Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. 2. Of the number of his Name.
1. AS the manner of Traytors is, vnderunder pretence of the Kings name and authority to raiſe forces, ſeize vponupon Cities and Caſtles, and ſend forth Edicts and Proclamations, but all againſt the King himſelfe, that they may depriue him of his Throne, and ſet vp whom they liſt in his roome: So doth Antichriſt vnderunder the name and authority of Chriſt, aduance himſelfe againſt Chriſt, and in pretence that Chriſt is in body abſent from his Church, draw vntounto himſelfe by a ſacrilegious vſurpation the gouernment thereof. For this cauſe the Spirit of God minding to arme the faithfull againſt the ſubtilities of this hypocriticall enemie, propoundeth vntounto vsus a certaine name comprized vnderunder the number, 666. by which rightly vnderſtood, we might attaine to the true knowledge of him.
2. The Text in the Apocalyps is this, That no man ſhould buy or ſell, b…t he that hath this Character, or the name of the Beaſt, or the number of his name: here is wiſedome, let him that hath vnderſtanding count the number of the Beaſt, for it is the number of a man, and his number is. 666. Where by the character, the name of the Beaſt, and the number of his name, in all probability is meant one and the ſame thing. So Haymo, Sixtus Senenſis, Alcazar, and others vnderſtand it: and thus the latter is ſtill the expoſition of the former: as if a man would know what is meant by the character, S. Iohn ſaith by way of expoſition, Or the name of the Beaſt: and what by the name of the Beaſt, he addeth: Or the number of his name. And ſo the character of the Beaſt ſeemeth to be nothing elſe, but the name of the Beaſt, containing the number, 666.
3. By the Beaſt whoſe Character, name, and number, is here deſigned, is not to be vnderſtood Antichriſt himſelfe, who is figured out by the ſecond Beaſt, Apoc. 13. but the firſt Beaſt, whoſe authority Antichriſt doth vſurpe, and cauſeth it to be adored, and erecteth an image vntounto it, and impoſeth the name thereof vponupon all men: as is plaine, Apoc. 13.12. that is, the Romane or Latine State (for ſo the firſt Beaſt ſignifieth) the laſt head wher…of, is Antichriſt.
4. It is ſaid to be the number of a man, either becauſe a man by reaſon and vnderſtanding may finde out the myſtery thereof: or becauſe it is an obuious and vſuall name amongſt men: as Eſay. 8.1. The pen of a man: and Apoc. 21.17. The meaſure of a man; that is, ſuch a pen and meaſure as are in vſe by men: or laſtly, b cauſe the name of the Beaſt, containing this number, is alſo the proper name of a man. Which way ſoeuer it be taken, it is all to one effect, for the ſenſe of the Text.
5. This number, 666. is diuerſly interpreted by expoſitors of the Text, and that principally two waies; either myſtically, or literally. The myſticall expoſitions are foure. Firſt, ſome vnderſtand it of the time wherein Antichriſt began to reigne and reueale himſelfe. Secondly, of the certaine degrees, by which this Beaſt doth captiuate men to his …eruice and homage; both theſe are expreſſed by the Authour and therefore I forbeare to ſpeake of them any further. The third interpretation, is by a certaine Lawyer called Caryon, in his Anatomy of Antichriſt, Chap. 21. who ſpeaking of this ſubiect, ſaith; that it is a faſhion of ſpeech taken from the Greekes & Latines, in the cenſuring or numbering their Citizens: for there was ſaith he) a twofold catalogue or numeration of them: The firſt, cenſus nominis, which eueryevery Citizen was bound to giuegive vntounto the Cenſour: the other, a declaration of the eſtate and reuenue of eueryevery Citizen, wherby they were ranked in their ſeuerall degrees: and ſo that S. Iohn like a Cenſour ſetteth downe, firſt the name, and ſecondly the demeanes