he shall aduance himselfe against God against Christ our Sauiour list vp himself aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped yet he shall professe himselfe to be the seruant of Christ and a worshipper of God Fourthly the words of the text do not ascribe to Antichrist so great an extolling of himselfe as the Iesuit imagineth For first he is called a man of sinne sonne of perdition therfore we are to conceiue of such an aduancement of himselfe as is incident to a mortall wretched man SecoÌ„dly he is said to extoll himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped By all that is called God we are to vnderstand all to whom the name of God is communicated as to Angels in heauen to kings and Princes on earth And of this aduancing aboue Kings we are the rather to vnderstand this place because afterwards it is said that the Romane Empire hindered Antichrists aduancing or reuealing himselfe And by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are to vnderstand any thing which is worshipped as God or wherein God is worshipped Such in the Church of Rome are the Host the Crosse the Saints their Images reliques Aboue al which a man may aduance himselfe as the Pope doth and yet may acknowledge some other God besides himselfe Thirdly the greatest height of pride that is incident to any creature whatsoeuer is not to seeke to be aboue God for that cannot be imagined but to be as God And indeed the height of Antichrist his pride and aduancing of himselfe is noted in the words following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in so much that he shall sit in the temple of God as God Whosoeuer therefore being but a mortall man shall aduance himself aboue all that is called God worshipped insomuch that he shall sit in the temple of God as God that is ruleth in the church of Christ as if he were a God vpon earth he is to be deemed Antichrist that is aemulus Christi one that would faine be equall to Christ although he neither professe himselfe to be the onely God who onely is to be worshipped neither yet abolish all other worship of God both true and false And if in this sense this place do properly agree to the Pope as indeed it doth then can it not be auoided but that he is Antichrist 13 The second testimony which he alledgeth to prooue this fond conceit is Dan. 11. 37. neither shall he care for any of the Gods but shall rise against all I answere Daniel in this place speaketh not of Antichrist and he of whom he speaketh was an Idolater and therefore this allegation is altogether impertinent As touching the first it is euident that Daniel from the 21. verse of that chapter to the end doth most plainly properly describe Antiochus Epiphanes For howsoeuer in this place Bellarmine would proue by the authoritie of Ierome that these words are to be vnderstood of Antichrist not of Antiochus yet in another place when part of this verse is obiected Li. 3. ca. 21 by some protestants as sitting the Pope he telleth vs plainly that Daniel speaketh ad literamâ—… literally of Antiochus who was a figure of Antichrist Secondly hee of whom Daniel speaketh was an Idolater and establisher of Idolatry So farre was hee from professing himselfe to be the onely true God or suffering none to be worshipped besides himselfe For if he speake of Antiochus Epiphanes as most certainly he doth it may easily be proued both by Historie of the Machabees and by other stories that he was both an Idolater himselfe and an inforcer of Idolatry vpoÌ„ others See I. Maccab. 1. 50. 2. Mac. cab 6. 2. c. Polybius also testifieth that in sacrifices honouring the Graecian Gods he surpassed other Kings which went before him Apud Athenaeum as might appeare by the Olympiaeum at Athens and the Images about the altar at Delos This Ierome also auoucheth and Bellarmine confesseth But of whomsoeuer Daniel speaketh he doth plainly describe him in the next verse to be an Idolater Ver. 38. And it is a world to see what silly shiftes the Iesuit maketh to auoyd this truth For first he readeth the words thus And he shall honor the God Maozim in his place Secondly he omitteth the words following the God which his fathers knew not he shall honour with golde c. which most plainly specifie his Idolatry who is here described and busieth himselfe wholy in giuing a false interpretatioÌ„ to the god Maozim The God Maozim saith he signifieth either Antichrist himself and then the meaning is he shall honor himselfe that is cause himselfe to be worshipped or else it signifieth the diuel whom Antichrist being a sorcerer shall worship in secret which interpretation he preferreth before the other And therefore this place doth not proue that he which is here described shal be an Idolater 14 I answere first that although either of his interpretations of the God Maozim were true as neither is yet the one hindreth not and the other proueth that he which is heere described is an Idolater For let the word Maozim signifie what it may yet the words following plainly conuince the partie here described of Idolatry the God which his fathers knew not he shall worship with gold And if the God Maozim signifie any but the true God and if also the words are so to be read as Bellarmine readeth them And he shall honor the God Maozim and the God whoÌ„ his fathers knew not he shall worship with gold and siluer c. then by these words the Idolatry is encreased For first it is said that he shall worship the God Maozim according to Bellarmines reading whereby is not meant as he saith the true God nay he saith to make Christ the God Maozim Li. 3. ca. 21 it is intollerable blasphemy O therefore first in these words is signified an Idolater and secondly it is added that the God also which his fathers knew not hee shall worship where againe his Idolatry is most plainely noted 2. But indeede Bellarmines interpretation is meerely false and that which he inferreth therevpon altogether absurd The God Mahuzzim signifieth the God of fortitudes that is the most mightie or almightie God which title as it is proper to the Lorde as Ieremy calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehouah my Iere. 16. 19 strength and fortitude And likewise Dauid Psal. 31. 5. so may it not be ascribed to any other And therefore it is a sencelesse imagination that Daniel by the God of fortitudes would signifie either Antichrist himselfe a wicked and wretched man or the father of Antichrist the Diuell And further as touching the former interpretation it seemeth to be absurd that when Daniel according to his reading saith he shal worship the God Maozim his meaning should be that Antichrist should worship himselfe as though he that worshippeth and hee that is worshipped were one and the same And theÌ„
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
Thou bearest the person An. Do. 862 Annal. Boior lib. 4. of a Bishop say they but thou playest the tyrant vnder the habite or attire of a pastour wee feele a Wolfe the lying title calleth thee Father thou in thy deedes boastest thy selfe to be another Iupiter When as thou art the seruaunt of seruants thou striuest to be the Lorde of Lords c. Hee counterfeiteth the Lambe in calling himselfe the vicar of Christ and exercising the very same office which Christ himselfe had Bellarm. whiles he was vpon the earth And because by horne in the Scriptures often is meant power he may be saide to haue two hornes like the Lambe whiles he challengeth that two-fold power which is peculiar to Christ the Lambe as our King and Priest and vsurpeth both the swordes I meane both spirituall and temporall He speaketh like the Dragon in teaching those doctrines of Diuels mentioned 1. Tim. 4. 3. forbidding to mary and commaunding abstinence from meates in belching foorth most horrible blasphemies whereof wee will remember some in the next chapter in his diuellish curses against the Saints and Satannicall promises of the worlde and kingdomes thereof to them that will adore him Luc. 4. 