Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Treatise 3 · Question 6
6. Queſtion Of the battayles of Antichriſt.
Although they of the Church of Rome that hauehave written of Antichriſt adi…yne this queſtion to the reſt, rather to trouble and amaze ſimple people, with the terror of I know not what vncouth and fearefull words (as they terme them,Remend. cap. 17.18.) … to make them to vnderſtand the truth, which they ſtudy … …bſcure with their ſhadows: neuertheleſſe, that I may not …ue any thing of moment behinde vntouch…d; I will alſo …fute that which heerein ſhall …e…ue to carry any ſhew of …ficulty. They ſay therefore, that Antichriſt after hee hath …uere… the Kings of Aegipt, Libi…, and Eth…pia, …. …e P…t. R…m. l. …. …and poſ…ſed their kingdoms being become Monarch of the whole … ſhall mak… warre againſt Chriſtians throughout the …hole world, with an innumerabl… army which is called …og, and Mag…g …one of whi…h t…ings agreeing to the Pope, …hey conclude that he is not Antichriſt. But becauſe they know that men will not beleeue them on their word, they endeauour to make om…ts paſſages of Scripture to ſerue to their purpoſe.
Ob. 1 The Prophet Daniel in his ſeuenth and eleuenth Chap…rs, auou heth that Antichriſt ſhall poſſeſſe the Treaſures … Aegypt and paſſe through Libia and Ethiopia. Thus Saint …rome, L…ctuntius, Ireneus, and others expound: inſomuch … Saint Chryſoſtome affirmeth, that Antichriſt ſhall bee the Monarch of the world, and ſucceed the Romanes in the Empire, as they ſucceeded the Grecians, and the Grecians the Perſians, and the Perſians the Aegyptians. Now the Pope …th not ſub…ued the kingdomes of Aegypt, Libia, and Ethi…pia, nor calleth himſelfe King or Monarch of the world: … therefore is not Antichriſt.
Theſe Texts ſpeake of Antiochus Epiphanes, Reſp.as hath bene ſhewed before, and is confeſſed by Bellarmine: And the contrary expoſition thereo… by Ireneus and Lactantius, do not any more force vsus, then that which they giuegive touching the thou…and yeares of Chriſts reigne vponupon earth, with the Chiliaſts. As for that which Saint Chryſoſtome ſaith, that the …ingdome of the Romanes ſhall be inuaded by ntichriſt, …nd that he ſhall be Monarch of the world; neede not ſeeme …range, if wee mo…e neerely conſider, what the Empero…r … at this day, and what the Pope.The … …a Niem. Theodoret of Niem an Hiſtorian repreſenteth them in theſe words. It is ſuffi… ently ſeene (ſaith hee) of what Magnificence the Empire of Rome in Germany is: for there is found there one Archbiſhop or Biſhop, that hath twice aſmuch Reuenue as the King of the Romanes receiueth from all his Land: and ſome ſecular Prince that p…ſſeſſeth more Land… then the Emperour doth. And if we … …e vntounto Rome or Italy, it hath bene in truth in former time …he ſeate of the ancient Empire: But now the Emperour hath nothing but the bare title thereof: Spaine, France, Hungary, Sic…ly and Italy, are ſubiect to their particular Princes, and not to the Emperour. And yet in theſe Countries is to be ſeene the image of the ancient Empire: for there was in ancient time a Gouernour of the Gaules who had many Dioceſſes vnderunder him So now there is alſo a Primate of France, that hath many Dioceſſes vnderunder his iuriſdiction. And as in former times the Gouernours that commanded in the Garriſons of Spire and Wormes, acknowledged him for their Superiour that was at Mentz: So at this day the Biſhops of theſe Citties are ſubiect to the Archbiſhop of Mentz. In briefe, as all the…e Gouernours acknowledged the Emperour, and performed vntounto him an O…th of fidelity and allegiance; ſo all theſe Archbiſhops and Biſhops doe the ſame to the Pope. But what ſay I? the B…ſhops,Blondus li…. 