A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 17 · Commentary · Refutation · Chapter 9
Chapt. 9. Against the ſixt Demonſtration▪ from the end of the world.
THE ſixt Demonſtratiō is taken from the laſt ſign that foloweth Antichriſt, which shalbe the end of the world. If Antichriſt, ſay you, had bin come long ſince, the world had been at an end long ſince; for he is to come a litle before the end of the world: but the world is not yet ended: therfore he is not yet come. I anſwer, If that of Antichriſts three yeres reign, had been certayn; this which you ſay, should have ſome weight: but foraſmuch as we have proved that to be a vayn fiction, partly by taking away your reaſons, partly by propounding ſuch as you wil never be able to refute; the end of the world maie wel teach Antichriſts end, but is of no force at al to demonſtrate his coming, if we wil ſpeake of it properlie. From the places by you cited, ſom perhaps may argue thus. The end of the world is conioyned with the end of Antichriſt: but the end of the world is not yet come; therfore neyther the end of Antichriſt. But what is this to the purpoſe? We make queſtion of his comming, not of his end. You might have ſpared this labour; unleſſe perhaps you thought theſe were to be prepared againſt a new battel, whē Antichriſts caſe shalbe debated in hell. There this domonſtration may hav ſom weight, wher it ſhalbe certaynly known whither the Pope be periſhed, togither with the deſtruction of al the world, or no. VVherfore the teſtimonies which you bring are quite from the purpoſe, and make nothing for the matter in hand. Yea what and if they prove not that end which you think? Then wil this your demonſtratiō be altogither both without head and tayl. Let us ſee in few words, that we may alſo illuſtrate as it were by the way ſome obſcure places; whoſe meaning it wilbe verie profitable for to know. Firſt you allege that of Dan. ch. 7.9. J conſidered the horns & loe an other litle horn came up, & three of the firſt horns were pluckt away from before him. I beheld til the thrones were ſet up, and the ancient of dayes did ſit &c. And afterwards explaining the viſion, he ſaith, The fou th Beaſt ſhalbe the fourth Kingdome: and the ten horns ar ten Kings, & an other ſhal riſe up after them, & he ſhalbe mightier than the former, & ſhal ſubdue three Kings &c. And they ſhal be given into his hand for a time & times & halfe a time, & iudgement ſhal ſit. I anſwer, neither is the litle horn, the Antichriſt, as we hav shewed neither if he were, dooth his end lead unto the knowledge of that coming But leaving theſe, let us weigh for what cauſe this is cited. From theſe words yow would teach that the end should ſtraightway folow that litle horn. But you ought to have conſidered withal the words after, in ver. 14. & to him was givē dominiō & glorie & kingdom, that al peoples natiōs & tongues ſhould ſerve him▪
That is, he which shal obteyn the Kingdom, when the litle horne is deſtroyed, shalbe an univerſal King, unto whom al nations shal obey. But shal ther remain a diſtinction of peoples, nations, and tongues, after the laſt end? yet is it more playne after, if plainer may be, in verſe 27. And the Kingdome, and amplitude, and rule of Kingdomes, ſhalbe given to the people of the holy moſt High, whoſe Kingdome ſhalbe a perpetual Kingdome, and al Rulers ſhal ſerve it. VVher firſt it is to be obſerved, that the dominion of this Kingdome, shalbe of the things under heaven: then, that it shalbe the holy Moſt-High; and finally, that al rulers shal ſerve this Kingdome: which things cannot have place in the heavenlie Kingdome. The thing …s thus; that litle horne is the Turk, who being at laſt extinguished, the Iewes cō verting univerſallie al of them unto the faith, shal have a perpetual domination, that shal dure until the coming of our Lord from heaven. For the litle horn in Daniel, is Gog in Ezechiel, who being ſlayn, the Chriſtian faith shal exceedingly flourish among the Iewes, as is shewed by that typical building of the Temple & new Citie. The ſame reaſon is of the new Ieruſalem in this Apocalypſe, after Gog is ſlain, ch. 20.21. Theſe things we have partly taken out of the 16. chap. of the Apocalypſe; partly they shal be explayned hereafter more fully. And this is that which Lactantius writeth, lib. 7. chap. 15. The name of Rome, ſaith he, wherwith the world now is ruled, (my hart is afraid to ſpeake it, but ſpeake it I wll, becauſe it ſhal come to paſſe) shalbe taken away from the earth, and the Empire shal returne into Aſia; & the Eaſt again shal have dominion, and the Weſt shal ſerve. The ſecond place is Ap. 20.4 After this he muſt be looſed a litle time: and I ſaw ſeats, and they ſate upon them, and iudgement was given unto them. I anſwer, theſe things are farr from the laſt end. For they folow not as you think after