Antichrist the Pope of Rome, Part 1 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the name of Antichriſt.
THe name Antichriſt, is a Greeke word, compounded of the prepoſition foreign, and foreign; now foreign hath three vſuall ſignifications in Greeke Authors: for either it ſignifieth contrariety and oppoſition, as in foreign: or equality, as foreign, or ſubſtitution & vice gerency, as foreign. In al which ſignifications, it properly agreeth to the Pope, and to none elſe: for all Heretikes are enemies vntounto Chriſt, and ſo are Iewes and Turkes; and Mahomet made himſelfe equall vntounto Chriſt, or rather ſuperiour: for he acknowledged Ieſus Chriſt to be a Prophet ſent from God, but himſelfe a greater Prophet. But none of thoſe affirmed themſelues to be Chriſts Vicar generall vponupon the earth, as the Pope doth: and therefore he is the true and proper Antichriſt. For he is both a ſecret enemie vntounto Chriſt, as is proued in this Treatiſe, and matcheth himſelfe in equall dignity of power with Chriſt, and alſo ſtileth himſelfe, Vicarius Dei gen…ralis in terris.
2. The word Antichriſt is vſed onelyonly in the Epiſtles of S. Iohn, and in no other place of holy Scripture, and it is taken in a twofold ſignification: either generall for all that are enemies vntounto Chriſt, or particular for that great enemie, which S. Paul calleth the man of ſinne. 2. Theſſ. 2.3. In the firſt ſenſe it is vſed by S. Iohn. 1. Iohn. 2.18. and 22. and in his ſecond Epiſtle verſe ſeuen: and in the ſecond ſenſe he vſeth it. 1. Iohn. 4.1.
3. By which it is apparant, that all the enemies of Chriſt and his Church, are in the generall acceptation of the word, Antichriſts. Now the enemies of Chriſt and his Church, may be diuided into two rankes, as they are by the holy Ghoſt himſelfe, Acts. 4.25.26. to wit, Iewes and Gentiles. Touching the Iewes, who can expreſſe the rage and fury, wherewith they hauehave banded themſelues againſt our Sauiour Chriſt and his Church? The Scripture declareth with what malice they perſecuted Chriſt himſelfe whilſt he liued amongſt them, euen vntill they had brought him to the moſt ſhamefull and cruell death, crucifying him betwixt two theeues, and preferring Barrabas a murtherer before him, as if he had bene the greateſt malefactour in all the world: and alſo how after his reſurrection, they perſecuted his Apoſtles. But if we conſult Eccleſiaſticall and Ciuill Hiſtories, we ſhall finde, that they hauehave not ceaſed euer ſince to ſhew their malice to the very name of Chriſt, in their murthering Chriſtian children, and eſpecially Carpenters ſons, in deſpite of Ieſus the ſonne of Ioſeph who was a Carpenter: in poyſoning Riuers and Springs, and raiſing ſeditions in Cities, with many other horrible enormities. But as they hauehave encreaſed in malice againſt Chriſt, ſo Gods vengeance hath followed them vntounto this day: For after that horrible deſolation of their prime City and whole Nation, by Titus and Vespaſian, they againe reuolted and committed moſt fearfull outrages vponupon Chriſtians, and all others in Lybia, Aegypt, Cyrenia, Cyprus, and Paleſtina, till they were againe, firſt by the Emperour Traiane, and then by Adrian his ſucceſſor, ſo diſperſed, deſtroyed, and torne in peeces, that till this day, they durſt neuer lift vp their hands in publique againſt the Church: yea by a moſt ſeuere edict of the Emperour Adrian, (which S. Ierome writing vponupon the firſt Chapter of Zephaniah maketh mention of) they were prohibited euer to enter into their owne Country; and ſo they are vagabonds and runnagates vponupon the earth as Cain was, without Prince, Common-wealth, or Gouernment. And ſince me thinkes I ſee in Cain a notable repreſentation of this rebellious Nation: for he ſlew Abel the iuſt; ſo they, the iuſt One, the Lord of life, the Sonne of God: he was made a vagabond vponupon the earth, and ſo are they: but yet as he had a marke ſet vponupon him by God, that none ſhould ſlay him, ſo hauehave they; for God hath ſo marked them by his ſecret prouidence, that though they be hated of all men, yet they are not vtterly deſtroyed, nor mixt with other Nations by mariage, or any other ciuill or religious combination, as other ſtragling Nations hauehave bene. And that for two cauſes as it may ſeeme: one, that the vengeance of God might be ſtill viſible vponupon them, for the confirmation of the Chriſtian faith: and the other, becauſe God hath appointed a time of their conuerſion, and reception into mercy, as the Apoſtle plainly ſheweth, Rom. 11.26. Theſe then are the firſt ſort of Antichriſts, as the Captaines and ring-leaders of all the reſt.
