A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 17 · Commentary · Refutation · Chapter 15
Chapt. 15. Of Antichriſts Miracles.
CONCERNING the Miracles of Antichriſt, three things. you ſay, are found in the Scriptures: firſt, that he shal doo many miracles: ſecondly that they shalbe lyes: thirdly that ther are three examples ſet down: al which I eaſilie grant unto you. But why add you not ſomwhat to make it plain that the Pope is no kinn to Antichriſt, as that the Pope neither dooth many miracles, nor lyes, nor thoſe three exemples which you mētion by name? It ſeems you feared the triall: but you muſt needs be brought unto it, though againſt your will. That he wel agrees with Antichriſt in multitude of miracles; neither can you, neyther doubtleſſe lyſt you to deny: ſeing this is one of the chief notes, wherin your Church glorieth. Of this firſt branch therfore, ther is no controverſie. But whither thoſe ſignes be lies, which are doon by the Popes & their Miniſters, ſince Antichriſt firſt began to ſhew himſelfe, let us breifly conſider: that therby alſo may appear, whither the crime be true or falſe, which our men doo charge you with.
I wil not uſe that argument, which the Spirit maketh to be a ſure token of falſe miracles, namely, that whatſoever is doon for to confirm errour and ſuperſtition, is to be counted for a fraudulent ſign: (for you doo not acknowledge your errours, although this should be a ſufficient argumēt, unto them that have learned the truth:) but I wil bring ſuch as even your ſelves cannot deny. Let us therfote examine a litle thoſe famous miracles of Pope Sylveſter, to whom are attributed cheifly three. One that by ſacred Batpiſme he cured Conſtantine the Great, of a leproſie. An other, that he raiſed up agayn a bull that was killed by Zambri a Jewiſh ſorcerer. The third, that he bound a Dragon after a marvelous manner: As touching the Leproſie, everie mā may eaſilie ſmel it to be but a ſtinking fiction by this, that the ancient writers that lived eyther next after Conſtantine, or togither with him, ſpeak not anie one word of the ſame. Euſebius who ſo diligently wrote his life and heaped up ſolemly unto his prayſe, whatſoever could any where be gathered: would not have conceled this ſingular benifit of God. It muſt needs therfore bee that the later writers drew al this out of the third ditch, namely from the Romiſh fables framed for this purpoſe onelyonly, to encreaſe the Popes authoritie. Agayn, ſeing the curing of this Leproſie depēdeth on Baptiſme, and it is certenly known that he was baptiſed, not by Sylveſter at Rome, but by Euſebius at Nicomedia, and that not in the beginning of his reign, but in the latter end of his life: who ſeeth not this cure to be altogither feighned and falſe? Euſebius telleth that he was baptiſed at Nicomedia a litle before he departed this life. Jn Vita Conſtant. lib. 4. Wherto agree Socrates lib. 1. cap. 39. Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 32. Sozom lib. 2. cap. 34. Ambroſe lib. De obitu Theodoſij & Hieron. in Chronicis. But you on the othet ſide obiect Iſidorus, Zonaras, and Nicephorus, who being but late writers in reſpect of thoſe ancients, what credit deſerv they in this thing? Could theſe later men know the truth more certaynly, which were furder off from al means to find it out? But let us ſee in a word, what ground every of them doo rely upon.
