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
being set in the way toward the celestiall Canaan and land of promise seemed with the vnthankfull Israelites to be wearie of the celestiall Manna the foode of their soules and desired to be againe among the flesh-pots of Egypt For seeing they had not receiued the loue of the trueth that they might be saued therefore God hath sent vpon them the efficacie of errour 2. Thess. 2. 10. 11. 12. that they should belieue lies meaning the lies of Antichrist that all they might be condemned which belieued not the truth but delighted in vnrighteousnes meaning the mysterie of iniquitie wherof he had spoken verse 7. that is to say Antichristianisme or 2. Thess. 2. 7. Popery 2 And that we may proceed in order we are first to set down the state of this controuersie which in deed is the cheese of all controuersies betwixt vs and the Papists and of the greatest consequence For if this were once throughly cleared all others would easily be decided Our assertion therefore in few words is this That the Pope of Rome who is as it were the God of the Papistes is that grand Antichrist who according to the prophecies of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures was to be reuealed in these latter times The Papists hold the contrary And whereas we say and proue that their Lord God the Popes holinesse in Antichrist they affirme that our assertion is blasphemie and our arguments dotages Rhemist in 2. Thess. 2. Bellarmin lib. 3. de Pont. Rom. siue de Antichriste cap. 18. But if it were no harder a matter to demonstrate the truth of our assertion then to proue their conceipt concerning Antichrist and the proofes therof to be meere dotages I should very easily put this Question out of controuersie that the Pope is Antichrist 3 But first our assertion is to be expounded and afterwards proued As touching the name wee agree saith Bellarmine in Lib. 3. de pont Rom. c. 2. this that as the name Christ is taken two waies to wit commonly and properly so also the name Antichrist The name Christ commonly belongeth to all that are annointed of God and that either to the speciall calling of a King Prophet or Priest or to the general calling of a Christian. And in this sence it is taken either Psal. 105. 15. more largely for the whole body of those that professe the name of Christ whereof some are members of Christ in title and profession 1. Cor. 12. 12. onely or more strictly for the society of the elect the citizens of heauen who haue the marke of God and are not only Apoc. 9. 4. in shewe and profession but also indeed and in truth members of the mysticall body of Christ. Peculiarly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the name Christ belongeth to Iesus the sonne of God who was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes and is the Psalm 45. 7. head after a general maner of all Christians but more specially of the elect In like sort the cōtrary name Antichrist belongeth commonly to all that be enemies to Christ and those either open professed enemies as the Iewes Turkes Infidels in which sence the worde is not vsed in the Scripture or else couert professing themselues Christians and vnder the name and profession of Christ oppugning Christ and his truth And so it is taken 1. John 2. 18. 22. either more largely to signifie the whole bodie of Heretickes as in the Epistles of Iohn or more strictly the societie of them who hauing made an apostasie from Christ haue receiued the marke of the beast Properly or rather peculiarly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it belongeth to the man of sinne the sonne of perdition who after 2. Thess. 2. 3. a more generall maner is the head of all Heretickes and more specially of that societie which hath the marke the number and Apoc. 13. 17. name of the beast The societie or body of those who hauing made an apostasie frō Christ to Antichrist the Antichristian state which in the Scriptures is called the whore of Babilon wee hold to be the apostatical church of Rome The head of this Antichristian Apoc. 17. body catholicke apostasie we hold to be the Pope of Rome and consequently that the Pope is that graund Antichrist whom the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath described vnto vs And that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Antichrist not onely because he is the head of the Antichristian body but also because he being in profession the vicar of Christ is in deed Aemulus Christi that is an enemy opposed vnto Christ in emulation of like honour as if we should say a counter-Christ as the worde Antichrist doth also signifie 4 But when we say that the Pope is Antichrist wee meane not this or that Pope howsoeuer some of them haue beene more notorious Antichrists then others as for example Siluester the 2. Gregory the 7. aliâs Hildebrand Boniface 8. Iohn 22. aliâs 24. Alexander 6. c. but the whole rowe or rabble of them from Boniface the 3. downeward For although the Antichrist be but one person yet he is not one as Christ the head of the Christian body is one Christ because he liueth for euer hath no successours and therefore is one in nature and number as being one singular definit person The head of the Antichristian body which is to continue to the end of the worlde is continued not in one singular and definit person but in a succession of many who are mortall and momentary which successiuely haue bene are or shal be the heads of the catholicke apostasie of any wherof indefinitely or of all commonly the worde Antichrist is vnderstood For euen as the Pope or vicar of Christ according to the Popish conceipt is one person not in number and nature but by lawe and institution one at once ordinarily but many successiuely so Antichrist is not one singular person but a succession of Antichristian Popes which we begin at Boniface the thirde Because he with much adoe about the yeare of our Lord 607. obteined from the Emperour Phocas and al his successours since haue challenged vnto them the Antichristian title of the head of the catholicke or vniuersall Church or oecumenicall vniuersall Bishop Which title of blasphemy as Gregory calleth it befitting Lib. 4. epist 32. 34. 38. him that resembleth Lucifer in pride when as Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople had challenged not long before to wit about the yeare 600. in the time of Mauritius whom Phocas cruelly murdered Gregory the great then Pope of Rome affirmed confidently for so he saith Fidenter dico that therein he was the forerunner of Antichrist who was now euen at hand Omnia enim Lib. 4. epist. 38. quae praedicta sunt fiunt Rex superbiae propè est quod dici nefas est sacerdotum ei praeparatur exercitus For all things saith he which were
