Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Treatise 3 · Answer 8
Anſwere.
…e…ing to Phyſitians to iudge whether the Aphoriſme of Remondas be Hypocraticall: we ſimply deny, both that Antichriſt muſt aboliſh all publicke ſeruice and ceremonies of Religion, and alſo that he hath not already aboliſhed the true ſeruice of God, ſo farre forth as is fore-prophecied of him. For ſeeing that he muſt ſit in the Temple of God, and hauehave two horne like vntounto the Lambe: how can it bee, that hee ſhould aboliſh all the ceremonies and ſeruice of God? He ſhall indeed Interdict, and hath already long agoe interdicted as much as in him lay, the true ſeruice of God, and the holy Ceremonies inſtituted by Chriſt. Witneſſe, that in the holy Supper, he hath cut off the Cup againſt the expreſſe commandement of our Sauiour, Drinke yee all of this. And in ſtead of the Sacrament which was inſtituted by Chriſt, for the confirmation of our Faith by the commemoration of his death: hath deuiſed a ſacrifice not onelyonly for the quicke and the dead, but that which is moſt abominable; for the diſeaſes of Men, of Horſes, of Hogs, to auert tempeſts, and ſtormes in the ayre, and infertilitie of the earth, and in breefe, for all other neceſſities of this life. But let vsus ſee, how they proue that Antichriſts perſecution ſhall be the moſt greeuous that euer was, and that hee ſhall aboliſh the whole ſeruice of God.
Ob. 1 Math. 24.21. it is ſaid, That there ſhall be great perſecution, ſuch as hath not beene the like ſince the beginning of the world, vntill this time, nor yet ſhall be. Which words (ſaith Remondus) are referred by all the Fathers of the Church to the time of this perſecution: and the abomination whereof the Euangeliſt ſpeaketh, ſhall be the ſame Antichriſt, as ſaith Tertullian.
We hauehave already heeretofore declared,Reſp. that our Sauiour Chriſts purpoſe in this place, is not to ſpeake of Antichriſt, or of the end of the world. And in truth, if this perſecution whereof he heere ſpeaketh, were immediatly followed with the end of the world; to what purpoſe ſhould he ſay: That …here hath not beene the like affliction ſince the beginning of the world, nor ſhall bee? For if the worlds end muſt follow immediately after Antichriſts deſtruction, it is ſo farre, that there ſhould be any ſuch like affliction afterwards, that there can be no affliction at all, of what ſort ſoeuer. As for the abomination of deſolation, it can no more then the other, be referred vntounto Antichriſt for the reaſons fore ſpecified. Maldonats interpretation is much more agreeable to this paſſage, …o wit, that the abomination of deſolation, is nothing elſe but the abhominable and horrible deſolation of the Citty of Ieruſalem: as is alſo expounded by S. Luke in theſe words: When you ſhall ſee Ieruſalem enuironed with armies, know that then the deſolution is neere at hand, Luke. 21.20. To ſignify that the deſolation foretold by the Prophet Daniel ſhould then truly be fulfilled: after the which, they ſhould …ot expect any more reſtauration of the Citty, as it had bene after other precedent de olations.
Ob. 2 Apoc. 20.28. it is ſaid, that at that time Sathan ſhall bee …et looſe,Bel. de Rom. Pont. l. 3. c. 7. Aug. de ciuit. lib. 20. c. 8. & 9. and conſequently (ſaith S. Auguſtine) this perſe…ution of …ntichriſt ſhall bee ſo much more greeuous, then …l that went before, becauſe the cruelty of Sathan being vn…ound, is greater then when he was bound. Now we hauehave had no experience of any ſuch cruelty, ſince the yeare ſixe hundred or a thouſand of our Sauiour Chriſt. For what is that perſecution, which they affirme to hauehave beene exerciſed againſt ſuch as hauehave withdrawne themſelues from the obedience of the Pope, in compariſon of the perſecutions of Nero, Domitian, Decius, Diocleſian? Seeing that Damaſus writeth in the life of Marcellus, that in one month vnderunder the Emperour Diocleſian were ſlaine ſeuenteene thouſand Chriſtians? And Euſebius, that the priſons were ſo ſtuffed with Martyrs, that there was no roome for Malefactors.