6. Ecce in potestate nostra est imperium vt demus illud cui volumus Auentin Annal Boior lib. 6. saith Adrian the Pope Beholde the Empyre is in our power that wee may giue it to whom wee will And whereas Hierome writing of those wordes 1. Tim. 4. They speake in Hypocrisie saith he who being not continent would seeme to be so chaste as that they condemne mariage and so abstemious as that they iudge those who vse the creature sparingly whereas thēselues are giuen ouer to belly cheere what could haue bene spoken more fitly to shewe foorth the hypocrisie of the Pope Papists For do not they whiles they condēne contemne mariage vnder the shew of vowed chastity practise all vncleannesse and whiles they cōdemne all moderate eating of flesh do not they vnder a colour of fasting feast feed themselues with the choisest dainties Doe not many of them vnder the pretence of voluntary pouerty gather infinite riches And doth not all their religion stande in Opere operate in the bare performaunce of the outwarde worke that is to say in hypocrisie Neither are wee to omitte an hypocriticall pollicie which of late they haue vsed For when as they coulde not preuaile with their Sophistry that is to say with their Bookes of controuersies they hoped to preuaile among the simple with their hypocrisie that is to say with their bookes of deuotion Wherein there is a notable shewe of counterfait deuotion zeale and holinesse to bleare the eyes of the simple and vnstaied But it were to be wished that as they are so they were esteemed to be no better then baits of Antichrist seruing to allure men vnder shew of deuotion vnto idolatry apostasie from God especially if we cōsider that the principall of these bookes were set forth by Parsons other Iesuits who Quodlibet c. are plainly discouered euen by some of their owne side to be mere Machiuilians and wicked Atheists 5. Thus you see what maner of aduersary Antichrist is Now wee must shewe in particular wherein he is opposed to Iesus Christ. He is opposed vnto him as he is Christ and as he is Iesus as hee is Christ that is as he was annointed of God to be our Prophet our King and our Priest in which respect especially he is called Antichrist He is also opposed vnto him as he is Iesus that is to say as he is our Sauiour So that Antichrist opposeth himselfe both to the offices of Christ signified in the name Christ and also to the benefites signified in the name Iesus Now these things also most fitly agree to the Pope who opposeth himselfe to Christ in all these respectes not indeede aperto Marte as an open and professed enemy for so it becōmeth not Antichrist who was to be an hypocrit sitting in the Church of God c. but couertly and cunningly For we must remember that Antichristianisme is the mystery of iniquity wherin Christ was in word shew to be professed but indeed truth denied First thē to Christ our Prophet he is opposed partly as he oppugneth the prophecy of Christ and partly as himselfe is a false Prophet He oppugneth the prophecy of Christ First in denying Christ to be our onely Prophet whose voice in the canonicall Scriptures concerning matters necessarily to be beleeued vnto saluation wee ought onely to heare whiles he and his followers do teach that the scriptures are not perfect and that besides the Apocryphall writings which they haue matched with the canonical their owne traditions also are necessary and of equall authority with the scriptures Secondly by withholding from the people the scriptures which containe the whole doctrine of Christ our prophet in a strange language and also by reading and preaching vnto them their owne fancies and inuentions out of the legends and liues of saints and festiualls c. in steede of the sincere truth of God And by these two practises the Pope whiles he leaueth to Christ the name and title of beeing our prophet he taketh the thing to himselfe Againe he is opposed to Christ our prophet as himselfe is the false prophet spoken of in the Apocalypse teaching Antichristian errours and doctrines of diuells For so many errors as are taught and held by the Pope and church of Rome are so many oppositions betwixt him and Christ our prophet Of the errours of the Romish church there be many centuryes or hundreds and diuerse of them fundamentall In respect whereof wee may truly say that the catholike Apostasie for so I call the Romish religion is the common sewre of many grosse heresyes 6 But it will be said that howsoeuer the Pope holdeth diuerse errours yet he teacheth not those which the holy ghost hath noted as the peculiar doctrines of Antichrist Whereof the authour of the Wardword reckoneth vp three and Bellar-mine hath a fourth But neither of them durst mention those two doctrines of diuells which Paul assigneth to that Apostasie 1. Tim. 4. 3. whereof Antichrist is the head The first doctrine of Antichrist say they is to deny Iesus to be Christ. Which they Of this see more in the 2. booke and 14. chapter would proue out of 1. Iohn 2. 22. 4. 3. and 2. Iohn 7. But the Pope say they doth not deny Iesus to be Christ. To the prosyllogisme or proofe of the proposition I answere that these places of the Apostle Iohn doe not speake properly of the graund Antichrist who is the head of the Antichristian body but of certaine petite Antichrists or heretickes of those times which denied either of the natures of Christ for he speaketh of such as were then already come into the world and therefore from thence it cannot be proued that the great Antichrist shall
directly and expresly deny Iesus to be Christ. Notwithstanding seeing they are called Antichrists not onely because they belong to the Antichristian body as inferiour members thereof but also as it may be thought because they did after a sort deny Christ as the great Antichrist also should doe although not after the same manner I doe therefore thus farre graunt the proposition it selfe that Antichrist was in some sort to denie Christ. For Iohn speaketh not of the manner how he doth denie Christ. Neither are we to thinke that Antichrist will denie him after euerie manner but in such sort as shall be most consonant to the whole mysterie of iniquitie and suteable to the rest of his lying and deceipt That is to say in outward 2. Thess. 2. shewe and semblance to professe Christ as those Antichrists did of whom Iohn speaketh but in deed and in truth to denie him To come therfore to the assumption let vs consider whether the Pope and church of Rome doe not in some sort denie Christ Christ may be denyed either in deeds or words Quisquis autem factis negat Christum is Antichrist us est And whosoeuer in deedes saith Augustine denieth Christ he is Antichrist Let vs therefore marke saith he who it is that denieth Tract 3. in Epist. Ioan. let vs not attend to his tongue but to his works I regard not what he speaketh but how he liueth Works do speake and do we require words He is the more lying Antichrist who with his mouth prosesseth Iesus to be Christ and by deeds denyeth him According to the Lawyers rule it is more to testifie a matter by deedes then by words And Tullie saith that where the things themselues Contra Salust beare witnesse words are needlesse And as Antichrist was thus to deny Christ both as he is the man of sin and an aduersary oppugning Christ and his church So doth the Pope howsoeuer in word he professeth Christ. For euen the diuells themselues haue in word confessed Christ whom notwithstanding by their deeds they deny If therefore the Pope be a man of sin which we shall proue anone and an aduersary opposed vnto Christ which now we haue in hand to proue then it cannot be denyed but that indeed he denieth Christ. 7 Secondly Christ may be de denyed in word doctrine and that either indirectly and by consequent or else directlie expresly He that denieth Christ by consequent howsoeuer openly he doth confesse him doth indeede deny him as those which deny either of his natures or any of his offices For such is the necessary coherence of truth within it selfe as nothing can by necessarie consequence be deducted from it which is not also true And therefore it is impossible that the consequent should be false the antecedent being true Whereupon it followeth that whosoeuer denieth the consequent doth indeed deny the antecedent Iesus is Immanuel and consequently God and Man He is Christ and consequently annointed of God to be our King our priest our prophet He therefore that denieth any of these denieth Iesus to be Christ. And further is Christ truly God then is he also Iehouah one that is of from himself namely as he is God theÌ„ is he also the Lord creator of al things gouerning all things with his presence and prouidence Is he truly man then hath he a true body consisting of three dimensions length bredth thicknes circuÌ„scribed visible conâ—…ined in one place at once as being but one body not discontinued Is he the true Messias Mediator betwixt God man then is he the only mediator for there is but one Wherefore 1. Tim. 2. 