A Treatise Concerning Antichrist, Book 2 · Chapter 15
Chap. 15. Of the miracles of Antichrist.
1 WEe are now come to the eight maine argument, which Bellarmine vseth to proue that the Pope of Rome is not Antichrist; because forsooth those things which the holy Ghost in the scriptures hath foretold concerning the miracles of Antichrist, do not agree to the Pope & church of Rome. For concerning the miracles of Antichrist, the scriptures (saith he) mention three things. 1. that Antichrist shall worke many miracles. 2. what maner of miracles they shall be. 3. there are recorded examples. Of al which points I hauehave intreated heretofore, prouing from Bellarmine his owne grounds, that the Pope is Antichrist. And first that many signes and wonders should be wrought by Antichrist & his adherents, which Lib. 1. cap. 7.they call miracles, the scriptures testifie, the euent hath proued, and we do confesse. And secondly, that all these signes & wonders, howsoeuer he and his followers do boast of them, and in respect thereof contemne the true professors: yet are as the Apostle saith, lying signes and wonders, both in respect of the ende, which is to seduce and to confirme lies, & in respect of the substance, which is counterfeit. For wheras Bellarmine addeth that they are also called lying signes in respect of the efficient and author of them, which is the father of lyes, according to whose power Antichrist was to come, who as some of the Fathers affirme, was to be a notable Magician or sorcerer. This seemeth to be somewhat far fetched, vnlesse we will take the word foreign to be masculine (as none doth). Notwithstanding, because the Apostle ascribeth the working of these miracles to the power of Sathan, we will trace him in his owne steppes, not doubting to apply this note also to the Pope and church of Rome: seeing it cannot be doubted, but that as very many not onelyonly of their Cleargy, but euen of their Popes, hauehave bene notable Magicians and sorcerers: so also very many of the miracles in the church of Rome, hauehave bin the operatiōs or illusiōs of the diuell. As for their Cleargy, who knoweth not, but that there hauehave bin fewe learned men among thē, who hauehave not bene knowne, or at the least suspected, to be coniurers, and skilfull (as some call it) of the blacke Art. But as touching the Popes, because it may seeme incredible, that any known Magician or sorcerer should be aduanced to the Apostolike See, as they call it: therefore it may be thought, that the sorcery & witchcraft of the most of thē, who indeed were sorcerers, was hidden & vnknown. Notwithstanding euē in their owne writers there are recorded as knowne Magicians & sorcerers aboue 20. Popes, diuers wherofgaue themselues wholy to the diuell, that in thē the prophesie of the Apostle might be fulfilled, viz. that they might come to the Papacie by the helpe of the diuell, or as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Thess. 2. 9. that their comming might be according to the efficacie of Satan: And as this hapned often, so especially about those times wherein Antichrist in the Papacie was in a maner come to his full growth, that is to say, in Syluestex 2. & Gregory 7. and all the Popes betwixt them, who were a sort of infamous sorcerers. And therefore if any miracles hauehave bin wrought by such Popes, (as Saunders braggeth of many signes & wonders wrought by Gregory 7.) we need not doubt, but that as themselues were Magicians Demonsir. 20.and sorcerers, so their signes and wonders were wrought by the power of the diuell.
