A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 17 · Commentary · Refutation · Chapter 4
Chapt. 4. Againſt the firſt demonstration, from the univerſal preaching of the Goſpel.
THIS queſtion of the time, yeildeth great abundance of light, illuſtrating al the reſt, as the Sun with his beams. Wherupon Bellarmine to darken this ſame, hath prepared ſix thick coverings, which he caleth Demonſtrations, under which he hopeth to be drawn from ſo many certayne ſignes, as he ſayth, of Antichriſts coming; wherof two doo goe before; namely 1. the preaching of the Goſpel in the whole world, 2. and the deſolation of the Roman Empire: two doo accompany it, namely 3. the preaching of Henoch and Elias, 4. and a very great and known perſecution: two doo follow, namely 5. the deſtruction of Antichriſt after three yeres and a halfe; 6. and the end of the world. None of which, ſaith he, we ſee as yet to be performed: we wil helpe therfore this blind man, if God wil, and with a faithful hand, wil pul the ſcales from his eyes, if ſo he wil ſuffer it.
For a groundwork of the firſt demonſtration, you ſet down that which is written Mat. 24.14. this Goſpel of the Kingdome ſhalbe preached in the whole world, for a teſtimonie to al nations: from which an argument is thus framed; which let me, I pray you, bring into form, that we of the ruder ſort may more eaſily obſerv the art of demonſtration. He that is to come after the preaching of the Goſpel in al the world, he is not yet come: Antichriſt is to come after the preaching of the Goſpel in al the world: therfore he is not yet come. This is your demonſtration, wherin we find manie ſtrange and new points, never delivered by any Demonſtrating Maſters: namely, that principles are uſed for demōſtration, which be neither true nor firſt. For as touching truth, the propoſition is eyther manifeſtly falſe, or at leaſt doubtful, as after more plainly shal appear, and therfore not meet for a demonſtration. Moreover, if any would doubt of the minor, what ſtrēgth hath it from Mathew? what one word is ther in him of Antichriſt to come after a general preaching? How is this an immediate principle, which if it have any credit, muſt borow it from elſewhere? Pardon, I pray you, this my moroſitie. I thought it neceſſary to make trial of ſome one of your demonſtrations: of al which, ſeing we have now a pattern in this firſt, wee shal not need to deal ſo exactly in the reſt, but may judge of what ſorte al are, by the nature of this. But your ſelfe ſaw, how trifling and unworthy a demonſtration this was; and therfore you flee unto a probable reaſon, which as a propp you put under that readie to fall. To cōfirme the Minor, that Antichriſt is to come after the general preaching, leaving now Matthew, whole name at firſt was vainly obtruded; Jt may be proved, you ſay, by reaſon: becauſe in Antichriſts time, the cruelty of the laſt perſecution, wil hinder al publick exerciſes of true religion. I anſwer, how truly this is ſaid of the publick ceaſing of religion, we shal ſee after in the chapter of Perſecution. In the mean while I avouch that you diſpute not ſo much unskilfully, as in deed falſly. For time is threefold; paſt, preſent, and to come: neyther can anie thing be concluded that it is to come, unleſſe it be before proved, that it is neither preſent, nor paſt. Wil you then infer that Antichriſt shal come after the general preaching, becauſe he cannot be togither with the ſame? But why, I pray you, may he not be before it? Yea what if by this your demonſtratiō, he muſt needs be before it? Surely neither can he be togither with the general preaching, for the crueltie of perſecution, as you ſay: neither can he come after, becauſe Chriſt ſaith, when the Goſpel is preached in the whole world, then ſhal come the end. You ſee nothing to come between the univerſal preaching & the end. Therfore by this your reaſon, he muſt needs come before the univerſal preaching. This is not the leaſt vertue of this undoubted demonſtration; that it maketh more for your adverſaries cauſe, than for your own.
