reprooue in due season and to pacifie the anger of the Lords judgement proceeding to furis and to turne the hearts of the fathers vnto the children and to set vp the Tribes of Iacob In the latter it is said of Enoch as Bellarmine readeth That he pleased God and was translated into Paradise that he might giue peâ—…ance vnto the Gentiles First I answer to both places that although this booke of the sonne of Sirach be very commendable yet it is not of Canonicall authoritie being but a humane writing as appeareth not onely by the former place alledged but also by that erronious conceit concerning Samuel chapter 46. 23. Secondly in neither place is it said that either of them should come to oppose themselues against Antichrist that from hence their returne into the world should be made a signe of the comming of Antichrist But as touching the former place seuerally I answer with I ansenius one of the best writers among the Papists howsoeuer Bellarmine wondereth at him that hee should consent with vs in the trueth beeing a Popish Bishop that although the ancient writers haue thought that Elias was to come againe yet it cannot be euinced out of this place For we may say that Ecclesiasticus did write this according to the receiued opinion of his time grounded as they thought vpon the words of Malachie that Elias was truely to come in his owne person before the Messias when as that was not to be fulfilled in his owne person but in him that was to come in the spirit and power of Elias True indeed it is that not onely the authour of that booke as it seemeth but the Iewes in generall vnderstanding the words of Malachie literally did expect that Elias in his owne person should returne before the comming of the Messias But our Sauiour Christ reformeth this errour applying the Prophecie to Iohn Baptist. And secondly I answer that if Bellarmine will argue out of Ecclesiasticus according to his meaning he must prooue that Elias was to come in his owne person before the first comming of the Messias of which Malachie speaketh and before which this authour as all the rest of the Iewes doe holde that Elias was to come And therefore the Papists might aswell with the Iewes looke for their Messias as for Elias Now as touching the other place it is a wonder that Bellarmine would alledge it for this purpose But that hauing nothing to say to the purpose he is desirous to say some-thing to bleare the eyes of the simple The originall Text hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccl. 〈◊〉 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Enoch pleased the Lord God and was translated for an example of repentance â—…o the generations that is that the generations present and to come might be mooued by his example to turne vnto the Lord and to walke before him knowing by his example that there is a reward laid vp for those that turne vnto the Lord and walke before him as Enoch did But will Bellarmine hence conclude that therefore Enoch is to come againe in the flesh to oppose himselfe to Antichrist 5. The third place is Math. 17. 11. Elias indeed shall come and shall restore all things VVhich words saith Bellarmine are plainely to be vnderstood not of Iohn but of the true Elias For Iohn was already come and had finished his course and yet the Lord saith in the future Elias shall come I answer that by the Euangelist Marke who speaketh in the present tence Elias indeed comming first restoreth all things the meaning of our Sauiour Christ appeareth to haue beene this Elias quidem venturus fuit primum restituturus omnia Elias indeed was to come first and was to restore all things but I tell you that Elias is already come and they haue done vnto him what they listed as it is written of him meaning Mark 9. 12 13. Iohn Baptist. As if he had said The Prophecie indeed concerning Mat. 17. 13 Elias is true but I tell you it is already fulfilled For as he saith in another place Iohn Baptist is that Elias who was to come then which what could be spoken more plainelie Bellarmine answereth That Iohn Baptist was the promised Mat. 11. 14 Elias not literally but allegorâ—…eally So we affirme also and further adde that Elias was not promised literally For our Sauiour Christ plainely affirmeth that Iohn Baptist is that Elias which was promised And both he and the Angell vnderstand that Prophecie of Malachie chapter 4. 