2 And thus Bellarmine through all the causes sheweth the miracles of Antichrist, to be lying signes and wonders. But to what ende I beseech you serueth all this discourse? Will Bellarmine conclude from hence that the Pope is not Antichrist, either because there are no miracles in the church of Rome, which was the first point, or because those miracles which they hauehave, be not lying signes and wonders, which was the second? If this were his ende, why then doth hee not from this proposition as it were his groundworke, assume and conclude after this manner. By Antichrist and his adherents many signes and wonders shall be wrought (which they call miracles) as the scripture testifieth: By the Pope and his adherents many signes and wonders hauehave not bin wrought which they call miracles, therfore the Pope is not Antichrist. But Bellarmine durst not reason thus, seeing the Papists bragge of nothing more then of their signes and wonders, which they call miracles. And therefore from this ground I hauehave heretofore inferred the contrary. For if it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his adherents in these latter times to worke many signes and wonders, which they call miracles: then can it not be auoyded, but that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist, and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist, seeing they alone do bragge of miracles. See the first booke. chap. 7. §. 1. & 2. Secondly, why doth hee not reason thus? By Antichrist and his followers, lying signes and wonders shalbe wrought: But by the Pope and church of Rome, there hauehave bene no lying signes and wonders wrought, therefore the Pope is not Antichrist. Indeed this would Bellarmine hauehave the simple reader gather from his words, and that is the drift of all that discourse. But this he could not assume and conclude, because his owne conscience doth tell him that, which all the worlde knowes, that their church is full of lying signes and wonders, which they call miracles. Therefore from Bellarmines owne ground I reason thus: If it be a peculiar note of Antichrist and his Synagogue in these latter times to work many lying signes and wonders, then it must be confessed, that the Pope is Antichrist, and the church of Rome the Synagogue of Antichrist, because among them are many lying signes and wonders: but the first is testified in the scriptures, and therfore the latter cannot be denied, seeing I hauehave proued that the church of Rome is full of lying signes and wonders, which notwithstanding they call miracles. See the first Booke. Chap. 7. §. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
3 It is plaine therefore, that of those three things which Bellarmine obserueth out of the scriptures concerning the miracles of Antichrist, the two first doo fitly serue to proue the Pope Antichrist. Neither will the three examples of Antichrist his miracles which Bellarmine setteth downe in the third place, disproue the same. For of these three examples, to wit, First that Antichrist, or at least his Ministers, shall make fire to come downe from heauen in the sight of men. Secondly, that he shall put life into the Image of the beast, and cause it to speake. Thirdly, that he shall faigne himselfe to die, and to rise againe. The two first (which indeed belong to Antichrist) doe fitly agree to the Pope (as hath bene shewed in the first booke, chap. 7. from the 8. §. to the ende of the chapter.) The third belongeth not to Antichrist. From whence notwithstanding, Bellarmine argueth thus. The third miracle of Antichrist (saith he) is, that he shall faigne himself to die & to rise againe, for which miracle especially the whole world almost shall admire him. But neuer did any Pope faigne himselfe to die and rise againe, therefore the Pope is not Antichrist. I answere to the proposition, that no such miracle in the scripture is assigned vntounto Antichrist, but that it is a sond imagination of the Papists, which by some of them, and namely by Lib. 3. de pontif. Rom. cap. 5Bellarmine himselfe is propounded more fondly, to wit, that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die, and by the helpe of the diuell shall rise againe. For if his death be but counterfeit, he shall not neede the diuels helpe to raise him. Notwithstanding, they would grounde this miracle vponupon those words, Apoc. 13. 3. And I sawe one of his heads as it were wounded to death, but his deadly wound was healed, and all the world wondred after the beast. I answere, that in these words the holy Ghost speaketh not of Antichrist, & that he of whom he speaketh, doth not saigne himselfe to die, and rise againe. As touching the first of those two beasts described in this chapter, the former is not Antichrist, but the latter. The former which is described vntounto the 11. Verse, is the Romane Empire, especially vnderunder the persecuting Emperours, as hath bene shewed, eueryevery part of that description fitting the same. And that the latter beast signifieth Antichrist, it is in a maner confessed of all. Heare what Bellarmine saith in the beginning of his tenth chapter, speaking of the Lib. 3. de Pontif. Ro. ca. 10.16. 17. and 18. Verses of this 13. chapter of the Apocalyps, which are spoken concerning the second beast, Fatentur omneo (saith hee) pertinere omnino ad Antichristum verba illa Ioannis Apoc. 13. & fuciet omnes pusillos cum magnis, &c. All men confesse, that those words of Iohn, Apoc. 13. And he shall make all both small and great, &c. do wholy appertaine to Antichrist. And in this very chapter how doth Bellarmine proue, 1. that Antichrist shall worke great signes, because it is said, verse 13. & fecit signa magna, and he wrought great signes. 2. that many of the signes of Antichrist shall be phantasticall, and onelyonly in appearance, because it is said in the same verse, that he doth cause fire to descend in the sight of men. 3. that Antichrist shall cause fire to come downe from heauen, and make the Image of the beast to speake, because it is so prophesied of Antichrist, verse 13. and 15. Now if this be confessed, that the latter beast is Antichrist, then can it not be truly affirmed, that the former beast is Antichrist, vnlesse we may say, that the former and the latter are one and the same. But that cannot be truly saide. For of the latter Iohn saith, And I sawe foreign an other beast. verse. 11. If it be an other, then is it not the same, and the great difference in the descriptions of both, doth shewe that they are diuerse beasts, The one arising out of the Sea, hath tenne hornes, the other arising out of the earth, hath two hornes like the Lambe. The latter exerciseth the power of the former, and that in his sight, causeth men to worship the former beast, whose deadly wound was healed, maketh an Image to the former beast which had a deadly wound, & liued. verse 14. Therfore the second Vers. 12.beast which signifieth Antichrist, is not that beast which had the deadly wound and was cured thereof, nor yet the head which was so wounded.
