SERMONS ON ANTICHRIST FOR ADVENT: In What Manner Will Antichriſt Appear? How Will He Attain Sovereign Power? And Where Will He Be Resident?

3. POINT 

In What Manner Will Antichriſt Appear? How Will He Attain Sovereign Power? And Where Will He Be Resident?

ACCORDING TO S. Hierome, his beginning will be from Babylon. His coming, saith Daniel the Prophet, will be secret, and by fraud will he obtain his Kingdom. For according S. Hierome, S. Cyril, and S. Damafien, he will be a most hypocritical sycophant, and dissembler, entering by mildness,& justice, & suddenly what by such encroaching, what by witchcraft wherein he will excel, he will usurp any universal monarchy, as a dreadful monster said to issue out of the sea, because of his sudden appearance in royal authority. 

To which do belong the words of St. Paul: whose coming is according to the operation of Satan, in all power, and lying 2.Theſ.2.v.6. signs, & wonders, & in all seducing of iniquity to them that perish for that they have not received the charity of truth that they might be saved. 

Another mean of his sudden authority will be his infinite treasure. For as the Prophet saith ; He will have dominion over the treasures of gold, and silver and in all precious things of Ægipt. To whom, ſaith S. Anselm, will all hidden treasures be brought by Satan then let at liberty, whom no such secrets will escape. Also all principal fends will be attending on him, and his affairs, outwardly in shape of men, soliciting, bribing, in forcing men to obey him, & inwardly suggesting by futile delusions all that they may allure. Who when they cannot persuade by such means: by torments, by diseases, & hook & crook they will subject whole multitudes to his dominion. 

Also a powerful motive to yield unto him, will be his forsaid lying signs, & wonders, but much more his unlimited might, whereby he will subdue, and trample in a trice all that will oppose themselves. So faith St. John, And power, Was given to him upon every Tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation. 

More over his coming in all seducing of iniquity, by abominable doctrine,and all example, will draw infinite followers of licentious life to submit themselves to him; the rather that preaching, and other exercises of Religion will be abolished, and all that may entice to wickedness will be plentiful, & in those days all sin will be allowable, and laudable. 

As for his seat of residence is commonly supposed it will be in Jerusalem: where he will first restore the temple, and after exalt himself above all that is called God, as after shall be shewed. 

Principally his tyranny will be over and against the Roman Empire, and all parts thereof, although all other places will hardly escape him. Would God poor Ireland might have some privilege, or exemption from his fury in those times, by being never any parcel of the said Empire, and being particularly prayed for to that effect, by our most glorious Apostle St. Patrick, as in many appeareth.