The Person and Period of the Antichrist, Discourse · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
138. BUt before I can touch the two laſt Paragraphs of the Induction: there be ſome objections which the Romaniſts lay in our way, which here muſt be remov'd, as Amaſas body, that hindred the People from going End way 2 Sam. 20.12. They ſay firſt, that Antichriſt ſhall have no ſuch period or proportion of time as is here ſpecified, for he is ſome ſingle Perſon only, becauſe he is call'd foreign: the Article foreign denoteth ſome Individuum, ſome ſingular Perſon.
139. To this I anſwer, (1.) That foreign doth not always point at a ſingle Perſon, for Mark 2.27. foreign there is man at large [but man for the Sabbath] and not any Individual Perſon: and the ſame word is taken in this large ſence, Luke 4.4. [Man lives not by bread alone] and not in their contracted ſignification: and likewiſe in 2 Tim. 2.17. in all which places the Article foreign is annexed with, foreign but (2ly.) Deut. 18.15.18. a Prophet there, is a Succeſſion of Prophets, ſo here a Succeſſion of Perſons of the ſame Function is the foreign: God raiſed up more Prophets then Moſes, to conſummate the Revelation of his will; Antichriſt (3ly.) cannot be a ſingular Perſon, becauſe he began in the Apoſtles time, and was to continue till the brightneſs of Chriſts coming did deſtroy him: (4ly.) 'Tis therefore a Succeſſion of men, (now above a 1000. year old) as the Emperor that letted him was, yet called foreign. 2 Theſſ. 2.6. with this Article foreign.
140. But 2ly. they object that Antichriſt muſt Reign 3. years and a half only, and no more, but the Pope hath Reigned long beyond this preciſe time; Anſwer, how can this be, that he ſhould ſubdue ſo many Kingdoms, and make all the World wonder after him in ſo narrow a compaſs of time, and that he ſhould intoxicate Nations with his Cup of Fornication, and himſelf with the blood of Saints in 3. years and half.
141. Beſides, 2ly. Antichriſt is call'd Terraefilius, as he is one baſe-born, thus the 2d. Beaſt is ſaid to come up out of the Earth, Rev. 13.11. becauſe of his low and Sordid Original: it follows then, to be altogether improbable, (if not impoſſible) that one of ſo baſe an extract ſhould raiſe himſelf into ſuch high Renown, not only at home, to obtain this Imperial Seat; but alſo abroad, to diſpoſe of ſo many Crowns and Kingdoms in the ſpace of 3. years and half: If ſo, this Beaſt would far exceed in his expeditious exploits, the ſwiftneſs of the Graecian Goat, to wit Alexander, that is ſaid not to touch the Ground for ſwiftneſs, Dan. 8.5. yet had he 6. years to Conquer the Eaſt in, though he was born heir to a Crown.
142. Their 3d. objection is, how can the Succeſſor of the Apoſtle of Chriſt be at any time Revealed to be the Antichriſt, the Pope is not only Peters Succeſſor, but Chriſts Vicar, profeſſing Chriſtianity, ſo no Enemy to Chriſt, as the word [Antichriſt] imports: (1.) Anſwer, This makes him not only a myſtery of Iniquity, but the firſt-born of the Devil, who transforms himſelf into an Angel of light, while he is indeed the Prince of darkneſs: and ſhould he not profeſs Christianity, he could not come with all deceivableneſs, as is ſaid, 2 Theſſ. 2.7.10. [he must ſit in the Temple] Austin Reads foreign, upon or against the Temple: as if, a Tyrant riding upon the Church, or as if an Enemy Warring against the Church▪ we Read it [in] the Temple.
143 The (2d.) Anſwer to this 3d. objection is; It is not a little doubted whether ever Simon Peter was at Rome, (at leaſt Biſhop of it,) but it lies out of doubt, Simon Magus was there. The Diſtich runs thus,
An Petrus Romae fuerit ſub Judice lis eſt
Simonem Romae nemo fuiſſe negat.
