A Treatise Concerning Antichrist, Book 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. 9. ¶ Of those things which Antichrist was and is to suffer.
1. WE hauehave heard what Antichrist was to doe to others: now let vsus consider what the holy Ghost foretelleth shall be done vntounto him. There is mention made Apoc. 17. 12. of the Apoc. 17. 12. &c.ten hornes, that is the rulers of the ten prouinces subiect to the Empire in the West; who although in the Apostles time had not receiued kingdome or soueraigne authority, but were deputies onelyonly vnderunder the Emperour: yet after the decay of the Empire in the west, they together with Antichrist diuide the Romane Empire among them, raigning by soueraigne authority, he in Rome and part of Italy, they in the other prouinces, Of these ten hornes it is said, that they for a time should giuegive their power and strength vers 13.to the beast, meaning Antichrist: and that in his quarell they shall fight against Christ the lambe in his members. But the v. 14.bloud of Martyrs being the seede of the Church, and the truth preuailing when it is most oppugned: Christ by the constancie of his Martyrs and preaching of his word ouercommeth. For though in respect of the manner of his resistance hee seemeth a meeke lambe: yet hee shall be sure to ouercome, because he is the king of kings and Lord of Lords; being able by weake and foolish things (as they are esteemed in the world) to ouercome the wise and strong. And howsoeuer those fewe in comparison that stoode with him were condemned for hereticks and schismatickes, yet are they the called, chosen, and faithful seruants of the Lord. Whereas contrarywise the generall multitudes (whereof the catholicke apostasy consisteth) are the slaues of Antichrist, and subiect to the whore of Babylon. For the waters whereon she sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, nations v. 15.and tongues. But when as our Sauiour Christ shall discouer Antichrist, and by the ministery of the word, as it were the breath of his mouth, waste and consume him: then shal the ten kings, which before had ioyned with him, set thēselues against him: and those which before had committed fornicatiō with the v. 2.whore of Babylon, shall hate her and make her desolate and naked, v. 16.and shal eate her flesh and shall burne her with fire. And that this decay of the Antichristian state doth follow vpō the preaching of the gospell, it appeareth Apoc. 14. 6. 7. 8. where it is said that vponupon the preaching of the euerlasting Gospell, an angell saith, It is fallen, it is fallen, Babylon that great city: for shee gaue to all nations to drinke the wine of the wrath of her fornication. v. 17.For vntill this time that Christ discouer Antichrist and in some measure consume him with the spirite of his mouth, the ten kings are giuen ouer of God to support with one consent the beast and purple harlot; whome, after Antichrist is discouered, they shall hate and oppugne.
2 But let vsus come to the application. For euen as from this place I proued before that Antichrist is already come▪ so may I now from hence conclude that the Pope is that Antichrist. That Antichrist is come, it is as certaine as that the prouinces of the Empire are not ruled by deputyes of the Emperour, but by soueraigne princes, who hauehave together with Antichrist diuided the Empire among them. And that the Pope is that Antichrist it is as certaine. For he it is, who, as well as the kings, hath risen by the decay of the Empire in the west: he it is, and no other, to whome these kings hauehave with one consent giuen their strength and power, submitting themselues vntounto him as his vassalls, swearing to mainetaine and support him, fighting his battailes and drawing their sword at his becke. And being made drunke with the cuppe of his fornications they fought against the lambe, and persecuted those seruaunts of Christ whom Antichrist condemneth as hereticks and schismaticks: who notwithstanding are in truth the called, chosen, & faithfull; though few and despised in the world. When as contrarywise the vniuersality of people whereon the whore of Babylon sitteth, and whereof the adulterous church of Rome consisteth, are but the branded slaues of Antichrist. But howsoeuer these kings, whiles they were besotted and giuen ouer of God in his iust iudgement that they should submit themselues to the Antichrist of Rome, did seeke by all meanes to support him: yet when Christ had discouered him to be Antichrist, and by the preaching of his word as it were the spirit of his mouth began to waste & consume him, and more and more since the times of Luther to abate the opinion which men had conceiued of him; then these princes, not al, but some of them, began to reuolt from Antichrist, and to hate the Antichristian whore See chap. 2. §. 11.of Babylon the city and church of Rome, and as much as in them lyeth hauehave left her desolate and naked: and the rest in Gods good time shall accomplish his will. For this prophecie concerning that which Antichrist was to suffer, is as yet fulfilled but in part. And still there remaineth to bee fulfilled the finall destruction of Rome the seat of Antichrist, before the end of the world, soretold Apoc. 18. and the finall ouerthrowe of Antichrist at the glorious appearing of Christ at his second comming, prophecied 2. Thess. 2. 8. Apoc. 19. 20. Seeing therefore Antichrist the great enemy of Christ and his church is to be ouerthrowne by these three meanes, by the powerfull ministery of the word, by the puissaunt strength and power of Christian princes, by the glorious comming of Christ to iudgment; all faithfull ministers are to bee stirred vp seriouslie and earnestly to oppose themselues against Antichrist, that by their ministery as it were the spirite of Christs mouth, he may bee more and more wasted and consumed. All true Christian princes are to be excited not onelyonly to hate the whore of Babylon, but also according to the prophecie of the holy ghost to make her desolate and naked, to eate her flesh and burne her with fire, & to do to her children as she hath done to the seruants of Christ. And finallie all sound Christians are to be exhorted, earnestly Apoc. 18. 6.and continuallie to pray that the Lord Iesus would not onelyonly consume Antichrist, giuing successe to the ministerie of his seruants: but also that he would hasten his second coming and destroy him at his glorious appearing. Euen so Lord Iesu, come quicklie. And thus hauehave I shewed that the prophecyes of Ap. 22. 17. 20.the holy ghost in the scriptures concerning Antichrist Conclus.do most fitly and properly agree to the Pope of Rome: whereupon I doe necessarily conclude, that therefore the Pope of Rome is the graund Antichrist described in the scriptures.
FINIS.