5. Act. 4. 12. whosoeuer saith that Christ is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself he denieth him to be God or preferreth any creature before him either in heauen or in earth he denieth him to be the Lord and maker of al or assigneth a vicar vnto him to supply his absence on earth denieth his omnipreseÌ„ce Again whosoeuer saith that Christ his body doth not consist of 3. dimensioÌ„s that it is not circuÌ„scribed that it is not visible that it is not coÌ„tained in one place as al other bodies yea as al other finite natures are he denieth Iesus to be truly man consequently denieth him to be Christ. Lastly whosoeuer adioyne other mediators vnto Christ and in some respects preser others aboue him deny him to be the only mediator therfore deny him to be the true mediator for there is but one consequeÌ„tly deny Iesus to be christ And thus as the Antichrists wherof Iohn speaketh according 1. Iohn 2. 22. Lib. 3. de pont Rc. ap 14. to Bellarmin his own expositioÌ„ did as the graund Antichrist according to our coÌ„fessioÌ„ doth deny Christ not only in deed but also in word and doctrine although not openly and expressely yet indirectly and by consequent So doth the Pope and church of Rome deny Iesus to be Christ. For what a God and Lord what a creatour and gouernor of all things the Pope and Papists make our Sauiour Christ you may easily conceiue First when they deâ—…y him to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe and consequently Iehouah For whosoeuer is Iehouah he is of and from himselfe True indeed it is that Christ is filius a patre sed Deus a se quate nus est Deus that is sonne of and from his father but God of and from himselfe namely as he is God And if he were not of and from himselfe he were not God And although in the concrete we may and must say with the councel of Nice that Christ is God of God that is Christ who is God is from the father who is God the word God beeing taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 personallio because the person of the sonne who is Deus genitus God begotten is from the person of the father who is Deus gignens God begetting yet it is not likewise true in the abstract For howsoeuer the Godhead is communicated from the father to the sonne by eternall generation and from the father and the sonne to the holy ghost by eternall procession yet the deity of the sonne and so of the holy ghost beeing the selfe same infinite eternall and indiuisible essence of the father is from and of and by and for it selfe And who knoweth not that such is the simplicity of the diuine nature as that God is the godhead and the godhead is God and consequentlie that Christ as he is God is the Godhead which is of and from it selfe And therefore to conclude Christ is God of God in respect of his person and he is also God of himselfe in respect of his essence which is of it selfe he is God of God the name God being vsed personally and relatiuely for hee is God the sonne of God the father and God begotten of God begetting and he is God of himselfe the name God beeing taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Empire in the west they together with Antichrist diuide the Romane Empire among them raigning by soueraigne authority he in Rome and part of Italy they in the other prouinces Of these ten hornes it is said that they for a time should giue their power and strength vers 13. to the beast meaning Antichrist and that in his quarell they shall fight against Christ the lambe in his members But the v. 14. bloud of Martyrs being the seede of the Church and the truth preuailing when it is most oppugned Christ by the constancie of his Martyrs and preaching of his word ouercommeth For though in respect of the manner of his resistance hee seemeth a meeke lambe yet hee shall be sure to ouercome because he is the king of kings and Lord of Lords being able by weake and foolish things as they are esteemed in the world to ouercome the wise and strong And howsoeuer those fewe in comparison that stoode with him were condemned for hereticks and schismatickes yet are they the called chosen and faithful seruants of the Lord. Whereas contrarywise the generall multitudes whereof the catholicke apostasy consisteth are the slaues of Antichrist and subiect to the whore of Babylon For the waters whereon she sitteth are peoples and multitudes nations v. 15. and tongues But when as our Sauiour Christ shall discouer Antichrist and by the ministery of the word as it were the breath of his mouth waste and consume him then shal the ten kings which before had ioyned with him set thēselues against him and those which before had committed fornicatiō with the v. 2. whore of Babylon shall hate her and make her desolate and naked v. 16. and shal eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire And that this decay of the Antichristian state doth follow vpō the preaching of the gospell it appeareth Apoc. 14. 6. 7. 8. where it is said that vpon the preaching of the euerlasting Gospell an angell saith It is fallen it is fallen Babylon that great city for shee gaue to all nations to drinke the wine of the wrath of her fornication v. 17. For vntill this time that Christ discouer Antichrist and in some measure consume him with the spirite of his mouth the ten kings are giuen ouer of God to support with one consent the beast and purple harlot whome after Antichrist is discouered they shall hate and oppugne 2 But let vs come to the application For euen as from this place I proued before that Antichrist is already come so may I now from hence conclude that the Pope is that Antichrist That Antichrist is come it is as certaine as that the prouinces of the Empire are not ruled by deputyes of the Emperour but by soueraigne princes who haue together with Antichrist diuided the Empire among them And that the Pope is that Antichrist it is as certaine For he it is who as well as the kings hath risen by the decay of the Empire in the west he it is and no other to whome these kings haue with one consent giuen their strength and power submitting themselues vnto him as his vassalls swearing to mainetaine and support him fighting his battailes and drawing their sword at his becke And being made drunke with the cuppe of his fornications they fought against the lambe and persecuted those seruaunts of Christ whom Antichrist condemneth as hereticks and schismaticks who notwithstanding are in truth the called chosen faithfull though few and despised in the world When as contrarywise the vniuersality of people whereon the whore of Babylon sitteth and whereof the adulterous church of Rome consisteth are but the branded slaues of Antichrist But howsoeuer these kings whiles they were besotted and giuen ouer of God in his iust iudgement that they should submit themselues to the Antichrist of Rome did seeke by all meanes to support him yet when Christ had discouered him to be Antichrist and by the preaching of his word as it were the spirit of his mouth began to waste consume him and more and more since the times of Luther to abate the opinion which men had conceiued of him then these princes not al but some of them began to reuolt from Antichrist and to hate the Antichristian whore See chap. 2. §. 11. of Babylon the city and church of Rome and as much as in them lyeth haue left her desolate and naked and the rest in Gods good time shall accomplish his will For this prophecie concerning that which Antichrist was to suffer is as yet fulfilled but in part And still there remaineth to bee fulfilled the finall destruction of Rome the seat of Antichrist before the end of the world soretold Apoc. 18. and the finall ouerthrowe of Antichrist at the glorious appearing of Christ at his second comming prophecied 2. Thess. 2. 8. Apoc. 19. 20. Seeing therefore Antichrist the great enemy of Christ and his church is to be ouerthrowne by these three meanes by the powerfull ministery of the word by the puissaunt strength and power of Christian princes by the glorious comming of Christ to iudgment all faithfull ministers are to bee stirred vp seriouslie and earnestly to oppose themselues against Antichrist that by their ministery as it were the spirite of Christs mouth he may bee more and more wasted and consumed All true Christian princes are to be excited not onely to hate the whore of Babylon but also according to the prophecie of the holy ghost to make her desolate and naked to eate her flesh and burne her with fire to do to her children as she hath done to the seruants of Christ. And finallie all sound Christians are to be exhorted earnestly Apoc. 18. 