of the Beaſt, which is 666. talents of gold yeerely comming in. And this (ſaith he) is the number of the reuenue of this myſtery, ariſing from his damnable trafficke of ſoules, anſwering in greatneſſe to that of rich Salomon, of whom it is ſaid, that there came in vntounto him eueryevery yeere, 666. talents of Gold; which amounteth to betwixt fiue and ſix millions, an Hebrew Talent auayling in worth eight or nine thouſand Crownes, or ſix ſcore pounds of Gold, as both Epiphanius, and Budaeus affirme. The fourth myſticall interpretation, is that of Anſelme Biſhop of Canterbury, in his Commentary vponupon the Apocalyps, Chap. 13. who ſaith, by the number of ſix, which is the firſt perfect number, is mean… thoſe, that in the ſtate of Mariage, doe after their meaſure fulfill the Commandements of God, and ſo are in the loweſt degree of perfection: and by 60. which is formed of ſix and ten multiplyed together, thoſe which ſtand in the middle degree of perfection by their excellent graces and vertues, who though they come ſhort of the third, yet doe farre exceede the former: but by the ſix hundred he ſaith, are to be vnderſtood, ſuch as are in the higheſt degree of perfection, as Monkes that keepe the integrity both of body and ſpirit. Now of theſe three degrees, the firſt bring forth fruite ſix fold; the ſecond, ſixty ſold; and the third, an hundred fold: and that the Diſciples of Antichriſt ſhall preach, that none can be ſaued, excep… he bring forth one of theſe meaſures of fruites.
6. Of all the…e myſticall interpretations, not one commeth any thing neere to S. Iohns intention: for touching the firſt, ſeeing S. Ioh… ſaith expreſſely, that it is the name of the number of the Beaſt, it can in no probability be referred to the number of the time, either of the beginning, or of the continuance of Antichriſt. And for the other interpretations, beſi…es many difficulties that encounter them in the Text, this is one principall: that is, there are diuers kindes of numbers, both amongſt the Hebrewes and Greekes, ſome myſticall and Euangelicall, and others vſuall and ordinary, as Scaliger well noteth: ſo to put a difference betwixt theſe, the holy Scripture ſetteth downe certaine markes of diſtinction, whereby they may be diſcerned. And for this cauſe S. Iohn to ſhew that this number is not to be taken myſtically, or cabaliſtically, but literally and vſually, ſetteth this note vponupon it, that it is foreign, that is, foreign, a humane name, or a name ordinary amongſt men: for it is not foreign with the article, as if it were the name of a certaine man, but foreign, without the article, by which ſignification, myſticall and cabaliſticall interpret…tions are excluded.
7. The li…erall interpretation of this number is (as all agree) by ſome certaine name, the letters whereof, exactly containe 66…. by computation, and neither more nor leſſe. For as the Hebrewes, ſo the Greekes in imitation of them, in ſtead of figures vſe Alphabeticall letters for computation. Now this number of the name of the Beaſt, ſome compute by the Hebrew, and ſome by the Greeke Characters: by the Hebrew, becauſe the Reuelation was made to S. Iohn being an Hebrew, and therefore moſt likely in the Hebrew tongue, as moſt familiar vntounto him, and that he tranſlated it out of the Hebrew into the Greeke: and this they ſay is apparant, both by the ſundry Hebraiſmes commonly vſed in this booke, and by the Hebrew names therein yet contained, as Abaddon, Harmageddon, Gog, and Magog: and by the ſo ordinary repetition of the number of ſeuen, all which ſauour of the Hebrew language. And they that will hauehave it expreſſed by Greeke Characters, giuegive this reaſon; becauſe the Reuelation was written in Greeke, and ſent to the Greeke Churches, which laſt opinion is moſt probable.