From this Simon they learned to ſet Spiritual things (as Pardons, &c.) to ſale for Money, & Romae omnia venalia: but if we grant the Pope to Succeed Peter, 'tis in that one thing of denying his Maſter, or he Succeeds him as Night Succeeds Day, as the Storm a Calm, and as Sickneſs Succeeds Health: how unlike Peter the Pope is, See, Parag. 94. before mentioned.
144. However this man of Sin pretends to be Peters Succeſſor, yet ſure he never took in Peters Counſel, of not [Lording it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3.] If this had been, this bramble would not have advanced himſelf to be King over all the Churches and Vineyards of God: Judg. 9.15,20. And were this Peters Succeſſor, ſtinted to Peters allowance, [Silver and Gold have I none Act. 3.6.] he would ſoon be weary of that Chair that had ſo ſcant a Cuſhon in it, and ſo mean a Purſe to maintain it: Beſides, Damaſus writes that the Biſhop of Rome from the firſt of them to Teleſphorus, yea and till the days of Silveſter in Conſtantines time, (as others ſay) were poor Martyrs and perſecuted Miniſters: Thoſe were like Peters Succeſſors indeed.
145. Their 4th. Objection is, that if Rome have any relation to Antichriſt, it was when it was Rome Heathen, for then did it perſecute Chriſt indeed in the 10 firſt Perſecutions: Anſwer, Rome Heathen cannot be this Antichriſt; for firſt, it was when Rome degenerated into a Whore, that Antichriſt Roſe: this cannot correſpond with Rome Heathen, which never was a Loyal Spouſe; 2ly. It was when the Provinces fell off from Rome, and ſet up ten Kings of their own. The ten Horns receive Power as Kings one hour with the Beaſt, Revel. 17.12.
146. Yea further, 3ly. Rome Heathen was no myſtery of Iniquity, never pretended friendſhip to Chriſt, but was always an open Enemy, did no Miracles, nor hath it a congruity with the reſt of the Characters of Antichriſt; and 4ly. Antichriſt is when the 7th. Government Succeeded, but thoſe Caeſars was the 6th. Rev. 17.10. in whoſe time John lived, ſaying, [One is.]
147. A fift objection againſt the Premiſſes, is, that Antichriſt is not yet Riſen, becauſe the preaching of the Goſpel in all the World, muſt be a precedent Sign of Antichriſts coming, Matth. 24.14. which (as they ſay) hath not been done, therefore Antichriſt is not yet born: Anſw. 1ſt. Chriſt ſaith nothing in that Matth. 24. of the coming of Antichriſt, but ſpeaks in General, only of the Riſing of falſe Prophets: 2ly. Chriſt ſays indeed that the Goſpel ſhall be preach'd in all the World before the end come, v. 14. not before Antichriſt come: 3ly. that [foreign,] then is the end] is meant of the City and Temple of Jeruſalem, if we compare v. 14. with v. 16. and Luk. 21.20.
148. And 4ly. as it is but a petitio principii to make the End there ſpoken off, to be the end of the World; ſo 'tis no better, to make the end of the World Contiguous to, and Contemporary with Antichriſt: for the Apoſtles tell us, that in their time Antichrist was already come, 1 Joh. 4.3. and 2 Theſſ. 2.7. 5ly. but grant that the End there ſpoken of, ſhould be the end of the World, as Hierom, &c. interprets it; Yet we cannot infer from hence, that the Goſpel muſt be preach'd to all the World, before the coming of Antichrist, (as they imagine) but only before the End of the World.
149. But 6ly. their own Maldonate in Matth. 24.14. acknowledges the accompliſhment of this very Prophecy before Jeruſalem was deſtroyed: all the World is Synecdochically taken, for the moſt parts of it; Thus one Paul fils all with the Goſpel, from Jeruſalem to Illyricum, Rom. 15.19. and all the other Apoſtles were gifted with all Languages, that they might preach to all Nations, had they not done ſo, thoſe Tongues Act. 2. had been given them in vain, contrary to [Deus & natura nil faciunt frustrà.]
