History of the First Ten Persecutions, Treatises 4 · Treatise 2
A TREATISE, Of the Antichrist.
CONTROVERSIES in ciuill matters, are not all of like moment: therefore it was ordained by the counsell of Iethro, that great matters shoulde be brought to Moses, and that inferiour Magistrates should judge in small causes. But in controuersies Exo. 18. 22of religion, all causes, both great and small, are to bee brought vntounto the mouth of Christ, our true Moses, who will speake from his Sanctuarie vntounto vsus, and giuegive vntounto vsus resolution of all our doubtes out of His blessed worde. In this TREATISE especially, let vsus runne to the month of Christ, speaking by his Apostle Paul, and vttering a notable prephesie concerning the comming of the Antichrist in the wordes following:
Let no man deceiue you by anie meanes: for that day shall not come, except there come a departing first, and that that man of sinne bee d…sclosed, 2. Thess. 2 vers. 3.euen the sonne of perdition,
Who is an aduersarie, and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that hee doeth sit as God in the Temple of vers. 4.God, shewing himselfe that hee is God.
Remember yee not, that when I was with you I tolde you these things?vers. 5.
And nowe yee knowe what with-holdeth, that hee might bee reuealed, in his time.vers. 6.
For the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke, onelie hee, who nowe with-holdeth, shall let, tell hee bee taken out of the way.vers. 7.
And then shall the wicked man bee reuealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall abolish with the brightnesse of his comming.vers. 8.
Euen him whose comming is by the working of Sathan, with all power, vers. 9.and signes, and lying wonders.
And in all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perish, vers. 10.because they receiued not the louelove of the trueth, that they might bee saued.
And therefore, God shall sende to them strong delusion, that they shall vers. 11.beleeuelies:
That all they might bee damned, who beleeued not the trueth, but had vers. 12.pleasure in vnrighteousnesse.
The occasion mouing the Apostle to embarke into this Pr… pheticall prediction, concerning the comming of the Antichrist, was this, Because some in Thessalonica spake of the second comming of Christ, that it was neare approaching, and euen at hand. The Apostle on the other part woulde assure the Thessalonians, that before the comming of that Great day, there should first be a defection from the true faith and that the Antichrist should be disclosed. It is not the purpose of the Apostle to disswade anie man from remembring the terrour of that Great daye, wherein the verie Elements shall melt: and if so be, what manner of men 2. Pe…. 3. 11. 12.aught we to be in holy conuersation, looking for and hastening vntounto ye comming of the day of our Lord: yea, and the obliuion of the second comming of Christ is the principall grounde of the securitie of the euill seruant. But the Apostle, ledde by the conduct Matth. 24.of the Holy Spirite, fore-seeing that two things were needfull to bee remembered, to wit, the seconde comming of the Lord Iesus, and the preceeding comming of the Antichrist: hee would hauehave them so to remember the one, that they should not forget the other, lest whilest wee runne fast to the marke, without marking the perilles that are in the waye, wee fall into the snares of the Deuil. Our maister Christ, when he corrected the foolish precipitation of the sonnes of Zebedeus, who woulde Mark, 10. 38hauehave sitten at the right and left hand of Christ in His kingdome before they had beene baptized with his baptisme, and before they had drunken of the cuppe of the sufferings of Christ: hee disswadeth them not from continuall fastning their eyes vponupon the glorie of Christes Kingdome, but rather so to looke vntounto the marke, that they ouer-leape not the waye leading to the marke. God hath ind…edep: epared a kingdome for vsus, but by Act. 14. 22many tribulations we must enter into that kingdome.
The apostasie whereof the apostle prophecieth, is not a desection in manners onelyonly, but also a departing from the faith, as is clearlie witnessed in another place, in those wordes, Nowe the Spirit speaketh euidentlie, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, &c. Defection in manners is so vsuall a thing, that 1. Tim. 4. 1where the word of God is preached in most powerfull manner, there also corruption in manners doeth abound, arguing the euill inclination of our nature, which taketh occasion, by the commandement, and worketh in vsus all kinde of concupiscence: so that the corruption of our nature is like vntounto a gutter of water, Roman. 7. 8the passage whereof is hindered: it gorgeth, swelleth, and setteth forwarde its owne accustomed waye more impetuouslie than euer it did before. But the Apostle is speaking of a deeper mysterie, and of a thing more rarely contingent, to wit, of an apostasie from the faith. This is the sharpest of all punishments, which GOD inflicted vponupon mankinde for the contempt of his trueth, to cast off a people into a reprobate minde, whether wee looke to the actions of God, who rejecteth, or to the miseries of them, who are rejected. The actions of God, who rejecteth, are set downe by the Prophet Zacharie, The Lord will not feede that people, yea, he will breake his shepheards staffe, to wit, the staffe called Zach. 11beautifull, & the staffe called bandes. The miseries of them, who are rejected, are set downe by the Prophet Esai, in these wordes, Yee shall heare indeede, but yee shall not vnderstand: yee shall plainelie Isai. 6. 9. 10see, and not perceiue: make the heart of this people fatte, &c. So it commeth to passe, when this heauie judgement is inflicted, there is no comfort to bee founde, neither in Heauen aboue, nor in the Earth beneath: When wee looke vp vntounto God, hee will feede vsus no longer: when wee looke downe to our selues, wee receiue no comfort by the externall ministerie of the worde, it is to vsus the sauour of death: yea, and wee are in so desolate a case, as the Prophet speaketh, That that dieth, let it die: and that that perisheth, let it perish: and let the remnant euerie one eate the flesh of another. Of Zach. 11. 9this vnsupportable and remedilesse euill, that there should bee a defection from the faith, neither could the Church of the Iewes of olde, nor the visible Church of late euer be content patiently to heare, because it seemed to bee repugnant to the euerlasting couenant of God, made with Abraham and his seede. Neuerthelesse, that same blessed mouth, which made the couenant with Abraham and his seede, fore-tolde also, that they should bee cast off into a reprobate sense, and that the Great Shephearde would feede them no longer. Now both these things being vttered by the blessed mouth of God, it is certaine, that there is infallible truth in both: & it is better, & more agreeable with the honour of God, to search out what way both these thinges can consist without impeachment one of another, than so to talke of the couenant, that wee shoulde gainsay the prophesie of the defection of the Church of the Iewes. And the Apostle Paul hath wiselie obserued, that the couenant of God is not annulled by the defection of the most part of the I…wes, in respect that a remnant Rom. 11. 5are saued through the electiō of grace. The Romane Church in like manner, casteth vp, that God hath promised, that the Matth. 16gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church. And the same God, by the mouth of his holie Apostle hath fore-tolde, that there shoulde bee a defection from the Faith. Both these 2. Thess. 2Prophesies must bee true, neither doeth the apostasie of the great multitude presuppose, that the Church of Christ is perished, or the promise of God made of none effect, but in the middest of this apostasie a remnant are saued, according to the election of grace. Ioseph, in the yeeres of famine, was prouident, Genes. 47and kept corne asore-hand, both for foode to men and beastes, and for seede to the ground: But Christ is more prouident in the yeeres of horrible apostasie from the faith, to keepe afore-hand a saued hand-full, as seede for the propagation of the Church. Wherefore, let no man conclude of the long lasting apostasie of the Iewes, or yet of the Popish Church, that the couenant of God is of none effect, and that the Church is perished.
