A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 17 · Commentary · Refutation · Chapter 7
Chapt. 7. Againſt the fourth Demonſtration, from the publik perſecution.
AN other conioint ſigne you make to be the publik perſecution, which, you ſay, ſhalbe moſt grievous & notorious, ſo that al ceremonies & ſacrifices of publik religion ſhal ceaſe, none of which things we yet ſee. According therfore to the threefold marke of this perſecution, you make a threefold proof; firſt that it shalbe moſt grievous, 2. moſt notorious; 3. that it ſhal cauſe a ceaſing of religion. And you prove it shalbe moſt greevous, frō Ma. 24.21. ther ſhalbe thē great tribulatiō, ſuch as was not frō the beginning of the world neither ſhalbe. & frō Ap. 20.3. wher we read that thē Satā ſhalbe looſed, who until that time had been bound. And you cōfirm it by teſtimonies of Aug. in the 20. b. de civit. Dei, ch. 8. & 9. of Hippolitus martyr, & of Cyril: unto which you add at laſt, that the perſecutiō by the Pope is not the moſt greevous, & therfore he is not Antichriſt. I anſwer to al, & firſt as touching the greevouſnes of the perſecutiō frō the words of Mat. I ſay, that you care not what you bring for confirmation. Thoſe words perteyn to the calamity of the Iewes, which they felt in the deſolation of their city by Titus, within a few yeres after Chriſt. Luke expreſſeth this people by name, ſaying, for ther ſhalbe great diſtreſſe in this land, & wrath on this people, Luke 21.23. So Mat. then let them that ar in Judea, flee to the moūtayns, ch. 24.16. And what ells meaneth that prayer againſt flight on the Sabath, but properly to note out this nation? So farr verily is it, that Antichriſts perſecution is from theſe words proved to be moſt greevous, as the contrary may plainly be concluded: for they evidently doo confirm, that no tribulation ſhalbe to be compared wit that of the Jewes; & therefore, not that which Antichriſt shal procure. I know that Chryſoſtome referrs it typically unto Antichriſt, but not truly, nor adviſedlie: for when Chriſt opē ly ſaith, none shal be like it, he cutteth off al typical interpretation: not obſcurely forbidding the words to be further drawn for to ſignify any thing to come. For the type muſt needs be inferiour to the truth of it, & a greater diſtreſſe muſt folow afterwards, contrary to that Chriſt ſaith, if ſo be the words should be expounded by a type. Mathew therfore makes nothing for the vehemency of this perſecutiō; & the Apocalyps dooth even as much. Satan in deed shal rage when he is looſed, but the outragiouſnes which is mentioned in that place, is nothing to that which he shewed before he was bound. For Satan is the ſame that the Dragon, Apoc. 12 9. and before his impriſonment, he lived in heaven, drawing with his tayl the third part of the ſtarrs of heaven; which he caſt unto the earth, until by Michael he was overcome, and thrown down from thence. That is to ſay; the Hethē Emperours, not only lived, but alſo ruled in the midds of the Church, which they vexed in moſt cruel māner, til Chriſt put them out of the Empire; as upon that place I have shewed. From that time the Divil that is the open enemie, was bound for a thouſand yeres: which being fulfilled, his bounds should be looſed, & he should be ſtyrrd up agayn, but not with that abilitie to hurt, as before; for here he should have no place in heavē, that is, in the Church, but should abide only in the utmoſt borders & territories therof, compaſſing the tents of the Saincts, & the beloved city, as Ap 20.9. wherupō he should not ſo much raiſe perſecution as warr; neither should the ſaincts dye lik sheep, but reſiſt lik ſoljers. How much therfore an inward & noiſom enemie is mor greevous than an outward; ſo much greater is the afflictiō of the former times, thā that when Satā is looſed, in the laſt age. Morover Antich. reigneth a 1000 yeres, whiles Satā lyeth in priſō, Ap. 20.9. Wherupō if whē he is looſed, this felow doo trobel al: ther should be great trāquility whē he is boūd: & ſo the greateſt part at leaſt of his reign, should be void of thoſe turbulēt ſtorms, neirher should Antich. hav an helper of his perſecutiō in the other part of his reign: ſeing he should abid within the Church & Satā without as is manifeſt by the things foreſpokē: alſo that now he was appointed for the ſcourge of Antic. himſelf, not for their hāgmā & torturer, whom he should uſe for the tormenting of others.
