A Treatise Concerning Antichrist, Book 2 · Chapter 4
The 4. Chapter: maintaining against Bellarmine his first demonstration, that Antichrist is come.
1. TO prooue that Antichrist is not yet come, and consequently that the Pope is not Antichrist, he bringeth sixe slender conjectures from sixe signes, which, as shall be shewed, are neither proper nor necessarie. And these by a strange kinde of Logicke, he calleth forsooth sixe demonstrations. For so hauehave I read of some troubled with melancholie, who hauehave thought eueryevery Strawe or small Reed in their hands, to hauehave beene so many Speares. We must know (saith he) that the holy Ghost in the Scriptures, hath giuen vsus sixe certaine signes of the comming of Antichrist. Whereof two goe before, viz. the preaching of the Gospell throughout the whole world: and the desolation of the Romane Empire. Two accompanie Antichrist, to wit, the preaching of Enoch and Elias: and the most grieuous persecution of the church, insomuch that the publicke seruice of God must wholy cease. Two come after, namely the ru…e of Antichrist after three yeares and a halfe: and the end of the world. Of which signes, none (saith he) is yet fulfilled. We hold the contrary, namely, that all those signes, which the holy Ghost hath giuen concerning the comming of Antichrist, are fulfilled: and that those which are not yet fulfilled, are none of those signes which the holy Ghost hath assigned. For I will not stand now to tell you how fitlie he maketh the death of Antichrist, and the end of the world, which according to Bellarmines conceit followeth after his death, to be two signes of his comming.
2. The first signe which goeth before the comming of Antichrist, is the Preaching of the Gospell throughout the world. From whence he reasoneth thus: If the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world, then is not Antichrist as yet come: But the Gospell hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world, therefore Antichrist is not yet come. But in this argument nothing is sound: no necessitie of consequence in the proposition, nor truth in the assumption. The proposition, notwithstanding he would prooue, because our Sauiour Christ maketh this vniuersall preaching of the Gospell a fore-runner of Antichrist, Mat. 24. 14. This Gospell of the kingdome shalbe preached in all the world, for atesti…onie to all nations. But our Sauiour Christ doth not say that the Gospell shall be preached throughout the world before the comming of Antichrist, but before the end, as it followeth in the very same verse; and then the end shall come. Whereby we are to vnderstand either the destruction of Jerusalem, which is most like, or the end and consummation of the world, as Bellarmine expoundeth it. And therefore vnlesse he take it for granted, that the comming of Antichrist shall not be before the very end of the world, which we do constantly denie, as being the matter in question betwixt vsus, there is not so much as any shew of reason in this allegation, being vnderstood according to his owne exposition, which also is false. Neither is it the purpose of our Sauiour Christ to signifie vntounto his Disciples the time of Antichrists comming, but by way of answer to the question propounded by his Disciples verse 3. to shew them when Ierusalem should be destroyed, as also to giuegive them some signes of his comming, and of the end of the world. But because the former part of this Chapter is diuershe abused by the Papists in this matter concerning Antichrist, I thinke it needfull by way of a short analysis to giuegive you the true meaning thereof; that by one labour all their cauils may be refuted.
