consolation Counsell that they which shal be in Iewry prouide for their selues by flight verse 16. 17. 18. in respect whereof he both pitieth the women and such as giue sucke and biddeth them pray that their flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth day verse 19. 20. His consolation is that for the elects sake the time of the siege shal be shortned for otherwise none of the Iewes could escape as Chrysostome also expoundeth verse 22. This exposition is plainely confirmed by conference of this Chapter of Mathew with Luke 21. where the same question being propounded verse 7. concerning the end of Ierusalem alone receiueth an answer peculiar to the destruction of Ierusalem vnto the 25. verse And whereas Mat. 24. 15. Christ vseth these words when you shall see the abomination of desolation which in Daniell is called the abominable wings bringing desolation standing in the holy place this in Luke is thus expounded When you see Ierusalem Luk. 21 20 besieged with armies which Daniel foretold should bring desolation vpon it then vnderstand that the desolation thereof is neare and therefore he aduiseth them which shall be in Iewry to flie so soone as Ierusalem shall be besieged c. Because there shall be great affliction in those dayes namely in Iewry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Ierusalem as Luke restraineth it For there shal be great destresse Luk. 21. 23 24. in the land and wrath in this people and they shall fall on the edge of the sword and shal be carried away captiue into all nations Luk. 22. 25 and Ierusalem shal be troden vnder foot of the Gentiles vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled and then shal be the end of the world the signes whereof be addeth in the next words 4. By this analysis of the text conference with Luke it euidently appeareth that all these predictions from the 6. ver to the 23. in Mat. in the 21. of Luke frō the 7. vers to the 29. concerne the destruction of Ierusalem which hapned within forty yeares after this prophecie was deliuered Neither may we thinke that our sauiour Christ would intermingle the prophecies concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world therby to nourish the aforesaid errour of his disciples who imagined that the end of Ierusalem should not be before the end of the world as appeareth by their question For euen afterward ver 34. where seemeth the greatest mixture our Sauiour Christ speaketh distinctly For wheras our Sauiour had spoken first of the end of Ierusalem and then of the end of the world seuerally had giuen signes of both wherby they might know the approching of eyther as by the budding of the fig tree they gather summer to be neare he defineth the time of the one the other he leaueth indefinit Verily I say vnto you this generatiō shall not passe vntil al those things saith he pointing as it seemeth towards Ierusalē as he sat in the moūt Oliuet be fulfilled And as touching the end of the world he noteth both the certainty therof the vncertainty of the time of the former he saith Heauē earth shal passe away that with a noise as Peter saith but my words shall not passe away howbeit of that day houre namely wherin the sonne 2. Pet. 3. 10 of man shal come and wherin the heauens shal passe away none knoweth no not the Angels of heauē but the father only Whatsoeuer the Papists therefore alledge out of the former part of the Chapter as fauouring any of their fancies concerning Antichrist as namely the preaching of the Gospel before the comming of Antichrist the abomination of desolation the most greeuous tribulation in the time of Antichrist c. may easily be answered 5 But if these prophecies be compared with the history and euent we shall finde this trueth to be more euident seeing all these predictions had their complement at or before the destruction of Ierusalem For to omit the rest the Apostle testifieth Colos. 1. 6. 23. Rom. 1. 8. 10. 18. that the Gospell was in his time preached in all the world and therefore before the desolation Euseb. lib. 3 of Ierusalem which hapned about two yeare after his death From whence also euidently appeareth how false Bellarmines assumption is as being contradictory both to the prophecie of Christ in this place as also to the testimony of the Apostle testifying the fulfilling thereof in his time according to the commission giuen to the Apostles that they should goe into all the world and teach all nations Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. which was accordingly performed Mar. 16 20. And thus Homil. in Mat. 24. Chrysostome also expoundeth this place that before the end that is the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell was to be preached throughout the world and prooueth by the same testimonies of Paul that this prophecie was fulfilled before the taking of Ierusalem But if it seeme incredible vnto any that the Gospell should be preached throughout the world in so short a time he must consider first that by the whole world is not to be vnderstood euery small corner and vnknowne part of the world but by a Synecdoche the greatest part of the world then knowne and inhabited as Luke 2. 1. And by all nations not all and euery nation but all sorts that is both Iewes and Gentiles For both here and elsewhere there seemeth to be an opposition made betwixt the whole world and the land of Iewry betwixt all nations and the Iewes For wheras before the Church was contained in Iewry the word preached to the Iewes our Sauiour sheweth that before the desolation of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached commonly in all parts of the world not only in Iewry indifferently to all other nations not peculiarly to the Iewes Secondly he is to consider both the multitude of the preachers dispersers of the Gospell and also the infinit power of Gods spirit and miraculous efficacie of his word preached in that it could in so short a time spread it selfe so far as it did Thirdly a distinction is to be made betwixt preaching the Gospell and receiuing it For it was preached in all the world but not receiued euery where And that our Sauiour signifieth where he saith it should be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations to leaue those which embrace it not without excuse If then the preaching of the Gospell throughout the world be not made by Christ our Sauiour a signe of Antichrists comming and yet notwithstanding it be most true that according to the prophecie of Christ the Gospell was preached in all the world before the desolation of Ierusalem what shew of reason is there in this demonstration And this is all that I thinke worth