But, ſay you, the adverſaries admitt not of this reaſō. Surely nor your freinds, I beleev, unleſſe it be ſome foxes, that prayſe the crow for his ſweet ſinging. But I am glad for you, that at laſt your ſelfe are weary of this demō ſtration. Furthermore you ſay, Neither is there time now to deduce it from the principles therof, and therfore you wil prove the thing by teſtimonies of the Fathers. What? Have not you time, which undertake the moſt copious handling of all controverſies? And, which bring not forth one argument of anie weight, in this cauſe? I know your Ieſuitical cunning: what you can not doo, for needynes; that you may not doo for haſt unto other matters. But let us goe forward and ſee, how you folow both parts of the former argument. For the new, as it ſeemeth, affordeth nothing; but the old neſt was to be trimmed, that ſome ſhew of building might appear. Firſt therfore you bring Hilarie, Cyrill, Theodoret, Damaſcen, affirming, that Antichriſt ſhal not come, til after an univerſal preaching. I anſwer, ther is now no need curiouſly to inquire into their ſayings, ſeing in this thing they teach agreably to the ſcriptures. For Antichriſt was to come, becauſe the love of the truth was refuſed, 2 Theſ 2. And the puniſhment is not inflicted before the fault. Neither could the fault be committed, before there was the uſe of the truth. Here therfore I contradict nothing. Moreover, in ſome ſort I doo grant your proof from the text. For the Goſpel was to be preached before that great tribulation ſpoken of Mat. 24.21. But herein you err, that you think this is both the laſt tribulation, and the perſecution of Antichriſt. For it is no other than the deſtruction of Ieruſalem; as Chryſoſtome alſo dooth acknowledge, though typically he would hav it referred unto Antichriſt. Let Antichriſt therfore come after the univerſal preaching of the Goſpel. But what? Hath not the Goſpel been noiſed as yet through al the world? In deede ſo you ſay; though the thing it ſelf be otherweiſe. Chriſt being to aſcend into heaven, bade the Apoſtles to goe into al the world, Mark 16.25. And promiſed that they ſhould be his witneſſes unto the utmoſt end of the earth, Act. 1.8. It can not be, eyther that the Apoſtles ſhould neglect that which was commanded; or that our Lord should not performe that which he promiſed. Neither wanted the thing an iſſue, as the Apoſtle teacheth, ſaying that the faith of the Romanes, was publiſhed through the whole world, Rom. 1.8. and that the Goſpel was come unto the Coloſſeans, even as unto al the world, Col. 1.6.23. You anſwer, that the whole world in theſe places, is not properly and ſimply taken, but figuratively: but the Goſpel ſhould be preached in everie nation properly and ſimplie, before Antichriſt come. Which you prove by teſtimony of Fathers, and by three reaſons. The Fathers are Auguſtine, Origen, and Ierom; beſides thoſe fore-alledged. I anſwer, Ther is no doubt but the Fathers doo accommodate their words, unto the words of the Scriptures; and therfore they often ſay, that the Goſpel should be preached in al the world, through the whole earth, in al lands &c. but whither they ſpeake more expreſſely or no, & doo ſignify by name that theſe kind of ſpeeches are to be taken ſimply, not figuratively, may wel be doubted. Ierom in his Epiſtle to Ageruchia ſaith, He that held, is taken out of the way, and doo we not underſtand that Antichriſt is neer? By which it is playn, that he underſtood no other preaching through the whole world, than ſuch as was in his time: for otherweiſe, how could Antichriſt be neer? So Gregorie, as is before mentioned, ſaith, Al things that were fore-told are come to paſſe: the King of pride is nigh. Therfore this univerſal preaching was then doon; but not properly as you would have it, which as you ſay, is not performed to this day. Turn over the Fathers therfore, and weigh their words more diligently: perhaps though theſe things were very dark unto them, you ſhal finde no ſuch preaching with them, as you doo dream of.