8. In Hebrew we finde three words containing this number and all of them fitting the preſent ſtate of Antichriſt, as we take it. The firſt is foreign Romiich, that is Romana, or Romanus, for Nounes collectiues with the Hebrewes, as Iunius obſerueth, are taken promiſcuouſly in both Genders: and if they were not, yet the Faeminine termination agreeth aſwell to the purpoſe, becauſe this number is not the proper name of Antichriſt, but of the Romane ſtate, which afterward is deſcribed by the name of a woman, and an harlot, Apoc. 17. and 18. The ſecond is a Latine name written in Hebrew letters, becauſe the Latines doe not vſe their letters for n…merall notes, as the Hebrewes and Grecians doe, and this they ſay is foreign, Romanus: the knowledge of which name, deuote and learned M Fox, obtained (as he ſaith) of God by earneſt prayer. Both theſe names doe fitly agree to the Antichriſtian State, for the Empire is ſtill called the Romane Empire; and the Pope, the Romane high P…ieſt or Biſhop, and their Church the Romane Church; as if Romane and Catholike were all one, as Baronius affi…meth, and the Popes ſubiects, Romane Catholikes; all which things ſhew the agreement of theſe names, to the thing they are to expreſſe. The third is foreign M…ſſa, the Maſſe, wherein is couched together as it were in one bundle, wel-nigh all the myſteries of Antichriſts kingdome.
9. In Greeke, there are found out many names that containe this number. Irenaeus an Ancient Father and Scholler to Polycarpus, whom S. Iohn ordained the firſt Biſhop of Smyrna, propoundeth three foreign, of the firſt whereof he affirmeth nothing: but the ſecond (he ſaith) is very likely and probable, becauſe it is the name of the great and laſt Kingdome, out of which Antichriſt was to ſprout. But the third he reſteth moſt vponupon, vt maxima ſide dignum; as moſt worthy of beliefe. But by Irenaeus his leaue, we may rather reſolue vponupon the ſecond foreign, and that for two reaſons ſpecified by Irenaeus himſelfe: one, becauſe it is the name of the firſt Beaſt; and the other, becauſe Antichriſt is to impoſe that name vponupon all men. But any one of the three doe fitly agree to the Romane Antichriſt. For firſt, touching the name Euanthas, it is aſmuch in ſignification, as happily flouriſhing: and what eſtate in the world is more flouriſhing, in power, riches, and ſtately buildings, multitude of attendants, delightfull Gardens, and Meadowes, delicacy of meates, and all other things, that may ſerue either for pompe or pleaſure, then the State of the Romane Pope? There is not any thing in this world, either delightful to the eies, or deſirous of the heart of man, which he and his Cleargy enioyeth not. Their Palaces ſurpaſſe in ſtatelines the goodlieſt Manſions of Kings, and Princes, and their Pompe is farre greater then any of them. For this cauſe, Politian obſerueth in the ſe…ond Epiſtle of his firſt Booke, that Rome in their ancient Sacrifices was called by a ſecret name Anthuſa, which is as much in effect, as Euanthas, happily flouriſhing. Secondly, the name Titan, is one of the names of the Sunne, whom both the Grecians and Barbarians made an Idoll, and worſhipped, and carryeth with it an oſtentation of reuenge. And is not the Pope ſuch an Idoll? Hee is carryed aloft vponupon mens ſhoulders, like the Goddeſſe Peſſenuntia, with the Sacrament carryed before him like the Perſian fire: all ſorts of men fall downe and worſhip him as a God vponupon earth, and kiſſe his feete. And that he may not want the name of this Idoll, hee calleth himſelfe the greater light that ruleth the day, to wit the Church; that is, Titan, or the Sunne, and the Emperour the leſſer, to rule the night, to wit, the Layty. And as the Moone is ſubiect to the Sunne, and not the Sunne to the Moone, ſo Emperors and Kings are ſubiect to him, and not he to them: and as farre as the Sunne doth exceede the Moone in greatneſſe, ſo farre doth the Papall power exceede the Emperiall: and as it is impoſſible for the Sunne to depend vponupon the Moone, ſo it is for the authority of the Pope to depend vponupon the Emperor: and as the Sunne is the Father and Lord of all the Planets, ſo is the Pope of all Temporall dignities: and as all the Planets receiue their light from the Sunne, ſo doe all Biſhops their power and authority from the