4 Againe (to come to that obiection which Bellarmine maketh vntounto himselfe, and doth not satisfie) this miracle and the two first doo not belong to one and the same subiect: if therefore the two first concerning fire and the Image, belong to Antichrist, then this doth not; or if this do, then the other two do not: but all confesse, that those two do belong to Antichrist, therefore this doth not.
Herevnto Bellarmine would seeme to answere, that the former beast signifieth either the Romane Empire, or the multitude of the wicked, and that one (that is to say the chiefe head thereof) which seemed to dye and rise againe, is Antichrist. For saith hee, Antichrist shall be the chiefe and the last head of the wicked, as also of the Romanes. The second beast signifieth either Antichrist himselfe, according to Rupertus, or the Ministers and Preachers of Antichrist, according to Richardus and Anselmus. And therefore these three miracles belong either to Antichrist alone, or to him and his Ministers. In which answere of Bellarmine, we see that prouerbiall speech verified, that Great it the truth, and it shall preuale. Seeing the force and euidence Esdr. 341.of truth hath expressed from him in this place a confession that ouerthroweth the popish concerning Antichrist, and manifestly proueth the Pope to be Antichrist. Namely, when hee confesseth according to the true interpretation of the auncient Interpreters and Fathers of the Church, that the beast with seuen heads is the Romane Empire, & that Antichrist is one of those seuē heads: as also else-where he hath confessed that the whore of Babylon is the citie of Rome. From hence therefore it followeth, that Antichrist shall be the head, Cap. 13.not of the Iewes, but of the Romanes, that his chiefe seate or See shall be, not Ierusalem, but Rome, that the name of the beast is Romane or Latine, that Antichrist is not one particular man, no more then the other sixe heads of the Romane Empire, but a state of gouernment, as the Kings were one head, and the Consuls an other, and the Emperours but one head, and the Popes and Papacie but one head, and lastly, that the head of the beast or Romane Empire, which is Antichrist, can be no other but the Pope of Rome. For of these seuē heads S. Iohn saith, that in his time fiue of thē were fallen, one was, & an other was not yet come. These fiue which were fallen, were the fiue first, viz. kings, consuls, Decēuiri, tribunes, & dictators. The head that then was, out of question was the Emperours, who were the sixt head, the seuenth (which is of the Popes) was not yet come: Which then of these seuen heads doth signifie Antichrist? surely none of the fiue first, for they were past before S. Iohns time: nor the sixt, which is the state of Emperours, for that then was, and Antichrist was not yet come; and as the Papists confesse, that was it which hindered the reuelation In 2. Thess. 2.of Antichrist, and therefore was to be done out of the way before Antichrist could bee reuealed. It remaineth therefore that the seuenth head (which is of the Popes) is Antichrist. For as touching the Imperiall state renewed in the West, the holy Ghost plainely saith, that the beast which was, and is not, though it be, as being but the Image of the olde Empire, is the eight, and is one of the seuen: that is, in name and title it is the same with the sixt, as Images beare the names of those things which they doo represent. If therefore Antichrist bee one of the seuen heads of the Romane state (as vndoubtedly hee is, and as our aduersary here confesseth) then can it not be denied, but that the Pope, who is the seuenth head, is Antichrist.