150. Chryſoſtome hath a good obſervation, if one Paul (ſaith he) could Seaſon ſo many Countreys, as from Jeruſalem to Spain, Rom. 15.24,28. (the former laying far Eaſt, and the latter much Weſt) we may eaſily conceive, what the other Apoſtles did, who divided the world amongſt them. Yea, their owh Stapleton relates, how Thomas the Apoſtle) preach'd to the Indians, and to the loweſt Antipodes: but above all teſtimonies, the Scripture ſpeaks expreſly, that the Faith of the Primitive Church of Rome, was ſpoken of through all the world, Rom. 1.8. and its ſound was gone into all lands, Rom. 10.18. And it was preached to every creature, Mark 16.15,20. And every where, Col. 1.6,23. otherwiſe it could not have brought forth fruit in all the World.
151. Their 6th Objection they make, is, Antichriſt (when he comes) muſt ſlay the two Witneſſes, and thoſe two are Enoch and Elias (ſay they) which they prove from Mal. 4.5. Rev. 11.3. &c. hence inferring, that ſeeing Enoch and Elias are not yet come, ſo nor Antichriſt. Anſw. 1ſt. As the Jews dream'd of a Chriſt for themſelves, which God never promis'd; ſo thoſe Romaniſts expect ſuch an Antichrist, as the Scripture no where deſcribes: the like miſtake is found in both. (3ly) Mal. 4. ſpeaks not one word either of the coming of Enoch, or of Antichrist.
152. And (3ly) that Elias (ſpoke of, Mal. 4.) is not Elias proper or perſonal, but mysterial or ſymbolical, to wit, John Baptist (who was an Harbinger to Christ, but not to Antichrist) as both the Evangelist Mark, ch. 1.2,40. and the Angel, Luke 1.17. yea and Christ himſelf interprets it, Mat. 11.14. & 17.13. (4ly) in Rev. 11. There is no mention either of Enoch, or of Elias, but by way of Alluſion.
153. Whereas they urge Math. 17.11. that Elias must first come, and restore all things. It is anſwered (5ly) that Christ ſaith not there [foreign in futuro primo, ſhall come] as if they might expect his coming in ſome age after Chriſt. But it is [foreign in praeſente, cometh] Thus John Baptist was come, and that in the ſpirit and power of Elias, to restore all things, that is, to turn the hearts of Fathers to their Children, &c. Mal. 4.6. For none can restore all things abſolutely but Chriſt, Col. 1.20. But (6ly) how like is this to a fond dream, that thoſe two great Favorites of God (which were not to ſee death, Heb. 11.5.) were only preſerv'd from the cruelty of their own Time, and reſerv'd (I know not where) to be ſlain by Antichriſt.
154. But the 7th and laſt Objection, is, Antichriſt cannot come into the world before the Roman Empire (which letteth him [foreign] 2 Theſſ. 2.6,7. be removed: for (ſay they) as Chriſt came into the world when the Roman Empire was at the height, in her very foreign. So Antichriſt muſt come at the Empires loweſt ebb, and when utterly ruin'd. But ſtill there is an Emperor (ſay they) though his Seat be in Germany, hence they infer, that Antichriſt is not yet come. Anſw. 1ſt. This is a meer humane conjecture, without any Scripture Light, that the ruine of the Empire muſt precede the Riſe of Antichriſt: for Antichriſt was come into the world in the very Apoſtles time, long before the deſolation of the Roman Empire.
155. And (2ly.) That of 2 Theſſ. 2.6,7. hath not relation to Antichriſts riſing but to his Revealing: he ſecretly roſe in the Church, long before he was openly revealed to be the man of Sin: (3ly.) [foreign.] 'Tis remov'd (by their own confeſſion) out of the midſt of Rome, where the German Emperor hath neither Pallace nor Dominion. And 10 Kingdoms are riſen up out of the ruines of the Rom. Empire, beſides the Germ. Empire. (2ly.) It was high-water with Rome in Auguſtus days, then Chriſt came: and low ebb with it in Auguſtulus (that fatal Name) in whom the Weſtern Caeſar breath'd out his laſt.