reprooue in due season and to pacifie the anger of the Lords judgement proceeding to furis and to turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children and to set vp the Tribes of Iacob In the latter it is said of Enoch as Bellarmine readeth That he pleased God and was translated into Paradise that he might giue peâ—…ance vnto the Gentiles First I answer to both places that although this booke of the sonne of Sirach be very commendable yet it is not of Canonicall authoritie being but a humane writing as appeareth not onely by the former place alledged but also by that erronious conceit concerning Samuel chapter 46. 23. Secondly in neither place is it said that either of them should come to oppose themselues against Antichrist that from hence their returne into the world should be made a signe of the comming of Antichrist But as touching the former place seuerally I answer with I ansenius one of the best writers among the Papists howsoeuer Bellarmine wondereth at him that hee should consent with vs in the trueth beeing a Popish Bishop that although the ancient writers haue thought that Elias was to come againe yet it cannot be euinced out of this place For we may say that Ecclesiasticus did write this according to the receiued opinion of his time grounded as they thought vpon the words of Malachie that Elias was truely to come in his owne person before the Messias when as that was not to be fulfilled in his owne person but in him that was to come in the spirit and power of Elias True indeed it is that not onely the authour of that booke as it seemeth but the Iewes in generall vnderstanding the words of Malachie literally did expect that Elias in his owne person should returne before the comming of the Messias But our Sauiour Christ reformeth this errour applying the Prophecie to Iohn Baptist. And secondly I answer that if Bellarmine will argue out of Ecclesiasticus according to his meaning he must prooue that Elias was to come in his owne person before the first comming of the Messias of which Malachie speaketh and before which this authour as all the rest of the Iewes doe holde that Elias was to come And therefore the Papists might aswell with the Iewes looke for their Messias as for Elias Now as touching the other place it is a wonder that Bellarmine would alledge it for this purpose But that hauing nothing to say to the purpose he is desirous to say some-thing to bleare the eyes of the simple The originall Text hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 〈◊〉 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Enoch pleased the Lord God and was translated for an example of repentance â—…o the generations that is that the generations present and to come might be mooued by his example to turne vnto the Lord and to walke before him knowing by his example that there is a reward laid vp for those that turne vnto the Lord and walke before him as Enoch did But will Bellarmine hence conclude that therefore Enoch is to come againe in the flesh to oppose himselfe to Antichrist 5. The third place is Math. 17. 11. Elias indeed shall come and shall restore all things VVhich words saith Bellarmine are plainely to be vnderstood not of Iohn but of the true Elias For Iohn was already come and had finished his course and yet the Lord saith in the future Elias shall come I answer that by the Euangelist Marke who speaketh in the present tence Elias indeed comming first restoreth all things the meaning of our Sauiour Christ appeareth to haue beene this Elias quidem venturus fuit primum restituturus omnia Elias indeed was to come first and was to restore all things but I tell you that Elias is already come and they haue done vnto him what they listed as it is written of him meaning Mark 9. 12 13. Iohn Baptist. As if he had said The Prophecie indeed concerning Mat. 17. 13 Elias is true but I tell you it is already fulfilled For as he saith in another place Iohn Baptist is that Elias who was to come then which what could be spoken more plainelie Bellarmine answereth That Iohn Baptist was the promised Mat. 11. 14 Elias not literally but allegorâ—…eally So we affirme also and further adde that Elias was not promised literally For our Sauiour Christ plainely affirmeth that Iohn Baptist is that Elias which was promised And both he and the Angell vnderstand that Prophecie of Malachie chapter 4. 5. not literally of Elias the Thesbiâ—…e but allegorically of Iohn Baptist who was as it were another Elias Yea but the Disciples faith Bellarmine who had seene the transsiguration when they asked Christ what is that which the Scribes say that Elias must fyrst come speake of the same Elias whom they had seene with Christ in the Mount and therefore Christ making answer to them that Elias indeed shall come speaketh of the same Elias It followeth not for the Disciples speake according to the erronious opinion of the Scribes who vnderstanding Malachie literallie thought that Elias was to come in his owne person and thereupon as it is thought inferred that Christ was not the true Messias because Elias came not before him But Christ answereth them according to the true meaning of Malachie applying his prophecie to Iohn Baptist who is figuratiuely called Elias Yea but it cannot truely be said that Iohn Baptist restored all things for to restore all things is to call all the Iewes and