Iſidorus in his Chronicle, becauſe perhaps he knew that the Romans boaſted of Conſtantines baptiſme; and knew withal what the ancient writers had ſaid of this matter: that both might be thought to be true, he wil have him baptiſed at Rome, but rebaptiſed by Euſebius of Nicomedia the Arrian. But he marketh not wel the ancient Hiſtorie, which with one consēt reporteth that he deferred his Baptiſme unto that day, becauſe he deſired to be baptiſed in Iordan. How did he deferr it, if he had received it before at Rome? Moreover he raſhly & injuriouſly chargeth the godly Emperour with the greevous crime of violating his faith: who neither Euſebius of Nicomedia, nor any other Arrian could ever lead away from the truth; ſeing while he lived, he ſo reſtreyned them al by his authoritie, as they neither could nor durſt move anie thing againſt the faith eſtabliſhed. Socrates lib. 2. cap. 2. But the Ariminine ſynod abundantly teſtifieth in an Epiſtle to Conſtā tine his ſon, that he perſiſted conſtant in the true Nicene faith even to his laſt end. We have judged it abſurd, ſay they, even then ſo ſoon as he being baptiſed is departed from men, and gone unto his due reſt, after him to mind for to goe about a new thing, and to contemn ſuch holy Confeſſours and Martyrs. Theſe things agree not to a man fallen from the truth. And after that agayn; And this moreover we intreat you, that nothing be eyther taken away from the things which were before ordeyned, nor anie thing added: but that al things may remayn intyre & unviolated, which through the pietie of your Father, are kept unto this very day. Theod. lib. 2. 19. Sozom lib. 4. 18. Farre be it therfore that we should think he made ſhipwrack of faith, and deſired a ſecond baptiſme of an Arrian. Zonaras mentioneth but one Baptiſme, and that by Sylveſter; but his tale agrees not with the truth. For he wil have it that Conſtantine thē firſt forſook the worshiping of Idols, and was clenſed from his leproſie by the Baptiſme of Sylveſter, after that, Licinius being ſlayn, he alone had the ſoveraignty. But Euſebius a witneſſe then living, telleth how ſtraight after that miraculous ſight in heaven, he caled the Chriſtians to him, and by them was taught the whole way of ſalvation, that he gave himſelfe to the reading of holy Scriptures; had the Preiſts in great eſtimation, & promiſed that he would worship no other God thenceforward. Euſeb. in vita Conſtant. lib. 1. and his promiſe he indeed performed, as appeareth by thoſe Edicts in the behalfe of Chriſtians, which he togither with Licinius that reigned with him, cauſed to be promulgated. Euſeb. lib. 10. ca. 5. And was not he made a Chriſtian, until Sylveſter entred him into that profeſsion; when he made warr with Licinius, becauſe he uncourteouſly and yll intreated the Chriſtians? And wheras he relateth that Peter & Paul by night appeared in his ſleep, and bade him ſend for Sylveſter: and that he asked of him whither Chriſtians worshipped the Gods caled Peter and Paul: it is very ridiculous. Who are witneſſes, I pray you, that Peter and Paul appeared unto him by night? To whom did Conſtantine report this? Was it to Sylveſter, and not to Euſebius? Or how could he be ignorant of the Chriſtians God, who had before now ſo exactly learned of Chriſtians, and himſelf read the holy Scriptures, and alſo vowed, that he would have no other God beſide Chriſt, as we shewed even now from Euſebius? And ſtrange it is that he should not ſend for Sylveſter, but when he was bidden by revelation, who from his firſt converſion, ſo familiarly uſed the holy Miniſters, as he had them for companions, even making the Preiſts of God aſſiſtants to him: Euſeb. in the ſame place. Raſhly therfore did Zonaras preferr the Romiſh Legends, before the more ancient faithful Hiſtorie. Nicephorus was moved by the authority of the Church of Rome; & the Font which Conſtantine is ſayd to have made at Rome: as alſo for that the Emperour was admitted into the Nicen Synod, which the Fathers, he thinketh, would not have doon, unleſſe he had been before baptized. But as cōcerning the authoritie of the Church of Rome, and the Font, they ſhall be of ſome moment, and have their weight, when the Church of Rome ſhal have proved that she feighneth not in verie many other things. And that third thing, of place in the Synod, it is too leight for to diſcredit ſo ſufficient witneſſes. For why should they not admitt