5 Rom. 1 R…ſt 1…. yea, Kings, and Emperours do him Homage. Non (ſaith …londus) the Princes of the world ado…e and ſerue … perpetuall Dictator, to wit, the Pope the ſucceſſour not of Caeſar, but of the fiſher S. Peter. Now all the world reuerenceth i… Rome, next to the …ope, the Senate of Cardinals. Yea more, … al Europe ſendeth to Rome …ear…ly tributes, either greater th… thoſe of time paſt, or at leaſt equall vntounto them, when all Townes r…paire to the Pope to take from him their ſacerdot all benefices. Can any man deſire more Authentick titles of the Papall Monarchy?… …ſtoral, de…e …. in Clement et de Ap…ll. 1. Hee himſelfe affirmeth that hee hath a Soueraignety ouer the Empire, and That it being voyd, he ſu…ceedeth in his roome. So that in right heereof, he declareth for a nullity whatſoeuer is done by the Princes without his aduice. He ſaith, That the Chriſtian Emperours ought to ſubmit their excecutions to the Prelates Eccleſiaſtick. C. … …mpe…as D 96.And that hee is the owner of the Royall Crowne and Dignity in all the Weſt. Antichriſts great Scribe in his Antipapaſſae, diſcourſing of … Popes Crowne, which they call Regnum, C. Conſtantin. D. 96.relateth this …ſage out of Pope Innocent. The Biſhop of Rome beareth … …rowne in ſigne of his Royalty, Remond in his Antipap. chap. 20.and a Mitre in ſigne of his …ntiſica…y: but more often the Mitre, becauſe the Pontificall …gnity is greater then the Imperiall. And in another place: …he Church hath bequeathed vntounto me a moſt precious and in…imable dowry, and hath endowed me with many ſpirituall, and …mporall graces: to ſignifie, that firſt ſhe hath giuen … a Mitre, and for the laſt a Crowne: the Mitre for my …relacy, and the Crowne for my Kingdome: making me the Vi…r of him who is the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. Did not Boniface the eight,Hiſtor. of France. write thus Imperiouſly to a …reach King? We would hauehave thee to know, that thou art ſub…ct vntounto vsus, as well in temp…rall as ſpirituall matters. Pope …ius in his ſecond Epiſtle to Mahomet the Turkiſh Empe…our, promiſeth that if he would turne Chriſtian,Pius 2. epiſt. 396. Bel…le tranſla. Imper. l. 1. c. 6. and ſuc…our him in the neceſſities of the Church, in recompence of …is benefit, he would make him Emperour of the Gre kes, and of all the Eaſt, as in former time his predeceſſours had for the ſame reaſon, giuen the Weſterne Empire vntounto Charlemaigne. And was it not by v rtue of the ſame power,Bel. in franc…ſ…ol…p. de Ge…era. that Pope Alexander the ſixt, giuegive the Eaſt and Weſt In…ies, to the Kings of Spaine and Portugall? And what I pray …ou was Bellarmine, intent and ayme, in thoſe bookes which …e wrote about the tranſlation of the Empire, when it was tranſported firſt from the Greekes to the Frenchmen, and after from the French to the Saxons, and that onelyonly by the authority of the Pope: but to demonſtrate the Popes Soueraigne Monarchy ouer the world, by vertue whereof, he tranſlateth Empires and Kingdomes at his pleaſure? To deny then, that the Pope doth not ſucceed in the Romane Empire, and is not Monarch of the world, and ſo conſequently the true Antichriſt, is ſtrongly to cloſe our eies againſt the light of …ruth.
Ob. 2 Apoc. 20. When the thouſand yeeres ſhall be accompliſhed, Sathan ſhall be looſed out of priſon, and ſhall come forth to ſeduce the Nations, Be… Pon…. …om …. …. c… …7 R…. ad cap. 1…. ….that ſhall be vponupon the foure quarters of the earth, Geg and Magog, and ſhall aſſemble them in battle, the number … wh…m, as l…ke the ſand on the Sea ſhore, &c. The like Prophecy is ſound, Ez…ch. …8. Now Gog ſignifieth Antichriſt, and M…g his Armie, to wit, the Scythians: none of which can agree vntounto the Pope, and therefore he is not Antichriſt.