Of the three reaſons which you bring, the firſt is, that, the preaching in al the world, is a ſigne, Chriſt ſaith, of the end of the world: for ſo he annexeth, & then ſhal come the end. But if the Goſpel ſhould not be preached in the whole world properly, but by comprehenſion of a part for the whole, the ſigne would be of no value. For in that manner the Goſpel was preached by the Apoſtles through al the world, in the firſt twenty yeres. I anſwer; wheras from theſe words you affirme, that the preaching in al the world, is a ſigne of the end of the world: this is yours, Bellarmine, not Chriſts. He ſaith no more but and then ſhal come the conſummation, or the end. That, of the world, he addeth not. Neither is the end or conſummation wherof he ſpeaketh, of the world, but of the tē ple, & of the Iewiſh politie: the law wherof was abrogated in Chriſts death, but now alſo by diſsipation of the nation, the whole uſe ſhould be taken away. For the Diſciples inquired of a twofold end, ver. 3. of the temple, & of the world. Of the firſt, Chriſt anſwereth unto the 23. verſe: of the later, in the reſt of the chapter, under the name of his coming. Neither had he ſatiſfied the demaunds, unleſſe he had comprehended both. Wherfore that univerſal preaching, was a ſigne of Ieruſalems deſtruction, the neerer token wherof was the abomination of deſolation, fore-told by Daniel: which being next added, may teach, of what end the former words doo ſpeake. For Chriſt anſwereth not ſo confuſedly and intricately, as that from the laſt end of the world, he would ſtraightway leap back againe to the Iewes affayres. Seing therfore in this place he ſpeaketh of this conſummation, and not of any other: ther is no neceſsity that the preaching through the whole world, ſhould be properly.
Your ſecond reaſon is: that properly al nations are promiſed to Chriſt, Pſal. 71. All nations ſhal ſerv him: therfore the preaching ought to be general properly. I anſwer; I deny not but all nations ſhalbe gathered unto Chriſt, and that by a general preaching properly, before he come unto judgement. For preaching is that ſilver trumpet which is appointed for the gathering togither of the elect: and I find in the Scriptures a twofold general preaching, figurativ, and proper; as in the end of this chapter I wil more fully declare. But what is this, to the coming of Antichriſt? It is shewed, that he is com a thouſand and three hundred yeres agoe. Alſo his deſtruction, shalbe a long ſpace before the laſt iudgement, as shalbe shewed after, chap. 9. Of the end of the world, and in the reſt of the enarration of this Apocalypſe. Therfore that may be before Chriſts coming, which shal folow after Antichriſts deſtruction. And in verie deed, the general preaching shal not beginn, before Antichriſt be at an end; or at leaſt be ready ſoon after to dye. The times may not be confounded; nor that which is proper to one, be tranſferred to an other.
Your third reaſon is, That the Goſpel ſhalbe preached in the whole world, for a teſtimonie to al nations. Therfore a general preaching muſt goe before the general iudgement. I anſwer; This argument is one with the former, but that it is after a ſort diſtinguiſhed in the ſubiects. That treated of the ſalvation of the elect; this, of the iuſt condemnation of the reprobates. But the anſwer is one. For I grant, a general preaching muſt goe before the general judgement: but when you shal have proved that the general iudgement, and Antichriſt, are things ſo conioyned, as that which goeth before the one, muſt needs alſo goe before this other: then wil I eaſily grant you, that a general preaching muſt properly goe before Antichriſt. And now as if you had put the matter out of al controverſie, you goe in hād to anſwer unto Paul concerning thoſe wores Rom. 10.18. Their ſound is gone out unto al the earth: the interpretation wherof you bring from Auguſtine, Ierom, & Thomas. The ſumme is, that they are to be underſtood figuratively. VVhichWhich you might eaſily have obteyned, without ſo much a doo. Ther is no man but granteth, that the like Scriptures fore-alledged, are not to be taken properly. But if Paul ſpeak figurativelie, why maie not Chriſt likeweiſe? Becauſe it is not abſurd, you ſay, if we grant that our Lord ſpake properly, and the Apoſtle figuratively. For the reaſons wherby we are compelled to take our Lords in a proper ſignification, have not the ſame force, if they be applyed to Pauls words; eſpecially ſeing our Lord ſpake of a thing to come, and Paul of a thing paſt. I anſwer; Seing that end wherof Chriſt ſpake, was onelyonly of the citie, not of the whole earth; to weet, of Ieruſalem, not of the world: ther is no reaſon which more compelleth us to take our Lords words in a proper ſignification, then thoſe words of Paul, in the Epiſtle to the Romanes ch. 1. verſe 8. Coloſſ. 