he hath 400. yeares of pardon c. 10 They that visite the church of Saint Paul without the walles haâ—… 48000. yeares of pardon Item on Childerâ—…asse day 2. 4000 yeares of pardon Item on the vias of Saint Martin when the church was hallowed 14000. yeares of pardon and as many quarins and the third part of all sinnes released Those that visit the church of Saint Lauâ—…ence at the high altar haue 18000. 3. yeares of pardon and as many quarins And who goeth thither euery wednesday he deliuered a soule out of purgatory himself quite of all â—…nes In the church Sanctâ—…crucis that is of holy crosse is giuen an hundred thousand yeares of pardon and as 4. many quarins and euery Sunday a soule out of Purgatory and the third part of all sinnes released To theÌ„ that visite the church of 5 S. Mary Maior is grauÌ„ted at the high Altar 14000. yeares of pardon as many quarins And at the altar on the right haÌ„d 19000. yeares of pardoÌ„ And Pope Nicolas the 4. S. Gregory each of them grauÌ„ted thereto 10000. yeares of pardon And froÌ„ the AscensioÌ„ of our Lord vnto Christmas yee haue there 14000. yeares of pardon and as many quarins and the third part of all sins released To them that visite the church of S. Sebastian is granted 6 forgiuenesse of sinnes and all penaunce At the high Altar is giuen 2800. yeares of pardon and at the first Altar in the Church 2400. There is a vawte where lie buried 49. Popes that were Martyrs whoso commeth first into that place deliuereth 8. soules out of Purgatory of such as hee most desireth and as much pardon therto that all the worlde cannot number nor recken And euery Sunday you deliuer there a soule out of purgatory In that vawte standeth a pitte in which Peter and Paule were hidde 250 yeares he that putteth his head into that pitte and taketh it out againe is cleane of all sinnes To that place siue Popes each of them graunted a thousand yeares of pardon and as many karins And so the grace that is at S. Sebastians is grounded that it cannot be taken away To those that 7 visit the Church of S. Iohn Laterane Pope Siluester gaue as many yeares of pardon as it rained droppes of water the day that he hallowed the same Church And that time it rayned so sore that no man had seene a greater rayne before that day And when hee had graunted this hee doubted whether hee had so much power Then a voice came from heauen and said Pope Syluester thou haste power enough to giue that pardon And God graunted this much thereto that if a man had made a vowe to Ierusalem and lacked good to doe his Pilgrimage if hee goe from S. Peters Church to S. Iohn Lateranes hee shal be absolued from that promise And any time that a man commeth to Saint Iohn Lateranes hee is quite of all sinnes and of all penaunce with that that he be penitent for his sinnes Blessed is the mother that beareth the childe that bareth Masse on Saterdayes at Saint Iohn Lateranes For hee deliuered all them that hee desired out of Purgatory to the number of 77. soules Item on the tower of the Churche standeth a double crosse that was made of the sworde wherewith Saint Iohn was beheaded and euery time a man beholdeth that crosse hee hath 14000. yeares Pardon At the high altar a man may haue remission of all sinnes and of all penaunce and innumerable pardon more then he needeth for himselfe There is a graue wherein Saint Iohn laid himselfe hee that putteth therein his head hee hath an hundred thousand yeares of pardon and as many karins These indulgences with many such like which for breuity sake I omitte my Authour saith are written in a Marble stone before the Quire dore c. Besides these seuen there are many inferiour Churches whereunto great indulgeÌ„ces haue bene graunted by the Popes There are named in the aforesaid Booke 26. Churches wherein is graunted to them that visit any of them 1000. yeares pardon and in some 3000 in others 5000. some wherein promise is made of release from a third parte of sinnes and in some from all sinnes Here is a Church of Saint Gregory in which whosoeuer is buried hee shall neuer be damned Thus saith my Authour may a man haue at Rome great pardon and soule health blessed beene the people and in good time borne that receiueth these graces and well keepeth them c. 11. Hereby it appeareth that the Pope causeth the inhabitants of the earth to worship the beast with seuen heads that is seuen hilles that with the citie of Rome which wee haue proued to bee the whore of Babylon the inhabitants of the earth haue committed spirituall fornication and that with the cuppe of her fornications they haue beene infatuated and made drunke And that the Pope hath caused men vpon paine of death to worshippe the image of the 3. beast which he hath animated and put life into it is easie to proue whether you vnderstande it literally or mystically For literally as they haue put life and motion into images and made them to speake in the sight of men so haue they suffered none to liue that would not participate with them in their idolatry which they call worshipping of images Mystically the image signifieth either the Popes court or Empire renewed or both the one resembling the authority and power the other bearing the name and representing the dignitie of the old Empire Of the Popes court at Rome and of his Legates and Officers abroad there is no question to bee made but that none are suffered to liue which worshippe not them And it is true also of the Empire But by worshipping the image of the beast wee doe not vnderstand obedience to the Emperour in his lawfull decrees but the obedience performed vnto him as hee is an image of the persecuting Emperours inspired by the Pope and seruing as his minister to establish and propagate the Romish religion In this sence as hee who obeyeth him worshippeth the image of the beast and is in the same predicament with those that receiue the marke of the beast Apoc. 14. 9 So hee that obeyeth him not is put to death and dying in this quarell is in the same happy state with Apoc. 14 13. 15. 2. those which refuse to receiue the marke of the beast CHAP. 9. ¶ Of those things which Antichrist was and is to suffer 1. WE haue heard what Antichrist was to doe to others now let vs consider what the holy Ghost foretelleth shall be done vnto him There is mention made Apoc. 17. 12. of the Apoc. 17. 12. c. ten hornes that is the rulers of the ten prouinces subiect to the Empire in the West who although in the Apostles time had not receiued kingdome or soueraigne authority but were deputies onely vnder the Emperour yet after the decay of the