5. not literally of Elias the Thesbiâ—…e but allegorically of Iohn Baptist who was as it were another Elias Yea but the Disciples faith Bellarmine who had seene the transsiguration when they asked Christ what is that which the Scribes say that Elias must fyrst come speake of the same Elias whom they had seene with Christ in the Mount and therefore Christ making answer to them that Elias indeed shall come speaketh of the same Elias It followeth not for the Disciples speake according to the erronious opinion of the Scribes who vnderstanding Malachie literallie thought that Elias was to come in his owne person and thereupon as it is thought inferred that Christ was not the true Messias because Elias came not before him But Christ answereth them according to the true meaning of Malachie applying his prophecie to Iohn Baptist who is figuratiuely called Elias Yea but it cannot truely be said that Iohn Baptist restored all things for to restore all things is to call all the Iewes and heretiques and perhaps some of the seduced Catholickes to the true faith as Bellarmine obiecteth This is indeede the Popish conceit that Enoch and Elias shall preach against Antichrist 1260. daies at the end whereof they shal be put to death by Antichrist and after three dayes and an halfe shall rise againe Within a moneth after their death Antichrist shal be destroyed in mount Oliuet and 45. dayes after that Christ shall come to iudgement In the meane time so effectuall shall be the preaching of Enoch and Elias that they shall restore all things that is they shall call all the Iewes and heretickes and perhaps the seduced Catholickes But how doth this agree with the prophecies of our Sauiour Christ concerning the want of faith at his comming and the vncertainty of the time of his appearing As touching the former he saith the sonne of man when he commeth shall he finde faith vpon the earth And as Luk. 18. 8. touching the other he hath foretolde that the end of the world shall be suddaine and vnlooked for euen as it was in the dayes of Noah and Lot But if this conceit of the Papists be Mat. 24. 39 Luk. 17. 26 18. true there shall be more true beleeuers at the end of the world then euer had beene at one time before and the day of Christs coÌ„ming after the reuelation of Antichrist but especially after his death shal be precisely knowne accordingly looked for
Apoc. 13. 13. 14. of Antichrist that he should do great wonders whereby he should deceiue them that dwell on the earth Hereby therfore it is euident that false prophets and Antichrists many times haue power to worke great signes and wonders not onelie in shewe and appearāce but in deed and in truth Whereby they indeauouring to deceiue all and to make them belieue lies are permitted both in the iustice of God to seduce the wicked in his mercy to try the faithfull And therefore signes wonders as they haue not alwayes bin signes tokens of true teachers professors of the truth but onely then when they haue Miracles are diuine testimonies whereby the Lord doth beare witnesse to his truth Heb. 2. 4. bin wrought for the cōfirmation of the truth So in these later times the same being wrought for confirmation of vntruthes are vndoubted signes of the synagogue of Antichrist 4 Let vs then consider whether such signes and wonders be wrought in the church of Rome It is recorded of Gregory the 7. who was the first of the Popes which was openly acknowledged to be Antichrist that as he was a notable sorcerer so he wrought many signes and wonders among the rest he vsed to shake fire out of his sleeues And of his votaryes after he had forbidden mariage in the clergy Auentinus writeth that vpon that occasion many false prophets did as it were cast mists and by Annal. Boior lib. 4. fables and miracles did turne away the people of Christ from the truth And againe False prophets did then arise false Apostles false priests who by counterfeite religion deceiued the people lib. 5. wrought great signes and wonders and began to sit in the temple of God and to bee aduanced aboue all that is worshipped And while they endeuour to establish their owne power and dominion they haue extinguished Christian charity simplicity And since those times the church of Rome hath much boasted of her manifold miracles which haue beene partly deuised and partly wrought for the confirmation of such Antichristian doctrines idolatrous superstitions as cannot be cōfirmed by the scriptures as namely the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation and adoration of the breaden God the heathenish doctrine of purgatory and superstitious prayer for the dead the idolatrous inuocation and worshipping of Saints the more then heathenish adoration of images rotten reliques the Antichristian aduancing of the Pope aboue all that is called God or worshipped and such like doctrines of diuels lyes of Antichrist for the confirmation whereof the miracles of the Apostaticall church of Rome haue bin inuented But how many miracles soeuer they produce for the countenancing of such vntruthes they are so many arguments to proue their church Antichristian their Pope Antichrist Because as Antichrist and his followers were in these latter times to abound with signes wōders but alwayes such as serue to lead mē into error so neither Turks nor Iewes nor any other churches of Christians but only the