5 The other interpretation, that the beast with seuen heads doth signifie the whole multitude of the wicked, is senselesse and absurd. For if the beast be the vniuersall company of the wicked, what is the world, which verse. 3. is said to wonder after the beast? what are all the kinreds, tongues, nations which are made subiect to the beast, verse. 7.? who are all those inhabitants of the earth that do worship him? doth not the holy Ghost plainely say, verse. 8. that they are those whose names are not written in the booke of the Lambe; that is to say, the company of the wicked and reprobates? When as Bellarmine therefore saith, that this beast signifieth either the Romane Empire, or the whole company of the wicked, wee may adde, but it signifieth not the whole company of the wicked. It remaineth therefore that it signifieth the Romane state, whereof Antichrist is a head. But although Antichrist bee one head of the seuen, yet it followeth not, that the head which was as it were wounded to death, is Antichrist, but rather the estate of Emperours which then was. For albeit the b…ast with seuen heads doth signifie the Romane state in generall, yet in that place it seemeth to bee described as it was subiect to the sixt head. In the 17. chapter as it is renewed and subiected to the Antichristian state. For the beast (which he there speaketh of) which was, and is not though it be, was after to arise foreign, and being the eight in order, was in name one of the seuen: on which beast as also vponupon those waters, that is, nations wherof the old Empire did arise, the whore of Babylon (whereby is meant the Antichristian state) sitteth, that is, ruleth and raigneth as a Queene.
6 And that it may appeare that there is no necessitie that we should vnderstand this wound of Antichrist, let vsus consider what wounds the Romane state had receiued, and was cured thereof. First therefore by the death of Iulius Caesar, and the ciuill warres therevpon ensuing, the Romane Empire receiued as it were a deadly wound, & yet recouered it so againe, as that in Augustus and some of his successors, it flourished more then euer before. And this some thinke to be the wound of the beast which was cured, whereof the holy Ghost here speaketh, describing the beast by that which was knowne to hauehave bene done in the Romane state. The second wound which the Romane Empire receiued, was at the death of Nero, in whom the stocke of the Caesars ended: which being cut off, the succession of the Imperiall Crowne was vncertaine, and by the vncertaintie of succession the like desolation threatned to that Empire, which happened to the Graecian Monarchy after the death of Alexander the great; the Empire being left as a prey for the mightiest. Neither was this wound cured vntill Uespasian obtained the Empire. For after Nero, Sergius Galba seized vponupon the Empire, and enioyed the same but seuen monethes and seuen dayes. And albeit to establish the succession, hee had adopted Piso, yet was hee murdered by Syluius Otho, who succeeded him, and Otho after three moneths and fiue dayes was slaine by Uitellius, who also after eight moneths was deposed and put to an ignominious death by Uespasian: In whom the Empire which since the death of Nero had bene incertum & vagum, as Suetonius saith, was established, and as it were cured of the former wound, which diuers learned men thinke to be vnderstood in this place. Others rather expound this deadly wound of the dissolution of the Empire in the West, Augustulu; being ouercome by the Gothes, and the Empire in the West lying voyd vntill Charles the great, in whom this wound was after a sort cured. Therefore although Antichrist be one of the heads of this beast, yet seeing he is but one of the seuen, and the holy Ghost speaketh of this Empire especially, as it was ruled by the sixt head, that is to say, the Emperours; there is no necessitie, nay, no probabilitie that by the head which was wounded wee should vnderstand Antichrist, especially seeing Antichrist is afterwards described at large, and that by these notes among others, that he causeth men to worship the former beast, whose mortall wound was healed, verse. 13. and caused an Image to be made to the beast which had the deadly wound, verse. 14. which as appeareth also by the Image, was the Romane state vnderunder the Emperors; for thereof the Empire renewed is an Image.
7 But now suppose that Antichrist were this head which was wounded and cured as he is not, yet how doth it follow that therefore Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die and rise againe, seeing he speaketh not of a particular mans death and resurrection, as the Papists imagine, but of the wounding and curing of a state signified by the head. Neither speaketh he of death and resurrection, but of wounding and curing: neither is the wound and the cure counterfeit and faigned, but the wound is truly inflicted and truly cured; such, as was both the wound of the Romane Empire, either at the murther of Iulius Caesar, or death of Nero, or vanquishing of Augustulus; and also the cure in Augustus, in Vespasian, and as Bellarminee else-where De translat. imperi… lib. 1. cap. 4.saith, in Carolus Magnus. If therfore neither Antichrist be spoken of in this place, nor yet he who is spoken of, doth faigne himselfe to die and rise againe; how is it proued from these words, that Antichrist shall faigne himselfe to die and rise againe?