The Antichrist, of whom the Apostle speakeeh, is not one particular man, opposite to the kingdome of Christ, as manie doe thinke: but rather a kingdome, hauing fore-runners, hauing a growth, and hinderers of the growth, hauing aduancers, admirers, worshippers, followers, discouerers, against whom warres are intended, y…a, long lasting warres, vntill this kingdome be drunken with the blood of the Saincts: and finally, for this kingdome God hath ordained a fall, whereat all her followers shall be sadde, and lament for her sudden and vnexpected desolation: but the Saincts in Heauen shall rejoyce. All these thinges cannot bee done in one mans age. Therefore, I take the worde Antichrist, for a kingdome opposite to the Kingdome of Christ: hee is called the man of sinne emphaticklie, because in multitude, ripenesse, and superlatiue excesse of all kinde of sinnes and abominations, this kingdome goeth beyonde all other king…omes, lewder in manners, more corrupt in doctrine, more blasphemous in opinion, more deceitfull in carriage, more proude in attemptes, euen against them who are in authoritie, than anie societie of people hath beene before: setting their mouthes against the Heauen, commanding the Angels of God to carrie soules to Heauen, because their armour was crossed, their feete were in the waye, leading to the Holy Land, their intention was to fight against the Saracenes. This did Pope Clemens the sixt, in his Bull giuen to the crossed souldiours. Nowe, whether their soules hauehave bene purged by faith in the fountaine of Christes blood or not, it is no matter, it is enough that they died in that journey, the Ang…ls must bee obedient to the Romane Antichrist, to carrie their soules foorthwith to Heauen after their death. Notwithstanding of all this, the man of sinne must bee counted so complete and perfect, that hee cannot erre in matters of faith, and to bee in such high preheminence, that albeit hee carrie innumerable soules headlongs to Hell, no man Gratian. distinct. 40. cap. 6should demand of him wherefore hee did so. Yea, and further horrible sinnes, such as promise breaking to Infideles and Heretiques, and vile treasons against Christian Princes, hauehave open allowance in the kingdome of the Romane Antichrist: and therefore he may justly be called the man of sinne.
Moreouer, the Antichrist is called the childe of perdition, in two respects, to wit, actiuely, and passiuely: actiuely, because hee is a ring-leader to those who walke in the way of perdition: passiuely, because hee is ordained for destruction, and to be consumed by the breath of the mouth of Christ. In both these respectes Iudas seemeth to hauehave beene the type of the Antichrist: first he was a ring-leader to the band of souldiours which came from the High Priest, and the Rulers, to take Christ: secondlie, he was appointed to destruction, and of him Christ saide Surely, the Sonne of man goeth his way as it is written of him, but woe bee vntounto Mat. 26. 24that man, by whom the Sonne of man is betrayed: it had beene good for that man, if hee had neuer beene borne. Nowe the Antichrist represented by Iudas, he is also foreign, that is, the childe of destruction, for both the fore-mentioned respects: he leadeth men to destruction, and hee is ordained to bee consumed by the glorious appearance of Christ. How the Romane Antichrist leadeth men headlonges to destruction, I might prooue by many examples, but for the present I shall content me with the example of one age, and of one nation in this age (to wit, in the seuenth CENTVRIE) absolutely ledde by the counsell of the Romane Antichrist: The nation of the Gothes domining in Spaine, they forsooke the impious Heresie of the Arrians, whereunto they were miserably addicted, in the dayes of Richaredus: After Richaredus dayes, they followed the Romane chaire so absolutely, that in the Councels conuened by the authoritie of Sesiuandus, Chintilla, Chindasuvindus, Recesuvindus, and Bambas, whatsoeuer was allowed by the Romane Church, had allowance by them: and whatsoeuer the Romane Church disallowed. that was in like manner disallowed by them in the Councels of Toledo, Bracara, and Hispalis. Yea, and in following the R…mane Church, they were so officious, that albeit in bidding and forbidding, they exceeded not the preceptes of the Romane Church: yet in aggreadging the punishmentes of them who transgressed the ordinances which they borrowed from the Romane chaire, they ouer-went the seueritie of the Romane discipline.
