CAP. 2. touchingAntichrifL. 433 ofSin, but the Beast, For Anticht ft is thefeventhhead, which is the Bsaft alfo ; as Rev<t 7.8. t t. And though this Beast be noneofthofe ofwhich 'Daniel fpeaketh, yet the argument is strong, being drawne from that which is like and equall unto it. For the Beast in theRe- velation isa whole Kingdoine, in the fame refpcet that the Beafts in Daniel are put for the like. Our third argument is that of yohn Calvinf,who argucth thus,that Antichrilt is not aftnrular person , becau/è the Head ofan univerfall eXpoftafie that laftet hfor more yeares, then can berun out under ene ICing, is not one certaine man ; but rflntichríf is the Flead offuch an Aipoftafy. (E"rgo) you anfwer five wayss, to the endriat (as you fay) Calvin! impudency may appear more evidently. First that Antichrift himfelfmay beunderftood mofi rightly by that .Apoftafy that Paulfpeakth of. Secondly, that that Apoftafy maybe taken for the revoltingfrom the Roman Empire.Thirdly,that it is not neceffary that it fhonld laffor many years. Fourthly, that it doth not . require one Head. Fiftly that the queftic-a is yet to be decided,Whïch of the tWo profe!fourshave revoltedfrom thefaith &Religionof Chrqt, Whether the Papifir or the Lutherans. I anfwer to each ofthefe : and ñrft, whereasyou underhand Antichrist himfelfe metonymically by the Apoflafie,you cònfirme the fame thing which Calvin faith, thus notablyyouuse to put downCalvins impudency. To the second, I anfwer,that this Apoftafie is not a revolt from the EmpireofRome, but from the true faith, that is from the loveof the H. lv Truth , as `Pdul himf;lfe expounds it; and as it (hall be made plaine afterwards in the fir and fourteen Chap. of this confutation. To the third, touching tie.- liftingof the Apoilale, we have learn already out ofthe Revelation, that it bath prevailed for more then a thoufau_;d two hundred and threrícoreyears, and we have feene this metre citerely laid forth unto ti, then that any of our filly fubtilties can fhift of thematter. To the fourth I lay, that ifyou can findeout aey other multitude, befides that of the Whole earth, which follow- eth the Reaft , I will not be agaioft ir, but you may make as many heads of this Apollafie asyou will, Rev. t 3.8. To the fifth, namely, to that question that is not yes decided, as you fay, whether the Pa« pills or Lutheranshave made apt Apollafie from the faith, we will accept of this condition, to pu: the matter to the judgement of all holy men; amongft whom Idolatry isfbund,let thembe condemned for this revolt. For Idolatry isan apohafie and rebellion againaGod. as the Scriptures teachevery where. L111 3 ßut 1
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