Antichrist

ANTICHRIST. This is the name of that Man of Sin, who is to precede the second coming of our Saviour; and who is represented in Scripture, and in the Fathers, as the Epitome of every thing that is most impious, cruel and abominable. To him is attributed what the Prophets have said of Antiochus Epiphanes, of Gog and Magog, of the foolish Shepherd mentioned by Zachary, of the Son of Perdition, and the Man of Sin spoken of by S. Paul, which many have applied in an historical sense to Nero. For it may be said, that Nebuchadnezzar, Cambyses, Antiochus Epiphanes, Caius and Nero, were so many Antichrists, or Fore-runners of Antichrist¹. And S. John in his Epistle informs us, that already in his time there were many such Antichrists. Little Children, says he, it is John ii. 18.the last time: and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time. The Antichrists which this Apostle speaks of were no other than Hereticks and Persecutors.

But Antichrist, the true, real Antichrist, who is to come before the universal Judgment, will in himself alone include all the marks of wickedness which have been separately discern’d in different persons, who for their impiety have deserved the name of Types or Fore-runners of Antichrist. I will give you here some of those touches wherewith the Sacred Authors have described Dan. vii. 19, 20.him. I saw, says Daniel, an horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things: the same made war with the Saints, and prevailed against them until the Antient of Days came, and judgment was given to the Saints of the Most High, and the time came that the Saints possessed the kingdom. The Prophet was told, that he who was represented by this Horn should utter blasphemies against the Most High, should trample upon the Saints, and flatter himself that he should produce a change of times and laws; but that the supreme Judge should destroy his power, and for ever exterminate him.

Ch. viii. 9, 10.In another vision, the same Prophet saw a little Horn, which was exalted in an extraordinary manner, and was so insolent as to attack the Heavens, the Stars whereof he beat down and trampled on. He made war against the King of Strength, against God himself, abolished his perpetual Sacrifice, and overthrew the place which was consecrated to him. God permitted all this to punish the sins of his people. Truth was banished out of the earth; the Enemy was in every thing successful, and did what he pleased for the space of two thousand three hundred days. All these misfortunes were followed with the Resurrection of the dead, and the eternal happiness of the Faithful: Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Zach. xi. 16, 17.Zachary represents the adversary of the Messiah under the Idea of a foolish Shepherd, who does not visit those that be cut off, neither seeketh the young one, nor healeth that that is broken, nor feedeth that that standeth still. He shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Wo to the idol Shepherd that leaveth the flock: the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye; his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkned. Such will Antichrist be, and such his dominion.

Matt. xxiv. 4, 5, &c.Our Saviour in the Gospel describes the times that shall precede his coming, as times of war, famine and rebellion; and says that all this is but the beginning of sorrows. Then the just shall be given up into the hands of the wicked, and put to death by them; many good men shall be offended; and the Abomination of Desolation shall be seen in the Holy Place. The calamities which will then happen, will be so extreme, that if they were not to be shortned, no one would be saved: but for the Elects sake they will be shortned. Then shall arise false Christ’s and false Prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch that (if it were possible) they should deceive the very Elect. After all this, the Son of Man shall appear in all the brightness of his Majesty.

2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, 5.St. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says, that this Man of Sin, this Son of Perdition, this Enemy of God, shall exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so as to sit in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. He adds, Ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time: for the mystery of iniquity doth already work—— then shall that wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; even him whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders; and with all the deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

This terrible picture of Antichrist drawn by S. Paul, seemed so like Nero, that many of the Antients² thought this Prince was Antichrist, or at least his Fore-runner, and that Antichrist would appear very soon after him. Others³ were of opinion, that Nero would rise again before the consummation of Ages, to accomplish all that was said of Antichrist in the Scriptures.

Lastly, S. Austin assures us, that there were others who maintain’d that Nero was not dead, but was still living in some unknown and unaccessible place; that his vigour and his cruelty were the same they had been, the effects whereof were to be one day felt by God’s faithful Servantsa.

Rev. xi. 7. xiii.St. John in the Revelations describes Antichrist under the name of the Beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, and killeth the two Witnesses (which are supposed to be Enoch and Elias) who maketh war with the Saints, killeth them, and leaveth their dead bodies exposed in the market-place of the great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. He afterwards represents him to be a Beast rising up out of the sea with ten Horns and ten Crowns upon his Horns, and upon his Heads the name of Blasphemy. The Dragon (or the Devil) gave him his strength and power. The Beast was worshiped, and a mouth given him, speaking great things, and Blasphemies, and power to make war against the Saints for two and forty months: the Beast overcame, and was worshiped for two and forty months.

Ch. xiii. 17, 18.In another place he says, that the Beast should oblige all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. So that no one might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the Beast, or the number of his name. Here is Wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast: for it is the

a Aug. l. 20. de Civit. c. 19.

(a) Ο Υ Λ Π Ι Ο Σ number of a Man: and his number is six hundred threescore and six.

Some believe this number of six hundred sixty six, to be that of the letters in the name of Antichrist, set down according to their numerical valuation: for the letters of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Alphabet have a certain numerical value; for example, I in Latin stands for number one, V for five, X for ten, L for fifty, C for an hundred, D for five hundred, M for a thousand. In Greek A stands for one, I for ten, K for twenty, Λ for thirty, M for forty; and so on.

Here the curious are perplexed to know whether the name of the Beast which St. John speaks of is to be Hebrew, Syriac, Greek or Latin; and secondly, whether his name will be that of his person, or his dignity, or that which his followers shall give him; or lastly, whether it will be that which he will merit by his crimes. There are many conjectures on this matter, and almost all the Commentators have tried their abilities, without being able to say certainly that any of them have succeeded, in giving us the true mark of the Beast, or the cypher whereby he will distinguish his followers. The number 666 has been discovered in the names of Ulpius Trajanus (a), Diocletian (b), Julian the Apostate (c), Luther (d), Evanthas (e), Latinus (f), Titan (g), Lampetis (h), Niketes (i), Kakos Hodegos (k), that is to say, bad guide; Arnoumai (l), I renounce Romiit (m) Roman, Abinu Kadescha Papa (n), our holy Father the Pope; and lastly of Elion Adonai, Jehovah, Kadosch (o), 70. 400. 30. 80. 10. 70. 6.

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