consider the acceptation of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist in the place alledged and elsewhere 1. Ioh. 2. 18 in the Epistles of Iohn in which onely it is vsed and not elsewhere in the scriptures In the place which Bellarmine citeth th'apostle seemeth to reason thus When the Antichrist is come it is the last houre Now Antichrists are come therefore now is the last houre 1. Ioh. 2. 28 Where either the Antichrist and Antichrists signifie the same or else there be foure termes in the Apostles argument which Bellarmine dareth not auouch And afterwards v. 22. he plainly sheweth that euery one that denieth Iesus to be the Christ as many Antichrists 1. Ioh. 4. 3. 4 or heretickes did of which he spake verse 18. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist In the same Epistle Chapter 4. he biddeth them try the spirits that is their teachers because many false prophets were come into the world and giueth them this note whereby to try them Euery spirit saith he which confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is of God and euery spirit which doth not confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God And this is the spirit of the Antichrist which you heard was to come and euen now 2. Iohn 7. already is in the world Likewise in the second Epistle Many decâ—…iuers are come into the world which dâ—… not confesse that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh this is the deceiuer and the Antichrist By which testimonies it is euident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not only signifie the head of the Antichristian body which is not one singuler man but is continued in a succession of many but also sometimes any hereticke that oppugneth the natures or offices of Christ and sometimes the whole body or company of heretickes opposed vnto Christ. For Iohn 1. Ioh. 2. 22. plainely affirmeth that those many heretickes and deceiuers of his time are the Antichrist And whereas Paul prophecieth of Antichrist that he should come into the world and should be destroyed at the second comming of Christ Iohn affirmeth that Antichrist of whom they had heard that he should come was then already come into the world From which places I argue thus If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist in the Epistles of Iohn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outlaw in the Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians doe signifie one certaine and singuler man as the Papists affirme then it will follow necessarily that one and the same man who was come into the world in Saint Iohns time shall be in the world at the second comming of Christ for Iohn saith that the Antichrist was come in his time and Paul saith that the out-law shall be consumed with the spirit of Christs mouth and destroyed at his glorious appearing But the latter is incredible for since the time of Saint Iohn there are already 1500. yeeres expired and therefore the former which is the assertion of the Papists is absurde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore signifieth sometimes the whole body of Heretickes from the ascension of Christ vntill his second comming sometimes any heretickes which are lims of that body somtimes the graund antichrist who is the head of that body is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist Wherfore in respect of those heretickes and lims of Antichrist in the Apostles times Antichrist is then said to haue entred and as it were to haue set his foote into the world And accordingly the Apostle Paul saith 2. Thes. 2. 7 that euen in his time the mystery of iniquity that is Antichristianisme was working namely by those which belonged to the body of Antichrist although couertly and vnderhand vntill the head of that body was reuealed as he was after the Empire in the West was dissolued and the Emperour which hindred was done out of the way according to the prophecie of the Apostle 2. Thessalonians 2. 7 8. And thus you see what a slender argument this is taken from the article although it be vsed as one of the principall demonstrations generally of all the Papists that write of this argument but more especially of Bellarmine who thinking it too good to goe for one argument hath deuided it into two 7 His fourth testimonie is taken out of Daniel chap. 7. 11. 12. Where Antichrist is called a King and not a Kingdome who of the ten Kings which he shall finde in the worlde shall take away three and shall make the other seauen subject to himselfe But I answer that Daniel speaketh not of Antichrist at all but of Antiochus Epiphanes and therefore this allegation is impertinent For the learned of our times haue made it euident that the foure kingdomes whereof Daniel speaketh were ended before the incarnation of Christ and that the fourth kingdome which many haue taken to be the monarchie of the Romanes was the kingdome of the Seleucidae and Lagidae in Syria and Egypt so farre forth as the people of Iewrie was subject thereunto and is therefore described as the most terrible of all the foure because it was most trouble some to the Iewes And that the ten hornes were ten Kings of Syria and Egypt which successiuely tyrannized ouer the people of the Iewes Antiochus Epiphanes being the tenth and the last of those Kings which tyrannized ouer Iewrie But because in outragious cruelty and cursed hostility not onely against the people but also against the religion of the Iewes he surpassed all that went before him of him therefore Daniel speaketh so plainely and distinctly that he hath seemed to some rather to write an Historie of him then a Prophesie as shall hereafter more fully be shewed when as Chap. 16. we shall also manifestly declare that this which Bellarmine addeth concerning Antichrists killing of three Kings and subduing of the other seauen is but a dreame which is indeed so farre from all probability of truth as that it cannot be verified of that party whom Daniel describeth Daniel describeth him as the tenth Bellarmine maketh him the eleuenth as if it were a beast of eleuen hornes Daniel speaketh of ten Kings which successiuely ruled ouer the Iewes Bellarmine maketh him speake of ten who together with the eleuenth should be at one time in the world Of those ten Daniel saith that three were pluckt vp before the teÌ„th as it may seeme by his means but of the other sixe either all or the most were dead before he was borne Bellarmine maketh him to kill three and subdue the other seauen which indeed liued not in his time as shall be shewed hereafter out of the eleuenth of Daniel where the succession of these ten Kings and the affaires of the tenth who can be no other but Antiochus Epiphanes are particularly and fully described This argument drawne from the misconstruing of Daniel Bellarmine although he knew it to be nothing