4. The ſecond are the Gentiles, which may alſo be diuided into two rankes: firſt, ſuch as are not of the Church, as were the perſecuting Emperours and Potentates in the Primitiue Church, during the ten famous perſecutions, by which m…ll…n… of Ch…ſt…ns were cru…lly ſlaught…red, for the pro…ſſi… of the Chriſtian religion, prophecied of, Reuel. 1….1…. … 13 ….2. A… the M… … …tic…l…rly d…ſ… … S. I…. A… ….14. … And ſ…co…, …a…h…s are …, Hy…ite, and all … all … ſ…t, …et ex…ſ … T…u… calleth … A… …eth t… Arria… by th… … an… S. Au…u…ne … 1.T… …tia … 3. …. A… … 4. …. affirmeth. T…t ſo m… … …d …ſurers … m… A… t…chr…t …are … …au…h … w…k….
5. But prop…ly and particularly, the name Ant… … be appropriate… to the great Aduerſary of Chriſt, … by S. Paul. 2 Theſſ. 2. and by S. Iohn, in the 13. … th… R…uel…tion, by th… ſee …n… Be…: and i… th… … Ch…pt… in the …. Of whom, all the … but …, and in whom all …, … the former, w… c… the … …,Ir…n… … … by … ty…n…ll M…r…h … vp… t… C…ri… … … …ey, a… … of C… … …ſelfe. O… … at Anti…h… … …hat Anti… … th… t i…gs … b… …pli…d … was N… … th… … …hat all … fulfil… … p…oph… … S…ripture, … …able … …ight … repreſented, … the Prophet Z…c…, Chap. … …or…, I w…ar… vp a …p…rd in the Land, … that be …ut o…, …ber ſi…ali feele the yong one, nor heale that that is broken, nor feed that that ſtandeth ſtill: but he ſhall eate the fleſh of the fat, and teare their clawes in peeces: woe to the Idoll ſhepheard that leaueth the flocke, the ſword ſhall be vponupon his arme and vponupon his right ere, his arme ſhall be cleane dried vp, and his right eye ſhall be vtterly darkned.
A notable Propheticall diſcription of this great Antichriſt, and is ſo applyed by S. Ierome, in his Commentary vponupon that place. And he is fitly called an Idoll ſhepheard, to ſignifie that which S. Paul affirmeth, in the ſecond to the Theſſa…nians, that he ſhould ſhew himſelfe in the Temple of God as God, exalting himſelfe as an Idoll to be worſhipped, … …ored euen by the Princes of the earth: but that he … …onſumed by the breath of the mouth of Chriſt, … …t ſword of the Spirit, ſpoken of Epheſ. 6.17. … …reat Antichriſt, quis eſſet, who it ſhould be, is all … …ſie betwixt vsus and the Church of Rome: they … he is yet to come; and we, that he is already … ſitteth in Babylon ſpiritually vnderſtood.
… …oncerning this word Antichriſt, thus properly …, we are further to obſerue, that it is ſometimes … the whole body of the Antichriſtian kingdome, and … times for the head of the body. In the firſt ſenſe, it is vſed by S. Paul, when he calleth it an Apoſtacy or defection, and the Myſtery of iniquity. 2. Theſſ. 2.3. and is expreſſed by S. Iohn, vnderunder the name of a cruell Beaſt, and of Babylon, and many waters, Apoc. 12.11. and 18.2. and 17.1. In the ſecond ſenſe it is taken by S. Paul. 2. Theſſ. 2. where he is called the Man of ſinne, the Sonne of perdition, and foreign, the Aduerſary, and by S. Iohn foreign the Antichriſt, foreign and foreign, and foreign, the deſtroyer.
7. The ſeuerall periods of this Antichriſt, are fiue. Firſt, his birth, in the time of the Apoſtles. 1. Iohn. 4.1. Secondly, his growth, which was from the Apoſtles times, till the reigne of Phocas the Emperour, in the yeare 607. Thirdly, his reigne, which was from the time of Phocas, till about the yeere, 1517. wherein he commanded in the world as a King, and no man durſt gainſay his power. Fourthly, his reueaing, which beginning in the yeere 1517. proceedeth by degrees, and increaſeth till the comming of Chriſt to iudgement. Fiftly, his deſtruction, which is begun by the preaching of the Goſpell, and ſhall be finiſhed by the comming of Chriſt. 2. Theſſ. 2.8.