him into the Synod, whō they ought to admitt unto publik prayers, and the preaching of the word? A ſynod is as it were an aſſemblie of Propheſiers, from which, by the Apoſtles rule even infidels ar not to be excluded. But if all, ſaith he, propheſie, and ther come in one that is an unbeleever, or an unlearned one, he is rebuked of al, he is iudged of al: and ſo the ſecrets of his hart are made manifeſt, and ſo he wil fal down on his face and worſhip God, ſaying plainly that God is in you in deed. 1. Cor. 14.24.25. But Conſtantine had obteyned like precious faith with the other Saincts, & therfore alſo might be partaker of the Spirit, as they on whom it fell before Baptiſm, Act. 10.44. &c. And wheras he delayed his Baptiſme: the Fathers knew he did that not of cōtempt, but of a kind of religion; (of what manner, I diſpute not.) They might alſo think, that neither Moſes counted his children aliants from the covenant, though they were not circumciſed at the apointed day: neither were the Iſraelites forbidden to offer ſacrifices, and doo other ſervice of the Tabernacle, although they were not circumciſed in the wildernes. Wherfore ther was no cauſe, why entrance should be denied him into the Synod: ſeing al deferring of the outward ſign, taketh not away from the faithful the right of children, either with God, or with men in the common duties of godlines. Foraſmuch then as it is certayn that Conſtantine was not baptiſed til the laſt part of his life: it is a lying fable, that Sylveſter ſhould clenſe him of his Leproſie by fotce of baptiſme adminiſtred 20. yeres before at the leaſt. And in deed ſo Iacobus de Voragine freely acknowledgeth, in the Legend of the finding of the holy Croſſ, ſpeaking of Conſtantines baptiſm; It is doubtful, ſaith he, whither he deferred his baptiſm or no: wherupon ther is likeweiſe more doubt of the Legend of Sainct Sylveſter. And a litle after, It is evident that ther are manie things in the Hiſtorie, which are recited in the Churches, which are not conſonant to the truth. He ſpeaketh of the invention of the Croſſ: but ther is the ſame reſpect of al Legends. This therfore is a lying miracle, which is not confirmed by anie ſufficient witneſſe, and is contrary to the true Hiſtorie.
The ſecond miracle is of a Bull rayſed up againe by Sylveſter, which Zā bres a Iew (the laſt of the twelv which diſputed againſt the truth of Chriſt) by mumbling ſome words in his ear, made fall down dead ſuddenly. This fable is like the former. None of the ancient writers, that either lived in thoſe times, or ſucceded next, doo ſpeak any one word of this thing. Sur…ly he was not yet born, that should forge this tale from Iuſtin Martyrs diſputation with Trypho. Moreover Zonaras telleth the thing as if Helena the mother of Conſtantine were togither with her ſon at Rome. The Legend wil have her to be abſent at the converſion of her ſon in Iudea, & ſtomaking that he was made a Chriſtian, she haſtened thence to Rome, with 149. learned Iewes, to make trial of the truth by diſputing. Agayn the Legend is not onelyonly contrarie to Zonaras, but even to it ſelfe. For in the life of Sylveſter, it ſaith, that Helena went into Judea before her converſion; and in the Legend of the Invention of the Croſſ, it ſaith, after her converſiō. For she went to ſeek the Lords Croſſe. And certain it is, she made this journey but once, being alſo aged, and her nephewes conſtituted Caeſars; as Euſebius tel…eth in vita Conſtant, lib. 3. This ſign alſo relyeth upon no other beſide ſuch vain witneſſes: and whither it be a lye or no, let the reader now iudge.
The third miracle is of a Dragon lurking in a great deep ditch, who being malcontent for the converſion of Conſtantine and his people, killed dayly with his breath more than 300 men. VntoUnto this Dragon, did Sylveſter deſcend with two Preiſts, at the cōmandement of Peter and Paul that appeared unto him: and tyed his chapps with a threed, and ſealed with a ring that had the ſign of the croſſ upon it. This miracle it is ynough to repeat; it were folly to refute. By theſe miracles therfore of Sylveſter, men may judge of the reſt. But, you wil ſay, theſe things perhaps are falſly recorded of him. I anſwer, it is al one, whither the Pope himſelfe doo falſe miracles, or that falſe ones be aſcribed to him by his men. Al tend to one end, that the Beaſt may be worſhiped, that is, that the Pope may have chiefeſt honour.