3. Whereas therefore our Sauiour Christ had foretolde his Disciples the vtter desolation of Ierusalem, and destruction of the temple: they being perswaded that the temple and citie of Ierusalem should not hauehave an end before the end of the world, demand therfore of our Sauiour Christ when should be the end of both. Tell vsus (say they vers. 3.) when these things shalbe: that is, when the temple shall be destroyed, & what shalbe the signe of thy cōming▪ & of the end of the world. Which questiō hauing two parts, receiueth an answer to both. To the former, concerning the destruction of Ierusalem, from the 4. vers. to the 23. To the latter, concerning the comming of Christ, and the end of the world, from thence to the 42. As touching the former: our Sauiour prophecieth, first of the calamities and troubles which should go before the destruction of Ierusalem vntounto the 15. verse. And secondly of the destruction it selfe, and the greeuousnesse thereof, vntounto the 23. The troubles and calamities which were the forerunners of the destruction of Ierusalem, were either temporall or spirituall. The temporal either publique and common; or peculiar to the disciples of Christ among the Iewes. The publique, warres, and rumors of warres, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, which were but the beginning, foreign, of sorrowes in the land of Iewry, being about to be deliuered of her inhabitāts, verse. 6. 7. 8. The peculiar troubles to the Christians, persecution and hatred for Christs sake; and the effects thereof in the vnsound, falling away, and betraying and hating one another, verse 9. 10. The spirituall, in the teachers spirits of errour and heresie, vers 5. 11. In the heaters, seduction by false Prophets and falling away, verse 11. 12. Now vntounto this Prophesie are admixed both admonitions and consolations. Admonitions, that they should take heed of false Prophets, verse 4. that they should not be troubled or dismaide with rumors of warres, verse 6. Consolations grounded vponupon a two-folde promise, first of saluation to those, who, notwithstanding these temptations, shall perseuere to the end, verse 13. Secondly, of the successe of their Ministery, that before the desolation of Ierusalem, the Gospell should be preached throughout the world for a testimonie to all nations, verse. 14. And therefore that they should not feare, least together with Ierusalem his Church should bee ouerthrowne. For before the destruction of Ierusalem he would by their Preaching to all nations, both Iewes and Gentiles, plant his Church in many nations of the world. And for asmuch as the Temple and Citie of Ierusalem were types and figures of the Church of Christ, which were to be abolished when the church of Christ should be established: therefore he addeth, that vponupon the planting of his church by their ministery should the end and destruction of Ierusalem come. And these were the calamities which went before the destruction of Ierusalem. The destructiō it selfe is described partly by the efficient, foretold by Daniel chap. 9. 27. that is to say, the Romane armies besieging Ierusalem Luke. 21. 20. which because they were Idolators are called Sic Augustine. ad Hesychiū et Chrysost. homil. 49. in Mat. oper. imperfect.abominable, and because of the desolation which they were to bring vponupon Ierusalem are called desolators, and by a metonymy, Mat. 24. 15. the abomination of desolation, and by a Synecdeche Dan. 9. 27. abominable wings (that is armies) bringing desolation: partly by the greeuousnesse of the destruction verse 21. To this prophecie also he admixeth counsel and consolation. Counsell, that they which shalbe in Iewry prouide for their selues by flight, verse 16. 17. 18. in respect whereof he both pitieth the women and such as giuegive sucke, and biddeth them pray that their flight be not in winter, nor on the Sabboth day, verse. 19. 20. His consolation is, that for the elects sake the time of the siege shalbe shortned: for otherwise none of the Iewes could escape, as Chrysostome also expoundeth, verse. 22. This exposition is plainely confirmed by conference of this Chapter of Mathew with Luke. 21. where the same question being propounded, verse. 7. concerning the end of Ierusalem alone, receiueth an answer peculiar to the destruction of Ierusalem, vntounto the 25. verse. And whereas Mat. 24. 15. Christ vseth these words, when you shall see the abomination of desolation which in Daniell is called the abominable wings bringing desolation, standing in the holy place, this in Luke is thus expounded, When you see Ierusalem Luk. 21 20besieged with armies (which Daniel foretold should bring desolation vponupon it) then vnderstand that the desolation thereof is neare, and therefore he aduiseth them which shall be in Iewry to flie so soone as Ierusalem shall be besieged, &c. Because there shall be great affliction in those dayes, namely in Iewry foreign.and Ierusalem, as Luke restraineth it. For there shalbe great destresse Luk. 21. 23 24.in the land, and wrath in this people, and they shall fall on the edge of the sword, and shalbe carried away captiue into all nations, Luk. 22. 25and Ierusalem shalbe troden vnderunder foot of the Gentiles vntil the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled, and then shalbe the end of the world, the signes whereof be addeth in the next words.