Pope and church of Rome do vaunt of miracles and yet all their miracles are such as serue to deceiue men to make them beleeue vntruthes And therefore although they were in respect of their substāce neither counterfeit nor fabulous as in deed the most of the miracles in the church of Rome are yet were they to be esteemd as notes signes of false prophets Antichrists because their end is to seduce mē confirme lyes 5 Secondly they are called lying signes in respect of the substance being as Augustine speaketh vel figmenta mendacium De vnitat eccl 16. hominū vel portenta fallaciū spirituū either fictions of lying men or wonders of deceipt full spirits And such are the miracles whereby the aforesaide points of Poperie are warranted and confirmed And of them there are three degrees For many of them were such fabulous fictions ridiculous fables incredible lyes whereof their legends and festiualls are full as none would euer beleeue were they not intoxicated made drunk with the whore of Bylons cuppe of fornications and also giuen ouer of God to beleeue lyes And these loud lyes and more then poeticall fictions were in such request in the church of Rome that the records of them I meane their legends festiualls and such like fabulous treatises were both publickly and priuately read in the vulgar tongue whē as the holy scriptures were kept frō the people in an vnknown lāguage The 1. degree then is of such miracles as neuer were indeed nor yet in apparānce but in the opiniō only of men besotted giuen ouer to beleue incredible vntruths The 2. is of such as were phātastical in apparāce only as being crafty cōueiāces of deceitful men or iugling tricks of legerdemaine As for example the nodding or mouing the smiling or frowning the sweating or speaking of images the apparitiōs of souls deceased the manifold cures supposed to be wrought by saints departed or their images such like For of these two sorts there be innumerable wonders recorded in their legends and festiualls liues of Saints which are either altogether fabulous as beeing reports of things which neuer were not so much as in apparāce◅or if any such things haue bene done in the sight of men they haue bin either praestigiatory conueyances of wicked men or mere illusions of the diuell The third degree is of such as were lying miracles in respect of the forme as Bellarmine speaketh although true in respect of the matter For howsoeuer they were things truely done yet they surpassed not the whole strength of nature whereas true miracles are supernaturall neither can bee wrought by any naturall causes whether knowne or vnknown but onely by the omnipotent power of God And such lying signes are the principall miracles of the Apostaticall church of Rome Neither is the Pope and al his adherents able to produce any one true miracle wrought by the finger of God for the confirmation of those doctrines which are peculier to that church that is to speake more plainelie for the proofe of any point of popery But all their miracles as they are lying signes and wonders in respect of their ende so also in regard of their substance being either merely fabulous and therfore such things as neuer were not so much as in shewe and apparaunce or merely phantasticall that is such things as were in shewe onely and not in truth or merely natural and therefore but counterfeite miracles effected by the power of the diuell 6 Some of their owne writers confesse that sometimes there is great deceiuing of the people in fained miracles by the Nicol. Lyran. in Daniel 14. priests and their adherents for temporall gaine And another saith in the sacrament appeareth flesh sometimes by the conueyance of men sometimes by the operation of the diuell I once did Alexander de Hales see an image of Saint Nicolas as it was said when it with many others
personall The 4. Chapter maintaining against Bellarmine his first demonstration that Antichrist is come 1. TO prooue that Antichrist is not yet come and consequently that the Pope is not Antichrist he bringeth sixe slender conjectures from sixe signes which as shall be shewed are neither proper nor necessarie And these by a strange kinde of Logicke he calleth forsooth sixe demonstrations For so haue I read of some troubled with melancholie who haue thought euery Strawe or small Reed in their hands to haue beene so many Speares We must know saith he that the holy Ghost in the Scriptures hath giuen vs sixe certaine signes of the comming of Antichrist Whereof two goe before viz. the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole world and the desolation of the Romane Empire Two accompanie Antichrist to wit the preaching of Enoch and Elias and the most grieuous persecution of the church insomuch that the publicke seruice of God must wholy cease Two come after namely the ruâ—…e of Antichrist after three yeares and a halfe and