…The Prophecy of Ezechiel, by the teſtimony of Theod… ret, had it s accompliſhment, before the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt,… in thoſe perſecutions which were ſtirred vp againſt the Iewes, by the Sel…ue…des, that reigned in Aſia M…b, and in Syria: in that part whereof which is called C…lyria, i… ſituate the Citty called by the Greekes Hiera…, and was builded by the Scythians, ſo much renowned, by reaſon of that prodigious Atargati…, or …erreto, which was there a …ore…, and was called Mag…g by the Syrians, as witneſſ…th Pliny. … lib 5. cap. 23.For after that Ezechiel in his thirty ſeuenth Chapter had Prophec ed of the deliuerance of Gods people out of the Ca…tiuity of Babylon, by the figure of the reſurrection from the d…ad; and th…ir full reſtauration at the comming of the Meſſi…s: he commeth afterwards, by a kind of Anticipation, which …s or ma…y amongſt the Prop…ts …s is app…t both in …a…, and I…remy, to declare the … which ſhould b…fall the people of God, before the …mm…ng of the Meſſias; principally by the … y…ng Nation … and the iudgements of God againſt all his en…ies, which … comprehendeth vnderunder Gog and Magog. As touching th… …ee in the Apoc…lyps, it is di…eſty …preted: but aſſine…ly there is no queſtion, but that th… …pirit of God doth therein repreſent vntounto vsus, how Sathan be…ng after a thouſand ye…res let looſe, ſhall doe all his vttermoſt ende…ours …o hurt the Church of God, and arme againſt it all the Nations of the world, euen the moſt ſtrange Nations; and amongſt them Gog and Magog. But the greateſt difficulty is, what S. Iohn vnderſtandeth by theſe names of Gog and Magog. Almoſt all interpreters, both Ancient and Moderne, agree in the interpretation of Gog, and take it for Antichriſt: but there is a difference in the application of times and perſons. For they of the Church of Romes ſide ſay, that this Prophecy ſhall not hauehave it's accompliſhment but at the end of the world: whither alſo they turne ouer the comming of Antichriſt. Our men affirme on the other ſide, that it hath bene accompliſhed euer ſince the time of Bo…if…ce the eight, when thoſe bloody warres were ſuited vp betwixt the Eaſt and the Weſt, vnderunder pretext of recouering the holy Land. So that by Gog they vnderſtand the Pope, as the ſecret enemie of the Church: and by Magog the Turke, an enemie open and profeſſed: Herein according well with the Romiſh Doctors, that take Magog for the Scythian Nations, amongſt whom are the Turkes. And in truth, if euer Sathan ſeemed to bee let looſe to fill the world with blood and ſlaughters, it was at that time:Bapt. Egnat. and if euer he made a breach into the fields of the Saints vponupon the Church of God, it was ſince that time that the Turkes fleſhed and enraged againſt Chriſtians, rauiſhed out of their hands thoſe two flouriſhing Empires, Trebiſonde and Conſtantinople, inuaded twelue Kingdomes, tooke twelue hundr…d … i…ties, not to count Iſlands, that profeſſed the Chriſtian faith, and that which he gaineth eueryevery day, in Hungary and elſe where. But howſoeuer this be moſt certaine true, …d ſ…f…cient to ſhew how much damage the Church of Chriſt …a h… receiued by this Romane Antichriſt, who hath b…ne the fire brand and inciter of all theſe bloody warres: N…uertheleſſe, I am of opinion that by Gog, cannot be vnderſt…o… Antichr…ſt properly: For S. Iohn ſaith, That Sathan ſhall go forth to ſeduce the Nations that are vponupon the foure corners of the earth: Amongſt the which …he nameth Gog and Magog. N…w w…o will ſ y that Sathan commeth forth to ſeduce Antichriſt, that hath bene ſo long before ſeduced? And leaſt any ſhould reply, that he ſhall come forth to ſeduce Antich iſt, not ſ mply, as if he were not already ſeduced; but to this end and reſpect, to c uſe him to r…iſe Armies and begin warres; the holy Ghoſt man f…ſtly diſtinguiſheth, betwixt the Nations ſeduced, and Antichriſt, when he ſaith: And the diuell which ſhall ſeduce them: to wit, thoſe Nations which are vponupon the foure corners of the earth, and by name, Gog and Magog, was caſt into a Lake of fire and brimſtone, where is the Beaſt and the falſe Prophet: That is to ſay, Antichriſt, and the whole band of falſe Prophets. For this cauſe I had rath…r vnderſtand ſimply by Gog and Magog, the Empire of the Turkes, which being out of the bounds of Chriſtendome, warred againſt the Church, and tore it in peeces eueryevery day, eſpecially ſince the warres of Chriſtians in Aſia: and the rather becauſe the ſituation of thoſe Mahometane Nations agreeth well with the Prophecy of Ezechiel: then to offer violence to the Text, to make it fall vponupon the Pope, whom the Scripture doth in other places ſufficiently diſcouer to be the true and very Antichriſt. So that in what ſenſe ſoeuer this paſſage of S. Iohn be taken, it maketh nothing for that which our Aduerſaries pretend.