4. By this analysis of the text & conference with Luke, it euidently appeareth that all these predictions from the 6. ver. to the 23. in Mat. & in the 21. of Luke frō the 7. vers. to the 29. concerne the destruction of Ierusalem, which hapned within forty yeares after this prophecie was deliuered. Neither may we thinke that our sauiour Christ would intermingle the prophecies concerning the destruction of Ierusalem and the end of the world, therby to nourish the aforesaid errour of his disciples, who imagined that the end of Ierusalem should not be before the end of the world, as appeareth by their question. For euen afterward ver. 34. where seemeth the greatest mixture, our Sauiour Christ speaketh distinctly. For wheras our Sauiour had spoken first of the end of Ierusalem, and then of the end of the world seuerally, & had giuen signes of both, wherby they might know the approching of eyther, as by the budding of the fig tree they gather summer to be neare, he defineth the time of the one, & the other he leaueth indefinit: Verily I say vntounto you, this generatiō shall not passe, vntil al those things (saith he, pointing as it seemeth towards Ierusalē as he sat in the moūt Oliuet) be fulfilled. And as touching the end of the world, he noteth both the certainty therof, & the vncertainty of the time: of the former he saith, Heauē & earth shal passe away (& that with a noise, as Peter saith) but my words shall not passe away, howbeit of that day & houre (namely, wherin the sonne 2. Pet. 3. 10of man shal come, and wherin the heauens shal passe away) none knoweth, no not the Angels of heauē, but the father only. Whatsoeuer the Papists therefore alledge out of the former part of the Chapter, as fauouring any of their fancies concerning Antichrist, as namely the preaching of the Gospel before the comming of Antichrist, the abomination of desolation, & the most greeuous tribulation in the time of Antichrist, &c. may easily be answered.
5 But if these prophecies be compared with the history and euent, we shall finde this trueth to be more euident, seeing all these predictions had their complement at or before the destruction of Ierusalem. For (to omit the rest) the Apostle testifieth Colos. 1. 6. 23. Rom. 1. 8. &. 10. 18. that the Gospell was in his time preached in all the world; and therefore before the desolation Euseb. lib. 3of Ierusalem, which hapned about two yeare after his death. From whence also euidently appeareth, how false Bellarmines assumption is, as being contradictory both to the prophecie of Christ in this place, as also to the testimony of the Apostle testifying the fulfilling thereof in his time, according to the commission giuen to the Apostles, that they should goe into all the world and teach all nations, Mat. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 15. which was accordingly performed, Mar. 16 20. And thus Homil. in Mat. 24.Chrysostome also expoundeth this place, that before the end, that is, the destruction of Ierusalem, the Gospell was to be preached throughout the world, and prooueth by the same testimonies of Paul, that this prophecie was fulfilled before the taking of Ierusalem. But if it seeme incredible vntounto any that the Gospell should be preached throughout the world in so short a time: he must consider, first, that by the whole world is not to be vnderstood eueryevery small corner and vnknowne part of the world: but by a Synecdoche, the greatest part of the world then knowne and inhabited, as Luke 2. 1. And by all nations, not all and eueryevery nation, but all sorts, that is, both Iewes and Gentiles. For both here and elsewhere there seemeth to be an opposition made betwixt the whole world and the land of Iewry: betwixt all nations and the Iewes. For wheras before the Church was contained in Iewry, & the word preached to the Iewes, our Sauiour sheweth that before the desolation of Ierusalem, the Gospell should be preached commonly in all parts of the world, & not only in Iewry; & indifferently to all other nations, & not peculiarly to the Iewes. Secondly, he is to consider, both the multitude of the preachers & dispersers of the Gospell, and also the infinit power of Gods spirit, and miraculous efficacie of his word preached in that it could in so short a time spread it selfe so far as it did. Thirdly a distinction is to be made betwixt preaching the Gospell and receiuing it: For it was preached in all the world, but not receiued eueryevery where. And that our Sauiour signifieth where he saith, it should be preached in all the world for a testimony to all nations, to leaue those which embrace it not, without excuse. If then the preaching of the Gospell throughout the world be not made by Christ our Sauiour a signe of Antichrists comming, and yet notwithstanding it be most true, that according to the prophecie of Christ, the Gospell was preached in all the world before the desolation of Ierusalem: what shew of reason is there in this demonstration? And this is all that I thinke worth the answering in his fourth Chapter.
