Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Summary – Part 1
Summary recapitulation of all that hath bene ſaid, concerning Antichrist.
I HaueHave by Gods mercy, finiſhed this Tractate touching the queſtion ſo neceſſary of Antichriſt: …eclared what the Sripture hath defined thereupon:: ſhewne how this agreeth to the Pope, and confuteth that which is by …he Doctors of the Church of Rome alledged to the contrary. What remaineth more to make knowne this Man of ſinne, this Sonne of perdition? What more viſible markes can be repreſented, then thoſe which we produce out of the holy Scripture?
Firſt, The ſpirit of God painteth out Antichriſt as a man, wholy ſucc…ſſion ſhall continue in one ſeate. And is not the Pope ſuch all one?
Secondly, That hee ſhall in ſhew make profeſſion of the Chriſtian faith: but in effect ſhall deſtroy it. Is not the Pope ſeated in the Temple of God, where he would hauehave his Traditions to be receiued, in ſtead of Gods diuine word?
Thirdly, That Sathan ſhall be the Architect of Antichriſts kingdome. And where hath Sathan more ſtrongly declared his efficacy, then in the Papacy, wherein ſo many Monſters hauehave beene exalted to the higheſt dignity in the Church by his ai…e?
Fourthly, That his ſeate ſhall be in the great City of Rome, ſituated vponupon ſeuen hils. Doth not the Pope keepe his reſidence in this Tarpeion rocke?
Fiftly, That he ſhall exerciſe the power of the Romane Empire, and of the falſe Prophet. And why doth the Pope weare on his head a Crowne, like a King, and a Miter as a Biſhop, if not to ſhew that he hath both the one and the other, Spirituall and Temporall power in his hands?
Sixtly, That he ſhall carry himſelfe in the Church of God as if he were God. And doth not the Pope ſay that he cannot be iudged by men, foraſmuch as God is not iudged of any?
Seuenthly, That the comming of Antichriſt ſhall be with ſignes and lying wonders. Who can number by how many falſe reuelations, counterfeit Miracles, and fained apparitions of the dead, the Pope hath inſinuated into the Church his falſe religion?
Eightly, That Antichriſt ſhall be an Idolater. Now the Papacy is a world of Idolatries.
Ninthly, That he ſhall be ambitiou…. And is not he ſo that tumbleth downe the Crowne of Emperours, and treadeth vponupon themſelues with his feet?
Tenthly, That the great Whore ſhall make herſelfe drunke with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Ieſus. And hauehave we not ſeene Kingdomes and Countries filled on eueryevery ſide with bloody Maſſacres, by the ſollicitation and mediation of Popes?
Eleuenthly, That the ſeate of Antichriſt muſt be a S… … and a Babylon for impurity. And doth not Petrarch ca… … at his time, the Fountaine of Dolours, and the S… … Errors, the Temple of Hereſie, Babylon, and th… … Fraudes?
Twelfthly, That Antichriſt muſt bee revealed. … times. And who that is not blind ſeeth not in this … the Goſpell, that the Pope is truely the Man?
Laſtly, That Antichriſt ſhall be wholly deſtroyed by … brightneſſe of Chriſts comming. So albeit the Popes Kingdome day by day goeth to ruine, England, the greateſt part of Germany, Denmarke, and other Countries being reuolted from his obedience: and that at laſt Rome muſt be conſumed with fire, as is prophecied, Apoc. 17. neuertheleſſe, his entire and full deſtruction is reſerued to him that ſhall deſtroy the whole Empire of Sathan, and by his glorious comm…ng ſhall right ſoone caſt him with the falſe Prophets into a Lake of fire.