6. and continuallie to pray that the Lord Iesus would not onely consume Antichrist giuing successe to the ministerie of his seruants but also that he would hasten his second coming and destroy him at his glorious appearing Euen so Lord Iesu come quicklie And thus haue I shewed that the prophecyes of Ap. 22. 17. 20. the holy ghost in the scriptures concerning Antichrist Conclus do most fitly and properly agree to the Pope of Rome whereupon I doe necessarily conclude that therefore the Pope of Rome is the graund Antichrist described in the scriptures FINIS THE SECOND BOOKE maintaining that the Pope is Antichrist The first Chapter answering Bellarmine his first argument concerning the name Antichrist HAuing in the former Booke sufficiently prooued by euident demonstration out of the worde of God that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist it remaineth that we should maintaine this our assertion against the arguments of the Papists For as the force euidence of our proofes may perswade vs to embrace this truth so the weakenesse and sophistry which appeareth in the obiections of our aduersaries may confirme vs in this perswasion And the rather if we consider either the weight of this controuersie it selfe or their will and skil to maintaine their part or lastly the
the ciuill warres in France Flanders It may be that the Protestants in these ciuill warres vnder-taken for their owne defence that they might be free from such outrages haue slaine in lawfull battaile many of the Papists as contrariwise many of themselues haue beene slaine But what is this to the purpose Thus many in the armies of Antiochus Epiphanes the most cruell persecutor of the Church of the Iewes were slaine in Iewrie in the time of the Macchabees as well as they had slaine many of the Iewes But I say againe what Catholicks as they call them haue beene put to death for religion As for those fewe that haue beene executed among vs what one was put to death that was not found guiltie eyther of treason or rebellion or some such capitall crime And yet the Papists report and in Bookes doe publish that I cannot tell how many of them are martyred here in England for their religion Neither are they ashamed to write and in Rome to publish that some of them haue beene put into Beares Ecclefiâ—… Anglic. Trophâ—… Printed at Rome An. 1584. cum priuileg Gregor 13 skinnes and baited with Dogges which also they haue set out in tables But compare I beseech you with those many that were martyred in Queene Maries fiue yeeres those few that haue beene executed in Queene Elizabeths fortie fiue yeares Compare the causes which make persecution in the agents and martyrdome in the patients What one put to death of those which were burnt in Q. Maries time for any crime but onely for religion which they cal heresie what one of the Catholicks as they call them in Q. Elizabeths time executed who was not found guiltie of some capitall crime Compare the estate of Papists liuing among Protestants at this day as namely in England with the estate of Protestants liuing among Papists as namely in Spaine Is any one suffered to liue among them that is but once suspected to be of our religion Is not euery such a one either priuately murdered or publickly brought to the stake Among vs who is not suffered to liue although he be knowne to be of the Romish religion To liue did I say Nay God be mercifull vnto vs that suffer them so to liue as they doe to the encouragement and infection of others I speake not onely of ordinarie Papists and those that are at liberty but of the ring-leaders also that be in custodie whose life hath beene more easie and pleasant and maintenance more plentifull then of the Let the Casâ—…les of UUisbich and Fremingham be witnesse most students or ministers among vs. Yea but there is cause will they say that we should deale worse with you then you with vs. Nothing lesse They object to vs onely heresie and that as truely as the Iewes did to Paul which we doe truely object vnto them and in regarde thereof might nay should doe to the children of Babylon as they haue done to vs. But besides Apoc. 18. 6 many grosse and capitall heresies which race the foundation we truely object vnto them that their religion bringeth with it treason against the Prince and rebellion against God Treason against the Prince not onely because of their confederacie with the chiefe enemies of our state the Pope and Spaniard in regard whereof those Iesuites and Priests which come among vs from beyond-Seas as also those which harbour them are worthy of death but also because more generally they holding the Popes supremacie and authoritie to depose Princes and withall beleeuing that the Pope in his definitiue sentence cannot erre they cannot but approoue the Bull of excommunication wherein Pius the fift as much as was in him deposed our Queene of famous memory and absolued her subjects from all allegeance to her Rebellion against God because it perswadeth an Apostasie and falling away from God into grosse and palpable idolatrie Of which fault whosoeuer are found guiltie that is to perswade others to idolatrie by the law of God they ought not be suffered to liue because they haue perswaded an Apostasie from God Deut. 13. All this notwithstanding Deut. 13. 5. 8. 9. we deale too remissely with them and they most barbarously with vs. And yet forfooth if there be or hath beene any persecution in the Church in these latter times the Catholicks are they which suffer it and not the Protestants Alas poore Wolues how cruelly they haue beene handled among the sheepe of Christ 5. But to proceed As the persecution vnder Antichrist saith Bellarmine shall be most grieuous so shall it be most manifest For thus he reasoneth The persecution vnder Antichrist shall be most manifest this vnder the Pope is not manifest therefore this is not the persecution of Antichrist The proposition is prooued because then all the wicked shall aperto marte oppugne the whole church and not onely those that be Infidels and open sinners but the hypocrites also and false brethren shall then joyne themselues to Antichrist and discouering themselues openly assault the Church And is not this well gessed thinke you contrary to the word of truth vttered by our Sauiour Christ For whereas our Sauiour hath said that the good and bad shall growe together like Wheate and Tares vntill the day of the great haruest Bellarmine telleth vs that when Antichrist commeth there shall such a separation be made that there shall not an hypocrite be left in the Church but all the wicked without exception shall be together Omnes prorsus impios simul futuros in exercitu Antichristi in Antichrists hoste and shall openly oppugne the whole Church of the Saints But such separation is not to be looked for vntill Christ shall seuer the Lambes from the Goates And therefore if we must not beleeue that Antichrist is come vntill such a separation be made assuredly Christ will come vpon vs to judgement whiles we looke for Antichrist Yea but Augustine saith That now there be many false bretheren in the De ciuit Dei lib. 20. c. 11. Church At tunc erumpent omnes inquit Augustinus in apertam persecutionem ex latebris odiorum But then all shall burst forth saith Augustine out of their couert hatred into open persecution If Augustine had said so we might wel haue esteemed his speech to haue beene but a humane conjecture rather then a Prophecie diuine But Bellarmine without all shame falsifieth his words For Augustine in that place speaking of those words Apoc. 20. 7. Soluetur Satanas de custodia sua exibit ad seducendas nationes Satan shall be let loose out of his warde and shall goe forth to seduce the nations Exibit autem dictum est saith he in apertam persecutionem de latebris erumpet odiorum Now it is said that he shall goe forth viz. into open persecution he shall breake forth of the couerts of hatred speaking of the diuell alone and not of all the wicked And thus was his proposition doughtily prooued being neuerlesse according to
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