the end of the world Of which signes none saith he is yet fulfilled We hold the contrary namely that all those signes which the holy Ghost hath giuen concerning the comming of Antichrist are fulfilled and that those which are not yet fulfilled are none of those signes which the holy Ghost hath assigned For I will not stand now to tell you how fitlie he maketh the death of Antichrist and the end of the world which according to Bellarmines conceit followeth after his death to be two signes of his comming 2. The first signe which goeth before the comming of Antichrist is the Preaching of the Gospell throughout the world From whence he reasoneth thus If the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world then is not Antichrist as yet come But the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world therefore Antichrist is not yet come But in this argument nothing is sound no necessitie of consequence in the proposition nor truth in the assumption The proposition notwithstanding he would prooue because our Sauiour Christ maketh this vniuersall preaching of the Gospell a fore-runner of Antichrist Mat. 24. 14. This Gospell of the kingdome shal be preached in all the world for atestiâ—…onie to all nations But our Sauiour Christ doth not say that the Gospell shall be preached throughout the world before the comming of Antichrist but before the end as it followeth in the very same verse and then the end shall come Whereby we are to vnderstand either the destruction of Jerusalem which is most like or the end and consummation of the world as Bellarmine expoundeth it And therefore vnlesse he take it for granted that the comming of Antichrist shall not be before the very end of the world which we do constantly denie as being the matter in question betwixt vs there is not so much as any shew of reason in this allegation being vnderstood according to his owne exposition which also is false Neither is it the purpose of our Sauiour Christ to signifie vnto his Disciples the time of Antichrists comming but by way of answer to the question propounded by his Disciples verse 3. to shew them when Ierusalem should be destroyed as also to giue them some signes of his comming and of the end of the world But because the former part of this Chapter is diuershe abused by the Papists in this matter concerning Antichrist I thinke it needfull by way of a short analysis to giue you the true meaning thereof that by one labour all their cauils may be refuted 3. Whereas therefore our Sauiour Christ had foretolde his Disciples the vtter desolation of Ierusalem and destruction of the temple they being perswaded that the temple and citie of Ierusalem should not haue an end before the end of the world demand therfore of our Sauiour Christ when should be the end of both Tell vs say they vers 3. when these things shal be that is when the temple shall be destroyed what shal be the signe of thy coÌ„ming of the end of the world Which questioÌ„ hauing two parts receiueth an answer to both To the former concerning the destruction of Ierusalem from the 4. vers to the 23. To the latter concerning the comming of Christ and the end of the world from thence to the 42. As touching the former our Sauiour prophecieth first of the calamities and troubles which should go before the destruction of Ierusalem vnto the 15. verse And secondly of the destruction it selfe and the greeuousnesse thereof vnto the 23. The troubles and calamities which were the forerunners of the destruction of Ierusalem were either temporall or spirituall The temporal either publique and common or peculiar to the disciples of Christ among the Iewes The publique warres and rumors of warres famine pestilence earthquakes which were but the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of sorrowes in the land of Iewry being about to be deliuered of her inhabitaÌ„ts verse 6. 7. 8. The peculiar troubles to the Christians persecution and hatred for Christs sake and the effects thereof in the vnsound falling away and betraying and hating one another verse 9. 10. The spirituall in the teachers spirits of errour and heresie vers 5. 11. In the heaters seduction by false Prophets and falling away verse 11. 12. Now vnto this Prophesie are admixed both admonitions and consolations Admonitions that they should take heed of false Prophets verse 4. that they should not be troubled or dismaide with rumors of warres verse 6. Consolations grounded vpon a two-folde promise first of saluation to those who notwithstanding these temptations shall perseuere to the end verse 13. Secondly of the successe of their Ministery that before the desolation of Ierusalem the Gospell should be preached throughout the world for a testimonie to all nations verse 14. And therefore that they should not feare least together with Ierusalem his Church should bee ouerthrowne For before the destruction of Ierusalem he would by their Preaching to all nations both Iewes and Gentiles plant his Church in many nations of the world And for asmuch as the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem were types and figures of the Church of Christ which were to be abolished when the church of Christ should be established therefore he addeth that vpon the planting of his church by their ministery should the end and destruction of Ierusalem come And these were the calamities which went before the destruction of Ierusalem The destructioÌ„ it selfe is described partly by the efficient foretold by Daniel chap. 9. 