In the ninth Councell of Toledo, marriage of men in spirituall callings is detested in Spaine, as it was in Italie: but the children Conc. Tolet. 9. can. 10.procreated by Bishops, Presbyters, Deacons, &c. were ordained to bee more seuerely punished in Spaine, than they were in Italie: for in Italie we reade of Theodoretus, that hee was the son of Theodorus, bishop of Ierusalem, yet was hee admitted to the Popedome, and was successour to Pope Ihonne the fourth: but in Spaine the children of bishops were not onelyonly depriued of the heritage …ppertaining to their parents, but also were mancip…ted to perpetuall seruice, as slaues and seruantes who are bought with money. In like manner, in the fourth Councell of Toledo, gathered Conc. Tol. 4. can. 4.by Sesinandus, they are superstitious out of measure euen beyond the Romane Church in doxologies, when Gloria Patri is sung, they ordained, that to Gloria, Honor should be added, with intermination of punishment to them who should say, Gloria Patri, & Filio, without this addition, Gloria, & Honor, Patri & Filio: in so doing, damning the verie perfect forme of prayer indited by our Lord to his Disciples, the doxologie whereof is this, For thine is the Kingdome, and the Power, and the glorie, for euer, Amen: Matt. 6. 13without mention of the worde Honour. In a worde, the Gothes riegning in Spaine, the more officious they were in following absolutely all the customes of the Romane Antichrist, the nearer they were to eternall destruction, because hee is justly called the man of sinne, and the childe of destruction. Nowe it is to bee marked, that these two names of the Antichrist, to wit, the man of sinne, and the childe of perdition, they goe conjunctly together, because when sinne is neare, destruction also is at hand, except sinne by repentance be abolished: And ye Prophet pronounceth a woe against them that put farre away the euill day, and approach to the seat of iniquitie. More-ouer, the Apostle fore-telleth, that Amos 6. 3the Antichrist shall bee disclosed, or reueiled: that is, how soeuer he shall maske himselfe with the vizards of holy titles, that he is the Vicare of Christ on earth, & the successour of Peter, & to him is concredite the care of all the sheepe of Christ, dispersed in the whole world: Neuerthelesse, he shalbe stripped naked, & all these masks shall be plucked from his face, and he shall be knowne to bee an aduersarie to Christ, and an abuser of Christes people. Now consider, that this prophesie presupposeth, that the Antichrist should bee vnknowne for a long space, and in ende, should be discouered. If it shall be demanded, how could the Antichrist be vnknowne, who lurked not in a corner, but sate in ye Temple of God, and had power of gouernement of Church-affaires? To this I answere, That in time of the darknesse of the night a foe is hardly discerned from a friend: and the smoke of the bottomlesse pit, whereby both the sunne & the aire were darkened, Apocal. 9. 2might easily hauehave dimmed the sight of simple people, so that they could not discerne the insolent pride of the Antichrist, vsurping the honour only due to Christ. The meanes of the discouerie of the Antichrist, I remit vntounto the 8. verse, and I proceede to the next verse. In the 4. verse of the chap. the Apostle c…lleth the Antichrist an aduersary, to wit, to God: and he subjoyne…h the reason, because be exalteth himselfe against eueryevery thing that is called God, or that is worshipped. First let vsus marke, that the Antichrist is pointed out by one of the names of the Deuill, to wit, that hee is an aduersarie, to God, to his word, and to his Saincts, yea, an aduersarie in the superlatiue degree, because hee vsurpeth the honour only due to Christ. Mortall Princes count all subjectes, who are disobedient to their lawes, to bee their aduersaries: but if anie man vsurpe the title of the Kingdome, the King will count him his corriuall, and principall aduersarie: Euen so, amongst all the aduersaries of Christ, hee is counted his principall enemie, who enricheth himselfe with the honour due to Christ onelie. Howsoeuer he call himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God, yet indeede hee vsurpeth vponupon himselfe higher honour than is due vntounto a mortall man, and therefore is called an aduersarie to God: for the Lord will judge the world according to his Gospell, as the Apostle speaketh, Roman. 2. 16. and not according to our conceites.
The two principall pointes of the honour of Christ, are Faith and Obedience. The Romane Antichrist, for to moue ignorant people to put their trust in him, as the Vicare of Christ in earth, taketh vponupon him power to open the gates of Paradise to whom he pleaseth, as an absolute commander of Heaué, and to deliuer to the Deuill and send to Hell, by his anathemes and cursinges, whom he pleaseth, as absolute commander of Hell, and to loose prisoned soules out of purgatorie, as absolute commaunder of purgatorie, and to distribute the kingdomes of the earth at his pleas…re, as if the earth were his, and he had power to confer all the glory of the dominions of the world to whom he…pleaseth. All this is done to moue people to put their trust in him, as said is. The other principall point of ye honour of Christ, is absolute Obedience to his blessed will, without disputation, doubting, or resoning in ye contrary, as Abrahā ye father of ye faithfull did, Gē. 22. The like obedience the Rom. Antich. demandeth to all his lawes & ordinan…es, euen to such as are repugnant to the law of God, as namely, to inuocation of Saincts, worshipping of images, &c. therefore he is justly counted the principall aduersary of Christ.
The Antichrist is said to exalt himselfe against all that is called God, or is worshipped, because he taketh vponupon him to dispense against the law of GOD, which argueth, that he arrogateth vntounto himselfe authoritie aboue the lawe-maker: for no lawe (as I hauehave declared alreadie) can bee dispensed withall, but either by the same authority by which it is made, or by a greater. Against Christes Kinglie, Priestlie, and Propheticall offices, hee aduaunceth himselfe, in abrogating the institution of Christ concerning the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the Supper, vnderunder both formes of bread and wine. In prohibition of marri…ge and meates, and in setting vp a newe propitiatorie sacrifice in the Church, as it were protesting the insufficiencie of the sacrifice of Christ once offered. Let vsus in this point marke the degrees of the defection of the visible Church, not vnlike vntounto the decaying estate of a diseased man: First, his naturall sappe and moysture decayeth: Secondly, corrupt humours doe abound: Thirdly, his blood is inflamed, & perilous feuers seazing vponupon his bodie, doe threaten death: Euen so in the Church, when holy exercises of prayer and preaching are intermitted, this is a biginning of euill: Next, when superstitions, rites, and ceremonies, seruing to no profitable vse, doe abound in the Church, (as vitious humours in the bodie) then is the defection increased: But when the visible Church admitteth another Law-giuer than Christ, and stoupeth vnderunder the yoke of his obedience, then is the defection from the faith come vntounto a ripenesse, and the Antichrist then siueth in the Temple of God. shewing himselfe that hee is God: and if the Lord had not kept vntounto himselfe a remnant by his gracious election, the visible Church had beene like vntounto Sodome and Gomorrha.