6. For to what purpose should I tell you of his argument, which notwithstanding he saith it was now no time to prooue, to wit, that before the comming of Antichrist the Gospel should be preached throughout the world, because the cruel persecutiō of Antichrist should hinder al publicke exercises of trus religion: & therfore was to be preached generally throughout the world either before the time of Antichrist, or not at al: which we shall in part finde time to answer in his fourth demonstratiō. In the mean time we answer first, that the greeuous tribulation, before which our Sauiour saith the Gospel was to be preached in al the world, is not the persecution vnderunder Antichrist, but the affliction of the Iewes at and before the destruction of Ierusalem by the Romanes, as I hauehave manifestly prooued. And secondly, that if the generall preaching of the Gospell were made a signe of Antichrists comming, as it is not, but of the end; yet is it not necessary that it should be preached generally throughout the world at one time: for it might suffice that in one age it were preached to one nation; and in another age, to another people. And therefore although during the persecution of Antichrist the Gospell were not preached generally and at once to all nations, yet in that time it might be preached to some nations, where it had not formerly beene preached, and therefore might be preached to all nations before the destruction of Antichrist, though it were not before his comming. Or to what end should I spend any time in answering the testimonies of the fathers, who supposed that the Gospell should be preached in all the world before the comming of Antichrist, seeing according to the meaning of our Sauiour Christ, it was to be preached in al the world, before the destruction of Ierusalem? Or what account should we make of his obiections, wherein he alledgeth that the Gospel hath not as yet beene preached throughout the world, seeing our Sauiour who cannot he hath prophecied, and the Apostle by the same spirit of truth hath testified, that before the destruction of Ierusalem, the Gospell of the kingdome was preached in all the world. And therefore the Papists in this point, whiles they study to contradict vsus, are not afraide to giuegive the lye to our Sauiour Christ. Neither are his cauillations, wherby he indeuouteth to auoide & elude those testimonies of Scripture, which doe testifie that the Gospell was in the Apostles times preached in all the world, worth the mentioning. For whereas Paul saith, No doubt their soūd went out through all the earth, & their words into the ends Rom. 10. 1…of the world: Bellarmine cauilleth that the Apostle vseth the time past, insteed of the future, as if he had said, no doubt their sound shal goe through all the earth. But (say I) the Apostle prooueth that the Iewes had heard the Gospel, because the sound of the Preachers thereof was gone through all the earth: and therefore they from whom the Gospell proceeded to other nations, could not be ignorant thereof. And againe, whereas the same Apostle saith, that the Gospell in his time was in all the world, and addeth that Col. 1. 6.it did bring forth fruite euen as it did among the Colossians: Bellarmine answereth that the Apostle would not say that it was actually, but virtually, as they say, in all the world. But how could it bring forth fruite, vnlesse it were actually? and besides, the Apostle in the same Chapter saith, the Gospell had been preached foreign, quod agit, est non solum actu primo, sed etiam actu secundo. Col. 1. 23.to eueryevery creature vnderunder heauē, which is a more large speech then this prophesie of our Sauiour, Mat. 24. 14. To conclude, if by the end in that place is to be vnderstood the end of the world, as Bellarmine will needs hauehave it contrary to the text, yet the Gospell before the and might be preached throughout the world, and yet not before the comming of Antichrist. If by the end is to be vnderstood the end of Ierusalem, as I hauehave manifestly prooued; then according to our Sauiours prophesie, the Gospell was preached in all the world, in the Apostles times. But that the generall preaching of the Gospell should be a signe of Antichrists comming, the Scripture hath neuer a word.