27. that is to say the Romane armies besieging Ierusalem Luke 21. 20. which because they were Idolators are called Sic Augustine ad HesychiuÌ„ et Chrysost homil 49. in Mat. oper imperfect abominable and because of the desolation which they were to bring vpon Ierusalem are called desolators and by a metonymy Mat. 24. 15. the abomination of desolation and by a Synecdeche Dan. 9. 27. abominable wings that
the answering in his fourth Chapter 6. For to what purpose should I tell you of his argument which notwithstanding he saith it was now no time to prooue to wit that before the comming of Antichrist the Gospel should be preached throughout the world because the cruel persecutioÌ„ of Antichrist should hinder al publicke exercises of trus religion therfore was to be preached generally throughout the world either before the time of Antichrist or not at al which we shall in part finde time to answer in his fourth demonstratioÌ„ In the mean time we answer first that the greeuous tribulation before which our Sauiour saith the Gospel was to be preached in al the world is not the persecution vnder Antichrist but the affliction of the Iewes at and before the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes as I haue manifestly prooued And secondly that if the generall preaching of the Gospell were made a signe of Antichrists comming as it is not but of the end yet is it not necessary that it should be preached generally throughout the world at one time for it might suffice that in one age it were preached to one nation and in another age to another people And therefore although during the persecution of Antichrist the Gospell were not preached generally and at once to all nations yet in that time it might be preached to some nations where it had not formerly beene preached and therefore might be preached to all nations before the destruction of Antichrist though it were not before his comming Or to what end should I spend any time in answering the testimonies of the fathers who supposed that the Gospell should be preached in all the world before the comming of Antichrist seeing according to the meaning of our Sauiour Christ it was to be preached in al the world before the destruction of Ierusalem Or what account should we make of his obiections wherein he alledgeth that the Gospel hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world seeing our Sauiour who cannot he hath prophecied and the Apostle by the same spirit of truth hath testified that before the destruction of Ierusalem the Gospell of the kingdome was preached in all the world And therefore the Papists in this point whiles they study to contradict vs are not afraide to giue the lye to our Sauiour Christ. Neither are his cauillations wherby he indeuouteth to auoide elude those testimonies of Scripture which doe testifie that the Gospell was in the Apostles times preached in all the world worth the mentioning For whereas Paul saith No doubt their souÌ„d went out through all the earth their words into the ends Rom. 10. 1â—… of the world Bellarmine cauilleth that the Apostle vseth the time past insteed of the future as if he had said no doubt their sound shal goe through all the earth But say I the Apostle prooueth that the Iewes had heard the Gospel because the sound of the Preachers thereof was gone through all the earth and therefore they from whom the Gospell proceeded to other nations could not be ignorant thereof And againe whereas the same Apostle saith that the Gospell in his time was in all the world and addeth that Col. 1. 6. it did bring forth fruite euen as it did among the Colossians Bellarmine answereth that the Apostle would not say that it was actually but virtually as they say in all the world But how could it bring forth fruite vnlesse it were actually and besides the Apostle in the same Chapter saith the Gospell had been preached 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod agit est non solum actu primo sed etiam actu secundo Col. 1. 23. to euery creature vnder heaueÌ„ which is a more large speech then this prophesie of our Sauiour Mat. 24. 