Pope. And laſtly, as the Sunne receiueth his light from the firſt mouer, and communicateth the ſame to all the reſt of the Starres: ſo the Pope deriueth his power immediately from God, and diſpenſeth the ſame to all the members of the Catholike Church. And as for the vengeance which this name Titan alſo importeth, who can doubt but that it fitteth him in this reſpect to an haire, that conſidereth with what Gyant-like violence hee hath aſſaulted Kings and Princes; ſometimes with the thunder-bolts of his Excommunications, wherewith the greateſt were wont to be terrified as with lightning from heauen, ſometimes with open and bloody Warres, and ſometimes with ſecret Maſſacres, and treacherous deſignements: thus making as it were the earth to quake, and the ſtouteſt and greateſt hearts to tremble at his threats. Moſt fitly then by theſe two names wee hauehave a moſt liuely picture of this Man of ſinne: and yet I confeſſe they are not ſo grounded vponupon the holy Scripture, as that we dare fully reſt vponupon them.
10. The third name is foreign, which is the moſt probable and likely of all the reſt, though Irenaeus holds it not ſo. For firſt, the letters of that name exactly containe the number, 666. namely, if it be written with the Dipthong foreign, and and not with a ſingle iota, as the Ieſuites cauill it ought to be, and ſo would infringe the credit of this name, becauſe the letters doe not agree with the number. But Irenaeus that know the Greeke tongue better then they, and alſo wrote in Greeke, writeth it with the Dipthong, and not with a ſingle iota. And whereas ſpeaking of foreign, hee qualifieth it thus; Si modo per foreign ſcribatur, that is, if it may bee written by the Dipthong foreign comming to foreign, he maketh no qualification, but taketh it for granted that it ought to be ſo written. And this learned Scaliger obſerued in his Animaduerſions vponupon Euſebius Chron: that the Greekes vſed to turne the letter iota into the Dipthong foreign, when it went before a N, as foreign inſomuch, that it was not onelyonly not a fault ſo to write, but a fault not to write ſo. Secondly, it cannot be doubted, but that by that Beaſt with ſeuen heads and ten hornes, Reuel. 13. and 17. is meant …he ſtate of the Empire and City of Rome: now the ſeuenth head which is Antichriſt, is one of the heads of this Beaſt, and therefore muſt needs hauehave the ſame domination with it; that is, Latine or Romane, as the other ſixe were called, eſpecially by the Greekes, who called it ordinarily by this name, The Latine Empire and Emperour. Thirdly, it is alſo certaine, that during the time of the Latine or Romane Empire, Antichriſt could not diſcouer himſelfe: but that which was the obſtacle of his comming being remoued, then he was to ſpring out of the ruines thereof, and ſo muſt needs ſucceed him in the ſame place and authority: but the Empire of Rome is long agoe taken out of the way, there remaining nothing thereof now but a bare title without being. And the Pope hath vſurped all the power and authority thereof into his hands, as alſo the City it ſelfe, and therefore why ſhould wee doubt but that the name Antichriſt is foreign; and ſo that the Pope is he without all queſtion? Laſtly, that he may plainely declare that this name belongeth properly vntounto him, and none elſe, he impoſeth this name vponupon all that depend vponupon him: his Church is called the Latine Church, ſo is the Apoſtolicall Sea: the publick Liturgie is commanded to bee Latine: ſo Prayers, Bulles, Indulgences, Maſſes, Veſpers, Mattens, Decrees, Pleas, all Latine; yea, the holy Scripture it ſelfe by the Decree of the Counſell of Trent, is not authenticall, but in Latine. And that which is moſt obſeruable, this publick ſeruice in the Latine tongue, was (as Wolphius ſheweth) brought in and obtruded vponupon the whole Church,Recondit lect. by Pope Vitalian preciſely in the yeere, 666. which is the number of the name of the Beaſt in the Apocalyps. Did not Irenaeus then ayme neere to the marke, when he propounded foreign, as very likely to bee this name? Who if he had liued at this day, and ſeene all theſe things before named, eſpecially the diuiſion of his Romane Empire, and the Papall vſurpation, would not hauehave giuen it out as a probable coniecture, but as an aſſured and vndoubted truth.