testimony is 2. Thess. 2. 10 11. Because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued therfore God shall send them the efficacie of errour that they may beleeue lyes c. Which words he vnderstandeth of the Iewes who because they receiued not Christ shal therefore be seduced by Antichrist But the place is plaine inough to them that wil vnderstand The Apostle immediately before these words saith that Antichrist shall preuaile with thē that perish because they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued And immediately after these words Therfore God shall send them the efficacie of error that they may beleeue lyes he addeth that all might be iudged or condemned that haue not beleeued the truth but haue taken pleasure in vnrighteousnesse In which words the Apostle doth not goe about to define of what Nation or people Antichrist shal be receiued but hauing described Antichrist as by other arguments so in the last place by this effect of seducing now he describeth the followers of Antichrist who shall be seduced of him not by their nation but by their condition before God And withall cleareth the iustice of God in giuing them ouer to be seduced to their destruction The followers of Antichrist are described by their conditiō before God that they are reprobates or such as perish according to that Math. 24. 24. that it is impossible that the elect should finally be seduced by him which is set downe not so much to be a note wherby to discern Antichrist as to signifie the estate of those that follow him whom before hee had described that they are such as perish and that worthily For as I said in the next words he cleareth the iustice of God after this manner On such as haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued nor beleeued the same but haue delighted in vnrighteousnesse the Lord sendeth iustly the efficacy of errour that they may beleeue lyes that they may all bee condemned But the followers of Antichrist are such as haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued nor beleeued the same but haue delighted in vnrighteousnes therfore the Lord iustly sendeth vpon them strong illusions that they may beleeue lyes that all such as beleeue not the truth but delight in vnrighteousnesse may be condemned This is the discourse of the Apostle cōcerning the followers of Antichrist which cannot with any shewe of reason be restrained to the Iewes vnlesse it may be said that they alone are such as perish that they alone haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued that they alone haue not beleeued the truth c. for he saith that all might be condemned c. For it is certaine that as Antichrist which in this chapter is described is not the head of the Iewes but of counterfeit Christians so the Iewes as they are Iewes are not the followers of Antichrist here described Antichrist is the head of the apostasie or reuolt from Christ and consequently the head of Apostate Christians 1. Tim. 4. 1. Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God that is shall rule and raigne ouer the Church of Christ. Antichrist was to sit in Babylon that is Rome and therein was to succeed the Emperours who whiles they ruled in Rome hindered the reuelation and dominion of Antichrist All which points as they do fit the Pope so they do proue that the Papists be the followers of Antichrist and haue receiued the name and marke of the beast And hereof there can be no doubt if this description also agree vnto them as most euidently it doth For seeing they are the Apostate Christians described 1. Tim. 4 1. 3. certaine it is that they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they may be saued That strong illusion is sent vpon them that they might beleeue lyes c. it appeareth plainly in their written vanities which they call vnwritten verities in their legends portuises and festiuals fraught full of incredible lyes in their ridiculous dotages deuout superstitions wherin they plainely shewe themselues to be besotted and made drunke with the whore of Babilons cuppe of fornications and to be giuen ouer to beleeue vntruthes That they will not beleeue the truth appeareth by their manifolde grosse errors frō which they wil not be reclaimed And that they delight in iniquitie appeareth by their doting vpon the doctrine religion of Antichrist which as there it is opposed to the truth so before is called the mystery of iniquitie This descriptiō therfore of the followers of Antichrist ought to be an admonitiō for all Ver. 12. Ver. 7. Papists to renounce that religiō of Rome if they would not be in the number of thē that perish a caueat for all Christians who professing y ◠true religiō haue no true loue therof but are ready to accept embrace the religiō of Rome least this heauy iudgement of the Lord fal vpō thē that because they haue not receiued the loue of y e truth to their saluatiō the Lord send vpō thē strong illusiō that they beleeue lies vnto their destruction 7. Yea but saith he this place cannot be vnderstood of Christians but of the Iewes for he saith that Antichrist shal be sent to them who would not receiue Christ which is true of the Iewes but vntrue of Christians The Apostle speaketh of those that receiue not the loue of the truth that they might be saued which may be verified of vnsound Christians as the Rhemists themselues on this place do graunt that is of all those who content themselues with a bare profession of the faith hauing neither a true faith nor yet a sound loue of the truth A sound Christian doth not only professe the name of Christ but also hath some good vnderstanding knowledge of the truth and withall an assent thereto in which two namely knowledge assent consisteth the historicall or dogmatical faith not only a knowledge assent for so much the diuels haue but also a loue liking of the truth not onely that for euen hypocrites temporary beleeuers may attaine to a loue liking of the truth for some temporary respects but also a speciall application of the promises of the Gospell vnto himselfe particular apprehension of Christ his merits whereby he is receiued of the beleeuer to iustification saluation Now the Papists are such as professe Christ but indeed receiue him not nor yet the loue of his truth that they might be saued And therfore this place is verified of them For doth any man I beseech you receiue Christ or beleeue in him who doth not beleeue that Christ is his Redeemer Sauiour But if thou be a Papist thou must not beleeue that Christ is thy Redeemer Sauiour thou must sing Magnificat but thou maist not say with Mary that thy soule reioyceth in God thy Sauiour nor with
some other heretickes who notwithstanding haue not openly denied Christ. Gregorie in the same place which Bellarmine alledgeth doth affirme Lib. 11. Epist. 3. that Antichrist shall haue in reuerence not onely the Sabboth day but also the Lords day which cannot stand with such an open deniall of Christ as Bellarmine imagineth His words be these Qui veniens diem Sabbati atq dominicum ab omni faciet opere custoderi Who when he commeth speaking of Antichrist shall cause the Sabboth day and the Lords day to be kept from all worke And of this there may better reason be giuen then of the other because as hath bene proued Antichrist was to be a pretended Christian. 5 These were his authorities now let vs weigh his reason which is thus concluded In whose time the publike seruice of God and diuine sacrifices shal cease by reason of the vehement persecutioÌ„ he shall openly deny Christ and shall abolish all his ordinances and in stead of them bring in Iewish ceremonies But in Antichrists time by reason of the vehement persecution the publike seruice of God and diuine sacrifices shall cease therefore c. I answere by distinction If by the seruice of God he meane the true worship of God the proposition is vntrue For in the Papacie the true publike worship of God by reason of the vehemencie of persecution hath ceased and yet the Pope doth not openly deny Christ and abolish his ordinances although he do vilely depriue them and mingle them not onely with Iewish but also Heathenish ceremonies If by the publike seruice and diuine sacrifices he meaneth generally any seruice of God although superstitious any sacrifices although idolatrous such as is the sacrifice of the Masse then the assumption is false for such superstitions and will-worshippes do best beseeme Antichrist But of this argument concerning the persecution of Antichrist we haue spoken before chap. 7. 