For the Divil being now looſed, the four Angels at Euphrates are looſed, whō God ſendeth to punish the Angel of the bottomleſſe pit, with his infernall crew, which came out of the pit, Apoc. 9.20.21. all which things we hav made playn in their places. Therfore wher Auguſtine ſaith, that Antichr. shal moſt rage when the Divil is looſed; as though he were now firſt looſed, and should be his helper unto crueltie; he iudgeth not rightly of this looſing: for he was looſed before in heaven, Apoc. 12.3. &c. which could not be a priſon and pit unto him, ſeing he took it heavilie to be caſt from thence: unleſſe perhaps he went out of priſon againſt his wil, Apoc. 12.10. Neither is Hippolitus to be hearkened unto concerning this perſecution, when he teacheth that Antichriſt is no man, but the verie Divil, that should take falſe flesh of a falſe virgin. And no better account is to be made of Cyrill, if he though that the Divil should perſonally range abroad, making Antichriſt to be a true man, but one that should be a Divil alſo, becauſe as he thinks, he should be made man by incarnation. What ſincere thing could they utter about this matter, whoſe minds were poſſeſſed by ſuch manner errours? Wherfore this grievouſnes of perſecution which you ſpeak of, hath no confirmation at al from the Scriptures. A very greevous perſecution in deed ther should be but of an other ſort then you mē tion; even ſuch as should conſiſt not ſo much in killing of bodies, as in murthering of ſoules. For Antichriſt is Balaam, who though it better to put a ſtumbling block before the children of Iſrael, that they migh eate of things ſacrificed to Idols, and committ fornication, then to folow thē with the ſword, Apoc. 2.14. He is that Beaſt, wheron Iezebel the whore ſitteth, with the wine of whoſe fornication, the inhabitants of the earth are drunken, Apoc. 2.20. & 17.2. He is the Angel of the bottomleſſe pit, who opening the pit, the Sun and aier is darkned with the ſmoke, Apoc. 9.2. Finally he is that man of ſyn, whoſe coming is with the efficacie of Satā, with al power and ſignes and lying wonders, and with al deceit of unrighteouſnes in them that perish, for that they received not the love of the truth, that they might be ſaved. Therfore God ſendeth them the efficacie of deceit, that they may beleev a lye: that they al may be damned, which have not beleeved the truth, but taken pleaſure in unrighteouſnes. 2 Theſ. 2.9.10. Behold the true perſecution of Antichriſt, being rather pernicious to the ſoules than to the bodies: although he should not refreyn frō this wickednes of shedding bloud; for he should alſo cauſe that whoſoever would not worship the Image of the Beaſt, should be killed, Apoc. 13.15. And he is that skarlet Beaſt of bloudy colour, gottē by the bloud of the ſaincts, ſpringled on him. But that ſpiritual perſecution is the more outragious, by ſo much as the ſowl is better than the body, and as the conioynt deſtruction of both, is crueller than the perdition of one. Wheras before you ſay that ther is no compariſon of the Popes perſecution of us, whom you cal Heretiks, with the perſecution of Nero, Domitian, Decius, Diocleſian and others, as if from hence it were certayn that the Pope is not Antichriſt; now every mā may ſee, that it is nothing to the purpoſe. For Antichriſts cruelty, is not to be meaſured by the privation of mortal life, but by the loſſe of life eternal. And this is that which ſurpaſſeth al priſons, ſwords, wild beaſts, fyres, burning yrons, molten lead, or any exquiſite torment that either Nero, or any other of the tyrants exerciſed. This is that, for the torment wherof, men ſought death, but found it not, and deſired to dye: but death fled from them; namely becauſe they felt payn sharper than death, Apoc. 9.6. This is that for which ſtraightway at the riſing up of the Beaſt, the woman fled into the wildernes, which could not be put to flight by anie gibbets or flames, wherwith the Emperours raged, Apoc. 12.6. &c. VVherfore though we should grant, that a greater ſlaughter of bodies was made by Nero and ſuch like tyrants: yet nothing letteth, but the cruelty of the Bishop of Rome may ſurpaſſe in an other reſpect, and be ſuch, as wherby he may manifeſt himſelfe to be the great Antichriſt.