heretiques and perhaps some of the seduced Catholickes to the true faith as Bellarmine obiecteth This is indeede the Popish conceit that Enoch and Elias shall preach against Antichrist 1260. daies at the end whereof they shal be put to death by Antichrist and after three dayes and an halfe shall rise againe Within a moneth after their death Antichrist shal be destroyed in mount Oliuet and 45. dayes after that Christ shall come to iudgement In the meane time so effectuall shall be the preaching of Enoch and Elias that they shall restore all things that is they shall call all the Iewes and heretickes and perhaps the seduced Catholickes But how doth this agree with the prophecies of our Sauiour Christ concerning the want of faith at his comming and the vncertainty of the time of his appearing As touching the former he saith the sonne of man when he commeth shall he finde faith vpon the earth And as Luk. 18. 8. touching the other he hath foretolde that the end of the world shall be suddaine and vnlooked for euen as it was in the dayes of Noah and Lot But if this conceit of the Papists be Mat. 24. 39 Luk. 17. 26 18. true there shall be more true beleeuers at the end of the world then euer had beene at one time before and the day of Christs coÌ„ming after the reuelation of Antichrist but especially after his death shal be precisely knowne accordingly looked for
Papacie by the helpe of the diuell after whom followed in the Antichristian seat a succession of notable sorcerers 2. That the thousand yeeres begin about the 73. yeare of Christ at which time the people of the Iewes being destroyed and the Church of Christ of a particular became catholick dispersed throughout all nations the diuell as it is in the end of the 12. Chap. seeketh by all meanes to ouerthrow the seede borne of the Church Apoc. 12. of the Iewes that is the Churches of Christ begotten vnto God by the ministry of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ. Whereupon it is said Chap. 20. where the former story as some thinke is continued the Angel bindeth Satan for a thousand yeares which end in the yeare 1073. which being expired the diuell is loosed and Gregory 7. alias Hildebrand a notable sorceres and murtherer in whom Antichrist came to his full growth was installed in the Papacie Augustine beginneth this account much about De ciuit Dei Lib. 20 cap. 8. this time 3. That these 1000. yeares take their beginning from the time of the reuelation which was about the yeare of our Lord 96. and consequently ended about the yeare 1096. in which yeare those vniuersall wars were raised for the recouery of Ierusalem and the holy land out of the hand of the Saraâ—…s which the holy Ghost here seemeth to speake of betwixt the nations of the earth In this expedition there met at Ierusalem 600000. footmen and 100000. horsemen out of Christendome besides eight or nine other expeditions afterwards for the recouerie forsooth of the holy-land 4. Others begin this account at the beginning of Constantines reigne which happened not long after the yeere 300. who being the first Christian Emperour gaue peace to the Church of God and according to this account the thousand yeeres expired about the yeere 1300. in which yeere the Turkish Empire began in Ottoman and Pope Boniface the eight most insolently and Antichristianlie challenged especially in that his yeere of Iubilee an vniuersall dominion ouer the world both spirituall and temporall All which opinions being seuerally probable it is more then probable that those 1000. yeeres are already expired and consequently that Antichrist is already come For as Bellarmine teacheth the diuell was to be loosed in the time of Antichrist and the Text plainely sheweth that before the expiration of the thousand yeares and loosing of the diuell many were slaine by Antichrist So that the testimonies which he alledgeth are against his purpose For the great tribulation whereof Christ speaketh is already past and the thousand yeeres whereof Iohn speaketh already expired and therefore if Bellarmines allegations be to the purpose then Antichrist is come 3. But supposing his proposition to be thus farre true that the persecution of the church vnder Antichrist shal be very great and grieuous for that vnder him shal be the greatest tribulation that euer was or shal be I dare not auouch because our Sauiour hath said that the calamities of the Iewes at the destruction of Ierusalem were the greatest that euer were or shal be to the end of the world let vs come to his assumption and consider whether there hath not bin great and grieuous persecution of the church vnder the Pope Bellarmine confesseth that many of our religion haue bin put to death by them but he maketh it a matter of nothing First because this persecution if it were so to be called is not comparable with the persecutions vnder the Heathenish Emperours and especially vnder Dioclesian by whose authority 17000. Christians were slaine in 〈◊〉 moneth And secondly because more of them haue beene slaine by Protestants in France and Flanders within 10. or 15. yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies which was Anno. 1577 then had beenâ—… burnt of our men by the Inquisitours in an hundred yeeres and thirdly if there hath beene any persecution in these latter times the Catholicks haue suffered it rather theÌ„ the Protestants To which I answer that I cannot tell whether the Papists in persecuting the faithfull haue beene more cruell and barbarous or he in cloaking their cruelty shamelesse For to omit the spirituall calamities inflicted by the Pope and fearefull hauock of mens soules wherein he taketh such libertie to himselfe that if he cary whole troopes of soules into hell no man may say vnto him sir why do you so omitting I say these spirituall calamities which are most greeuous and in respect whereof the tribulation of Christian people hath bin more grieuous vnder the Pope then vnder any Heathenish tyrants and to speake onely of outward troubles why are