cap. 3. §. 3. 2. But let vs come to his arguments The first whereof is this If before Antichrists comming the Romane Empire is to be diuided into ten kings whereof none shal be called king of the Romanes then is not Antichrist yet come for yet there is a king of the Romanes but the first is true therefore the last The proposition he taketh for granted although it cannot be denyed but that vpon the desolation of the empire in the West it was deuided among ten kings at the least who although they had the prouinces of the Empire yet none of them was called the king of the Romanes The proposition therefore is false and the reason may be returned vpon our aduersary For seeing these ten kings had not receiued their kingly power in the Apostles time but were to receiue it either after the beast which is Antichrist as some reade or with the Apo. 17. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beast as others it is euident therefore that when the ten rulers of the prouinces had receiued authority as kings then Antichrist was come But many huÌ„dred yeers since the rulers of the prouinces ceased to be deputies vnder the Emperor obtained power as soueraigne kings diuiding among them the westerne Empire therfore many hundred yeres since was Antichrist come The assumption he prooueth out of Daniel chap. 2. Where saith he is described the successioÌ„ of the chiefe kingdomes vnto the end of the world by a certaine image the golden head wherof signifieth the kingdome of the Assyrians the Breast of siluer the kingdom of the Persians the Bellie of Brasse the kingdome of the Grecians the Legs of Iron the kingdom of the Romans diuided into two parts c. And in the 7. chap. the same kingdomes are signified the last which hath ten hornes being the kingdome of the Romanes Now saith he as the two Legs haue ten toes Subtiliss which are not legs as the ten hornes are not the beast so the Roman Empire shall be diuided into ten kings whereof none is the king of the Romanes Answere 1. This argumentation of Bellarmine implieth a contradiction For if there be in Daniel described a succession of kingdomes which shall continue to the end of the world whereof the Romane is the last then the Romane Empire shall not vtterly be destroyed before the coÌ„ming of Antichtist which goeth before the end of the world But howsoeuer the coÌ„mon opinion hath bin that the fourth kingdom mentioned in those chapters is the Romane Empire yet by the learned especially of these latter times it hath beene most clearely prooued that by it is vnderstood that kingdome of the Seleucida Lagidae which tyrannized ouer the people of Iewry For the Seleucida who were Kings of Syria and the Lagidae who were Kings of Egypt were the two legs of the image were also the fourth beast the ten kings of these two kingdomes which successiuely Chap. 16. vsurped dominion ouer the Iewes were the ten hornes of the beast which being most true as hereafter also shal be shewed it appeareth euidently that this whole argumentation is impertinent But suppose that Daniel had spoken in those places of the Romane Empire yet would not that follow which Bellarmine would inferre thereof For by the beast is signified the kingdome it selfe and by the hornes the seuerall kings who although they be not the kingdome it selfe signified by the beast no more then the hornes are the beast yet are they so many kings of that kingdome which is signified by the beast As for example Seleucus Antiochus and the rest of the ten kings signified by the ten hornes and as Bellarmine speaketh by the ten toes though they were not the kingdome of Syria Egypt it selfe yet were they kings of that kingdome and therefore this argument of Bellarmine is very friuolous 3. His second proofe is out of Apocal. 17. Where Iohn describeth a beast with seauen heads and ten hornes vpon which beast a certaine woman sitteth which he expouÌ„deth to be the great citie sitting on seuen hils that is to say Rome The seauen heads as they signifie seuen hils so also seauen kings by which number saith he al the Romane Emperors are vnderstood the ten hornes are ten kings which shal raigne together And least we should thinke that these shal be Romane kings he addeth that these kings shall hate the harlot and make her desolate because they shall so deuide the Romane Empire among them that they shall vtterly destroy it Here Bellarmine as you see confesseth that Rome is the whore of Babylon and consequently the seate of Antichrist and not Rome vnder the olde Emperors but Rome after the dissolution of the Empire And that the ten hornes are so many kings among whom the Romane Empire should be deuided and that these ten Kings were to receiue their kingdome together and consequently that these are not the same ten hornes whereof Daniel speaketh which reigned successiuely Dan. 11. And wheras Bellarmine saith the 7. heads signifie all the Emperours it is vntrue For the holy Ghost nameth seauen because they were seauen indeed and therfore numbreth them Fiue are fallen the sixt is and the seauenth is not yet come But all this is besides the present purpose How then doth he prooue that before Antichrist commeth the Romane Empire shall be so vtterly destroyed as that not the name of a Romane Emperour or king of the Romanes should remaine because the Empire shall be deuided among ten kings which are not Romane kings But that proueth not that the name shall not remaine for he that is none of those ten kings may haue the name of the Emperour or king of the Romanes as namely the beast which was and is not though it be which is the eight head and is one of the seauen that is to say the Emperour erected by the Pope And why may none of these be called the king of the Romanes First forsooth because they shall hate Rome and make her desolateâ—… As though he that hath the title of the King of the Romanes may not hate Rome notwithstanding that title as indeed some of the Emperours haue done Secondly because they shall so diuide among them the Romane Empire as that they shall vtterly destroy it Where you see by a circular disputation the question brought to prooue his argument yet experience sheweth that although the Empire is dissolued and also diuided among the beast that is Antichrist ten kings there doth notwithstanding remaine the name and title of the Emperor or king of the RomaÌ„s And so much now shall suffice to haue spoken of that place froÌ„ whence I haue heretofore proued both that antichrist is already come that the Pope is antichrist 4. His third proofe is out of 2. Thes. 2. And now what hindereth you know that he may be reuealed in due time onely he which holdeth must holde vntill he be done out of the way and then that
