[Doctrina foederum, sive systema theologica didacticae et elencticae (Amstelodami , 1691)]
Johannes Braunius (1628–1708), a venerable divine of the Dutch Reformed tradition, was born at Kaiserslautern in the year of our Lord 1628, and was trained in sacred learning at the illustrious University of Leiden, where he sat under the eminent Johannes Coccejus. Nurtured in the federal and covenantal theology of the Reformation, Braunius gave himself to the laborious study of the Hebrew tongue and the Levitical institutions of the Old Testament, wherein he discerned types and shadows of gospel mysteries. He ministered as a faithful pastor and was later appointed to the chair of theology at the University of Groningen in 1681, a post he held unto his death nearly three decades thereafter. His life was adorned not only with erudition, but with devotion, uniting the careful exposition of Scripture with reverence for the covenant mercies of God. Among his chief works stands Vestitus Sacerdotum Hebraeorum, a deep and learned commentary upon the vestments and ordinances of the Aaronic priesthood, drawn from the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth chapters of Exodus and the sixteenth of Leviticus, showing forth the typological beauty of the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Christ. Likewise, his Doctrina Foedorum offered a comprehensive system of didactic and elenctic theology, built upon the foundation of federal theology, expounding the covenant of works and grace with scholastic clarity. In all his writings, Braunius exhibited that rare balance of penetrating intellect and humble piety, ever seeking the edification of the church and the glory of the Redeemer, whose garments of righteousness he found prefigured in those of the ancient priesthood. He fell asleep in the Lord in the year 1708, full of days and full of faith.
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Hitherto we have treated of the rise of Antichrist, his person, and other matters that concern him. Now we speak of his fall. For as the kingdom of Antichrist was foretold, so also such a kingdom was foretold that it should have an end. The kingdom of Antichrist may be conceived in divers manners:
Or it may be considered according to the divers periods and fates of the Church. It began, as an embryo, already conceived, such as it was in the time of the Apostles. As about the times of Paul, it showed some vital motion in the womb of its mother, pride, and made certain efforts to break forth, had there not been some, to wit, the Roman emperors, who hindered it (2 Thessalonians 2). Antichrist grew and acquired more and more strength when distinctions were introduced between clergy and laity, and divers orders of monks and nuns; when one esteemed himself worthier and more excellent than another. Hence subdeacons, deacons, archdeacons, presbyters, archpresbyters, bishops, archbishops, patriarchs. In the three first centuries after Christ’s birth, Antichrist was an embryo and, as it were, carried in the maternal womb; at length, with strength increased and its parts formed, when it could no longer be confined in so narrow a place, it strove to breathe free air and acquire manly vigor. Hence it breaketh forth, freeth itself from the enclosure, and is born, about the times of Constantine the Great, toward the end of the third century.
Antichrist was yet an infant and weak in strength, if compared with the following centuries; for he was still subject to emperors, depended on their will and guidance. But also, concerning the right of the firstborn, there was often fierce contention with brethren, matters being in doubt, since it was yet uncertain which of the brethren should obtain the primacy, the bishop of Constantinople or the Roman? Until at length the Roman, Boniface III, through cunning, arts, and flattery, more robust, supplanted his brother of Constantinople through the Emperor Phocas, after a horrible parricide, and became a youth, acquired manly strength, yea, took the whole ecumenical Church as it were in marriage from him, from which time he carried himself as a robust man.
Therefore, the kingdom of Antichrist was increasing and in some vigor from the times of Chlorus and Constantine the Great, toward the end of the third century, until the Peace of Passau, that is, from the year 292 until the year 1552, a space of 1260 years, according to the prediction of John (Revelation 11:2), that the Gentiles should tread underfoot the courts of the temple of God for 42 months. By Gentiles there are understood the bondslaves of Antichrist, who, with his false doctrine of free will, justification by good works, purgatory, idolatry, invocation of saints, adoration of bread, human traditions, slaughter, tyranny, and cruelty and hatred against the saints, do not indeed enter the temple itself, that is, they do not worship God in the Church with true faith and piety, but remain in the court of the temple and tread it underfoot, to wit, from Constantine Chlorus, in the year 292, to the year 1552. At which time, through the edicts of the emperor, great liberty and rest were granted to the Church. And so, peace being given to the Church by the emperor in Germany, peace followed and was given to the Church in Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, Transylvania, England, France, and elsewhere: so that the Church through almost all Europe separated itself from the people of Antichrist, and at length ceased to be trodden underfoot by the Antichristians, as by Gentiles.
Therefore, during this whole time of 1260 days, or rather years (for according to the style of the prophets, a day signifieth a year, as is evident from Ezekiel 4:6; Daniel 9:24, etc., where seventy weeks signify as many years as they contain days), Antichrist continually persecuted the Church. For the woman, that is, the true Church, which brought forth Christ in true faith, was compelled to flee into the wilderness, that is, among the Gentiles; until she found a place prepared by God, where she was nourished for 1260 days (Revelation 12:6). This place she found in the Roman Empire, in the time of Constantine the Great, in the year 292, from which time she began to be nourished, as by the true nourishment of the Church, until the year 1552, when the Peace of Passau was made.
Antichrist began to languish and decrease about the same times of Charles V, after the Peace of Passau, entered into in the year 1552. For then the faithful began to breathe, and the Gospel was publicly and freely preached through Germany; by which example other princes were induced, and in their dominions gradually took and gave liberty to preach the Gospel; so that the Papacy lost much in Germany, France, Poland, and Hungary, yea, was utterly extinguished in England, Denmark, Sweden, in the United Netherlands, Switzerland, and elsewhere. And though the Papacy sometimes recovereth strength in certain places, where sometimes the Reformed suffer persecutions, as now in France, Hungary, and elsewhere; nevertheless, there shall always be faithful ones who shall strenuously resist the kingdom of Antichrist and assail it, until at length it utterly fall. For:
Babylon, that is, the kingdom of Antichrist, was to be forsaken by the faithful: “Go ye out of Babylon” (Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 51:6; Revelation 18:2, 4). This was done, especially in the past century, in the time of the Reformation. So that in the midst of spiritual Egypt, that is, in the midst of those peoples where Antichrist once reigned, and now reigneth, there are five cities, to wit, five dominions, which speak the language of Canaan, that is, the holy language, or holy things, which are contained in the Old and New Testament, as is especially in England, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Netherlands. See Isaiah 19:18. Yet after this departure, Babylon, that is, the kingdom of Antichrist, was still to remain, but as a habitation of devils and every unclean bird (Isaiah 34:11, etc.; Revelation 18), that is, there shall remain in the Roman Church superstitions, idolatry, heresy, luxury, and every kind of impiety; until at length it be utterly overthrown by the glorious kingdom of Jesus Christ, which is promised in the last times.