In the 5. verse, hee saieth, Remember yee not, that when I was yet with you, I tolde you these thinges? This verse is not superfluously casten in, to admonish the Thessalonians, that the comming of the Antichrist was a matter of great moment, and tending to the hurt of manie mens soules: therefore it was needefull, that timous premonition shoulde bee made vntounto the Saincts, to eschew the danger to come. This is the Lordes customable dealing, in matters graue, weightie, and serious, to giuegive aduertisementes proportionallie agreeing with the nature of the thing fore-tolde. But what shall wee speake of the lethargie and securitie of the worlde? wee neuer read that men were so sluggishe, and ouer-laide with so deepe securitie, as when they were fore-warned of great thinges to come: as if the loude sounde of the trumpet of God serued to none other vse, but onelie to lull men into a heauie sleepe. The deluge of waters, the first comming of Christ, the destruction of Hierusalem, the comming of the Antichrist, and the great tempest of the wrath of God, that shall be reueiled at Christes second appearance: all these things (I say) hauehave bene fore-tolde: but the contempt of the warnings of God, hauehave procured, and will procure, the heauie weight of Gods indignation. Wee reade of Christes Disciples, that when they sawe their master walking vponupon the waters, they supposed hee had beene a spirite, or foreign, that is, a fantasie, and delusion: this they did onelyonly at one time, in f…are and weaknesse; but the wicked at all times, and in the obstinacie of their vnbeleeuing heartes, call both the promises and threatninges of GOD foreign, that is, fantasies and delusions. For this cause, the Apostle, both by worde and writ, inculcateth this proph…sie of the cōming of the Antichrist, into the eares of the Thessalonians, to the ende they should not lightlie regarde the fore-warnings of God, as the sonnes-in-law of Lot did in Sodome.
Now follow the 6. and 7. verses, with the beginning of the 8. verse, And now yee know what with-holdeth, that he might beercueiled in his owne time: for the mysterie of iniquitie doeth alreadie worke: onlie he, who now with-holdeth shall let, till he bee taken out of the way: and then shall the wicked man be reueiled.
The naturall order requireth, that in these wordes three things should bee entreated: First, howe the mysterie of iniquitie beganne to worke in Paules dayes: Secondlie, who is this, that should bee a let and hinderance to the Antichrist: And thirdlie, when was it, that hee was made out of the way, so that he could hinder the Antichrist no longer. The mysterie of iniquitie began to worke euen in the dayes of Paule, because some Heretiques sprang vp at that time, who denied the diuinitie of Christ, such as Ebion, and Cerinthus, these appertained to the kingdome of the Antichrist, because they were his fore-runners, beginning with entising speaches to seduce men from the trueth of God. And what was wanting in them, except power, and vncontrolled authoritie, to bring to a full ripenesse the worke of defection, alreadie begunne. So Heresies, and the doctrine of lies, is the very first foundation of the kingdome of the Antichrist. And like as an Eagle, that buildeth her nest in the face of a steepie rocke, the first sticke that shee carrieth to her nest, belongeth to the masse thereof: Euen so, without all controuersie, the Heretiques, who prepared a way to the kingdome of the Antichrist, they are members of the bodie of his kingdome. If any man shall object, that the chaire of Rome damned the olde Heresies of Ebion, Cerynthus, and of the Manichies, and therefore such men cannot bee justlie reckoned to appertaine to his kingdome, whome hee separated from his fellowship, by detesting their opinions: To this I answere, That like as the golde, and siluer, the brasse, and yron, and likewise the claye of the great image, which Nebuchadneser saw… in his vision, had no agreement one with another, yet in this Danie. 2. 32 33they agreede, to constitute one stately image, opposite vntounto the little stone hewne out of the rocke without handes: euen so, heresies are repugnant one vntounto another, yet all belong vntounto the kingdome of darknesse, and to the throne of the Antichrist, set vp against the glorious throne of the kingdome of Christ: Yea, and these Heretiques, who impugned the true doctrine of the person of Christ, they brake the yce, as it were, & gaue example to others, to impugne the doctrine of his office also.
In the second place, by him that letteth, Chrysostome vnderstandeth Chrys. homil. 4. in 2. Thes. cap. 2the Romane Empire, which consisting into its owne integritie, with vndiminished and vnbrangled authoritie, the Romane Antichrist durst not attempt high things, and thinges farre surmounting the modest carriage of subjects. And heere by the way it is to bee marked, that like as the Apostle by him who letteth and hindereth, vnderstandeth not one particulare Emperour onelyonly, but an Empire, wherein one Emperour succeedeth to another: Euen so, by him that is letted, hee vnderstandeth not one particulare man, but the estate of an vsurped kingdome, wherein likewise one succeedeth to another. But now let vsus see how the Romane Emperour, so long as he consisted in his owne full strength, did hinder the attemptes of the Antichrist: First, no man was admitted bishop of Rome a long time, without the consent of the Emperour: Secondlie, inuestment of bishops, by staffe and ring, beeing likewise in the Emperours hands, the excessiue pride of the Romane bishops (euen after they were called Uniuersall Bishops) was mightilie borne downe: Thirdly, so long as Emperours kept in their owne hand the power of conuocating Generall and Nationall Councels, the bishops of Rome all this while acknowledged Romane Emperours for their soueraine lordes: But when the Emperours were bereaued of all their forementioned rightes, as Palinurus, by storme of weather, was cast out of the ship, and the rudder, by violence of the tempest, was washen out of his handes, then all things were turned vp side downe, as we shall heare (God willing) in the subsequent words, wherein he prophesieth, that he who letteth should be taken out of the way, that is, the Romane Empire shall bee vtterly weakened, so that it cannot make resistance against the Antichrist, but it stoupeth vnderunder his might, adoreth him as the Vicare of Christ, who cānot erre and as a god on earth, is content to be crowned by him, and to make the oathe of alleadgeance to the Pope. In what base estate are the Emperours of late dayes? how is their golde turned into drosse? and the might of their dominion into seruile subjection vntounto the Antichrist? as was shortly comprised in these verses,
ROMA tibi serui fuerant domini dominorum:
Seruorum serui nunc tibi sunt domini.
Is not the Romane Empire so farre deuested of their auncient glorie, that whereas their predecessours wanted nothing of the dominion of the habitable continent knowne in their time, except a little part in the East, now it hath no commandement, except in a little part of the West?