wicked man shal be reuealed That this is to be vnderstood of the Romane Empire he not onely affirmeth but also confirmeth by the testimonies of diuers of the Fathers the which we are so farre from denying that from hence as one especiall argument we prooue the Pope to be Antichrist But neither the Apostle nor any of the Fathers excepting Lactantius whose Prophecie in this point the Papists themselues do thinke to be erronious doth say that the Empire of Rome shall so vtterly be abolished as that not so much as the name of the Emperour or King of the Romanes shall remaine which Bellarmine should haue prooued For otherwise that the Empire was indeed dissolued before the reuelation of Antichrist the holy Ghost prophecied the euent hath prooued and we doe willingly confesse Quâ—… tenebat de medâ—… fit Ad Gerontid de Monogamia saith Ierome in his time non intelligimus Antichristum appropinquare He which held is taken away and doe we not vnderstand that Antichrist is at hand Yea but saith Bellarmine the Romane Empire is not yet vtterly destroyed and therefore Antichrist is not yet come Neither is it necessary it is sufficient that he which hindered the reuelation of Antichrist waâ—… done out of the way which was done first by remoouing the Imperiall seate from Rome which was to be the seate of Antichrist as hath beene prooued secondly by the dissolution of the Empire in the West As for the Empire renued by the Pope that hindereth not Antichrist but rather furthereth as hath beene shewed and therfore there is no necessitie that it should be taken away Neither is there now an Emperour of the Romanes indeed but onely in title without the thing it selfe as enjoying neither the citie of Rome it selfe nor yet the Prouinces And therefore either vnskilfully or sophistically are these Emperors which haue no imperiall authoritie either in the citie or the prouinces compared with those ancient Emperours who although they had the Empire wanted Rome it selfe 5. And hereby appeareth the error of our aduersaries who thinke that Antichrist commeth not before the vtter desolation of the Romane Empire whereas neither of the Apostles Paul or Iohn do say so but rather the contrary as hath bin shewed For to omit the rest before alledged Iohn saith Apoc. 13. That one head of the beast meaning the state of the emperors had indeed â—…ceiued deadly wounâ—… both in respect of Rome the head city and of the Emperours in the West but was cured therefore not vtterly destroyed and cured by the Pope both in respect of the city and in regard of the Emperour And therefore the Pope is Antichrist as some of our writers infer because this wound was to be cured by the second beast which figureth Antichrist And Ambrose saith vpon 2. Thes. 2. That Antichrist shall restore libertie to the Romans but in his owne name Bellarmine answereth That he readeth no where in Iohn that the beast which signifieth the Romane Empire was to be cured by antichrist Yea but this he might haue read that the second beast which is Antichrist causeth the image of the beast that is the new Empire to be made and putteth life vnto it For by this renuing of the Empire Bellarmine elswhere De translat imperij lib. 1. c. 4. prosesseth that the Romane Empire was restored to the same estate wherin it was before Augustulus But what hath Bellarmine read in Iohn Forsooth That one of the heads of the beast should dye and shortly after rise againe by the helpe of the diuel which the Ancient expouÌ„d of Antichrist who shall faine himselfe to be dead and by diuellish art rise againe that so by resembling the true death and resurrection of Christ he might seduce many First it is euident that the former beast figureth not Antichrist but the Romane state and that vnder the Romane Emperors especially Secondly it is not said that one of the heads did faine it selfe dead and by the helpe of the diuell did rise againe which needed not if the death were couÌ„terfeit but that one of the heads had receiued a deadly wound was cured againe The head was the state of the Emperours to wit the sixt head which receiued a deadly wound in Augustulus after whom the Empire in the West lay voide 325. yeares But this head was cured after a sort in Charlemaine his successouâ—…s in whom there was an image of the former Emperours erected by the Pope And therefore this state of Emperours renued in Charlemaine and his successours is said to be the eight head of the beast yet is one of the seuen So that the sixt head which before was wouÌ„ded to death was cured after a sort repaired in theÌ„ This in substance is confessed by Bellarmine himself in this chapt where vnderstanding by the two legs of the image §. quod 〈◊〉 in Daniel the Westerne and Easterne Empire he saith That the Westerne which was the one leg failed namely in Augustulus and was after erected in Charlemaine and that as else-wheré he boasteth by the Pope Now whereas Bellarmine laboureth to prooue that this head which was wounded to death and reuiued againe is not Charles the great he sheweth himselfe rediculous in fighting with his owne shadow For by the head is not meant any one man but the state and succession of Emperours which was interrupted and cut off in Augustulus renewed in Charles the great and his successours And that which is added concerning the vniuersalitie either of worship or of rule is not spoken of the head which was reuiued but of the beast which was to Apoc. 13. 7. 8. haue one of his seauen heads wounded to death cuted againe The sixt Chapter answering his third demonstration concerning Enoch and Elias 1. NOw we are to come to those signes which in Bellarmines conceit are to accompany Antichrist the former wherof is the comming of Enoch and Elias in the flesh to oppose themselues against Antichrist and to conuert the Iewes From whence Bellarmine reasoneth thus If Enoch and Elias be not yet come againe in the flesh then Antichrist is not yet come But Enoch and Elias are not yet come againe in the flesh and therefore Antichrist is not yet come To the proposition I answer first that if Enoch and Elias were to come in their owne persons before the second comming of Christ as some of the Ancient haue thought and that to oppose themselues against Antichrist as the Papists dreame yet it followeth not that therefore Antichrist should not be come before their comming It is sufficient that they come before his ouerthrowe and the second comming of Christ. And therefore if they were indeed to come their coÌ„ming might yet be expected notwithstanding the truth of our assertion that Antichrist is already come But if Enoch and Elias be not to come againe in their owne persons before the end of the world to fight against Antichrist what force of