But, ſay you, many moe of the Catholiks have our Heretiks killed, theſe 10 or 15-yeres, in France and Flanders; then the Inquiſitours have burned of the Heretiks, perhaps in one hundred yeres. And if it may be caled perſecution, the Catholiks doo rather ſuffer it, than the Lutherans or Calviniſts. For the Catholiks ar they which being driven out of manie countries, have loſt Churches, patrimonies, and countrie it ſelfe, the new Miniſters of the Goſpel invading them. I anſwer: wheras now you ar reſiſted, & ſome of you whiles they oppugne the good eſtate of others, have loſt their own: that nothing hindereth the ſpiritual perſecution of your Pope. He rageth yet with no leſſe deadly feud againſt the truth, than at anie time before; yea with greater, if greater may be. But this ſlaughter of his men, ſomewhat mitigateth the corporal perſecution. But the Spirit hath foretold, that that ſhalbe brought at laſt upō your own heads, which you were wont to doo unto others. For Chriſt threatned that he would ſlay Iezabels children with death, Apoc. 2.23. and that they ſhould goe into captivitie, which doo lead into captivitie, and be killed with the ſowrd, which doo kill with the ſword, Apoc. 13.10. Finally, that the rivers and fountains of waters ſhould be turned into bloud, and that they ſhould drink bloud, which did ſhed the bloud of the Saincts and Prophets, Apoc. 16.4.5.6. Neither is this divine recompenſe to be caled a perſecution, unleſſe perhaps it be perſecution to repell force by force; or to take from theevs & robbers, the goods, which they have ſtollen from the right owners, or to drive out of the countrie, them that betray the country, or to drive away the wolves from the folds. Your wickednes is now known unto al, your treaſons, murders, poiſonnings, cut-throat boldnes, ſubtil plottings againſt Princes, unto which you apply your ſelves with al diligence, and often accompliſh them with overmuch. Theſe things cauſe many of you to looſe your heads, theſe be the merits of your Martyrs, theſe be the crowns, theſe be trophees or ſignes of your victories. It is to be wiſhed of al which love the publik peace and ſafetie, that by the faithful diligence and vigilancy of the Magiſtrates, this perſecution may more increaſe dayly. And thus much of the greevouſnes of the perſecution: which howſoever it be great in deed, yet you ſee it is an other, than you ſuppoſed.
Secondly you prove that Antichriſts perſecution ſhalbe moſt notorious and manifeſt, from thoſe words Apoc. 20.8. and they compaſſed the tents of the Saincts, and the beloved citie. And that the Popes perſecution is ſuch, as neither they which ſay they ſuffer it, nor you which are ſaid to inferr it, can ſay when it begann. I anſwer; thoſe words of the Apocalyps perteyn nothing unto anie vexation that shalbe inferred by Antichriſt, but by Gog & Magog. Antichriſt was ſlayn & caſt into the lake of fyre, in the end of the former chapter; wherupon he hath no part in this battel, neither shal the laſt afflictiō be rayſed by him, as you falſly doo often avouch, but by an other that ſhal for a while ſurvive Antichriſt. And that you may underſtand how Antichriſts perſecution, shal not be moſt notorious in the doing of it: you muſt remember that Antichriſts propertie is to invade with all guile and fraud, not with open and diſplayed flaggs. Therfore that he shal cary his matters with verie great ſilence, and privily, which be arts fitteſt for ſecret ambuſh, not that he should be eſpied of al. Moreover, when al the earth ſhould worſhip the Beaſt, needs muſt the affliction be of the leſſer part, and ſo not moſt notorious, Apoc. 13.3. That which is doon by the moſt, is cō monly counted to be doon by right; and to deſerv no reprehenſion. Beſides, his perſecution is ſpecially ſpiritual, which eaſily deceiveth the bodilie ſenſe and eyes: wherupon though it should not be ſo readily diſcerned, eyther when Antichriſt shal come, or unto whom he shal firſt appear, or when his perſecution shal begin: yet this maketh the thing it ſelfe no more doubtful and ambiguous, than it is uncertayn that the plague is the plague, becauſe it is not evident unto al, from whence it firſt proceeded; or that a fyre conſumeth & devoureth al things, becauſe it is not found out, how firſt it began and grew. But howſoever theſe things have heretofore perhaps been more obſcure: ſee now how much we have profited by this Apocalyps, by help wherof we ar come neerer unto that beginning which you ſeek. For from hence we learne, that ſtraightway after the Emperours were for doon, the woman fled into the wildernes, & a burning mountayn was caſt into the Sea, chap. 8. For then the barrs being burſt, the Roman ambition could no longer be held in: then began errour and ſuperſtition of everie ſort, ſpeedily to enter: then was inſtituted the Feaſt of the Invētion of the Croſſe; and Confirmation made a new Sacrament, and that greater, as Biſhop Melchiades would have it, than Baptiſm. Then al the neighbours in their order, ſtrove who might moſt heap up new adulterate rites: until