But it may be, the Obiections that are brought againſt this Aſſertion, doe eclipſe this truth thereof: let vsus heare them therefore. Firſt, Antichriſt (they ſay) muſt be one ſingular perſon. This is true: and ſo is the Pope; as there is but one …onarch in one Kingdome, who being dead giueth place to … ſucceſſour. Secondly, Antichriſt is not come. This is …ſe, as hath beene ſufficiently proued before. Thirdly, The …spell must be prea…hed through the whole world, before the …mming of Antichriſt. This is a dreame: and beſides, is not …eir ſound gone into the whole earth, and their words to the …nd of the world, ſaith the great Herauld of the Gentiles, …peaking of the Apoſtles? Fourthly, The Romane Empire …uſt be wholly d…ſt…oyed before his comming. A vaine fanſie: …or Antichriſt is now already in the world, ſaith …aint Iohn of …is time: and the ſecond Beaſt ſhall exerciſe the power of …he firſt, in his preſence (…aith he) in another place. Fiftly, At …aſt Enoch and Elias muſt firſt come, and he put to death be… …ichriſt. But our Sauiour …hriſt ſaid, that Elias was …: and the Apoſtle in the Epiſtle to the He… … Enoch was tranſported that he might not … The perſecution vnderunder Antichriſt muſt be … ſeruice of God ſhall be aboliſhed, and the … ſhall be nothing in compariſon thereof. … …t fulfilled at this day, that the true ſer… … …ned in eueryevery place where the Pope hath … …ion? And that in ſtead of a Sacrament in… …, is ſubſtituted a Sacrifice which taketh a… … …cacy of Chriſts Sacrament? And who can … …e ancient perſecutions, with this vnderunder Anti…ſt? They were onelyonly corporall, this is both ſpirituall and …orporall: they of ſhort continuance, this for many ages? Se…enthly (But Antichriſt ſhall be a Iew, both by Nation and Re…igion A meere ſable: for he muſt ſit in the Temple of God, …hat is to ſay in the Church, ſaith Saint Thomas. Eightly, Antichriſt will deny that Ieſus Chriſt is come in the fl ſh And … not this to deny him, to aſcribe vntounto him, an vncircum…ribed body, a body, and no body, as the Pope doth? Ninthly, Antichriſt ſhall condemne Idols. So doth the Pope …y word of mouth, but hee eſtabliſheth them indeed vnderunder …e name of Images. Tenthly, Antichriſt ſhall cauſe fire to deſcend from heauen. The Pope with his thunder of excommunications ſetteth on fire Empires, and Kingdomes. Eleuenthly, Antichriſt ſhall cauſe the image of the Beaſt to ſpeake. The Pope boaſteth that of his owne onelyonly authority he gaue the Empire to Charlemaigne, and in himſelfe maketh the Beaſts image to ſpeake, when he giueth Lawes to Kings and Princes. Beſides vnderunder his Dominion they report, that ſometime one Image hath ſpoken, another hath ſweat, another hath moued, and all to authorize his Idolatrie. Twelfthly, Antichriſt ſhall fixe his ſeate in Ieruſalem. A falſe tale: for he ſhall rauiſh to himſelfe the cheefe ſeat in the Church, to wit, the Biſhoppricke of Rome, there ſtriuing to make himſelfe to be acknowledged as God, ſaith Theodoret. Thirteenthly, He ſhal reigne but three yeeres and an halfe. A ieſt: for he was in the world in the time of the Apoſtles, and ſhall bee aboliſhed by the brightneſſe of Chriſts laſt comming. Fourteenthly, Antichriſt ſhall make himſelfe Monarch of the whole earth with an innumerable army, called Gog and Magog. The Pope doth more: for without an Army he ſubdueth Kings, maketh them to bow to his feet, by the terror onelyonly of Excommunication: And as for Gog and Magog, they are to be referred to another purpoſe. Laſtly, Antichriſt ſhall erect his Tabernacle betwixt the two Seas vponupon the Noble Mountaine. And doth not the Pope place his Throne in Rome, ſituate vponupon ſeuen Mountaines, betwixt the Tyrrhene and Adriatick Sea? What more? Both the name and number of the name of Antichriſt agreeth moſt fitly vntounto the Pope.
What greater and clearer reuelation can a man deſire of the Sonne of perdition then this is? And therefore you O Kings and Princes, how long will yee ſuffer your ſelues to be made drunke with the Cup of his Fornication? Will you not kiſſe the Son leaſt he be angry, and ſo yee periſh in this way, when his anger is kindled but a little? You are they that hauehave giuen your power and authority to the Beaſt, to fight againſt the Lambe: but it is you alſo, that muſt hate him and eate his fleſh. And why doe you delay the doing hereof? Hath not the light of the Goſpell ſufficiently diſcouered the fraudes of this Man of ſinne? Hath not the ſpirit of Chriſts …outh which bloweth in ſo many places, already diſcomfi…d him in the moſt eminent places of his kingdome? Doe …ou expect that he ſhall be aboliſhed by the brightnes of the …omming of him, who…e Trumpet ſoundeth already in our …res, Behold I come quickely? And what more worthy glo…y, can you ioyne to the Lawrels, then to purge the Temple …f God, as did good King Ioſias? And if this King of Kings, …his great Protector of your Scepters, doe aſſiſt you in your affaires, what happineſſe may you looke for, where not your owne cauſe, but the cauſe of the Omnipotent is in hand, who calleth all Men together with you, to render vntounto Babylon, as he hath done, and to pay her double according to her workes? For albeit her thunder-clappes doe at this day aſtoniſh men: yet ſhe muſt fall, and be made an habitation of Deuils, a reſort for vncleane ſpirits, and a receptacle of curſed birds: When as they that ſhall obtaine victory of the Beaſt, and of his marke and number of his name, hauing the Harpes of God in their hands, ſhall ſing prai… vntounto him night and day, for euerlaſting.
Now the Father of lights open the eyes and the hearts of Kings, Magiſtrates, and people, to the end that giuing place to the word of God, they may know, and acknowledge Antichriſt, and deteſting his yoke, may ſubmit themſelues to the yoke of Chriſt: to whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit, be Glory, and Empire eternally, Amen.
Finis. Deo laus.