writings before to be the scriptures Why then Ierome saith so vpon Daniel 11. 24. where Daniel speaketh of Antiochus his dealings in Egypt that he did that which his forefathers neuer did Nullus Iudaeorum absque Antichristo in tot◅ vnquam or be regnauit These be Bellarmines scriptures But where do the scriptures indeede say that Antichrist shall subdue seuen of the tenne Kings Nay the contrary may rather bee gathered out of the scriptures The tenne hornes whereof Daniel speaketh were tenne Kings which successiuely raigned ouer Iudaea as hath bene shewed And although Antiochus Epiphanes might helpe away three of his next predecessors yet hee could not hurt the other sixe for there were but nine besides himselfe which were all dead and gone before he came to yeares Yea but this opinion of the Fathers is plainely enough deduced out of Apoc. 17. 12. where we reade and the tenne hornes which thou sawest are tenne Kings these haue one minde and they shall giue their power and authoritie to the beast No maruell though some of the Papists call the scripture a nose of waxe seeing they can frame and fashion it at their pleasure and giue vnto it what sense they list Doth Iohn speake of Antichrist his either killing three or subduing seuen Or doth Iohn speake of the same tenne hornes wherof Daniel doth Daniel speaketh of tenne Kings which were to bee dead and gone before the comming of the Messias Iohn speaketh of such as in his time had not yet attained to their kingdome verse 12. Daniel speaketh of tenne Kings of the Seleucidae and Lagidae which succeeded one an other Iohn of tenne Kings among whom the Romane Empire was to be diuided who also were to haue their kingdome together with the beast Daniel telleth vs what the little horne which was one of the tenne should doo to three of the other nine without mention of the rest Iohn sheweth what all the tenne hornes should doo to Antichrist which is none of the tenne hornes but one of the heades of the beast If therefore Bellarmine can proue from hence that these are the same tenne hornes spoken of in Daniel and that Antichrist shall kill three of them subdue the other seuen he may hope to proue any thing But what other scriptures hath hee forsooth Chrysostome and Cyrill For Chrysostome on 2. Thess. 2. saith that Antichrist shall bee a Monarch and shall succeede the Romanes in the Monarchy as the Romanes succeeded the Greekes the Greekes succeeded the Persians and they the Assyrians And Cyrill saith that Antichrist shall obtaine the Monarchy Catech. 15 which was the Romanes I answere that for substance these Fathers held the truth For what Monarch hath there bene in the West these fiue or sixe hundred yeares besides the Pope who calleth himselfe King of Kings and Lorde of Lords to whom all power is giuen in heauen and in earth who hath as they say the double Monarchy both of spirituall and temporal power who forsooth is Lord of the whole earth in so much that he taketh vpon him authoritie to dispose of the new found world And that he succedeth the Emperors in the Alexand. 6. gouernment of Rome as it becommeth Antichrist who is the second beast Apoc. 13. and the 7. head of the beast Apoc. 17. whereof the Emperour was the sixt I shall not neede to proue 15 There remaineth the fourth argument Antichrist shall persecute with an innumerable army the Christians throughout the world and this is the battell of God and Magog but this agreeth not to the Pope therefore the Pope is not Antichrist I answere to the proposition that no such thing can be proued out of the scripture Hee alledgeth Ezech. 38. 39. Apoc. 20. 7. 8. 9. 10. But Ezechiel speaketh not of Antichrist nor of the persecution of the Christian Church by him But hauing foretold chapter 37. the restitution of the Iewes from the Babylonian captiuitie and also prophesied of the comming of Christ in those chapters hee foretelleth of the afflictions and troubles which the people of the Iewes should sustaine in the meane time to wit after their returne out of captiuitie before the comming of the Messias and withall denounceth the iudgemēts of God against the Seleucidae who were the kings of Syria and Asia minor and their adherents who should be the chiefe enemies of the church and people of the Iewes after their returne For Gog signifieth Asia minor hauing that name from Gyges the King thereof Magog is Hierapolis the chiefe seate of Idolatry in Syria built by the Scythians and frō them hath that name So that by the land of Magog wee are to vnderstand Syria and by Gog Asia minor And the rest of the peoples that Plin. lib. 5. cap. 23. are named in Ezechiel were such as assisted the Seleucidae who were the kings of Syria and Asia minor in their warres either as their subiects or as their friends or as their mercenary souldiers And for as much as the princes and people of Syria and Asia minor were the most grieuous enemies of the Iewes by Ad Tremell Iun. in Ezech 38. 39. whom they sustained the chiefest calamities after their returne before the comming of Christ therefore by an vsuall speech in the Iewish language the mortall and deadly enemies of the church are called Gog and Magog And in this sense Iohn the Diuine vseth these names Gog and Magog to signifie the enemies of the church meaning not the same enemies whereof Ezechiel speaketh but the like enemies of the Church which should afflict the true Christians as Gog and Magog afflicted the Iewes Neither doth Iohn in this place speake of the persecution of Antichrist properly but of Sathan after he was loosed his inciting the enemies of the Church to battell and of Gods iudgements against them signified by fire And so much shall suffice to haue answered to this argument For after so long a Treatise I will not trouble the Reader with the tenne seuerall opinions which Bellarmine reciteth cōcerning Gog and Magog neither yet with any further answere to his cauillations and exceptions against some of the arguments of diuers Protestants which he thought were more easie to answere seeing in the former booke I haue sufficiently cleared those arguments whereby the Pope is more euidently proued to be Antichrist neither is the controuersie betwixt vs whether euery argument that hath bene produced by euery one doth necessarily conclude the Pope to be Antichrist That discourse therefore being rather personall then reall I let it passe Chap. 17. Being the conclusion of the whole Treatise HAuing therefore both by sufficient arguments manifestly proued that the Pope is 1. Antichrist and by euidence of truth maintained the same assertion against the arguments of the Papists let vs now consider in the last place what conclusions may vpon this doctrine be necessarily inferred for our further vse For first if this be true that the Pope is Antichrist as
