1 all errors, was one of the Waldensian heresies: and somewhat later, perhaps a century or more, the whole theory is developed in their treatise on Antichrist.—Then the mighty truth (for such I must beg permission to call it) was proclaimed by Wicliffe, and by his followers: among whom, a. D. 1391, Walter Brute's testimony stands so conspicuous, as detailed to us by the venerable Foxe from original documents, written and registered on occasion of his being brought before the Bishop's Court at Hereford, that I think I cannot better conclude this Section than by a brief abstract of it. It seems then that this Walter Brute, by nation a Briton or Welshman, who was "a layman and learned, and brought up in the University of Oxford, being there a graduate," was accused of saying among other things, that "the Pope is the very Antichrist, and a seducer of the people, and utterly against the law and life of Christ." Being called to answer, he put in first certain more brief" exhibits :"5 then " another declaration of the same mattter after a more ample tractation;" explaining and setting forth from Scripture the grounds of his opinion. In either case his defence was grounded, as we shall see, very mainly on the Apocalyptic prophecy. For he at once bases his justification on the fact, as a point demonstrable, of the Pope distinctly answering alike to the chief of the false Christs prophesied of by Christ, as to come in his name; to the Man of Sin prophesied of by St. Paul; and to the second Beast, or Beast with the two lamb-like horns, in the Apocalypse: the city of Papal Rome answering also similarly to the Apocalyptic Babylon. No doubt, he admits, this had been a mystery long hidden. But if so, and only recently revealed, it would not be unaccordant with God's dealings and declarations.7 Make the heart of this people fat, that seeing they may not see, &c.," was said by Isaiah of a long permitted judicial blindness on the Jews; and again by Daniel, ch. xii, 2 Ibid. p. 354. See my Vol. ii. p. 333. "Wiclif's days were passed in incessant warfare against this Master of the Emperor, this Fellow of God, this Deity on earth.' And whatever may at any period have been his respect for the Pope in the ideal perfection of his character,-of the actual Pope he scruples not to pronounce that he is potissimus Antichristus,' the veriest Antichrist." Le Bas' Wiclif, p. 333. Among Wielif's writings Mr. Le Bas mentions one in Apocalypsin Joannis; and as being in the Bibl. Reg. Ib. 444. I have not seen any account of this. Foxe, Vol. iii. pp. 131-188. (Ed. 1837.) 5 Foxe. p. 136. 6 Ib. 139. 7 Ib. in one of the self-same visions that would now come into question, 66 Seal up the vision till the time of the end :" also, as to the revealer of them, Apoc. ii, "He hath the key of David, and openeth and no man shutteth :" and, with reference to the persons revealed to, Dan. ii. 30, "As for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have;" and Luke x. 21, Thou hast revealed them unto babes."-Nor was reason wanting why the revelation should be made now, in respect of time, said Walter Brute; and here, in this nation.' 1. Now because there are signs of Christ's coming being near at hand, "to reform his Church; and by the disclosing of Antichrist to call men again to the perfection of the gospel, from their heathenish rites, and ways of the Gentiles, by whom the Holy City was to be trodden for forty-two months."2 2. Here, in Britain, as being by God's special favor the earliest kingdom converted to the Christian faith; viz. under King Lucius, when Eleutherius was Bishop of Rome:3 and in effect the very wilderness (here begin Walter's special Apocalyptic interpretations) in which the Woman, the Church, (after by faith bringing forth Christ into the world, who was soon taken up to God and his throne,) did, on the Dragon or Devil's persecuting her, thus early take refuge where too, when the Serpent, especially under Diocletian, sent waters of persecution after her to drown her, "the earth, i. e. the British stableness of faith, helped the woman by supping up the water of tribulation ;" and where subsequently, for the 1260 days, or, as was meant, 1260 years of the prophecy, (a period otherwise exprest by a time times and half a time,") the true faith had ever since continued. Then he passes to the great subject of Antichrist.-Very vain, he says, had been the usual and long-received ideas about Antichrist :6 -ideas as of one that was to be born in Babylon of the tribe of Dan, to circumcise himself, give himself out as the Messias, or Christ, come for the Jews' salvation, and preach three and a half years where Christ preached; then in three ways to seduce the people of Christ3 About 180, A.D. Foxe, p. 141. 2 Foxe, p. 141. 4 Compare Tichonius' explanation, "ore sanctæ terræ," noted p. 335, suprà. His mode of identifying this with the 1260 days is curious. The time first mentioned is the greatest time that we speak of, i. e. 1000 years; the next times mentioned 100 years each, of which we have two here indicated; these together with the former making 1000 + 200 years; and then the half-time added being about 50 years. Foxe 143. 6 P. 145. endom, viz. "with miracles, and gifts, and torments ;" and to fight with the two Witnesses Enoch and Elijah, and kill them, and be himself finally slain by lightning :-vain too what was often added, as to Daniel's 1290 days, or time times and half a time, of the abomination of desolation, applying to Antichrist's being worshipped for that number of days in God's temple; and then the 45 days additional of the 1335 signifying 45 days of repentance granted to such as should have worshipped Antichrist :2—as also the application to a yet future Antichrist of the Beast with seven heads and ten horns. For all this, argues Walter, both Scripture and reason contravene. How is it likely that one avowedly of the tribe of Dan should propose himself to, and be believed on by, both Jews and Christians as Christ; when it is notorious to both that Christ is of the tribe of Judah? Or how again, when coming as a man of war and bloodshed: whereas the character of Christ's coming is foretold as one of peace, under which men should beat their swords into ploughshares and pruning-hooks? Then he opens his view of those prophecies. 