the Divil is looſed; but theſe ſeats are placed during his impriſonment. Againe, there are 1000 yeres before the firſt reſurrection; then they that firſt riſe, doo reign 1000 yeres, as is expreſſely ſaid ver. 6. Therfore theſe ſeats and this iudgement. which you ſuppoſe to be of the laſt end. doo goe before it 2000 yeres at leaſt; ſuch a ſtranger are you in theſe myſteries. Then to that which is alleged out of Dan. 12. Bleſſed is he that wayteth and cometh unto the 1335 dayes, that is, ſay you, unto 45 dayes after Antichriſts death, for then the Lord shal com to iudgment, and wil give the crowns of righteouſnes to them that overcome. I anſwer, as touching this place, we are to explain it after, chap. 20.11. and it may be one day we wil take in hand the ful handling of it. In the meane while let us know, that the deſtruction of Antichriſt properly ſo caled, is not here handled, nor our Lords coming to the laſt judgmēt, which shall not make al bleſſed upon whom it cometh, whē manie shal deſire that they may be covered by the mountains from his ſight: but the ful caling of the Iewes, where Daniel ſtayeth his Propheſie; neither doo anie Propheſies go further.
Fourthly you come unto Mat. 24. this Goſpel of the Kingdome shalbe preached in the whole world, for a teſtimonie to al nations, and then shal the end be. I anſwer, here is no mention of your Antichriſt: and again, the end in this place, is the end of the Iewish politie, not of the world, as I have shewed ch. 4. againſt your firſt Demonſtratiō. But you add the words folowing; Straightway after the tribulation of thoſe dayes, the Sun shalbe darkned, and the Moon shal not give her light, and then shal appeare the ſign of the Son of man. I anſwer, neyther dooth theſe make anie thing for Antichriſts deſtruction to be ioyned with the end of al things, ſeing they ſpeak not of him at al. Yet that wee may ſee the interpretation of the words, let us diſcuſſe them a litle. VVith one conſent, as I ſuppoſe, it is applyed unto our Lords laſt judgment. But this Apocalypſs teacheth both to think and to ſpeak more diſtinctly of this thing. For from hence we doo underſtand, that the Lords coming which is yet to be hereafter, is twofold; the one ſpiritual (ſo named for excellencie,) in the caling of the Iewes; the other corporal, at the general iudgment. And that coming in Mathew, ſeemeth to be ſpiritual, which is in deed deſcribed to be moſt glorious and powrful, by the corporal furniture; as that which shalbe both a clear reſemblance and as it were a certayn pawn therof, & alſo no change shal afterward come between, which may make the corporal to appear as new And that thus the thing is, may eaſily be perceived, if we mind how the Diſciples in the beginning of the chapter inquired of the end of the Temple, of the Lords coming, and the end of the world. VVithout doubt under Chriſts coming they comprehē ded the reſtoring of their nation: and therfore after the Lords reſurrectiō, ſuppoſing that this was the coming which he had givē them hope of; they aske him agayn, Lord wilt thou at this time reſtore the Kingdome to Iſrael? Act. 1.6. But Chriſt anſwering, and by a continued order proſecuting the things to come, teacheth firſt the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, and diſsipatiō of the Iewes: then he annexeth the reſt of the courſe of things, neither anie where mentioneth he anie reſtoring, before this his glorious coming. Therfore it muſt eyther be conteyned in this his appearing, or ther wil be none: which opinion, if the Diſciples had in mind conceived by this anſwer, ſurely they would not have nourished any exſpectation of a Kingdome afterwards. Beſides, a tribulation next goeth before this coming, for ſo he ſaith, immediatly after the tribulation of thoſe dayes, the Sun shalbe darkned; and then shal appeare the ſign of the Sun of man &c. But before his corporal coming, no ſuch tributation ſhal goe immediatly before. For after the caling of the Iewes, and the new conſtituted Church, God wil wipe awaie everie tear from their eies, and death shalbe no more, neither shal mourning, nor crying, nor ſorow be anie more, for the former things are paſſed away; Apoc. 21.4. VVherfore that coming is not corporal. It may be alſo that hath ſome force, which he ſaith that the ſigne of the Son of man ſhall appear; as if purpoſely he would diſtinguish between this ſpiritual coming, and the corporal folowing. Hereunto perteyneth, that thoſe words All the Tribes shal wail &c. Apoc. 1 7. we have there shewed to belong unto the Iewes; and that this wailing is of repentance, which wilbe too late at the corporal coming. Thus much breifly touching the meaning of theſe words: which though they help your cauſe nothing, how ever they be taken; yet was it not impertinent by the way to ſeek out the truth that is hidd in them.