But it may bee demaunded, How can the bishops of Rome be blamed, as ouer-throwers of the glorie of the Romane Empire? seeing it was the Saracenes who vndid the Empire of the East, and the Gothes, Vandales, Lombardis, Hunnes, Auares, Danes, and Normandis, weakened the Empire of the West: To this I answere, That the Bishops of Rome were like unto a lowse tooth, and a wrested foote, and were deceitfull friendes, both to the Emperours of the East, and of the West, rendering vntounto them euill for good. Did not the Emperour Iustinian deliuer them from the tyrannie of the Gothes? Did not Tiberius the second support them verie kindlie, when they were sore pinched with famine, and oppressed by the Lombards? But what recompence rendered the bishops of Rome to the Emperours of the East, when they found their estate to bee weake? Euen such as the Edo…ites rendered to Gods people in the day of their trouble, of whom the Prophet speaketh, Thou shouldest not once hauehave looked on their affliction in the day of their destruction, nor hauehave laide handes on their substance in the day of Obad. 13their destruction: Euen so, the bishops of Rome should not so much as hauehave laide their hands vponupon the substance of the Emperours of the East, who had dealt so kindly and friendly with them. Neuerthelesse, the first occasion that they found to enrich themselues with the possessions of the Emperours of the East, they ouer-passed it not, but tooke the gift of Exarchatus Rauennae, and Pentapolis in Italie, which duely belonged to the Emperour of the East: These dominions, I say, they tooke by the gift of Pipinus, king of France (who was prodigall in bestowing vntounto the chaire of Rome other mens possessions) and they possesse the dominions afore-saide, with their townes, villages, and territories, euen vntill this day. On the other part, Carolus Magnus, Emperour of the West, was friendly to the chaire of Rome, and made them free of the molestation of the Lombards. Notwithstanding, after his death, and the death of Ludouicus Pius his sonne, when cruell hostilitie fell out amongst the children of Ludouicus Pius, to wit, Lotharius, Lewes, and Charles, whereby the puissance of France was weakened, and the Danes and Normans got the more easily place in France. What was the carriage of Sergius the second, bishop of Rome, at this time? Platina writeth, that hee sent Gregorius, Arch-bishop of Rauenna, to reconcile these brethren, who contended one against another, with insupportable hatred: but the tragedie of Ludouicus Pius house, declared, that the bishops of Rome were little grieued, when the estate of Emperours houses decayed prouiding, their owne estate did increase. And I remit to the course of the Historie, what friendship the posteritie of Carolus Magnus, and his sonne Ludouicus Pius, found at the hands of the bishop of Rome, for all their bountifull kindnesse towardes that vnthankfull chaire. Alwayes, remember the wordes of Salomon, Hee that ewardeth euill for good, euill shall not depart from his house, Prouerb. 17. 13.
What shall I speake of the Emperiall authoritie, when it came amongst the Germanes? Otto the first, a worthie Emperour, what fidelitie founde hee in Pope Ihonne the thirteenth, whome Onuphrius calleth Ihonne the twelft: Hee assisted Berengarius, and his sonne Albertus, against the Emperour Otto, nothing regarding his oath of alleadgeance made to the contrarie: And albeit euerie Emperour was not so magnanimous as Otto, and euerie Pope was not so beastly as Pope Ihonne the thirteene: yet when one of the best Emperours, and one of the worst Popes were matched together, wee may easily perceiue whereat the Popes aimed continually, to wit, at the vndoing of the dominion of the Emperour.
By the waye let vsus marke diuerse affections striuing in Onuphrius, as they did of olde in Medea, when shee killed her owne childe, to wit, anger and motherly affection contended one against another in her: but anger got the vpper-hand, and the childe was killed: Euen so in Onuphrius, a desire to couer the turpitude of the Romane chaire, contendeth with a necessitie to report the trueth of the Historie, and trueth getteth the vpper-hand at this time, and hee leaueth the defence of this vile beast.
The valiant courage of the Emperour Hendrie the fourth, counted no lesse fortunate in warre-fare, than Iulius Caesar was in olde times: and the gallant spirites of Frederick the first and second, could not mende this matter: the curses of the Antichrist so terrified the world, that they forgot their duetie to their soueraine lordes, and suffered them to bee trodden vnderunder the feete of the Antichrist.
In the 8. verse followeth the prophesie of the discouerie and destruction of the Antichrist: concerning his discouerie, three thinges are to bee considered: First, who shall bee discouered: Secondly, when shall hee be discouered: and thirdly, the mean…s of his discouerie. The Antichrist is hee who shall bee discouered, to whome the Apostle attributeth a new name, and calleth him that wicked man Is he not pointed out already with a sufficient number of odious names? Hee is called the Antichrist an aduersarie Apoc. 20. 10 a…d 14. 9 and 17. 5to God, the man of sinne, the childe of perdition: and in other places, the false prophet, the beast that is worshipped, great Babylon the mother of whoredomes: which stile, albeit they transfe…re it vntounto the Romane chaire, when the tenne persecu…ing Emperours compelled men to worship heathen gods: yet the holy Scripture referreth it to that whore, who braggeth that she is married, (to wit, to Christ) and shee is not a widowe, Apocal. cap. 18. verse 7. And this agreeth better with the chaire of Rome, wherein Popes doe sit, than with the chaire of Rome when persecuting Emperours sate into it.
Besides all these odious names, the Apostle addeth another hatefull name, & calleth him foreign, that is, that lawlesse man, who will bee subject to no lawe, neither diuine nor humane, but hee will bee aboue all lawes: hee will judge all men, and bee judged of no man: what regarde hee hath of the lawe of GOD, it maye bee knowne by this, That the breaking of the Popes lawe is counted a greater sinne, than the breaking of the Lawe of GOD: for in matters of marriage, and meates, if the Popes lawe bee transgressed, foorth-with a man is counted an Heretique: But when the Lawe of GOD is broken, for a small summe of money, a pardon may be purchased: Yea, further I am bolde to saye, that the moste discrepant Idiomes of the GREEKE language, such as the ATTICKE and IONICKE Idiomes, they differ not so farre, as the lawes of CHRIST and ANTICHRIST differ one from another. Albeit the Atticke Dialect delighteth in contractions, and the Ionicke in resolutions, yet notwithstanding one, and the selfe same thing, in substance and matter, maye bee vttered in both these discrepant Idiomes. But the Lawes of CHRIST and Antichrist, are so opposite in matter and substance, that they cannot both consist and stand: namelie, when the Lawe of CHRIST biddeth, alloweth, and approoueth: and the lawe of the Antichrist, in that same subject, forbiddeth, disalloweth, and disapprooueth. The Lawe of GOD (Exod. 20.) counteth worshippers of Images, haters of GOD: The lawe of the Antichrist counteth them good Catholiques. The lawe of CHRIST, in the doctrine of Faith, Inuocation, and Mediation, sendeth vsus onelie to the Creator: The lawe of the Antichrist, sendeth vsus to the creatures also: so that the Antichrist is justlie called foreign, or a lawlesse man, in respect hee will not bee obedient to the Lawes of CHRIST.
