Antichrist Pointed and Painted Out in His True Colors, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. That Antichrist is not one onlie individuall person, but a continued succession of manie,
FIrst, then, wee are to consider, that the name Antichrist, as it is generallie, or more largelie taken; signifieth all that are anie wyse enemies to CHRIST, or the Trueth, as wee see it taken, 1. Ioh. 2.18. But, as it is taken more properlie and peculiarlie, or by way of eminēcy, it signifieth that man of sinne, and sonn… of perdition: of whom the Apostle speaketh, 2. Théss. 2.3. Whom Iohn, also, Revel. 9.11. calleth that King, or Monarch over these Locusts, that came forth out of the smoak of the bottomlesse pit: And, Revel. 13.11. That Beast that arose out of the earth; horned lyke the Lamb: But speaking lyke the Dragon. And, whome all agree to be that Grand & fore-prophecied Antichrist. And, whom wee take not to bee anie one onlie individuall person; but a continued succession ef manie. So that, when wee say, That the Pope is Antichrist. Wee mean not individuallie; this or that Pope onlie: But, collectivelie, that the whole succession from Boniface the rhird; downwards is such: who about the year 607. obtayned from the Emperour Phocas; that Antichristian Title,Greg. l. 4. indict. ep. 38. (as Gregorie calleth it,) Of Vniversall Bishop; or, Head of the Church. Which none of his Predecessours ever assumed. And, of whome the same Gregorie foretold, saying, The king of Pryde, is at hand, (meaning Antichrist:) and, which is fearfull scarce to bee spoken, (sayeth hee;) an armie of priests, is prepared for him. So that here wee have who are the Locusts, of whom Iohn speaketh; and, who is their king over them, who is called ABADDON▪ and, who by a Popes own declaration is, to bee a Prince of Priests; as the Pope is styled.
And, seing this is a Principle; That the Pope can not erre: Especiallie, such a Pop…, as Gregorie the Great, speaking definitivelie. Then, they must confesse, that Antichrist is come a thousand years ago. And, being a Prince of Priests; consequentlie, is a person Ecclesiasticall. Neither is it vnusuall in Scripture, Ribera, in Apoc. 17. vers. 10.(sayeth their Iesuit Ribera,) that by one many alyke; and of the same incorporation, are signified. Which hee proveth out of Matth. 22.11. Where by one man, manie are signified: and, out of Daniell, 7. and the Angels interpretatiō of the Ramme that hee saw having horns. Which Ramme, (sayeth the Angell, is the king of the Medes & Persians: Quibus verbis, (sayeth the Iesuit,) vt recte Hieronymus exposuit, non hic aut ille Rex designatur; sed omnes reges Medorum atque Persarum sibi ordine succedentes, & quasi vnum corpus efficientes: That is, by which words, as Ierom rightlie expoundeth, is designed; not this or that king: but, all the kings of the Medes and Persians; succeeding each one to another, in Order: And, making all up one bodie. Therefore, also,Aquin, in Apoc. sayeth Aquinas, accordinglie, that Antichrist is the whole bodie of such: And, not one man, so, also, speaketh the ordinar glosse, and Cardinall Hugo; calling Antichrist the Vniverse, or whole succession of such. Yea, the Papists themselves, when they say, That the Pope is the Vicar of CHRIST, and head of the Church. They mean not anie one Pope onlie: But, the whole succession of such, which they deryve from PETER.
Thus having shown, that Antichrist is not one onlie individuall person: but, a succession of manie. Wee come next, to consider, how hee is in holie Scripture descrybed. And, before wee anie furder proceed, wee are to frame this irrefragable Argument, and playn Demonstration, thus:
Unto whom the Prophecies of holie Scripture, descrybing Antichrist, doe sole, and onlie agree, hee is that Grand Antichrist, foretold in the Scriptures. But, unto the Pope of Rome, the Prophecies of the holie Seripture, descrybing Antichrist, do sole and onlie agree.
Therefore, it followeth; That the Pope of Rome, is that Grand Antichrist, foretold in the Scriptures. The Major is undenyable, all the Controversie, therfore, is onlie in the probation of the Minor: which I shall (GOD willing) labour, to prove, by the Induction, of the Prophecies themselves: and, their Application, all of them, to the Pope. And, that being taken collectivelie or joyntlie, they are applyable to none else, but to him.