1.6.23. ſpoken of before. For wheras you ſay, that Paul Ro. 10.18. ſpeaketh of a thing paſt: you might have remembred from Auguſtine, that he tooke the time paſt, for that which was to come, as David did whoſe words they are, as you wrote a litle before: and that ſo the Prophets are wont to ſpeake almoſt everie where, of things to come, as if they wer paſt. In the other Scriptures, Paul ſpeaketh of that thing performed, which our Lord foretold should be performed. This your firſt demonſtration therfore is altogither lame, having no certaintie, no truth: but it is ſuch a ſigne, (in the ſenſe that you would have the preaching to be taken,) of Antichr. to come, as the Iewes have feighned to themſelves of Chriſt to come; namely ſuch as mans bold ignorance hath feighned, without anie authoritie of the oracle of God. Wherfor ſeing you have written nothing right of this matter, I wil endvour to shew ſome ſurer thing, as even now I promiſed, wherby the readers maie have what to think concerning this matter.
Vniverſal preaching therfore is twofold; as I ſaid; figurative and proper. The firſt was given to the Apoſtles for a ſigne of the Iewiſh deſolation; & ſo likewiſe should goe before the Antichriſt, who should not come forth until ſome ages after al that Politie was utterly extinguished. The later, which we cal general properlie, shal not goe before Antichriſt, but folow. For after he is ſlayn, the Goſpel shalbe spredd farr and wide, even unto thoſe nations which as yet never had the hearing of it. For then ſhal the nations bring their glory and honour unto the new holie citie, Apoc. 21.24. Then ſhal the tree grow amidds the ſtreet of the heavenly citie, whoſe leaves ſhal miniſter cure and health unto the nations, Apoc. 22.2. Then ſhal the temple be opened, into which no forreyner could enter during the ſeven plagues with which Antichriſt is conſumed, Apoc. 15.8. and chap. 16. Then ſhal the waters flow out of the temple towards the Eaſt, and unto al the countrie round about; by whoſe wholſomnes, a verie great multitude of fiſh ſhalbe ingendred Ezech. 47. And then after the litle horn is taken away, the Kingdom ſhalbe given to one like the ſon of man, that al peoples, nations, tongues, may ſerv him, Dan. 7.14. which Kingdome is not that which shalbe in heaven, where no diſtinction is of peoples, nations and tongues: but ſhal come in earth, and be adminiſtred by the ſcepter of his word. Wherupon after the cutting off of this Horn, (which men commō ly doo interpret, partly of Antiochus, partly of Antichriſt, but is in verie deed the Turk, who shalbe rooted out within a while after the true Antichriſt;) ther shalbe a moſt ample promulgation of the Goſpel, with much larger limits, than ever heretofore. For then all the nations indeede ſhal ſerve him Pſal. 72.11. and Jehovah ſhalbe King over all the earth; and in that day, ſhall Iehovah be one, and his name one, Zach. 14.19.
Theſe things and many ſuch like doo make it playn, that howſoever the doctrine of ſalvation ſurveyed many lands before Antichriſt: yet after he is extinguished, the tents of the ſacred truth, shalbe much more amply diſplayed; ſo that into them shal aſſemble a very great congregation, in reſpect wherof the aſſemblies of former times have been ſmal, or rather none. Theſe things doo the ſcriptures teach of the univerſal preaching, & they are conſtant, firm, ſure, ful of maieſty, power, mercy, if you look unto God; and if you turn your eies unto our ſelves, they are no leſſe full of al joy and confort. Wheras on the contrarie, the things which you have brought, are either uncertayn gueſſes, or vaine fictions: which wil both deceive, at leaſt, your expectation, and in the mean while, lead into error and deſtruction.