Concerning humane and ciuill ordinances: Hee who dare assoyle subjectes from the oathe of alleadgeance to their soueraine lordes, hee vndoeth all ciuill gouernement, policie, and lawes from the verie foundation. I superceede to write further in this point.
In the second place, let vsus consider the time, wherein the Antichrist shall bee reueiled, pointed out in these wordes, foreign: that is, and then shall the wicked man bee reueiled: which wordes beeing relatiue to that which immediatelie passed before, importeth, that the Antichrist shoulde bee reueiled at that same time, when the mightie Monarchie of the Romanes was trodden vnderunder his feete. Then it seemed, that all the nations of the worlde should adore and worshippe the beast continuallie, and that the tongues of men shoulde hauehave bene locked vp in silence: so that no man euer shoulde take boldnesse to speake one word against the whore of Babylon: yea, and the Holy Apostle describeth the great securitie of the mother of whoredomes, saying in his heart, I sit, being a Queene, and am not a widow, and shall see no mourning, Apocal. 18. 7. At this same time the vnchangeable decreet of the Almightie God appointed, that this wicked one should first be reueiled, and afterward should be destroyed. Wherin it is to be noted, with what patient expectation wee shoulde attende vponupon the times and seasons, wherein it should please the Lord to performe his owne works: for like as Christ thought it more expedient, & more tēding to the aduancement of His owne glorie, to raise Lazarus out of his graue, (Ioan. 11.) rather than out of the bedde of his infirmitie: Euen so, the Lord thought meet to suffer the Antichrist to mount vp vntounto the top of all his desired preheminēce, & then the Lord put hand to work, both to discouer, & to destroy him, to the further manifestation of his own vnspeakeable power & wisdome.
In the third place, the meanes are to be considered, whereby the Antich. should be discouered, namely, by ye sincere preaching of the Gospel, by ye mouthes of men, holy & zealous, (Apoc. 11. 3) & in gifts not vnlike vntounto Henoch & Helias. Now seeing the man of sin is to be discouered by ye sincere preaching of the Gospell, let vsus consider what benefite redoundeth to vsus by the true and sincere preaching of the Gospell of CHRIST: it is like vntounto the light of the daye, which manifesteth euerie thing in its owne coloures: The thing that is beautifull, is seene to bee bee beautifull, and the thing that is euill fauoured, is seene to be such as it is: where of the madnesse of some Heretiques, such as Gnostici and M…nichet, is clearly perceiued: who rejected the Scriptures of God, because in them is contained a commemoration of the faultes of the Patriarches. Shall the light be despised, because it manifesteth both beautie and desormitie, both strength and debilitie, both the perfection of a complete body, and the imperfection of a dismembered and mutilate bodie? In like manner, the Holy Scriptures are to bee had in the more reuerende regarde, when they describe eueryevery thing in their own colours, and manifesteth on the one part the riches of the merciemercy of God in Iesus Christ, and on the other part the falsehood, subtiltie, hypocrisie, and pride of the Antichrist, to the end, that Gods people maye eschewe the Antichrist, and rejoyce in the sweete saluation of Christ Iesus.
This discouerie of the Antichrist, in some weake measure, began about the yeere of our Lord 1300. at what time, learned men, fearing the tyrannie of the Emperour of the Turks, fled to Italie, and restored the Grieke and Latine languages to their own puritie. This vindicating of languages, from the grosse barbaritie of those times, opened a doore of knowledge, and a desire of reading, with a judicious consideration of that which was read, whether or not it were a suppositious worke. More-ouer, God annointed the eyes of many learned men, with the eye-salue of vnderstanding whose sight increasing by degrees, in end manifested to the worlde, that the chaire of Rome was the seate of the Antichrist. Marsilius Patavinus. in his booke called Defensor Pacis, writeth, that the Clergie of Rome is a denne of thi…ues, and that the doctrine of the Pope is not to bee followed, because it leadeth vntounto eternall death. Franciscus Petrarcha, a man famously learned, calleth Rome the whore of Babylon, the Schoole, and mother of errour, the temple of Heresie, the nest of treacherie, growing and increasing by the oppression of others. This same Author (about the yeere of our Lord 1350.) writeth to one of Petrarch. Epist. 19his friendes. Let none euill desire entangle thee, that thou shouldest dresse thy selfe againe, to those Princes of darknesse, &c. To what purpose wouldest thou goe thither? That thou mightest see good men borne downe, and euill men aduanced? Eagles creeping, and Asses flying? Foxes in chariots, and Rauens in castles, and Doues in the dung…? W…lues to bee free, and Lambes to bee in bandes? Finally, Christ to bee b… nished, and Beelzebub to bee judge? To these spectacles am I called backc againe, I will not hearken, neither doe I agree with them, nor they with me. O cruell and wicked sect of men, louing no-bodie but themselues, and that altogether preposterously, and wickedly! Who shall relieue the oppressed woilde, and the afflicted towne? Who shall reforme the enormitie of manners? Who shall collect the dispersed sheepe? Who shall reproue errontous Pastors? Who shall reduce and bring them backe againe vntounto their owne chaires? Shall there bee none ende of licentiousnesse and sinne? Hath the Spirit in vaine threatned by the Prophet, These thinges hast thou done, and I helde …y tongue, therefore thou thoughtest, that I was like vntounto thee. John Wiklef, a Professor of Diuinitie in Oxford, affirmed, that whatsoeuer the Pope and his Cardinals command, which cannot bee deduced clearely out of Scriptures, this same is to bee counted Hereticall, and not to bee obeied. These few witnesses of God, holy like vntounto Hanoch, the seuenth from Adam, and zealous like vntounto Helias, by the example of their couragious zeale, and zealous courage, incited a greater number of Holy men in Germanie, Switserland, France, Britanie, and Poll, to be witnesses to the truth of God: whose number, albeit it was as contemptible in the eyes of Romane Prelates, as the number of the armie of Alexander of Macedo was in the eyes of Darius, king of Persia. Notwithstanding, by these witnesses of God, the Antichrist hath bene discouered, the citie of spirituall Babylon hath bene shaken, the head of the beast hath beene wounded, and all his Physitions hauehave much adoe to cure his wound againe.
