Antichrist Pointed and Painted Out in His True Colors, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. What manner of person Antichrist is: and, how hee is described by Paul, 2. Thessalon. 2.3. and proved to bee the Pope.
FIrst▪ then; The Apostle Paull descryveth him, that hee shall bee the head of a falling away, or Apostasie, from the Fayth. For, so Bellarmin himselfe speaketh, saying; By this falling away, most rightlie, Bell. l. 3. de Pont c. §. ad postremū.may Antichrist be understood: For, he shall bee so an Apostate, that hee may bee called Apostasie himselfe Whence it followeth, That hee shall not bee (as the Papists fancie) an Obstinate Iew; who never professed the Christian Fayth. And, therefore, can not bee sayd, to have made Apostasie from the Trueth thereof: But, an Apostate christian: Who still retayning the Christian name, shall notwithstanding make defection frō the Trueth of Christian doctrine. Therefore, sayeth Augustine, upon his resemblance of the hornes of the LAMB; Sub Nomine Christiano agnum praefert, Aug. him. 11. in Apos.vt draconis veneua latentur infundat: That is; Under the Christian name, hee resembleth the LAMB, (sayth he,) that the more secretlie hee may powre in the poison of the dragon. And, agayn, in the same place; Hee would not counterfit the lyknesse of the Lamb, (sayeth hee,) if hee did openlie speake agaynst him: But, doeth counterfit Christianitie: That the more craftilie hee may deceave the simple. So, lykewyse, speaketh Origen, on Matth. 11.27. and others.
And, to make us the more clearly to know this Apostasie, whereof the Apostle speaketh,1. Tim. 4.1.3. hee instanceth two doctrines thereof; which hee calleth the doctrines of devils. Which the Pope, and his adherents doe teach: Thereby showing that of …im hee meaneth this Apostasie: To wit, the forbidding of marriage: Dist. 82. …. proposuit.which under the name of uncleannesse, (contrarie to GODS Word, calling it the Bed undefyled,) hee forbiddeth to the Cleargie: And, commanding, to abstaisn from meates, at certayn forbidden tymes as unlawfull, and for conscience sake,. Which in the contrarie, according to Chtistian libertie, GGD hath created, (sayeth the Scripture,) to bee receaved with thanks giving.
Where, lykewyse, it is to bee noted; That to show his deep dessembling, in opposing the Trueth of CHRIST, under the Christian name, it is sayd;1. Tim. 4.2. 2. Thess. 2 3. tha… hee shall speake lies in hypocrisie. And, therefore, getteth Iudas style, being called the sonne of perdition: To show us, that as Iudas, was the chiefe ring-leader of those who came agaynst CHRIST. Yet, professing him selfe a Disciple of His; and saluting Him, Master, with a kisse. So is Antichrist, the chiefe ring-leader of these t hat are against Christs Trueth: Yet, professing him selfe a chiefe Disciple: Yea, CHRISTS owne Vicar. Therefore: doeth their own famous Florentine:Petraroha epist. 18. LIB. 1. epistol. rerum senilium epist. Amico cui titulus, calamitatem urbis Romae describit. And, so much extolled Petrarcha, say▪ what other is done continuallie there, (to wit, at Rome,) by these enemies of CHRIST, and the Pharisees, of our times (says he) but like Iudas & the Roman Souldiers, whill they would seeme to worship Him, they sell Him, they crown him with thornes, they spit on Him, they mocke Him, they pearce Him, and of new they crucifie Him.
Next it is to be observed frō this same title common with Iudas which is given also to him, that he shal not only be a professor of the Christian name in hypocrisie & by dissembling of unrighteousnes, but likewise (lyke Iudas) hee shall be a Preacher therof. Therefore sayth Hilarie, Sub opinione falsae pietatis & specie evangelicae praedicationis, Hilar cō tra Auxentium.Christo contrari…s erit, ut Dominus noster Iesus Christus denegetur cum praedicari creditur, That is under the show of pietie and preaching of the Gospell, he shal be contrar to Christ, so that even then our Lord Iesus Christ shall be denyed, when it is beleeved that hee is preached. Therefore Rev. 9. Hee is called a fallen starre, whereupon sayth the Iesuit Ribera, Ex quo perspicitur praedicatorem aliquem magnum significari, Riberae in Apoc. 9.that is, whereby is evident that some great or eminent preacher is understood (says hee)