2. Thes. 2. 8. for although he should be wasted and consumed before by the spirit of Christs mouth that is the ministery of the word yet he should not be vtterly destroyed vntill the second comming of Christ. From hence therefore we reason thus If Antichrist were in the Apostles time and was to remaine vntill the second comming of Christ then Antichrist is not one singuler man but a succession of men vnlesse they will say that one and the same man may liue vpon the earth from the Apostles time vntill the comming of Christ of which time there be already aboue 1500. yeares expired But Antichrist was in the Apostles times and is to continue vntill the second comming of Christ as the two Apostles Paul and Iohn do plainely testifie therefore Antichrist is not one singuler man 10. Of this syllogisme Bellarmine cannot deny either the proposition or the assumption Onely he distinguisheth of the former part of the assumption viz. That Antichrist in the Apostles time was come indeede but not in his owne person but onely in his forerunners And this he would prooue first by a similitude which he might haue knowne from Plato to be a most slippery argument As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ came in the beginning of the world not in his owne person but in his forerunners the Patriarches and Prophets so Antichrist came in the Apostles time not in his owne person but in his forerunners the heretickes persecutors of the church In which similitude there is no proportiō vnlesse that which is in question betaken for granted namely that Antichrist is but one particular person as Christ is For if Antichrist be a succession of heretiques then might he be said to come in the first of the ranke although the chiefe of that order which principally is called Antichrist was not yet come And secondly the protasis or propositiō of this similitude is vntrue For although Christ might be said to be come from the beginning in respect both of the truth of the promise and also of the efficacy of his merits which is extended to all the faithfull from the beginning yet we neuer reade neither can it truely be said that he came in the Patriarches and Prophets especially seeing the holy Ghost maketh a kinde of opposition betwixt Heb. 1. 1. Mat. 21. 37 Gal. 4. 4. Gods sending of them and the comming of Christ who was not sent before the fulnesse of time came Neither are the Prophets or Patriarches any where called the forerunners of Christ For forerunners goe a little before as Iohn Baptist did who therefore is worthily called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the forerunner If any man obiect that as Christ 1. Pet. 3. 19 spake in the Prophets so Antichrist in the heretiques I answer that this latter is true not of Antichrist but of the diuell who is a lying spirit in the mouthes of all false Prophets Thirdly the reddition is contradictory to that which the Apostle Iohn deliuereth For he saith plainely that the Antichrist with the article prefiexed and that Antichrist whom they heard was to come was already entred into the world 1. Iohn 4. 3. 2. Iohn 7. and thence prooueth that therefore it is the last houre because Antichrist was to come in the last houre 1. Iohn 2. 18. So that in this similitude nothing is sound no proportion in the whole no truth in the parts 11. Wherefore by a new supply of arguments he laboureth to make good this exposition And as touching the place in Paul he argueth first from the authority of the fathers interpreters wherof some vnderstand by the mystery of iniquitie the persecution vnder Nero others the heretiques of those times which secretly seduced many The former had no reason to call the open persecution of Nero a mysterie who also although he were an enimy yet belonged not to the body of Antichrist who is a disguised enimy and a pretended Christian. The latter exposition we doe embrace For we holde Antichrist to be the whole body of heretiques in the last age of the world who vnder the name and profession of Christ aduance themselues against Christ first secretly as in the Apostles times afterwardes more openly when that which hindred was taken out of the way Of this body as euery member seuerally and all ioyntly is Antichrist and therefore Iohn calleth the heretiques of his time Antichrists and of them all saith that they are the Antichrist so especially the head of this body which we haue prooued to be the Papacy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Antichrist Wherefore although Antichrist was after a sort come and the mysterie of iniquity wrought in the Apostles time yet Antichrist was not reuealed vntill the head of this body appeared that is vntill the Pope became Antichrist who since the yeare of the Lord 606. hath shewed himselfe in his colours first by vsurping supreame authority ouer the vniuersall Church afterwards by claiming soueraignty ouer kings and Emperors as we haue heretofore shewed Seeing therfore the heretiques of whom the fathers speake did belong to the body of Antichrist it cannot be denied but that Antichrist when they were in the world was come in some of his members and had as it were set his foote into the Church 12. Secondly from our owne confession he would seeme to driue vs to great absurdity For saith he if Antichrist were come in the Apostles times and if Antichrist hath his seat in Rome then it will follow that Peter Paul were the true Antichrists Nero or Simon Magus the true Christ. For there were no other Bishops of Rome then but Peter and Paul with whom Nero and Simon Magus contended I answere that it cannot be prooued out of the Scripture or by any sound argument that Peter and Paul were Bishops of Rome and although they were it would not follow vpon our assertion that therefore they were Antichrists and much lesse that Nero or Simon Magus was Christ. For when we say that Antichrist was come in the Apostles time we speake of the body of Antichrist with S. Iohn Whō we say that Antichrist hath his seate in Rome we speake of the head of this body who especially is called Antichrist whom we do with Paul acknowledge not to haue beene reuealed vntill that which hindered was taken out of the way that is vntill the Romane Empire in the West was dissolued but afterwards by degrees he was aduanced in the Papacie aboue all that is called God sitting in the temple of God as if he were God that is ruling and raigning in the Church as if he were a God vpon earth And surely if the head of the Antichristian body was to be reuealed not long after the dissolution of the Romane Empire in the West and was about the same time with the rulers of the Prouinces to attaine vnto his kingdome as hath bin shewed and lastly if he shall continue in the world after he is reuealed vntill