not the persecutions of the Protestants vnder the Pope comparable with those in the Primitiue church For durance they haue beene longer and more continuall for number more flaine in France alone vnder the name of Alâ—…igenses Waldenses Hugonotes for refusing the marke of the beast then were sâ—…aine in any one of the ten persecutions throughout the world besides infinite more as Saunders confesseth in other countries Demonstrat 34. on whom the Papists haue practised most sauage cruelty The Duke of Alba in the Low-countries alone caused within a very few yeares 36000. to be executed Yea but in Dioclesians time saith Bellarmine there were in one moneth 17000. Christians martyred Yea but in France alone say I vnder Charles the ninth within one moneth were slaughtered in the Massacre at Paris Lyons some other places as some say 40000 as others aboue thirty thousand that is to say twise as many as in Dioclesians moneth without all order of law but with most perfidious treacherie and barbarous cruelty And this bloody Massacre applauded by the Pope and his Cardinals was committed within fiue or six yeeres before Bellarmine read these controuersies concerning the Pope that is to say Anno. 1572. And yet this cruell Cardinall of the purpled harlot the church of Rome which is embrued and as it were died redde with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Iesu is not ashamed to say that within 10. or 15. yeeres there haue bin slaine more Catholicks in France and Flanders then had bin burnt by the Inquisitours these 100 yeeres As touching the Inquisitours they can kill but all that they finde of the religion and that I am sure they spare not to doe Vergerius who could 1. Bal. de act Pontific well tell witnesseth that within the space of 30. yeeres there were put to diuers fearfull deaths by the bloody Inquisition a hundred fiftie thousand Christians But we speake not onely of those which haue bin burnt or by other more exquisiâ—…e torments martyred by their meanes although the number of them in all countries cannot be reckoned but we speake also of those that haue beene in great multitudes by outragious Massacres most butcherly murthered 4. But what Catholicks I beseech you haue bin put to death by protestants for their religion Bellarmine answereth that manie of them haue died in
spoken of is to be vnderstoode of the calamities of the Iewes in the siege of Ierusalem as I haue manifestly proued And secondly that we are to distinguish betwixt the time of Antichrists continuance and the time of his hotest persecution which Bellarmine confoundeth the latter notwithstanding beeing much shorter then the former Fourthly saith he Christ preached onely three yeeres and a halfe therefore decet etiam it is also fit that Antichrist be suffered to preach no longer Answere 1. In this argument Bellarmine presupposeth that Antichrist is but one man as Christ is which we haue proued to be most false 2. he taketh vpon him to be the Lords counsailour auouching that it is not fit that Antichrist should preachlonger then Christ did he might haue added that it was not fit or to speake more fitly not like that Antichrist in the same time should be able to preuaile with more then Christ did much lesse to peruert almost the whole world in three yeeres and a halfe whereas Christ as he was man could conuert but a few of the Iewes c. 3. Although Christ in his owne person preached but a few yeres yet he being the eternall word and wisdome of his father hath euer since the beginning spoken by the mouth of his Prophets ministers by whose ministerie also as it were the breath of his mouth he shall waste and consume Antichrist 4. Neither can it be prooued by any shew of reason that Antichrist is to preach just so many yeeres as Christ our Sauiour did Or that he shall in three yeeres and an halfe subdue by force I know not how many kingdomes conuert by preaching gather to himselfe the remnāt of the Iewes and all counterfeit Christians dispersed through so many nations as a man cannot trauell through in three yeeres and a halfe not to speake of his repairing Ierusalem erecting the temple and many good morrowes which by many poëticall fictions the Papists assigne to their deuised Antichrist His fift and sixt reasons are not worth the mentioning For the time and times and halfe a time as hath bin shewed belong not to Antchrists raigne and therby we vnderstand 3 yeeres a halfe as also by the 7. times Dan. 4. 19. in the 4. of Daniel 7. yeeres according to the interpretatiō of the holy Ghost expoūding as it seemeth times by yeres Dan. 11. 13. 7. In the last place he laboureth to take away the exceptions which some particular man as namely Chytraeus Bullinger the authors of the Centuries make against his former allegatiōs out of Daniel the Apocalypse but scarsly toucheth any one of the 6 exceptions before mentioned For whereas Chytraus answereth §. 3. 4. that the 42. moneths in the 11. and 13. of the Apoc. may not be vnderstood literally for three yeres and a halfe because it is contrary to experience and besides the Apostle affirmeth that Antichrist shall continue vntill Christs comming Bellarmine replieth that he beggeth the question But I answer againe as before that experience sheweth that the persecutions vnder the beast with 7 heads continued longer then three yeeres and a halfe when as Iohn affirmeth that the Antichrist was come in his time Paul foretelleth that he should after a sort continue though at the last in a kind of consumption vnto the second comming of Christ surely their meaning was that he should continue aboue three yeeres and a halfe 2. He findeth fault with him Bullinger who thought that the holy ghost mentioning 42. moneths 1260. dayes by a certaine time meant an vncertaine replying that the nūber which is meant is certaine when it consisteth of great small nūbers mixed But they speake of the time and he of the number and therfore his reprehension is vnjust For although the holy ghost do meane no other number then 42 and 1260 yet by the certaine time mentioned that is moneths dayes he meaneth an vncertaine which may be as some thinke 42. sabbothes of yeeres and 1260 yeeres And thirdly whereas Illyricus and the other authors of the Centuries by 1260. daies vnderstand so many yeeres Bellarmine denieth that daies are put for yeeres any where in the scripture and yet cannot deny but that by 390. dayes in Ezechiel is Ezec. 4. 