Secondly, I ſay, that miracles were ceaſed in the times of Chryſoſtome and Auguſtine: for ſo Chryſoſtome on 1. Cor. 2. Homil. 6. renders a reaſon, why ſigns were doon in the Apoſtles time, and in his time not; namely becauſe by how much the more certayn and neceſſ…ry things are, by ſo much is f…ith the leſſer: and a litle after, by how much the more certain argume… is ſhewed, by ſo much is the reward of faith aba…ed: therfore ther wer… no ſign… don at that preſent. So A…guſtine alſo, De vera r…lig. cap. 25. ſaith; For ſei…g the Catholik Church is ſpred and founded through the whole world, neither are th…ſe miracles ſuffred to endure unto our times, leaſt the mind ſhould alwayes ſeek viſible things, and by the cuſtome of them man kind ſhould wex cold, which by the newnes of them was ſet on fyre. Neither ought we now to doubt that they are to be beleeved, who when they preach thoſe things which few can attayn, yet could they perſuade peoples, that they were to be folowed. And again, they ſay, why ar not the miracles doon, which are reported to have been doon? J could verily ſay that they were neceſſary before the world did beleev, to the end that the world might bel…eve. Whoſoever ſtil ſeeketh wonders, that he may beleev, he himſelfe is a great wonder, which beleeveth not, when the world beleeveth. Theſe teſtimonies doo convince all your Popiſh miracles, which are almoſt infinite, of fraude and couſenage; at the leaſt ſince that time. And ſurely it ſeemeth, God of his ſingular providē ce, had put an end to the old miracles, before that age: that Antichriſt with his mates might the better be known, when he should come forth, with his new pomp of miracles.
Thirdly, ther are not wanting men of your own crew, which have acknowledged the vanitie of your miracles; as Alexander de Hales, par. 4. quaeſt. 53. mem 4. art. 3. Solu. 2. Jn the Sacrament ther appeareth fleſh, ſomtime by mans procurement, ſometime by the Divils operation. And Nicol. Lyra on Daniel: Sometime in the Church the people are greatly deceived with miracles feighned by the Preiſts, or ſuch as ſtick unto them for lucre.
Fourthly, examples alſo prove it, ſuch as (to omitt innumerable others) were in that famous conflict of the Franciſcans and Dominicans among the men of Berne, about the birth of the B. Virgin Mary. Certain Monks, as Peucerus telleth, in his 5. book of Chronicles) when they could not prevail by authoritie of teſtimonies, betook themſelves for help unto juggling ſteights: For hiding themſelves in an Jmage of the Bleſſed Virgin, that was artificially made for this purpoſe, they counterfeyted in her marvelous geſtures: ſo as they perſuaded the people, that ſhe did mourn, lament, complayn, ſhed tears, and give anſwesr to them that aſked of her. Which fraud being manifeſted, the authors of it were burned the day before the Kalends of Iuly, in the yere 1590. Wher is to be obſerved that this deceit was hid from the ignorant people, before ther roſe a contention between the religious themſelves, to weet, the maſters of theſe jugglings, who knowing wel by what ſleight they were wont to deceive the world, did eaſily find out the authors of ſuch a wicked prank. But let me come unto your own familie; you know that at Rome the nam of one Father Juſtinian a Ieſuite was famous, who firſt feighned himſelfe a leper, that he might deceiv men by a lying miracle of receaving his health. Then when this ſucceeded wel with him, he feighned that his Ieſuitical habit was ſtriken through with the bullet of a certain gun ſhut off; but when the ſame came to his flesh, by Gods admirable power it rebounded back without anie hurting of him. Why yea, for Ieſuits bodyes be brazen walls. Theſe things at the firſt were beleeved; afterwards they were found falſe: ſo that now at Rome, when any impudent fraud is caſt in a mans teeth, he is caled the ſecond Iuſtinian. But this is no new thing to Ieſuits, whom many of your owne ſide doo confeſſe, (as is publikly reported,) to make no conſcience of ſembling, diſſembling, feighning, and belying al things, ſo as it be for their