the second comming of Christ then it followeth necessarily that euen this head of the Antichristian body cannot be any one singular man but is continued by a succession of many from the time of his reuelation vntill the end of the world of which time there is almost a thousand yeares expired But both in this argument and in the former Bellarmine sophistically beggeth the question For in his arguments there is no consequence vnlesse this be taken for granted that Antichrist is but one man Antichrist came in the Heretiques in the Apostles time therfore he came not in his owne person A good argument if Antichrist were but one man which is the question If Antichrist were in the Apostles time and if Antichrist must sit at Rome then he that was then Bishop of Rome was Antichrist a good argument if Antichrist were but one man which is the question 13. Now whereas S. Iohn saith that Antichrist in his time was come Bellarmine faineth him to speake of Antichrist as he saith Our Sauiour spake of Elias Mat. 17. 11. Elias indeed shall come namely in his own person but I say vnto you Elias is already come in suo simili in his like that is Iohn Baptist. So S. Iohn speaketh of Antichrist that he was indeed to come in his owne person but now he was come in his type You see to what silly shifts this worthy chaÌ„pion of the Pope is driuen For first he fathereth vpon Christ that Iewish fable which with the Iewes the Papists holde against Christ himselfe For whereas Malachie had prophecied of the comming of Elias before the day of the Malac. 4. 5 Lord meaning the first comming of Christ our Sauiour Christ plainlie anoucheth Mat. 11. 14. that Iohn Baptist was that Elias who according to the Prophecie of Malachie was to come Now Iohn Baptist was called Elias because he came in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the fathers c. as the Angell also applyeth that prophesie Luk. 1. 17. But suppose that Christ had spoken of Elias Malac. 4. 6. according to Bellarmines conceit yet how dooth it follow that Luke 1. 17. therefore Iohn speaketh of Antichrist after the same manner No more then it followeth that Dauid should long after his death be sent againe to gouerne the people of God because it was prophesied by Ezechiel that the Lord would raise vp a Pastor for his people euen Dauid his seruant c. But as by the name of Dauid in Ezechiel Eze. 34. 23 24. 37. 35. is meant not Dauid himselfe but Christ of whom Dauid was a type so by the name of Elias in Malachie is not meant Elias himselfe Iere. 30. 9. but Iohn Baptist who resembled Elias in spirit and power in reforming the Church of God 14. Our second argument is this That which in the Prophecies of the Scriptures especially in the 7. and 11. of Daniel and in Apoc. the 13. and 17. is described vnder the name and figure of a beast is not one singuler thing or person but a whole state or succession Antichrist is described in the Apocatypse 13. vnder the name and figure of a Beast therfore Antichrist is not one singuler person but a whole state and succession The proposition is prooued by induction of particular examples As in the 7. of Daniel by the Lion is figured the Kingdome of the Assyrians and Babylonians by the Beare the Medes and Persians by the Leopard the Greekes and Macedonians by the beast with ten hornes the Seleucidae and Lagidae and so Chapt. 8. In the 13. of the Apocalypse there are two Beasts described the former signifying the state of the Romane Emperours the second signifying the state of Antichrist Bellarmine answereth that Daniel as sometimes by the beasts he signifieth whole kingdomes so sometimes also particular persons As in the eight Chapter by the Ramme â—…he vnderstandeth Darius the last King of the Persians by the Goate Alexander the great In which answer the vpright dealing of Bellarmine with the Scriptures appeareth For in the 20. verse of the 8. Chapter where that vision is expounded Dan. 8. 20. the Angels words are these The Ramme which thou sawest hauing two hornes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Kings of the Medes and Persians And the Goate is the King of Iauan or Grecia meaning as before the Kings or Kingly estate as appeareth plainly by the words that follow and not as Bellarmine saith Alexander and the great horne betweene his eyes is the first King namely Alexander which being broken foure other stand vp in the steed thereof As Daniel therefore by seuerall beasts Dan. 8. 22. meaneth not so many particular men but whole states and orders of men and as Iohn in the 13. of the Apocalyps by the former beasts meaneth not any one Emperour but the whole state and succession of Emperours at the least so the holy Ghost in the same Chapter by the second beast describing Antichrist meaneth not any one particular Apo. 13. 11 person but the whole state and succession of Antichristian Popes to whom as heretofore hath beene shewed that description wholy agreeth And whereas Bellarmine addeth that Paul when he entreateth of Antichrist speaketh not of any one of the foure beasts in Daniel but of the little horne mentioned in the 7. of Daniel vers 8 I answer that the Apostle speaketh neither of the one nor of the other and therefore the former part of Bellarmines speech is vaine for no man saith so and the latter is false For the little horne is not Antichrist but Antiochus Epiphanes who liued aboue 200. yeares before the incarnation of Christ who although he were but one man might not vnsitly be called a type of Antichrist who is a state or succession of men 15. Our third argument is taken from that Apostasie which the Apostle foretelleth 2. Thes. 2. For where he speaketh of a defection whereof Antichrist is the head without addition we vnderstand a 2. Thes. 2. 3. generall defection of the visible Church which as it began to worke in the Apostles time so was it to increase vntill the reuelation of Antichrist and to continue more or lesse vntill his destruction This Apostasie because it cannot be the worke of one man or of a fewe 2. Thes. 2. 7. yeares euidently prooueth that Antichrist is not one singuler man but rather a state and succession of men To this Bellarmine for want of one good answer maketh many First saith he by that Apostasie wee may very well nay he saith rectissimè vnderstand Antichrist himselfe as diuers of the fathers teach and what will he inferre thereupon that therefore Antichrist is but one man Nay rather the contrary is to be inferred For if Apostasie be put by a metonymy of the adiunct for the subiect or rather of the effect for the cause that is for the parties which doe reuolt then it followeth that Antichrist who according to