6 This may suffice for answere to his proposition and the proofes thereof Whereas therefore he assumeth that the Pope doth not deny Christ c. I answere if he meaneth a direct deniall in open profession that the Pope may be Antichrist although he do not so denie Christ If he meaneth a deniall of Christ in deed and in truth although couertly indirectly and by consequent I haue heretofore proued that he doth so denie Christ not onely in word and doctrine as he is a false Prophet but also in deed and fact as he is a man of sinne denying him in his life and as he is an aduersary not onely denying but also oppugning Christ and his truth See the first Booke chap. 4. § 6. 7. 8. 7 The second doctrine of Antichrist saith Bellarmine is to affirme himselfe to be the true Christ. From whence he gathereth his second argument Antichrist shal affirme himselfe to be Christ. The Pope doth not affirme himselfe to be Christ therfore the Pope iâ—… not Antichrist That Antichrist being hostis amulus Christi that is an enemy of Christ opposed vnto him in emulation of like honour shall indeed challenge vnto himselfe those offices prerogatiues and authoritie which properly belong to Christ which in effect is as much as if he should say I am Christ we denie not and withall auouch that the Pope of Rome doth so affirme himselfe to be Christ. But that Antichrist shall openly and in so many words expresly affirme that he is the Christ or Messias of the world that we deny to be agreeable to that Antichrist who is described in the word of God For Antichrist was to be a dissembling hypocrite as hath bene proued and his religion is a mysterie of iniquitie cloaked vnder the profession of Christianity Neither could he seduce so many Christians if hee should plainely and openly professe himselfe to be the true Christ. But let vs see how Bellarmine proueth that Antichrist shall openly and expresly name himselfe Christ. Forsooth out of Ioh 5. 43. If an other come in his owne name him will you receiue Where saith he our Lord seemeth of purpose to haue added these words in his owne name foreseeing that the Lutherans and Caluinists would say that Antichrist shall not come in his owne name but in the name of Christ as being his Vicar But I haue heretofore proued that Christ in this place doth not speake absolutely an other shall come but conditionally if an other shall come nor definitely of Antichrist but indefinitely of any false Prophet that should come in his owne name not sent of God Neither doth it follow that if Antichrist shal come in his owne name that therefore he will professe himselfe to be Christ. For all false Prophets come in their owne name because they are not sent of God and yet the most of them haue not professed themselues to be Christ. And it is plaine that our Sauiour Christ in this place maketh an opposition betwixt himselfe and euery false Prophet in this respect that he came vnto them in the name of his Father that is not taking vpon himselfe this honour to be our Prophet and Priest without authoritie and commission from God but sent from the bosome of his Father and yet was not receiued of the Iewes but if an other meaning any other false Prophet should come vnto them not in the name of the Father but in his owne name that is hauing no commission or authoritie from God such a one should be embraced of them And further we are to consider that Christ professing himself to be the Messias seemeth to deny that he came in his owne name for hee signifieth that false Prophets come in their owne name but hee came in the name of the Father therfore to come in his owne name signifieth to come of himselfe without any calling or commission froÌ„ God And therfore our aduersaries cannot with any shewe of reason conclude out of this place that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be Christ. And yet this is all the proofe which he can bring out of the scriptures Yea but though the scriptures teach no such matter Yet some of the Fathers affirme that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be Christ yea but Bellarmine hath told vs that we are not to giue credit to such coniectures of theirs as haue no ground in the word of God For how could they being no Prophets certainly foretell such things of Antichrist without booke that is to say without warrant of the scriptures And whereas he addeth that these Fathers affirme that he shall be receiued of the Iewes for their Messias and therfore shal professe himselfe to be the Messias I answer that in like sort a dozen of them affirmed that Antichrist should come of the Tribe of Dan wherof notwithstanding there is no probabilitie 8 To the proposition therfore I answer that Antichrist was not plainely and openly to professe himselfe to be Christ but to challenge the office and authoritie of Christ which is in effect although indirectly by consequent as much as
and kingdome of Antichrist And further we haue shewed heretofore that the whole body of Apostates and heretiques professing the name of Christ is Antichrist and after a more speciall maner the head of this body Apostasie And therfore it followeth that all of this Apostasie professing the name of Christ belong to this body and kingdome of Antichrist And whereas hee saith that this Apostasie is onelie a disposition so the kingdome of Antichrist c. I answere that all the degrees of this Apostasie going before the reuelation of Antichrist were a disposition not to the being but to the reuealing of Antichrist For in the Apostasie Antichrist was as Iohn plainely sheweth neither could he be reuealed vnlesse first he were Wherupon Theodoret saith Defectionem appellat Antichristi praesentiam he calleth Apostasie the presence or comming of Antichrist But is it not very likely thinke you that there hath bene a disposition or preparation already of more then 1500. yeares in most parts of the world for the raigne of one man three yeres and an halfe 19. Fiftly and lastly although we should grant saith he that a generall Apostasie from the faith hauing now continued many yeares is the kingdome of Antichrist yet it would not follow that therefore the Pope is Antichrist For it is not yet decided who haue made this defection they or we And iâ—… were more easie to proouâ—… that they haue made this defection for they haue reuolted from that Church and religion whereof their forefathers were which we haue not done c. In the foure former answers Bellarmine turned backe vpon vs hoping therby to repell the force of our argument but those being spent in this he turneth his backe vpon vs betaketh himselfe to his feete and leauing the defence of the question in hand runneth to his chiefe hold For whereas we proue that Antichrist is not one man contrary to their assertion by this argument among others because that generall Apostacie of the visible Church continuing for many ages whereof Antichrist is the head cannot be the worke of one man or of a few yeares Bellarmine answereth thus in effect that although your argument be very good to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet notwithstanding here of it followeth not that the Pope is Antichrist Why neuer any of vs vsed this argument Antichrist is not one man therefore the Pope is Antichrist But in this assertion of ours we answere your chiefe demonstration whereby you would prooue that the Pope is not Antichrist and where in especially you please your selues reasoning as hath beene hard after this manner Antichrist is but one man therefore the Pope is not Antichrist And after you haue prooued this by many worshipfull demonstrations and stoutly denied our contrary arguments now in the end you make this cowardes bragge Although this should be granted which you say to prooue that Antichrist is not one man yet it doth not follow that the Pope is Antichrist 20. But let vs pursue the Iesuite in his flight Although this should be granted saith he c. Yet it followeth not that therfore the Pope is Antichrist For the question yet is who hath made this Apostasie we or you Well then let vs ioyne in this issue If the Apostasie be on our side let vs be thought to belong to Antichrist if this Apostasie be in the Church of Rome whereof the Pope is head then let it be acknowledged that the Pope is the head of this Apostasie and consequently Antichrist But you saith the Iesuite haue reuoltd from the Church and religion of your forefathers that is from the Church of Rome and Latin religion And therefore when you read vnlesse there come areuolt c. it is a wonder that you doe not apply that prophesie to your selues The Apostasie whereof the Apostle speaketh is not a separation from the Church of Rome that now is nor a forsaking of Romish or Popish religion but a reuolting from God a departure from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and idolatry We in forsaking the Church of Rome haue come out of Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. according to Gods commaundement and in reuolting from the Pope haue returned to God and therefore this Apostasie toucheth not vs. But you say I to the Papists haue reuolted from the true faith and religion of Christ vnto Antichristianisme and Idolatry as besides the infinite particulars wherein your Apostasie doeth consist may briefely appeare by these notes First the Apostle speaking of the same Apostasie in another place hath these words The spirit speaketh plaincly that in the latter times some shall make an Apostasie from the faith attending to erroneous spirits and doctrines of 1. Tim. 4. 