benefit. For this cauſe they ſpeak ſhrewdly of the miracles of Ignatius, and your Xaverius, in whom you glorie, not onelyonly as a principal ornament of the order of Ieſuits, but alſo of the whole Popish religion: De notis Eccleſiae, lib. 4. cap. 14. And it is no marvel though Xaverius amōg the Indians, ſo farr from al trial, did al thoſe marvelous works, which Maphaeus Ribademeirus and Turſellinus make mention of. It is rather to be marveled that he dyed the common death, and was not rather taken away in a fyerie charret, that being reſerved with Henoch and Elias, he might come at laſt to deſtroy Antichriſt. Doo you give credit to theſe Indian letters, whē as you may remember how that the Ieſuits published in a book ſet out, that Theodore Beza was dead, and before he gave up the Ghoſt, was converted, by means of one of your men, to your Romish religion; & that by his exemple, manie other citizens of Geneva renouncing their former errours, embraced the Popish doctrine? You have not forgotten, I trow, (for ignorant you cannot be of a matter ſo rife in al mens mouthes) how Theod. Beza being marvelouſly raiſed again from the dead, did by letters written in French and Latine, ingrave as on a publik pillar for all Chriſtendom, the incredible impudency of your Ieſuits. Now therfore you may publiſh the Indian miracles of Xaverius, when your ſo egregious pranks be in the open light and eyes of all Europe. Endleſſe it were to ſail into the ſea of al your lying ſignes; therfore had I liefer to relate one or 2. both publikly teſtified, and fresh in memorie; than manie other almoſt forgot with age. Wherfore your Pope dooth ſo lively expreſſe Antichriſt both in multitude and falſitie of miracles, that none I beleev is ſo sharp ſighted, as that he can diſcern any even the leaſt difference.
Ther remayn thoſe three ſpecial miracles, namely, of fyre coming down frō heaven; of the Jmage of the Beaſt to ſpeak; and of the reſurrection of Antichriſt, mē tioned Apoc. 13. where I have shewed how theſe all doo fitly agree to the Pope of Rome. For firſt we declared that theſe things are to be expounded figuratively, not properly; for theſe are miracles common to a Kingdome, (ſuch as by the Apocalypſe we have proved the great Antichriſt to be,) and not of a ſingular man. And that commonly they cannot agree to many ſingulars, ſave figuratively. Moreover if theſe miracles should be perſonal, and proper to one, how could they ſo come to the knowledge of the whole world, that it should folow the Beaſt, with ſuch admiration, as the Apocalypſe ſayth? Things heard, doo move leſſe than thoſe that ar ſeen with the eyes. And Antichriſt should excel with ſuch efficacie of miracles, as he should ſeduce (if it were poſsible) the verie elect: therfore it is altogither abſurd to interpret theſe properly. We shewed that the fyre coming down from heaven, is the fear and terrour of Gods iudgement; which Antichriſt should ſtrike into men that obey not his will: that his reſurrection, is the curing of his wounded head, when the papal dignitie which by the invaſion of the Barbarians ſeemed to have perished, began agayn to wex ſtrong and flourish: that ſpeech given to the Jmage of the Beaſt, is the authoritie of commaunding, unto which the relived Pope did aſpire, pretē ding that al that eminencie which he deſired was no more, than the ancient Popes poſſeſſed of old; wherupon his dignitie was but onelyonly an Image of the ancient. Theſe are the natural interpretations of theſe miracles, unto which the conſent of the whole Apocalypſe leadeth: although if yow would ſtrictly hold the letter; we shewed examples of fyre deſcending frō heaven at the will of the Popes, Apoc. 13.13. Francis Xavier Ieſuite, rayſed the dead by heaps, a few yeres ſince among the Indians: and we related even now out of Peucerus, that an Image in Berne, by means of your men, gave anſwers to them that asked therof. Neither need we ſeek anie other, until you have shewed, that theſe things muſt be underſtood as the words doo ſound. Here we have nothing but your bare affirmation. In the mean while ther is no doubt but thoſe three things which the Scriptures mention of Antichriſts miracles, are al found in your Pope, both multitude, and fraud, and ſpecial examples: and therfore that he is the man of ſyn, whom the Apocalypſe deſcribeth, and Paul foretold to the Theſſalonians, Epiſt. 