14. To conclude if by the end in that place is to be vnderstood the end of the world as Bellarmine will needs haue it contrary to the text yet the Gospell before the and might be preached throughout the world and yet not before the comming of Antichrist If by the end is to be vnderstood the end of Ierusalem as I haue manifestly prooued then according to our Sauiours prophesie the Gospell was preached in all the world in the Apostles times But that the generall preaching of the Gospell should be a signe of Antichrists comming the Scripture hath neuer a word The 5. Chapter maintaining against Bellarmine his second demonstration that Antichrist is already come 1. THe second signe going before Antichrist is as Bellarmine saith he vtter desolatioÌ„ of the Romane Empire From whence this demonstration is raised If the Roman Empire be not yet vtterly destroyed then is not yet Antichrist come for the vtter desolation of the Romaine Empire is a certaine signe going before his comming But the Roman Empire is not yet vtterly destroied therfore Antichrist is not yet come We coÌ„fesse that before antichrist could be reuealed by exercising a soueraigne dominion in Rome it was necessary that the Emperour so farre forth as he hindred this reuelation of Antichrist should be taken out of the way But that there should be such an vtter desolatioÌ„ of the Empire as that there should not remaine so much as the name of the Emperor or king of the Romans that we doe vtterly dony He that hindred was taken out of the way partly when the imperiall seate was remooued from Rome to Constantinople and that to this end as they haue set downe in the donation of Constantine that the City of Rome might be left to the Pope but especially when as after the diuision of the Empire into two parts the Empire in the West which properly was the Empire of Rome was dissolued and lay voyde for many yeares All which was accomplished before Boniface 3. attained to the Antichristian title Neither doth the reuiuing of the Westerne Empire in Charlemaine after it had bin voide 325. yeares hinder the reuelation or dominioÌ„ of Antichrist but rather proueth that Antichrist was then come For this new Empire erected by the Popes meanes it is the image of the beast that is of the old Empire which Antichrist Apoc. 13. the second beast causeth to be made putteth life therinto It is the beast wheron the whore of Babylon sitteth therfore is so far froÌ„ hindring Antichrist that it supporteth him This beast which was an imperiall state but is not indeed though in title it be as being but an image of the old Empire is said to be the eight head of the beast yet one of the seuen wheras Antichrist Apo. 17. by the confessioÌ„ of papists is the seueÌ„th Wherfore although the old Empire in the West which hindred was done out of the way and indeed dissolued before the reuelation of Antichrist yet euen with and vnder Antichrist there was to be an imperial state in name and title which is the beast whereon the whore of Babylon sitteth as I haue heretofore prooued Lib. 1.
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
may be called the church of God bicause once it was a true church and stil is in title professiō the church ofChrist although in truth it be but little more the church of Christ then Antichrists imaginary temple at Ierusalem would be the temple of God 5 His second syllogisme which is inferred vpon the former is this If the Pope sit in the true Church of God then the church of Rome is the onely true Church for the Church of Christ is one as Christ is one but the Pope sitteth in the true church of God as was proued in the former syllogisme therefore the church of Rome is the onely true church of Christ. First I answere to the proofe of his proposition The Catholike inuisible Church of Christ is one sheepfolde vnder one shepheard Christ but particular visible churches are more then one as the church of Corinth the church of Rome the seuen churches in the Apocalyps and all the Churches of the Gentiles mentioned Rom. 16. 4. and therefore the church of Rome although it were a true visible church yet were it but a particular church and therefore not the onely true church But now the church of Rome is not a true visible church of Christ but the whore of Babylon an adulterous and Idolatrous and Apostaticall church which once was Rome as Petrarch saith now Babylon once Bethel now Bethauen once the Church of Christ now the synagogue of Antichrist as hath bene proued And therefore there being no truth either in the proposition or the assumption I answere the proposition by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although the Pope did sit in the true church yet it followeth not that therefore the church of Rome is the onely true Church and the assumption by this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Pope doth not sit in the true church and therefore there is no shewe of reason in this cauill 6 His third syllogisme is inferred vpon the second If the Church of Rome be the onely true Church then those which are not members of this Church whereof the Pope is head as namely the Protestants are out of the Church But now say I the church of Rome is so farre from being the onely true church as that it is that Babylon Apoc. 18. 