But let vsus proceede to that which followeth in the ende of the 8. verse: namely, that the Antichrist should not only be reueiled, but also should bee consumed by the Spirit of the mouth of Christ: whereof it may bee perceiued, that the Lord will not abolish the kingdome of the Antichrist, as hee did abolish other Monarchies of the Babylonians. Persians, Grecians, and Romanes: but hee keepeth the kingdome of the Antichrist afore-hand to bee consumed by the tempest of his owne wrath. This argueth the great indignation of God against the kingdome of the Antichrist wherein hee findeth might joyned withslight, so that the Lord will drawe out against him his great and mightie sworde, wherewith hee visiteth Leuiathan, that piercing Serpent, and Leuiathan, that crooked Serpent, and hee slayeth the Dragon that Isai. 27. 1is in the Sea, for all his might, the wrath of God shall bee reueiled against him from Heauen, because hee hath with-holden Rom. 1. 18the trueth in vnrighteousnesse. Whatsoeuer shalbe done against this mother of whoredomes in this worlde, is nothing else, but an earnest-pennie of that vnspeakeable wrath of God, that shall seaze vponupon the kingdome of the Antichrist at the latter daye. More-ouer, the equitie of the justice of God is to bee noted in this, that God rendereth vntounto the Antichrist such punishment, as doeth moste proportionallie agree with the nature of his fault: for by the Anathemes and Curses of his mouth, hee subdued the mightie Monarches of the earth: so shall Christ pronounce a Curse against him, by the power whereof hee shall bee sent vntounto Matth. 25the fornace of euerlasting punishment.
Nowe it might hauehave beene objected, Howe could it come to passe, that euer the Antichrist shoulde hauehave obtained so great place in the Temple of God? To this objection the Apostle returneth a foure-folde answere: First, it came to passe by the mightie operation of the Deuill: Secondly, by lying miracles: Thirdly, by the deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse: And fourthly, by the incredulitie of men who would not beleeue the trueth of God: therefore the Lord suffered them to be deluded with errours: These foure causes are set downe in the 9. 10. 11. and 12. verses, whereof when wee hauehave spoken a little, GOD willing, wee shall conclude this Treatise.
The first cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist, is the mightie operation of Sathan, concurring with him, who is to bee considered two manner of wayes, sometimes as bound, at other times as lowse and set at libertie: hee is a perillous enemie at all Apoc. 20times, euen when hee is bound, in respect of our childish simplicitie: wee are like vntounto babes, who through curiositie at sometime will come within the reach of a bounde Lyon, and will bee harmed by the meanes. But when Sathan is set at libertie, then hath hee a mightie operation, euen so great, that albeit light bee offered vntounto men, yet they louelove darknesse better than the light of God. If euer Sathan was set at ample libertie, (who is euer, for Iean. 3. 19the Elects sake, somewhat restrained) hee was set at greatest libertie, when the Romane Antichrist had greatest preheminence: for at that time the smoake of the bottomlesse pitte so ouercouered all thinges with darknesse, that men sawe neither Heauen nor Hell, nor yet themselues: The Heauen was darkened, because Apocal. 9. 2men sought an entrie into it another waye, than by the blood of the euerlasting Couenant of God, by the worthinesse whereof the moste Holy place is made patent to vsus, and none other way: And Hell was darkened, because men liued in a deepe Hebr. 9securitie, as if they had made a couenant with Death and Hell: Isai. 28. 18the Popes pardon, and the fulfilling of the pennance injoyned by the Priest, was counted a complete armoure to saue them against the fierie indignation of Gods wrath: Yea and men saw not themselues, but in seeking to establish their owne righteousnesse, they were not subject to the righteousnesse of God. Now it is our duetie, with all our heartes, to blesse the King of Heauen, Rom. 10. 3who hath begun to cast Sathan into bandes againe: for experience of our wauering mindes declareth, that if Sathan were set at libertie againe, it were an easie thing to transport vsus headlonges to all kinde of errours.
The second cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist, is signes and lying wonders: in the Grieke language foreign, signifieth, miracles, confirming a lying doctrine. All the miracles of the Antichrist, are either false miracles, wherein nothing is wrought aboue nature, nor contrarie to nature, or else the ende of his miracles is the confirmation of a false doctrine. The Romane Church braggeth much of miracles, as if the power of working miraculous workes were a gift continuallie to remaine, and an vndoubted token of the true Church of God: Howbeit Holy Scripture attributeth to false Teachers, who intise people to worship strange gods, power to worke signes and wonders. Deut. 13. 1. 2Socrates also, in his Ecclesiasticall Historie, writeth of Eusebius Emisenus, an Arrian Heretique, vnderunder the reigne of Constantius, Socrat. lib. 2 cap. 9who had the gift of working miracles. And Platina writeth of miracles wrought at the sepulchre of Rhotaris, king of Lombardis, Platina in vita Ioan. 4an Arrian prince. Yea, and the Apostle Paul saieth, if I had all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines, and had not louelove, I were nothing. 1. Cor. 13. 2Nowe what wisedome is it to count working of miracles one of the principall notes of the true Church of Christ. which is found also in the kingdome of the Antichrist, and amongst Heretiques, & amongst them who in the sight of God are counted nothing? if we taught a doctrine, either in substāce or forme, different from the doctrine of Christ, and his Apostles, it were good reason, that we should confirme it with new miracles. But if wee teach no doctrine, except the doctrine of Christ, and his Apostles, then is that ancient doctrine alreadie sufficientlie confirmed by ancient miracles wrought by Christ, & his Apostles. Nowe let vsus set forward to the purpose, and let vsus speake of the false miracles, whereby the kingdome of the Antichrist was aduanced, and that through the mightie operation of Sathan: for like as Achab is saide to hauehave consented to the death of Naboth, because the letters which procured his death, were sealed with his ring: Euen so, Sathan liked well the aduancement of the Antichrist, because he set himself to worke, by many lying miracles, to aduance the kingdome of the Antichrist. Before the 600. yeere of our Lord when the way was preparing for the Uniuersall Bisshop, was not the worshipping of the Crosse confirmed in Apamea, by the fi…e which shined about Thomas, bishop there, and burned him not. The towne of Edessa, was thought to bee saued Euagr. lib. 4 cap. 26by the picture of Christ dipped in water: which picture was alledged to hauehave beene sent to King Agbarus. The towne of Sergiopolis Idem, lib. 4 cap. 27to hauehave beene s…ued by the reliques of the martyr Sergius. But after the 600. yeere of our Lord, false miracles were so Idem, lib. 4 …p. 28multiplied, that it would be tedious to reade ye shortest abridgement of them that could bee compiled. The miracles wrought by the reliques of Sainct Oswald, King of ENGLAND, written by Beda. The miracles wrought by the reliques of Iohn Baptist, written by Sigebertus: and of S. Sebastian, written by Paulus Diaconus. The miracles of the popes, Deus dedit, and pope Agatho, written by Platina. The miracles of S. Dionyse, S. Maurice, and S. Martine, who miraculously deliuered the soule of Dagoberius, King of France, out of the handes of euill spirites, written also by Platina. The miracle of Immas, a captiue and a prisoner in ENGLAND, whome no bandes could binde, because his brother, beeing a Priest and supposing that Immas had beene slaine in the battell, and that his soule had beene in purgatorie, hee made prayers to GOD, and saide Masse oft times, for reliefe of his brothers soule: the benefite whereof, as Beda supposeth, redounded to the weale of Immas soule and bodie. O foolishe fable! and yet thought worthie, by master Brestow, by a newe cōmemoration thereof, to be kept in continuall remembrance. To bee short, the Legendes, Portuses, Festiuals, Promptuaries, Sermones, and other bookes of the Romane Church, which are all stuffed so full, that nothing almoste is thought to bee sufficiently proued, that is not confirmed by a number of false and friuolous miracles: all these, I saye, clearely prooue, in what account false miracles were, and are, in the kingdome of the Antichrist. EueryEvery man, who is a judicious Reader, may consider, that I leaue this point, not for l…cke of aboundance of matter, but for feare to offende the Reader with superfluitie of miracles vnworthie to bee rehearsed.