Reſp.It is true, that we read in the Apocalyps, that the Dragon ſhould be bound a thouſand yeares, and at the end thereof be let looſe. But it alſo true, that whether we take the beginning of theſe thouſand yeares from the birth of our Sauiour Chriſt with Aretas, and S. Auguſtine: or from the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, with others: or whether we referre it to the time of the Emperour Conſtantine, about the 300. yeare of Chriſt, when God began to giuegive peace and refreſhment to his Church, after the former perſecutions: alwayes theſe thouſand yeares of Sathans impriſonment ſhall be accompliſhed, and this grieuous perſecution of Antichriſt ſhall beginne, either in the time of Gregory the ſeuenth, about the yeare 1073. or of Boniface the eight, towards the yeare 1300. For ſince that time, what hath bene ſeene but horrible butcherries and moſt cruell perſecutions againſt the Saints of God? And to ſay that theſe perſecutions are not to be compared to thoſe of Nero, Domitian, Decius, Diocleſian is moſt true: for thoſe were onelyonly corporall perſecutions, but theſe both ſpirituall and corporall: thoſe were executed by fits and diſtinct diſtances of time, and continued not, but for the ſpace of certaine moneths and yeares: but theſe endured many Ages together. Thoſe tooke away certaine thouſands of Martyrs: but theſe, innumerable multitudes. And to the purpoſe, Damaſus numbreth vp ſeuenteene thouſand Chriſtians,Bel. de not. Eccleſ. cap. vlt …no. that were ſlaine in one month vnderunder Diocleſian. And Bellarmine reckoneth amongſt the valiant acts of the Church of Rome, that an hundred thouſand of the Albigenſes were ſlaine in one day, vnderunder Pope Innocent the third. Not to repreſent here the execrable Maſſacres executed for the cauſe of Religion, in France and the Low Countries: So that, ſo farre is it, that this Prophecy ſhould make vsus expect the comming of Antichriſt, that it conſtraineth vsus to acknowledge that he is already come, and hath exerciſed along time his tyranny; not in ſecret, but in the open view of the world.
Ob. 3 From the time that the daily ſacrifice ſhall be taken away (ſaith the Prophet Daniel) and the abhomination of deſolation ſhall be ſet vp, there ſhall be a thouſand two hundred and ninty daies: ſignifying thereby, that the publick ſeruice and ſacrifice of the Church, ſhould vtterly be aboliſhed & ceaſe, by the perſecution of Antichriſt: as both Ireneus, S. Ierome, and others expound the place. Whence they deduce three concluſions. Firſt, that Antichriſt is not yet come. Secondly, that the Pope is not Antichriſt, ſeeing he hath not taken away the daily ſacrifice of the Church, but rather hath adorned it with all manner of honours. And thirdly, that they that oppoſe themſelues againſt the Pope, are the fore-runners of Antichriſt, ſeeing they hold nothing in ſo much abhomination, as they doe this daily ſacrifice.
The Prophecy ſpeaketh neither of Antichriſt,Reſp. nor of the ſeruice and pretended ſacrifice of the Chriſtian Church: but of Antiochus, and of the daily ſacrifice of the Iewiſh Church: For from the time of the prophanation of the Temple, and ſetting vp the abhominable Idoll of deſolation vponupon the Altar of the Lord, by the commandement of Antiochus Epiphanes, vntill the purification and dedication of the ſaid Temple by Iudas Machabeus, enterpaſſed a thouſand two hundred and ninty daies,Scalig. de Emen dat. temper. lib. 6. pag. 547. as Scaliger in his book of the Emendation of times hath notably diſcouered. So that the Allegoricall expoſitious of this Prophecy, cannot make any thing for the confirmation of this dreame: eſpecially ſeeing it hath bene before manifeſted, that it is againſt reaſon, to make men beleeue, that Antichriſt muſt cauſe the ſeruice of God to ceaſe. It is ſufficient, if vnderunder the ſhadow of Gods ſeruice, he ſhall bring in his abhominations, and make ſemblance of worſhipping Chriſt, and honouring his Sacraments, ſhall depriue them of all efficacy and ſauing profit: as may be obſerued more particularly in the Maſſe: wherein vnderunder the pretext of offering a ſacrifice to God, it hindereth vsus from receiuing from him, that which he offereth vntounto vsus: and by an imaginary ſacrifice, aboliſheth the truth of the Sacrament inſtituted by Chriſt. In which regard, we conclude three things directly oppoſite to thoſe three concluſions of Bellarmine: to wit, Firſt, that Antichriſt is not only come, but that he is alſo reuealed, ſeeing inſtead of a Sacrament he impoſeth vponupon the Church a ſacrifice. Secondly, that the Pope is this Antichriſt, foraſmuch as he ordaineth this ſacrifice, maintaineth it aboue all things, and graceth it with all kinds of honour. Laſtly, that it is ſo farre, that we who deteſt with all our hearts this ſacrifice, are ſore-runners of Antichriſt; that rather we are eueryevery one, according to the guift of Gods grace, the inſtruments of the mouth of Chriſt, by whom he prepareth the deſtruction of Antichriſt: as on the other ſide, they that employ their tongues and pens, for the maintenance of this ſacrifice, are the miſerable inſtruments of Sathan, that ſhall be conſumed with the ſword of the mouth of the Sonne of God,Apoc. 19.21. when the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet ſhall be caſt into the Lake of fire and brimſtone.
Their fift demonſtration, is drawne from the durance of Antichriſt, whereof I ſhall ſpeake afterward in due order: as alſo of the ſixt, which is touching the end of the world, immediately (as they ſay) following the deſtruction of Antichriſt after three yeares and an halfe, to the end I may not interrupt the order of the propoſed queſtions, according to the definition giuen of Antichriſt.