5. 6 meant 390. yeeres and by 40. dayes so many yeares a day for a yeere as the holy ghost speaketh And likewise Apoc. 2. 10. by ten Vid. Iun. in Apoc. 2. daies is meant 10. yeeres as some of the learned thinke Indeed if any shall by 1260 dayes vnderstand as Bellarmine doth the just time of Antichrists reigne and withall expound them either by 1260. yeeres as Bellarmine chargeth some or by three yeeres and Cap. 3. a halfe as the Papists do they may be refuted by the reason before alledged because after the reuelation of Antichrist the speciall time of Christs comming may according to this exposition be foretold which notwithstanding shall not come by obseruation but suddenly neither shall precisely be foreknowne as being knowne onely to the Lord. The 9. Chapter answering his sixt demonstration concerning the end of the world 1. THe sixt and last demonstration to proue that Antichrist is not yet come is taken frō the end of the world But because Bellarmine saw that this could not be made a signe of Antichrists comming without absurdity for it is absurd thus to reason the world hath not yet an end therefore Antichrist is not yet come therefore he changeth the question For whereas he propounded this question to be concluded that Antichrist is not yet come he concludeth that he came not long since So that for all this demonstration Antichrist may alreadie be come although perhaps not so long since as some doe imagine But let vs see how he proueth that he was not come long since If Antichrist were come long since then also the world long since should haue had an end but the world hath not yet an end therefore Antichrist was not come long since The proposition he proueth because Antichrist commeth a very little while before the ende of the world and as it were immediately before the second comming of Christ. But this whole demonstration may easily be refuted by this one distinction for we must distinguish betwixt the comming of Antichrist and his death betwixt his beginning and his ende Antichrist indeed is not vtterly to be destroied before the second comming of Christ but this doth not proue that therefore he was not come long since The Apostle Paul doth tell vs that Antichrist is to be destroied at the second comming of Christ notwithstanding both he doth insinuate and Iohn plainely professeth that the Antichrist which they had heard was to come in the last houre was alreadie come in his time and thereupon inferreth that euen then was the last houre or age of the world which the holy ghost calleth an houre that we should not thinke it long 2. Now al the
testimonies which Bellarmine alledgeth if they were to be vnderstood of Antichrist as indeede few of them are do serue to proue that the destruction of Antichrist shal be in the end of the world which we doe freely confesse But of these places as some make not for him so the rest are against him The 7. of Daniel verse 8. 9. 26. Apoc. 20 4. Mat. 24. 14. are altogether impertinent For Daniel speaketh not of Antichrist or the last iudgement but of Antiochus and Gods iudgements on the Seleucidae Iohn speaketh not of the comming of Antichrist oâ—… last iudgement but of the binding and loosing of Sathan and seats of iudgement erected for the faithfull as Augustine also expoundeth Christ in that place of Mat. speaketh not a worde of De ciuit Dei lib. 20. cap. 〈◊〉 Antichrists comming or of the end of the world but of the preaching of the gospel before the destruction of Ierusalem The rest of the places make against him as he alledgeth them against the trueth For first Daniel 12. 12. Where Daniel saith Bellarmine after he had said that the kingdome of Antichrist should continue 1290. dayes addeth Blessed is he that expecteth and commeth to 1335. dayes From whence the Papists would inferre that Antichrist hauing reigned three yeares a halfe should be destroyed forty fiue dayes before the day of judgement This place as I haue proued is to be vnderstood of Antiochus But suppose it spake of Antichrists reigne and end of the world see what would follow thereof First that the reigne of Antichrist is not three yeeres and a halfe precisely or 1260. dayes but 1290. dayes Secondly that Antichrist shal be destroyed before the end of the world whereas Paid telleth vs that Christ shall destroy him at his appearing 2. Thes. 2. 〈◊〉 and not 45. dayes before Thirdly then so soone as Antichrist is reuealed men shal be able certainly and distinctly to foretell the very day of judgement to wit the 1335. after Antichrists comming and 45. after his death which Christ denieth Math. 24 36. And lastly if this were true then after the comming or at least after the death of Antichrist all men would be in expectation of Christs second comming And therefore those dayes will not be as Christ saith like the daies of Noah neither will his Maâ—… 24. 37 38. 39. comming be suddaine vnlooked for as himselfe saith Mat. 24 if the very day of his comming be knowne before hand accordingly Mat 24. 44 1. Thes. 5. 2. 3. looked for But let Christ be true and all Papists lyars 3. 2. Mat. 24. 29 Shortly after the tribulation of those dayes the sunne shall be darkened c. In this chapter of Mathew our Sauiour speaketh not at all of Antichrist vntill the 23. 24. verse which diuers of the Fathers yea and the Papists themselues vnderstand as spoken of Antichrist There shall arise false Christs and false Prâ—…phets and they shall worke great signes wonders c. From whence it appeareth that Antichrist is not one onely man as Bellarmine saith that the signes of Christs coÌ„ming are to follow the tribulations vnder Antichrist which we do confesse 3. 