1. diuels speaking lyes in hypocrisie and hauing their owne conscience seared Now who these are that make this Apostasie the Apostle further describeth by specifying two of those doctrines of diuels as certaine notes whereby to know them Forbidding to marry and commaunding to abstainâ—… from meates which God hath created to be receiued with thankesgiuing c. But as I haue shewed heretofore these notes touch not vs and properly agree to the Papists therefore Lib. 1. Chap. 4. 3. this Apostasie is among them Secondlie this Apostasie is among those who are fallen from the true religion and worship of God into idolatry and superstition For the Apostaticall Church is the Idolatrous Church signified by the whore of Babylon the mother of fornications But the Church of Roome is strangelie addicted to idolatry and superstition and for the same deserueth to be called the whore of Babylon where as we through the mercie of God are free from idolatry and therefore the Apostásie is with them and not with vs. For the Apostasie is of them that are made drunke with the cuppe of the whore of Babylous fornications as the Papists are and wee are not who haue come out of Babylon Thirdlie the Apostasie is of those that receiue the name and marke of the beast as the Papists doe and not of those that refuse it as wee doe The fourth note or touchstone as it were to trie who haue made this Apostasie iâ—… the word of God For that is the true faith and the true religion which is contayned and prescribed in the written word of God Now our desire is that the Scriptures may be acknowledged the onelie rule of faith and manners vnto the Scriptures we appeale in all controuersies and desire to be iudged by them vnto the reading of the Scriptúres we exhort our people that they may be further edified and confirmed in that trueth which we doe teach and prosesse The Papists contrarywise not daring to stand to the Scriptures slie to their vnwritten verities traditions decretals doctrines and authorities of men both besides and against the Scriptures and in a word that the prophecie of the Apostle foretelling this Apostasie might be verified in them they haue asserted their hearing from the
2. Tim. 4. 4. trueth and are conuertd vnto fables They cannot abide to heare that the Scripture should be the onely rule of faith and maners they cannot endure to see any of their people to read the Scriptures and therefore desire to keepe it from them in an vnknowne language The foundation of their trueth is the authoritie of their Church and in the Church of their Pope who they say cannot erre But if the Pope teach doctrines of Diuels and speake lyes in hypocrise as the Apostle hath prophesied especially of them then is there in that Church little soundnesse of trueth that is built vpon so vnsound a soundation Thus therefore I reason The head of the generall Apostasie is Antichrist The Pope is the head of the generall or catholicke Apostasiei therefore he is Antichrist 21. To the three former arguments a fourth may be added The seuen heades of that beast which signifieth the Romane state are not so many persons but so many heades or states of gouernement wherby the common wealth of the Romanes hath beene at diuerse times gouerned the sixt head was the state of emperours the seuenth Antichrist as the Papists confesse the eight which also is one of the seauen the state of Emperours renewed Whereby it euidently appeareth Rhem. in Apoc. 17. Bellarmi not onely that Antichrist is not one man but also that the Pope who is the seuenth head is Antichrist CHAP. 3. Concerning the time of Antichrist his comming 1. TO withdraw our minds from beholding Antichrist in the See of Rome and to make vs looke for the expected Messias of the Iewes that neuer shall come the Papistes labour by might and maine to perswade vs that Antichrist is not yet come For euen as the learned of the Iewes when Christ was among them contrary to their one perswasion for worldly respects refused the true Messias and made the people expect another which neuer shall be So the learned among the Papists hauing Antichrist among them for worldly respects cannot endure that he should bee acknowledged but teach the people that he is not yet come and describe vnto them such an Antichrist as themselues may well know shall neuer come as by the grace of God shall appeare in the particulars Now as touching the time of Antichristes comming Bellarmine first reciteth diuers false and erronious opinions as heo calleth them and afterwarde setteth downe sixe solemne demonstrations to prooue that he is not yet come In the former he spendeth a goodlong chapter reckoning vp diuers opinions both of the fathers in former ages and also of hetetiques as â—…he calleth them in latter times mingling the trueth with errours that the credit of both might be alike As touching the fathers because he taketh it for granted which is the question that Antichrist is not to come before the end of the world which we deny according to the Scriptures 1. Ioh. 2. 18 2. Iohn 7. 2. Thes. 2. 7 he would make their opinion concerning the approching of Antichrist which they heid according to the Prophesies of the Scripture compared with the euent of no better credit then their conceit of Christs approching vnto judgement grounded not so much vpon the Scriptures as vpon their owne conjecture For to omit their conjectures concerning Christs comming consuted by experience what can Bellarmine answer to the sound argument either of S. Ierome or Gregorie concerning the comming of Antichrist confirmed by experience alledged by Bellarmine himselfe Ierome applying the Prophesie of Paul Epist. ad Geront de Monogamia 2. Thes. 2. 6. 7. 8. that Antichrist should appeare when he that hindereth meaning the Romane Emperour was taken out of the way to his time wherein not onely the imperiall seat had beene remooued from Rome which was the first degree of taking out of the way that which hindered but also Rome it selfe in distresse being taken of the Gothes and the Empire in decay Quitenebat saith he de medio fit non intelligimus Anticbristum appropinquare He which did holde is taken out of the way and do we not vnderstand that Antichrist dooth approch And likewise Gregory Omnia quae praedicta sunt fiunt Rex superbia propè est All things which were foretold doe come to passe the King Lib. 4. epi. 38. of pride is at hand Which arguments alledged also by vs Bellarmine because he could not answer he thought to discredit by reckoning them among erronious conceits 2. But let vs come to his heretiques Who although they all agree in this that Antichrist is come and that it is the Pope yet saith Bellarmine they are deuided into sixe opinions The first opinion viz. of the Samosatenians in Hungarie and Transyluania is not worth the mentioning being of such heretiques as deny the Trinity and also the diuinity of Christ with whom though we haue as little to doe as the Papists sauing that some of our men haue soundly confuted their heresies whiles the Papists held their peace yet he numbreth our opinion with theirs as Christ was numbred among the wicked that by this mixture of truth with falshood he might discredit the truth As for the rest it is easie to shew that all Protestants almost that haue written in this