4. from which we are commaunded to seperate if wee will bee saued there being no saluation in that Church for those that receiue and retaine the marke of the beast Apoc. 14. 9. therefore this also is a fond and sophisticall cauill Notwithstanding as the adulterous and apostaticall state of Israel vnder Ieroboam and Achab so the Church of Rome vnder the Pope may be called the church of God in respect both of some notes and signes of a visible Church as the administration of some sacraments and profession of the name of the Lord and also of some reliques and remainder as it were the gleanings of the inuisible Church In Israell although an Apostaticall and Idolatrous state the sacrament of circumcision was retained so in the church of Rome the sacrament of baptisme The church of Israel professed Iehouah to be their God although they worshipped him Idolatrously so the church of Rome professeth the name of Christ but exceedeth Israel in Idolatry In Israel euen vnder Achab the Lord had reserued 7000. who neuer bowed their knee to Baal and so we doubt not but that in the corruptest times of Popery the Lord hath reserued some who haue not receiued the marke of the beast And as the church of Sardis was still called the church of Christ although greeuously fallen from Christ because they still professed the name of Christ and retained no doubt the Sacrament of Baptisme and had among them some fewe names that had not defiled themselues so I confesse with Caluin that the church of Rome may be called a church of Christ both in respect of some vestigia and outward notes of a visible church as administration of Baptisme and profession of the name of Christ and some secret reliques of the inuisible church which haue not bowed their knees to Apo. 20. 4 Baal But that which is saide to the church of Sardis may most iustly be avowed to the church of Rome Thou hast a name that thou liuest but indeed art dead thou professest Apoc. 3. 1. thy selfe to be the church of Christ but art the synagogue of Antichrist thou art called the church of Rome which once was famous for her saith but art the whore of Babylon the Apo. 3. 4. mother of all the fornications and abhominations in the christian world 7 Heere Bellarmine obiecteth two things If there remaine in the church of Rome but ruines and reliques of a true church then the church may be ruinated and the truth hath lyed who saith that the gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against it Ans. The Catholike and inuisible church of Christ which is the whole company of the elect can neuer faile But visible and particular churches which consist of hypocrites many times and vnsounde christians which are in the visible church but are not of the inuisible as the greater part may faile and fall away although not one sound christian that 1. Ioh. 2. 19. is of the inuisible church doth fall away As the lamentable experience of the church of Israel seuered from Iuda the examples of Corinth Ephesus and many other famous Churches which were planted by the Apostles Againe saith Bellarmine If the Church be ruinated and the ruines remaine in Poperie then the Papists haue the Church although decayed and ruinated but the Protestants haue no Church not entyre for the entyre Church is ruinated not ruinated or decayed for the ruines are among the Papists What haue they then a new building which because it is new is none of Christs and therefore who seeth not that it is safer to liue in the church decayed then in no church at all But in this cauill there is not so much as any shew of reason vnlesse he take that for graunted which we do most confidently denie and they are neuer able to proue that the church of Rome not onely is the true church of Christ but also the onely true church For otherwise the church of Rome may fall and yet the Catholike church of Christ may stand yea shall stand maugre the force of Antichrist and malice of Sathan himselfe And as for the church of the Protestants it is no new building as Antichrist vaunteth but is a part of the Catholike church of Christ reformed and renewed according to the word of God and the example of the primitiue church euen as the Church of Iuda vnder Iosias was no new building but the olde frame as it was vnder Dauid renewed and reformed according to the lawe of God 8 The exceptions which he taketh against our arguments concluding that Rome is the seate of Antichrist I haue for the Lib. 1. cap. 2. most part taken away before It shall suffice therefore
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„