2. Thes. 2. 8. And then shall that out-law be reuealed whom the Lord Iesus shall consume with the spirit of his mouth c. Whence Bellarmine would prooue that the second coÌ„ming of Christ shall follow very shortly after the comming of Antichrist But we must distinguish betwixt the first comming of Antichrist and his reuelation and acknowledgement And it cannot be denied but 〈◊〉 there is a great distance betwixt his reuelation and destruction For he wâ—… to be reuealed as the Apostle saith when that which hindered was taken out of the way which we haue proued to haue beene done many hundred yeeres since and consequently that Antichrist appeared long since howsoeuer he shall not vtterly be destroyed vntill the second comming of Christ. And lastly we are to distinguish betwixt Christs consuming him with the spirit of his mouth and his vtter destroying him at his glorious appearance There are therefore these degrees to be noted betwixt the first comming of Antichrist and his destruction For after he is come he sheweth himselfe in his colours and that by degrees more more aduancing himselfe vntill he come to his full pitch height of his AntichristiaÌ„ pride After he is come to his height he is acknowledged and that by degrees after he is acknowledged Christ consumeth him by the spirit of his mouth that is by the preaching of the euerlasting gospel Apo. 14. 6. 7. After which followeth the destruction of Babylon that is Rome Apoc. 14. 8. effected and brought to passe by the Kings of the earth who assisted the beast vntil Christ laid him open consumed him with the breath of his mouth after that in the last place followeth the vtter destructioÌ„ of Antichrist at the second coÌ„ming of Christ. 4. Lastly 1. Ioh. 2. 18. Children this is the last houre and as you haue heard that Antichrist coâ—…meth c. Where Bellarmine maketh the Apostle reason thus We know Antichrist shall come in the end of the world and now we see many petite Antichrists as it were his fore-runners therefore we know that this is the last houre and age of the world But if this reason of Bellarmines framing were good we might vpon his former grounds conclude thus At the fulnesse of time Christ was to come But euer since the beginning there haue bin Patriarchs Prophets which Bellarmine calleth the fore-runners of Christ therfore the fulnesse of time hath bin euer since the beginning But whether shall we say that Bellarmine is so ignorant that he knoweth not how to make a syllogisme or so shamelesse as to make the Apostle argue sophistically The Apostles reasoÌ„ is this When the Antichrist commeth it is the last houre Now saith he Antichrists are come meaning by Antichrists the same with the 〈◊〉 Iohn 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. antichrist which else where he affirmeth was theÌ„ entred into the world or else there are 4. termini foure termes in th'Apostles argument therfore now is the last houre And if then were the houre of Antichrist his comming what reason haue the Papists to restraine his comming vntill three yeeres a halfe before the end of the world And thus as you see Bellarmines allegations are either altogether impertinent or else against himselfe 4. But as I said before suppose they all spake of the day of judgement end of the world following vpon Antichrist yet none of them joineth the end of the world with his comming birth but with his death destruction And the like may be said of his allegation froÌ„ the common consent of the fathers confession of his aduersaries For our aduersaries saith he confesse that Antichrist shall raigne we say he shall continue vnto the end of the world therfore shâ—…rtly after his death shal be the end
now to answer those which before were not touched That Rome is the seat of Antichrist we proue because it is mysticall Babylon scituated on seuen hilles hauing dominion ouer the Kings of the earth c. Bellarmine among other answers before refuted saith that by mysticall Babylon we are to vnderstand Rome Heathenish not Rome christned because S. Iohn speaketh of that Rome which had dominion ouer the kings of the earth and which is said to bee drunke with the bloud of the Saintes and Martyrs of Iesu. I aunswere that although these notes agreed not to Popish Rome yet we might vnderstand the Apostle thus that that citie which then had dominion ouer the Kings of the earth then persecuted the Saints is called Babylon because it was to be the seate or See of Antichrist But now these notes agree also to Popish Rome both in respect of dominion vsurped more insolently ouer the Kings of the earth by the Pope then by any Emperour and in regarde of most cruell persecution of the Saintes of Christ as before hath beene shewed 9 Againe whereas we proue that Antichrist shall sit in the church of God because the Apostle saith he shall sit in the Temple of God and withall affirme that this cannot be vnderstood of the Temple of Ierusalem which now is vtterly destroied is no more to be reedified as Daniel testifieth chap. 9. verse 27. hee answereth that Daniel would say something that he doth not say eyther that the Temple should not be reedified vntil a little before the ende of the world But Daniel doth not say vntill a litle before the end but as their owne translation readeth Vsque ad consummationem finem perseuerabit desolatio the desolation shall continue vntill the consummation and ende or as Ierome saith Vsque ad finem mundi vnto the ende of the world or as other Vsque ad consummationem eamque praecisam As it is said of Michel 2. Sam. 6. 23. that she had no childe vntill the day of her death And of Ioseph that he knew not Mary vntill shee had brought forth her first begotten sonne Math. l. 24. of Christ that he will be with the faithfull vntill the ende of the worlde Mat. 28. 