Therfore I anſwer unto that Theſſ. 2.8. Then shal the wicked man be reveled, whom the Lord shal ſlay with the Spirit of his mouth, & deſtroy with the brightnes of his coming: ther is the ſame meaning of this coming, that is of that in Mathew. At the caling of the Iewes, when he shal give a moſt bright resē blāce of himſelfe preſent in the Church, shal Antichriſt utterly be deſtroyed: as we made playn in the former chapter. For after the throne of the Beaſt is darkned, the way shalbe prepared for the Kings of the Eaſt; that is, the Iewes shalbe caled ſtraight after Rome is deſtroyed. For shee onelyonly hindreth this ioy. Then, after the Beaſt and Falſe Prophet and Dragō are cut off; that is, after the Biſhop of Rome, and the Turk be extinct (as after shalbe shewed more at large;) the myſterie shalbe finished, and the ful caling performed, Your Pope, whom you, Bellarmine, boaſt to be the head of the Church, shal neither be head nor foot in the holy congregation of the children of God. And now ſee how farr theſe mountayns are under heaven; whoſe tops, you ſtanding a farr off did think, were hidden among the ſtarrs.
The laſt place is 1 Iohn. 2.18. Children it is the laſt hour, and as you have heard that Antichriſt cometh, even now ther are manie Antichriſts, wherby wee know that it is the laſt hour. I anſwer, what Iohn here concludeth, we eaſily ſee and acknowledge: he proveth that it is the laſt hour, becauſe then manie Antichriſts were come. For Antichriſt should come in the laſt hour. VVhere is to be obſerved, that Iohn alluding to the parable of the labourers, Mat. 20.6. of whom ſome were hyred about the eleventh hour: cō pareth al this age from Chriſt until his laſt coming, unto this laſt elevēth hour. Then, that he ſaith this noyſome age shalbe of Antichriſt, whom he putteth not off unto the laſt minute of this howr, but deferrs him to ſome indefinite ſpace therof. Theſe things dooth Iohn truly, holily, agreably, to his other writings. But what muſt you needs conclude from hence; who wil not have Antichriſt to be yet come? Even thus, and no other way: He that ſhal come in the laſt howr, he is not yet come; Antichriſt ſhal come in the laſt howr; therfore he is not yet come. I bring it into form, that you may ſee your uſual manner of reaſoning, and be ashamed. Your ſylogiſm walks on fowr feet. In the major, by the laſt howr you underſtand ſome litle ſpace, to weet, 3. yeres and a halfe before the laſt end: or otherweiſe, if it comprehend al the time from the firſt coming to the ſecond, the propoſition is moſt falſe. In the minor, the laſt howr is taken in the ſenſe that Iohn uſeth it, for the whole time of grace, until Chriſts ſecond coming: or if it be taken more ſtrictly for 3. yeres and a halfe, it is a fooliſh begging of the queſtion, and Iohns authoritie is pretended in vayn. You bring a ſimilitude to illuſtrate Iohns argumēt, namely that he ſpeaketh of Antichriſt, as one may doo of the Sun, whoſe beams when it ariſeth he caleth the Sū, and that ſo his argument is firm. Even as one may raiſon of the laſt howr of the night, the Sun riſeth in the laſt howr of the night: the Sun beams doo now lighten the aier; therfore this is the laſt howr of the night. I anſwer, the ſimilitude is fitt ynough for the ſignificatiō which the Apoſtle uſeth: for alwaies in the ſame howr the Sun beams and the Sun it ſelfe are ſeen. Wherupon he that maketh al this laſt age, one howr; dooth not amiſſe, to mention his fore-runners in the beginning of it. But you that make the laſt howr to be 3 yeres