2. But although you could bring nothing in the whole firſt part of the chapter, wherby to purge the Pope of this impietie by teſtimonie of miracles: yet that you might ſeem to have ſaid ſomthing, you wil anſwer our men, which let us ſee of what ſort it is. The writers of Maydenburgh, ſay you, doo obiect that manie lying miracles have been doon by the Papiſts, ſuch as by viſions of ſowles telling tales of Purgatorie, and begging maſſes to be ſung for them; and cures of diſeaſes which have happened to ſuch as worſhiped Images, or made vowes unto Saincts. And you anſwer two things: firſt that theſe are not the miracles which John writeth that Antichriſt ſhal doo; but to dye and riſe again; to let down fyre from heaven; to give the Jmage power to ſpeak: which you require to be ſhewed, to have been doon by the Pope or Papicts. I anſwer, that I have shewed the Pope was dead when Rome was taken by the Barbarians▪ who being driven away, and he promoted to his former glorie, he roſe again. That he let down fyre from heaven, after he had perſuaded the world, that it was of neceſsity to ſalvation, for to be under the Bishop of Rome; for thē his wrath terrified all men, as if it were the wrath of the great God. That he gave the Image power to ſpeak, when he came to ſuch boldnes, as he freely boaſted both in deed and word; By me Kings reign. Al which miracles ar alſo doon by the Papiſts, which apply their labour for the Pope, wherby he may the more eaſily delude the world with theſe perſuaſions. Though Images alſo doo ſpeak among you: Xaverius raiſeth the dead, & for the Popes ſake, flames have appeared from heaven.
Secondly you anſwer, that thoſe three kinds of Miracles, namelie viſions of ſowls craving maſſes to be ſung for them; healths obteined by worſhiping of Jmages, & for vowes made to Saincts, were uſual in the Church before that time when the adverſaries ſay, Antichriſt appeared. I anſwer, that which you affirme is partly falſe, partly of no moment, to prove your Miracles not to be lyes. Falſe it is which you ſay that the ſowl appearing to S. German Bishop of Capua about the yere 500. was before Antichriſts time. For the Apocalypſe teacheth that Antichriſt was born, when the Hethen Emperours were taken away, which fel out about the yere of our Lord 300. Infirme altogither it is which you allege of the like miracles doon before Antichriſt, as Euſebius relateth, lib. 7. Hiſt. cap. 14. of the brazen Statue which the woman that had the bloody yſſue erected to our Saviour; and Theodoret lib. 8. ad Graecos. For both before Antichriſt, and after his coming, lying ſignes should be doon. For now, ſayth Paul, the Myſterie of iniquitie worketh, 2 Theſſ. 2.7. And the Myſterie wrought as wel by Myracles, as by ſuperſtition and falſe doctrine, as appeareth by the Heretik Mark, who made the wine in the Cup to appear bloud, of whom Irenaeus ſpeaketh, lib. 1. cap. 9. So the Montaniſts alſo had their miracles, as Tertullian teſtifieth, lib. de Anim. cap. Nihil animae. And the difference between the great Antichriſt and theſe litle ones, is in more and leſſe. For theſe forerunners did Miracles, by a shorter and ſtraiter kind of power: But the great Antichriſt should come with the efficacy of Sathan, with al power, namely to deceive in larger borders Wherupon he should exceed in greatnes, multitude, and impudency of guiles, and al kind of hurting. Miſerable therfore is your defenſe of the Pope by Miracles, which if in any thing ells, doo plainly shew him to be the great Antichriſt. Neither was it, as I think, without the ſingular providence of God, that you which make miracles to be one chief mark of the Church, should at length know by experience, that they wil turne to your deſtruction, who hoped by them to have greateſt ſafegard.