1. That in Dan. xii. 11, which says that" from the time of the sacrifice being taken away, and the abomination of desolation set up, there shall be 1290 days," refers plainly to what was said before in Dan. ix :-how that "after seventy weeks Christ should be slain, and the city and the sanctuary destroyed by a prince that should come; and that he would confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the half week the sacrifice and offering should cease; and in the temple there should be an abomination of desolation: and even to the fulfilling of all, and to the end, shall the desolation continue." For, as the 70 weeks after which Christ was to be slain meant weeks of years, not days, so, similarly, the 1290 days of the desolation meant 1290 years: and the prophecy had fulfilment in the fact of the Romans destroying Jerusalem; and, on its last desolation by Adrian, placing an idol, or abomination, in the holy place: a desolation which has ever since continued, now nearly about 1290 years; and which was to continue till the revealing, or in other words the exposure, of Antichrist.— 2dly. In Apoc. xiii, the first Beast there figured in vision, with seven heads and ten horns, which men explain of an imagined yet future Antichrist, meant rather the Roman emperors; who did much perse 1 So Adso, p. 368 suprà. So T. Aquinas, p. 407 suprà. ་་ cute the Lord's people, both Jews and Christians. For the Woman seen seated on this Beast afterwards was expounded by the Angel to mean the city on seven hills, which then reigned over the kings of the earth," i. e. Rome; "a city upholden by her cruel and beastly emperors :❞—and its power was to continue 42 months, or 1260 days, i. e. 1260 years; a day being (as before) meant for a year: just as also the ten days of tribulation predicted to the Church of Smyrna signified the ten years of Diocletian's persecution; and the 5 months, or 150 days, of the scorpion-locusts of Apoc. ix the 150 years of the locust-like begging friars, from their first rise to their primary exposure by Armachanus. And the prophecy was fulfilled in the continuance of the Roman empire just 1260 years; from its commencement under Julius its first emperor, to the death of its last emperor, Frederic. But then "who the real Antichrist, lying privy in the hid scriptures of the prophets?"- I now pass on to the declaration of that conclusion," says Walter Brute; "bringing to light the things which lay hid in darkness. For what was said in the darkness let us say in the light; and what we have heard in the ear let us preach upon the house-tops." If then, proceeds he, the high Bishop of Rome, calling himself God's servant, and Christ's chief Vicar in this world, do make and justify many laws contrary to Jesus Christ, then must he be the chief of those false Christs foretold by Christ as to come in his name, and deceiving many. Now 1st, as to the fact of the Popes calling themselves Christs, it is evident since Christ means anointed, a characteristic and appellation specially applied in Scripture to kings and priests; both of which the Popes claim to be, as both high priests and chief kings, invested authoritatively alike with the temporal and spiritual sword. Then 2ndly, as to the difference of Christ's laws and the Pope's, the first of Christ's laws is that of love; but the Pope wageth war both against infidels and against Christians. And though it be alleged that miracles have been done by those who have preached or engaged in such crusading wars, yet does not this justify them. For "for no miracles may we do contrary to the doctrines of Christ." And, as to miracles, did not the Egyptian magicians perform them? Is it not said by Christ that false prophets would rise, that would do them? by Paul that Satan was transformed into an angel of light? by Christ, again, that at the last day he would have to reject many say : ing to him, We have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done wonderful works?" even as the second Apocalyptic Beast was said to do miracles? The standard of truth must be God's word. "Is not my word like fire, &c ?"-Further Christ's second law might be said to be that of forgiveness and mercy; mercy to sinners. But here too how contrary the Pope's and priests' law : giving judicial sentence of death, and perhaps exciting crusading wars against heretics. In which there is an ante-dating of times too. For Christ said that here the tares were to grow with the wheat; and the separation to be made by himself only at the time of the day of judgment. Whereas the Pope would have the separation made by himself now; so changing times, as well as laws. Then next our confessor and prophetic expositor proceeds to argue against the Romish doctrines of the keys, auricular confession, transubstantiation, and a sacrificing priesthood: and, after describing the universal and awful habit with all classes of the priesthood, of “selling prayers, pardons, &c.," in direct contradiction to Christ's charge, Freely ye have received, freely give," he breaks into the exclamation; "I would to God that all the buyers and sellers of spiritual suffrages, would with the eyes of their heart behold the ruin of the great city Babylon, and that which they shall say after that fall. For doth not the prophet say, "And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn for her, because no man shall buy any more their merchandize; crying, Alas! that great city Babylon, because that in one hour she is become desolate ?"-Then he expounds the second Apocalyptic Beast, with two horns like a lamb, of the Popes with their assumed kingly and priestly power; speaking like a dragon, and allowing none to sell their spiritual pardons, &c., but such as bore their mark interprets the Beast's name, with the number 666, to be DVX CLERI; and concludes with another earnest word of warning from Apoc. xix: "My counsel is, let the buyer be aware of those marks of the Beast! For, after the fall of Babylon, If any man hath worshipped the Beast and his image, and hath received the mark on his forehead or on his head, he shall drink of the wine of God's wrath, and be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels and of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torments shall ascend evermore.'' : |