argument and namely those whom Bellarmine alledgeth doe agree in the substance concerning the comming of Antichrist And that there is no such difference among them as Bellarmine would beare vs in hand For concerning this matter this is the receiued opinion of our Churches When with Iohn in his Epistles we speake of Antichrist meaning the whole bodie of Heretiques and Antichrists we hold with Iohn that euen in the Apostles times Antichrist had as it were set his foote in the Church and that from that time the mysterie of iniquitie that is Antichristianisme did more and more worke vntill the head of this body the man of sinne was reuealed Which with Paul we hold to haue beene done after that which hindered was remooued out of the way But when we speake of the head of this body who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Antichrist figured by the second beast Apoc. 13. of whom also the Apostle intreateth 2. Thes. 2. the constant opinion of the learned is this that of the reuealing or manifest appearing of Antichrist there were two principall degrees The first about the yeare 607. when Boniface the third obtained the supremacie ouer the vniuersall See lib. 1. cap. 3. Church The second after the yeare 1000. when he claimed and vsurped both swords that is a soueraigne and vniuersall authoritie not onely ecclesiasticall ouer the Clergie but also temporall ouer Kings and Emperours Vnto which second soueraigntie they had long aspired but neuer attained vntill the time of Gregorie the seauenth We holde then that Antichrist was come and shewed himselfe in Boniface the third and that after this his birth as it were he grewe by degrees vntill he came to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
satis euidenter obscurely called God The Canonists call him DominuÌ„ Deum nostrum Papam Our Lord God the Pope But for further proofe of this point I referre you to the former booke chap. 5 § 6. c. where I intreated of the Antichristian pride of the Pope To which former testimonies I will adde one practise of the Pope in his great yeare of Iubile when as in solemne procession he is carried in a seate of gold vpon noble mens shoulders his god of bread being carried before him vpon an backeney as his attendant and at length commeth to the gates of Paradise which hee beateth open with a golden hammer at which time he is worshipped of all sorts present as a God from whoÌ„ they expect indulgence remission of sinnes and eternal life according to his large promises made to all those which shall come to Rome to celebrate the Iubiley In a word he is numen quoddam visibilem quendam Deum preâ—…se ferens a certaine diuine maiestie shewing himselfe to be a certaine visible God The premisses therefore considered together with my allegations in the place before named this argument may be returned vpon our aduersary after this manner whosoeuer sitteth Lib. 1. ca. 5 §. 6. 7. in the temple of God as God that is ruleth and raigneth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe either by word or deed that he is God for example if he shall challenge vnto himselfe those titles attributes and workes which are proper vnto God and shall be willing to be saluted acknowledged and adored as God he vndoubtedly is Antichrist But the Pope of Rome ruleth ouer the church as if he were a God vpon earth and declareth himselfe both by word and deed that he is God challenging vnto himself those titles attributes and workes which are peculiar vnto the Lord c. as hath bene proued therefore the Pope is Antichrist yea but the Pope saith Bellarmine doth not declare himselfe to be God for he acknowledgeth himselfe to be the seruant of the Lord. Hee might as well conclude that the Pope neuer calleth himselfe regem reguÌ„terrae ac DominuÌ„ Dominorum the king of the kings of the earth and Lord of Lordes because he acknowledgeth himself seruuÌ„ seruoruÌ„ Dei the seruant of gods seruants Neither doth his verball professioÌ„ ouersway his reall practise But he should haue remembred that the second beast which is Antichrist Apoc. 13. 11. as hee speaketh like the dragon belching out blasphemies against God so hee hath two hornes like the lambe as a dissembling hypocrite imitateth in some things the humilitie of Christ. And therefore that the Pope could not be such an Antichrist as is described in the scriptures vnlesse he were an hypocrite who doth by open profession pretend himselfe to be the seruant of God when as in truth he aduanceth himselfe against him And yet this is all that our aduersary alledgeth to proue his assumption that the Pope doth not shewe himselfe to be God 11 The fourth and last doctrine saith the Iesuite is this he shall not onely affirme that he is God but that he onely is God and shall oppugne all other Gods both true and false and shall suffer no Idols But this absurd conceit of the papists is not onely repugnant vnto the truth but also contradictory to their owne doctrines coÌ„cerning Antichrist For is it credible either that a mortall man shall affirme himselfe alone to be the true God and none but he or if he shall so affirme of himselfe that Christians and Iewes and all the world almost will acknowledge and worship him as the onely true God Againe the Antichristian seate is figured by the whore of Babylon which because of her owne idolatrie is called a whore and because she infecteth all nations that adhere vnto her with her idolatries Apoc. 17. 2. 5. and superstitions she is said to make them drunke with the cup of her fornications and also to be the mother of all the fornications that is idolatries of the earth Yea the Papists themselues expound Deut. 11. 38. where Antiochus Epiphanes is described as an Idolater as properly spoken of Antichrist And do not themselues teach that Antichrist shall professe himselfe to be the Messias of the Iewes and consequently that he is sent and annointed of God Now if he shall professe himselfe sent from God shall we thinke that he wil say there is no God besides himselfe Or if hee being but a mortall man shall say there is no God besides himselfe may we not well thinke that either they will hisse at him as a foole or stone him to death as a blasphemer Nay do not themselues teach that he shall be in religion a Iew an obseruer of the Sabboth and other Iewish ceremonies And do they not alledge Ierome to proue that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to be the chiefe of the couenant and a In Dan. 11 chiefe maintainer of the lawe and testament of God And are not his two hornes like the Lambe expounded by some approued In Apo. 13 Authors among them of the two testaments which hee shall seeme to professe 12 But let vs see how this wise conceit is proued Forsooth by testimonies of the scriptures and the Fathers Out of the scripture hee alledgeth two places the former 2. Thess. 2. 4. Who is extolled aboue all that is called God or worshipped As if hee should say Antichrist shall bee aduanced aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped therefore hee shall auouch that hee alone is God and will suffer no other God either true or false to bee worshipped besides himselfe I denie the consequence For first Antichrist may aduance himselfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped and yet suffer yea require them to bee worshipped Iupiter was supposed among the Heathen to aduance himself aboue all other Gods and yet suffered them to be worshipped as Gods Antichrist the second beast aduanceth himselfe aboue the Image of the Apoc. 13. former beast which is the Empire renewed whereon he sitteth as the rider death vpon a beast and yet requireth the same to be worshipped The Pope aduanceth himselfe aboue Angels Apoc. 17. Kings and Princes who are called Gods aboue the Saints the Host the Crosse and whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the church of Rome and yet requireth them all to be worshipped Secondly Antichrist may aduance himself aboue or against al that is called God or is worshipped and yet not professe himselfe to be the only God For so Antiochus Epiphanes aduanced himselfe against euery God yea against the God of Gods Dan. 11. 36. and yet he was neuer so mad as to professe himselfe the only God Thirdly seeing Antichristianisme is not open Atheisme but a mystery of iniquity Antichrist is described in the scriptures as an hypocrite pretended ChristiaÌ„ we may be assured that although in deed in truth