at length it came to the opening of the Bottmleſſe pitt, at what time the whole infernal darknes broke out. Neither yet was this an end of the calamitie, but at laſt, by the Trident Council, the two Prophets were ſlayn, the Scriptures being killed, and their bare carkeſſes caſt out, as we have shewed, cha. 11.9. wherupon ſoon alſo it came to paſſe, that by the Ieſuits, the Maſters of controverſies, the whole Sea of Popiſh doctrine, was turned into abominable & deadly putrifyed bloud, chap. 16.3. This is the upriſing and proceeding of your ſpiritual perſecution. The corporal alſo cannot now be hidd from anie: which beginning after the ſecond upriſing of the Beaſt, excommunicated Leo Iſauricus; depoſed King Childericus; warre with the Emperours; put ſome of them from their Empire; fell with noyſome ſignes upon the Albingenſes, and almoſt quite deſtroyed them; would not helpe the Greeks againſt the Turks, unleſſe they would firſt ſubject themſelves to the Latin Pope; did break Europe with continual warrs, by ſetting the Princes togither by the ears; burned Iohn Huſſe and Jerom of Prage: armed Charles the 5. againſt the Proteſtants; conſumed manie Chriſtians in France with flames, shewed the ſame crueltie upon manie in England: made that memorable maſſacre in Paris: ſet up the tormenting boucherie of the Inquiſition in manie of his dominions: finally, which ſent the Spaniſh Navie into England: invaded Jreland by force of armes: expoſed the Realm of our gracious Queen, to the ſpoile of any whomſoever: and deſtinated her ſacred perſō unto death; her people, to the prey; and the whole nation to moſt cruel ſlaughter. Theſe things are now known, and wil ere long be more manifeſt: but while the matters were a doing, they were dect and covered with ſo fayr a shew of piety & zele for the houſe of God, that the injurie which was doon unto anie, ſeemed not ſo much to be hatred and perſecution, as eyther the juſt defenſe of the Church, or puniſhment of the wicked. This publik knowledge therfore, which may be ſomewhat when the things are doon, but is very ſmal or none at al rather, before the yſſue cometh; is no note of the perſecution of Antichriſt.
The third ſigne you make to be, the ceaſing of the publik and dayly Church offfice and ſacrifice, becauſe of the crueltie of the perſecution. I anſwer, it is here in ſpecial worthy to be obſerved, that this ceſſation shalbe not in one countrie alone, but univerſally in al: which both you urge in manie places, and reaſon dooth enforce. For if the Goſpel muſt be preached before Antichriſts coming, in the whole world, and that not figuratively but ſimply & properly ſo ſayd, as in your firſt Demōſtration you pleaded: needs muſt the ceaſing of al publik religiō, extend as farr, as the preaching did before. Therfore the ceſſatiō shalbe not onelyonly in theſe known parts of the world, but in al lands alſo yet unknown, among the Tartars and Scythians, the Aſians, the Indians, and al the Eaſtern Ilands, in the deſerts of Africa, in the Southern continent, in al America, the new Zembla, & al thoſe coaſts under the North.Let the ſtudious obſerve, that in the whole ſuperficies of the earth, Archimedes h…s tetragoniſme or quartering, hath the unity of a circle ſuperfluous: wherby perhaps the true tetragoniſme may be foūd out. Al which ſuperficies, as by Geometrical reckning is manifeſt, conſiſteth of a hundred fourtie eight thouſand thouſand, four hundred fifty thouſand, nine hundred and nine English or Italiā miles: which ſpace if we will divide into the ſeverall dayes of your Antichriſt that ſhall reign three yeres and a halfe, he muſt travel everie day provinces that are a hundred ſeventeen thouſand, eight hundred and eighteen miles over. Surely al Spaine and France, taking the whole length & breadth of them togither, are very ſmal countries unto the meſured portion of his everie dayes way. And shal he have leyſure alſo to build a Temple, and ſit therin? But, I pray you, shal he make this journey togither with his armie, or himſelfe alone? It may be, that as the Monk of Oxford, being caried by his familiar Divil through the aier, deſcribed in an Aſtrolobe the whole Northern Climate; ſo Antichriſt may mount on ſome ſuch like winged Pegaſus, and may provide his armie ſuch horſes alſo, and then in every nation whiles he flyeth over the countries, he may with the clapping of his wings onelyonly compel true religion to keepe ſilence. It may alſo be, that he wil ſpare his own payns, and wil goe over the countries by his Legates: yet I beleev he shall have ynough to doo, everie day to give commandements unto ſo large a dominion as he is to adminiſter. But in this general and ſo deep ſilence of true religion, wher shal your Henoch & Elias be? ſhal not they oppoſe themſelves; or shal they doo it in vain, out of whoſe mouth fyre cometh forth, conſuming their adverſaries? Apoc. 11.6. But what doo I mean? Are you not ashamed of ſuch monſtrous opinions as theſe? Such ſtrange fantaſies are rather to be hiſſed away, than to be refuted by anie ſerious diſputation.