11 There are diuers other names found out, or rather deuiſed by ſundry Authors, which in the Greeke Characters make this number; as foreign of Hippolitus, which is Nego in Latine; foreign of Arethas, that is, illuſtris, famous; foreign, Victor, a Conquerour; foreign, prauus dux, a wicked Guide; foreign, vere nocens, truly hurtfull; foreign, olim inuidens, enuying of long time; foreign, Agnus nocens, an hurtfull Lambe; foreign of Primaſius, that is, contrarius, an Aduerſarie; foreign the Italian Church; foreign, I am a God vponupon earth: with diuers other like; out of all which, Bellarmine concludeth, that becauſe the word foreign in Greeke, or foreign Romanus in Hebrew, doe not onelyonly comprehend this number, but manie other names beſides, therefore this cannot bee the name ſignified in the Apocalyps. But wee are to vnderſtand; firſt, that ſome of theſe names doe not iumpe with the number, as foreign, and foreign; and ſecondly, that ſome do properly appertaine to the Pope, and to the Church of Rome; as foreign; yet thirdly, that none of them repreſent the name of the former beaſt which foreign doth, and therefore are in no ſort to be accepted, as nothing agreeing to the purpoſe of that Propheſie: for if any name would ſerue the turne, an hundred ſuch like were eaſie to be deuiſed by the wit of man.
12. As for thoſe names inuented by the learned Papiſts, onelyonly of purpoſe to diſgrace our Religion, they fauour ſo much of malice and ignorance, that they deſerue no other conſutation, but deriſion and contempt: ſuch are theſe enſuing: Martin Lauter, for Martin Luther, if the Latine letters be accounted for numbers after the Greeke computation, this is Lindaas deuiſe: but Genebrard will hauehave it to bee Lulther for Luther being written with Hebrew characters. Bellarmine hath deuiſed Dabid Chitreta, for Dauid Chitraeus; and foreign for the Country wherein Luther was borne: all which are ridiculous, and farre vnbeſeeming the grauity of ſuch learned men, were not their eyes blinded with malice. By as good reaſon we might conclude, that Paulus Quintus was Antichriſt, becauſe the Anagiam of his name is thus, Quis tu? an Lupus? And his title which hee takes to himſelfe, Vicarius Dei generalis in terris, containeth in the numerall Letters thereof iuſt the number 666. as may appeare by this computation of them: or that eueryevery Pope ſince they tooke vponupon them the title of the head of the Church and vniuerſall Biſhop, is Antichriſt: Otherwiſe as Walter Bruite diuers hundred yeeres ſince affirmeth, theſe words, Dux Cleri, make the ſame number of 666. but theſe Cabaliſticall conceits, are rather flaſhes of ouer-flowing wits, then ſound traces of true iudgement.
13 The name foreign then, is of all the moſt probable vponupon which wee reſt, vntill it ſhall pleaſe God to reueale another vntounto vsus: for Antichriſt muſt bee the head of the Romane ſtate in generall, but ſo farre forth as it is Latine: the Mother City whereof is ſeuen hilled Rome. For this name Latine is that by which the Eaſt and Weſterne Romanes were diſtinguiſhed, the Weſterne calling themſelues indeed Romanes, yet by the Greekes were called alwaies Latines for diſtinction ſake.