and a halfe: what help cā you have by the ſimilitude of the Sun & beams? For if you part the howr into ſixtie minutes, Antichriſts forre-rūners doe come before him no more than 210. yeres. What are theſe few yeres, unto the 1500. yeres, in al which you grant Antichriſts beams have been cō ſpicuous, and yet hitherto he hath not appeared; and when at length he ſhall appear, he ſhalbe to be ſeen but 3 yeres and a halfe? How unlike is he to the Sun? And how unlike are his miniſters to the beams? The beams goe ſcarcely half an howr before the Sun; which ſtraightway ariſing yeildeth it ſelfe to be ſeen 12. houres: but theſe forerunners of Antichriſt doe gliſter 1500. yeres, and Antichriſt himſelfe is not yet appeared; and when he shal be come, he shal not shine one minute in reſpect of that ſpace. If therfore Antichriſt be anſwerable to his forerunners, as the Sun is to his beams: he muſt needs be come now many ages ſince, ſeing his fore-runners shined in Iohns time. Take heed hereafter how you have to doo with the Sun. This Delius as his māner is, hideth not vices, but diſcloſeth them. At laſt, from ſcriptures you deſcend to the conſent of Fathers, and the cō feſsion of adverſaries. They with their conſent wil help you nothing, who al of them verily, if they were this day alive, would with like conſent acknowledge that in manie things they erred. I confeſſe alſo, that our men doe think Antichriſt shal reign til the worlds end: but I pray you, let them have place to change their minde, when they are taught better. In things not yet ſufficientlie found out, they think it ſufficient to inſiſt in the footſtepps of other men: but when they shal ſee the truth, (to whoſe voice alone they know for to hearken,) shine from another part, being confirmed by moſt ſure arguments and uſe, you shal perceive that they departing from you, wil leave you naked, of whoſe confeſsion you now doo boaſt.
Theſe things thus finished, you come to the inſoluble Demonſtration, fetched partly from Antichriſts three yeres reign, and partly from the worlds diſsolution conioyned with his death. Antichriſt, ſay you, is not yet come, neither is the Biſhop of Rome he: becauſe ſtraight-after Antichriſts death, the world ſhalbe ended, and Antichriſt ſhal not live, after he hath appeared and begun to reign, but three yeres & a halfe. And the Pope hath reigned now with both ſwords in our adverſaries iudgement above 500. yeres, and yet the world dureth ſtil. I anſwer, I truſt I have alreadie ſufficientlie manifeſted, that that firſt point, to weet, that the world ſhal end ſtraight after Antichriſts death, is not with anie cō petent reaſon by you cōfirmed; but that the ſcriptures alledged, doe ſpeak an other thing, farr diſtant from the laſt end. Then that the ſecond point alſo, viz. that Antichriſt shal live but 3 yeres and a halfe after he hath begun to reign, is in the former chapter convinced to be moſt falſe: and to be nothing els but the efficacie of errour, to deceive them which beleeve not the truth, that at laſt they may perish in eternal deſtruction. And therfore that which you gather from theſe rotten foundations, viz. that Antichriſt is not yet come, and that the Pope of Rome is not he; is moſt vayn. Seing albeit the Pope hath reigned with both ſwords abov 500. yeres: yea and to yeild you more, hath fulfilled 1300. whole yeres: yet nothing letteth it him from being the Antichriſt; nay he is the more convinced by this to be the wicked man; as we hav shewed by undoubted reaſons, groū ded on ſure and tried principles.