But, ſay you, Daniel dooth plainly teach this point, chapt. 12. in theſe words: From the time that the dayly ſacrifice ſhalbe taken away, ſhalbe 1200 dayes; as the ancient Fathers doo expound it; and the meaning it, that Antichriſt ſhal forbid all divine worship, that now is exerciſed in the Chriſtian Churches, and ſpecially the holy ſacrifice of the Euchariſt. And experience teſtifieth that this ſigne is not yet fulfilled. I anſwer, that Daniel treateth of nothing leſſe in that place, than of Antichriſt. The Fathers that ſo expound it, wil have this number of dayes that is mentioned, to be of his reign: but incōſideratlie, as the words doe ſufficientlie shew. For if theſe be the dayes of his reign, he shal make all publik religion to ceaſe, before his reign beginn. For theſe dayes take their beginning, from the daily ſacrifice being taken away; which therfore muſt needs goe before. Wherfore eyther theſe things perteyn nothing at al to Antichriſt, or al thoſe things are vayn which the Fathers mention of him, whiles they thruſt al his tyrannie into the ſtraights of ſo few dayes. Ther is no ſoundnes therfore in this their expoſition: the true ſacrifice which Daniel meaneth, is the dayly ſacrifice, which was taken away befor Antichriſt was born; for it was taken away togither with the Temple of Ieruſalem, unto which it was tyed by the inſtitution of God. For al this Propheſie is of the children of Daniels people, that is, of the Iewes, as the Angel ſpeaketh in the firſt verſe of that chapter. Not ſo, ſay you, but this dayly ſacrifice, is our ſacrifice of the altar, which ſucceeded in place of that old. Away with this dotage, and ſacrilegious ſacrifice, which neither Chriſt inſtituted, nor the Apoſtles knew of, nor the purer Church ever dreamed of. Should ther be anie daylie ſacrifice now in the Church, beſides that of thankſgiving, & of a contrite hart, after that Chriſt in the midds of that week, as the Angel ſpeaketh, abolished al ſacrifice and offring? Dan. 9.27. &c. Should not the ſacrifice of himſelfe alone, be the onelyonly and perfect ſacrifice: as the Apoſtle ſo often teſtifieth to the Hebrews? chap. 7. ver. 27. But many are your blaſphemies that from hence ariſe, neither to be ſtood on at this time. It is ynough for us in this place, that the ceaſing of this ſacrifice, is without the compaſſe of the 1290. daies: and therfore not rightly attributed unto Antichriſt. But this place is ſertile, and three notable points are gathered from it: Firſt, that Antichriſt is not yet come whiles the daily Sacrifice dooth ſtill continue. I anſwer; you may as certainly conclude, that he is not yet come, becauſe the Tēple of Ieruſalem, dooth ſtil remayn whole. Secondly, you ſay, the Biſhop of Rome is not Antichriſt, but moſt contrary unto him; ſeing the ſacrifice which he ſhal take away, this man moſt adorneth and defendeth. I anſwer, Antichriſt ſhal take away nothing leſſe, than your ſacrilegious ſacrifice: than which, nothing is more contumelious againſt Chriſt. For if Chriſt profiteth them nothing, which bring in circumciſion: they are fallen from grace, which bring in the dayly ſacrifice, Gal. 5.2. But yours, you wil ſay, is not the legal rite. I anſwer, it is ſo much the more impious, in that it is merely humane and Popiſh. Thirdly, you ſay, that the Heretiks of this time, are above al other, the fore-runners of Antichriſt, for that they deſire nothing more earneſtly, than utterly to aboliſh the ſacrifice of the Euchariſt, I anſwer, unleſſe Satan had blinded your eyes, thoſe whom you cal Heretiks and fore-runners of Antichriſt, you would acknowledge them to be the fore-runners of Chriſt: foraſmuch as of his great mercy he uſeth them, as the Spirit of his mouth to deſtroy the Pope, who is by al tokēs famouſly known to be Antichriſt; and whom now verie ſhortly at laſt, he wil utterly aboliſh with the brightnes of his coming, 2 Theſſ. 2.8. But it is no marvel that yow which count Antichriſt for the Vicar of Chriſt: doe cal Chriſts true ſervāts by anie name rather than their owne. And now it were to be wiſhed, that Antichriſt might no more attayn to the Saincts by perſecuting, than yow have attayned to anie part of this queſtion by diſputing: for ſo, his perſecution would be tolerable, as your diſputation is intolerable.