The thirde cause of the preuailing power of the Antichrist, is set down… in the 10. verse, in these wordes, In all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse amongst them that perishe. In which wordes the Apostle pointeth out vntounto vsus three thinges: First, that the marke and butte, whereat the Antichrist shooteth, is vnrighteous: Secondly, the meanes, whereby hee endeuoureth to attaine vntounto his intended purpose, are deceitfull: and thirdly, that the deceitfulnesse of the Antichrist shall not hurt the elect of God, but onelyonly them that perish. The principall butte, and ende whereat they aimed continually, was superioritie and preheminence aboue their brethren. The deceitfull meanes, whereby they attained to that preheminence, were flatterie lies, and f…lse accusations of good men. They flattered the Emperours, Phocas and Basilius: They falsified the actes of the Councell of Nice, for excessiue desire to bee counted judges of appellations: They accused the bishops of Rauenna, moste falsely, of the He…esie of foreign: And not content with superioritie ouer their brethren, they aimed continually at the honour due to Christ, that is, to bee law-giuers in the Church of God. This was a matter of greater difficultie to bee brought to passe: for albeit a man may climbe vp vntounto the toppe of the highest mountaine in the worlde, yet can hee not reach his hand aboue the Sunne and Moone, and the glistering lightes of the firmament: Euen so, when all the Bishops in the worlde are casten vnderunder the feete of the Bishops of ROME, howe dare they presume with sacrilegious boldenesse, to make themselues companions to CHRIST, and to bee Lawe-giuers in the Church? By deceiueable meanes also this vnrighteousnesse behooued to bee brought to passe: for a false opinion was setled in the heartes of the people, That in matters of Faith the Bishop of ROME coulde not erre: So ignorant people, bewitched with vaine hopes, without all due examination, receiued all their ordinances, howe repugnant soeuer they were to the ordinances of CHRIST.
The last cause wherefore the ANTICHRIST shall preuaile so mightilie, is the power of the wrath of GOD, justlie punishing the contempt of His trueth in the worlde. The contempt of merciemercy deserueth punishment, and the contempt of great merciemercy deserueth great punishment. Nowe it is certaine, that amongst all the rich treasures of the merciemercy of GOD, CHRIST is the greatest, with whome, and for whose sake, all other thinges are giuen, as the Apostle PAVL speaketh, in the eight Chapter of his Epistle to the Romanes, and the thirtie and two verse. And seeing CHRIST is manifested to the worlde by the preaching of the Gospell, the contempt thereof is an vtter rejecting of CHRIST. And what wonder is it that GOD suffer them to bee deluded with errours, who will not belecue the trueth of His worde?
The strong delusions, or efficacie of errour, as the GREEKS worde soundeth, foreign, is rather to bee referred to the ostentation of signes and wonders, than to the power of the doctrine that shall bee vnderunder the ANTICHRIST: for it is saide, (In the Gospell according to Sainct MATTHEW, in the twentle and fourth Chapter, and the twentie and fourth verse thereof) There shall arise false christes, and false prophets, and shall shewe great signes and wonders, so that if it were possible, they shoulde deceiue the verie Elect.
The mindes of people in all ages hauehave beene mightilie transported with signes and wonders, in so much, that the GENTILES firmelie beleeued, that there was a diuine power in IVPPITER, because the LORD permitted the Deuill to raise a mightie storme of winde, and to ouer-blowe with sande the armie of CAMBYSES, which went to PENTAPOLIS, of purpose to spoyle the Temple of IVPPITER, AMMONIVS. Herodot. in Thaleia.The GRECIANS likewise beleeued, that there was diuinitie in APOLLO, because GOD permitted the Deuill to shake the mountaine of PARNASSVS, and to destroye a great number of the armie of ZERXES, who came to spoyle Herodot. in Ourania.the Temple of DELPHVS. Heathen people were rauished with admiration of workes which seemed miraculous: But Christians, to whome the written worde of GOD belongeth, they shoulde regarde no miracle, which leadeth them from the forme of true worshipping, set downe in the written worde of GOD, (DEVTRONOM. CHAP. XIII.) for all such miracles are called by the Apostle, foreign, that is, miracles of falsehood, or miracles confirming a false doctrine.
Nowe blessed bee our GOD, who by the breath of His owne mouth hath begunne to remooue the mistie cloude of horrible darknesse, and who hath made the beames of His trueth to shine vponupon vsus. And the LORD establishe our soules with His sauing Grace, vntounto the ende, and in the ende,
Amen.