20. Not that Michel at her death or a little before had children not that Ioseph euer knew Mary nor that Christ will euer forsake the faithful So that this word vntil in the scriptures signifieth rather perpetuitie then cessation before the time which seemeth therby to be limited Whereas therfore Daniel saith that the temple should lie desolate vntil the end consummatiō of the world it is as much as if he had said that it should neuer be reedified Or if that were not Daniels meaning thē he must say that although the temple should be built againe yet as it was desolate before it be built so afterward the abhominatiō of desolation that is Antichrist or his Image should remain in it to the end Yea but the Primitiue Church beleeued that the temple should neuer be built againe and held this assertion of the Papists as a Iewish fable And as touching the abhomination of desolation it hath bene shewed that our Sauiour Christ by a metonymie vnderstandeth Luk. 21. 20. and Mat. 24. 15. thereby the armies of the Romanes who in respect of their paganisme were abhominable and in regard of their effect desolations such as brought vpon Ierusalem the finall destruction and desolation Daniel saith per alam detestationum desolantem by a synecdoche for per legiones c. as Esay 8. 8. Or lastly this must be Daniels meaning that the temple shall neuer perfectly be reedified but that the reedifying is to be begunne and that in the temple so begunne Antichrist shall sit Thus shamefully the wilfull patrones of errour sticke not to drawe the scripture to their fancies not caring to conforme their iudgement to the scripture Daniel in that place speaketh not a word of Antichrist nor yet of Antiochus his type but of the vtter desolation and finall destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes and of this desolation according to their owne translation he saith that it should continue to the ende and consummation that is saith Bellarmine the temple shall neuer perfectly be built againe but yet it shall be built againe and in it being so built Antichrist shall sit How built is it like that Antichrist who shall according to their conceit be the most mightie Prince and Monarch in the world that he I say will suffer that temple which he chuseth for his chiefe seate to be vnbuilt or that so great and so proud a monarch will sit in a temple without a roose or vnsinished professing the same also to be his principall seate Why but Christ saith the destruction of the temple should be such as that one stone should not be left vpon another and Daniel saith according to their owne translation that this desolation of the temple should continue to the ende How then can his meaning be that it should be reedisied either in whole or in part The stories also of the church do testifie that as Daniel Socrat. li. 3 c. 20. and our Sauiour Christ had foretold the finall destruction and desolation of Ierusalem so when Iulian the Apostate desiring Theodoret li. 3. ca. 20. Sozom. li. 5 cap. vlt. to conuince the preaching of our Sauior of vntruth endeuoured by the Iewes to reedifie the temple the Lord to verifie his word would not suffer it to be built either in whole or in part but by a fearefull earthquake ouerthrew the foundations by fire from heauen burnt the tooles of the worke-men by winde and tempest scattered the lime and morter and by fire proceeding out of the earth burnt the workemen as they digged Ierusalē the temple were types of the church of Christ. Therefore when as by the preaching of the Gospell to all nations the church of Christ was planted among the Gentiles the citie and temple were to haue an ende as our Sauiour hath prophecied Math. 24. 14. then shall be the ende to wit of the citie and temple of Ierusalem which being once ouerthrowne by the legions of the Romanes should according to Daniels prophesie remaine desolate vntil the ende of the world or as our Sauiour foretold in other wordes that Ierusalem should be troden Luk. 21. 24. vnder foote of the Gentiles vntill the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled 10 Lastly whereas Theodorus Bibliander proueth by the testimony of Gregory the great that Antichrist was to sit in the church to exercise an vniuersall dominiō ouer the same because Gregory saith that Iohn of Cōstātinople challenging the title Lib. 4. Epist. 38. of vniuersall Bishop therein was the forerunner of Antichrist and secondly because hee saith that an army of Priests were prepared for Antichrist thereby signifying that he should be a prince of Priests Bellarmine answereth that the contrary is to be inferred vpon Gregory
I haue proued and the church of Rome that now is Babylon the Synagogue of Antichrist then all other controuersies betwixt vs and them may be easily decided their chiefe ground being the authoritie of their church and of the See Apostolike For then it is to be presumed that those doctrines which are peculiar to the Pope and Church of Rome are the errours of Antichrist yea and as the Apostle calleth 1. Tim. 4. 2. them doctrines of diuels 2 If the Romish church be Antichristian then our seperation froÌ„ it is warranted yea commanded by the word of God and all returning to it forbidden Apoc. 18. 4. Come out of her my people least pertaking with her in her sinnes you partake also in her punishment 3 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that embrace that religion and ioyne themselues to that church acknowledging the Pope to be their head receiue the marke of the beast And those that do receiue the beasts marke especially after he is reuealed shall drinke of the wine of Gods wrath and shall bee punished with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Apoc 14. 9. This therefore must serue as a serious admonition and necessary caueat both to reclaime all tractable Papists and to confirme all wauering and vnstayed Protestants The former as they tender their saluation so to come out of Babylon The latter as they will auoid their endles confusion to keepe out of Babylon For not onely to retaine the marke of the beast wilfully after he is discouered but to reuolt from the profession of the truth vnto Antichristian religion it also is a fearefull signe of reprobation For it is impossible that the elect should finally be seduced by Antichrist Math. 24. 24. And the Apostle Paul obserueth that Antichrist shall effectually deceiue them that perish with all deceitfulnes of iniquitie because they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued And therefore God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeue lies that al they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but delighted in vnrighteousnesse 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. Whervpon Chrysostome also writing hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist preuaileth with Castawayes or such as perish And Ierome likewise Ad AlgasiaÌ„ quest 11. They shall be seduced saith hee by the lies of Antichrist who are prepared vnto perdition But on the other side those which renounce the Pope and church of Rome and rise sroÌ„ the graue of Antichristianisme and Popery and follow our Sauiour Christ in the sincere profession of the truth Blessed and holy are they for they hauing part in the first resurrection shal be freed from the second Apoc. 20. 6 death And howsoeuer they are esteemed of the followers of Antichrist as heretickes schismatickes which are to be persecuted with fire and faggot yet are they happie in their life whiles they ioyne with Christ against Antichrist for such are called elect and faithfull and redeemed out of the world and they are also blessed in their death dying in the quarrell of Christ Apoc. 17. 14. against Antichrist for of those specially doth the holy Ghost speake Apoc. 14. 13. Blessed are those that dye in the Apoc. 14. 4. Lord c. 4 If the Pope be Antichrist then those that are found to be resolute Antichristians that is recusant Papists but especially Iesuites and Seminary Priests which are sent to reconcile men vnto the Pope and Church of Rome that is as hath bene proued to set on them the marke of the beast consequently to brand them to destruction and all such as seeke to peruert seduce others ought not to be fauoured or spared in a Christian common wealth First because they are limmes of Antichrist and therfore by the commandement of God we should do to them as they haue done to vs. Apoc. 18. 6. Secondly because they are enemies to God and traitors to Christian Princes They are enemies to God not onely because themselues are Idolaters and consequently such as hate God Exod. 20. 5. but also because they labour to withdrawe others from the true worship of God vnto superstition and idolatrie and therfore in no case ought to be spared Deut. 13. 5. 8. They are traitors also to ChristiaÌ„ Princes being sworne vassals to the Pope their capitall enemie For hee esteemeth all Christian Princes that do not acknowledge him to be their head as schismatikes or heretikes And as he vseth so oft as he dareth to proceede Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 11. against such foure wayes viz. by excommunication deposition depriuing them of their temporall goods possessions and raising warre against them so all Papists acknowledging the Popes supremacie do hold both that he hath authoritie so to proceede against Christian Princes and also that in his definitiue sentence hee Antonin sum part 3. tit 22. cap. 5. §. 10 cannot erre And therforé if they put not in execution the sentence of their holy Father it is not for want of treasonable will and rebellious affection towards their Prince but for lacke of meanes and oportunitie As for example when Pius 5. had sent his Bull of excommunication against our late Soueraigne Cupers pag. 182. num 8. Queene of happie memorie therein deposing her from her crowne and absoluing her subiects from their alleageance towards her it is most certaine that whatsoeuer many hollow hearted Papists pretended yet fewe of them did acknowledge her for their lawfull Queene and many of them thought it a meritorious worke to take away her life And surely if not their persons then much lesse ought their Antichristian religion the mysterie of iniquitie be tolerated in the Church of Christ. For what fellowship can there bee betwixt light and darkenesse or what agreement can the Temple of God haue 2. Cor. 6. with Idols 5 If the Pope be Antichrist and his Church Antichristian then can there be no reconciliatioÌ„ betwixt vs the church of Rome we being as often hath bene proued the true church of God For what agreement can there be betwixt Christ and Antichrist Such neuters therefore shewe themselues to be nâ—…llifidians and politicke Atheists who would perswade men that both wee and they are the true church of Christ and that the difference betwixt vs being in words rather then in substance may easily be composed but they might as well say that there is but a verball difference betwixt the Gospell of Christ and the doctrine of Antichrist 6 Lastly if the church of Rome which because of her largenesse calleth her selfe the Catholike that is to say the vniuersall church bee notwithstanding the Synagogue of Antichrist What infinit thankes doo wee owe to our good and gracious God who hath not suffred vs to be carried away with that Catholike Apostasie as it were an vniuersall deluge but hath gathered vs into the arke of his true church making vs with the rest of his true professors his peculiar people It remaineth therefore that seeing God hath bene so gracious to vs wee should not be vnthankful to him but rather should walke worthy our calling as it becommeth the children of the light adorning the profession of the glorious Gospel of Christ by a godly conuersation to the ende that by the plentifull fruites of righteousnesse and true holinesse wee may glorifie God our heauenly Father stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries and gather assurance vnto our owne soules of our iustification and saluation by Iesus Christ our bessed Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the holy spirit be all praise and thankes-giuing both now and euermore Amen FINIS