Hē apostasīa, ho antichristos, or, A scriptural discourse of the apostasie and the Antichrist, by way of comment, upon the twelve first verses of 2 Thess. 2 under which are opened many of the dark prophecies of the Old Testament, which relate to the calling of the Jews, and the glorious things to be affected at the seventh trumpet through the world : together with a discourse of slaying the witnesses, and the immediate effects thereof : written for the consolation of the Catholike Church, especially the churches of England, Scotland, and Ireland / by E.H.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND AND Profound Prophetick Text▪men of ENGLAND.

Most Reverend Fathers,

THe Author of this short-leg'd Treatise, doth hum∣bly submit, and submissively present these his mean endeavours to you, whether his presumption in writing it, or presenting it, be the greater he knows n•…•…t; upon second thoughts he bl•…•…sheth at both, and for both craves pardon of you. His designes in it are honest, and may plead his excuse; hereby he would publickly ac∣quit himselfe of the two great sins of this age, Vaine glory, and Heresie; for though it may plausibly passe in the world amongst ordinary capacities, yet you are able to discerne such failings in it, as may for ever keepe him humble: And Hereticks seldome or never submit their opinions to the learned; his main designe is to provoke you to this honourable imployment, for since he as a single spie, walking along these goodly Prophesies hath made such a comfortable discovery, his hopes are, that you as so many Joshuah's will enter in, and by removing those obscurities, and false glosses, which (as so many Sons of Anack) stand in our way, give us peaceably to possesse the length and the breadth of those rich and fruitfull Prophesies. For his owne part, he pro∣fesseth,

he hath been in the midst of these mellifluous Texts, but as a little Bee fallen into an Ocean of Hony, which (after much delightfull dabling and much adoe to get out) by that little be hath brought away, discovers the Ocean hee hath left be∣hind.

So far hath the Author been from pressing any Texts to serve him, that they have pressed him in their service; he thought to have gon but one mile with them, and they made him goe with them twaine.

These Texts found him as David found the Amelekites ser∣vant, faint, and sick, and hungry, and ready to die, but by their Spirituall revivings, they put strength and life into him, to make discovery of those accursed Amalekites, who have totally devoured Ziglag the Kings and the Churches inheritance.

This weake Tract beggs of you (most reverend Fathers) as that fainting Aegyptian did of David, that you will not kill it, nor deliver it into the hands of these Amalekires. It lies at your mercy, and without your mercy, at the merciless cruelty of brutish, and unnaturall men: it is as Lot without doors, in the midst of Sodom, unlesse you prove its gardian Angells, and pluck it with∣in the do•…•…res of your protection. It is without you a fatherlesse, friendlesse, harb•…•…urlesse stranger, in a strange Common wealth: it was brought forth in the Dogg dayes of the Church, whiles the Author laboured under the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Feavor of the States displeasure in a Prison, and now tis abroad, (far worse then the Foxes or the fo•…•…ls of the times) it hath not where to put its •…•…ead. It hath trod (like constant Ruth) in the wearie steps of its be∣loved Mother the Church, though as a Widow she sit alone and have changed her name to Marah. And (as that vertuous Daughter) it hath sought amongst the Learned for a benevolent Kinsman, but, unlike to her, it hath return'd from their imbra∣ces, as Abishag from the royall bed untouch't.

The subject of the Treatise is unquestionably excellent, it is of the Apostasie and the Antichrist, and of the finishing and

finall conclusion of both at the seventh Trumpet. Oh the glori∣ous things that are to be done at the sounding of the seventh Trumpet! the meditations whereof revive the soul as another Sacrament. Augustine wished in a misselanious mood▪ 1. Vi∣dere Christum in carne conversantem, 2. cernere Romam in flore ac pristino imperii splendore triumphantem. 3. Audi∣re Paulum in Cathedrâ fulminantem, Might I have my wish in this world it should be auscultare septimam tubam clangen∣tem, Then shall the witnesses be established, the twelve Tribes converted and restored to be a Monarchy againe, great Babilon shall fall, and the Nations of the world shall bow to Christs Scep∣ter, the Dragon, the Beast and the false-Prophet shall be cast in∣to the lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone. These great things are foretold both by the Prophets of the Old and New Te∣stament.

The Author (as an humble and diligent hand-maid) having laid himselfe down at the royall feet of these bigg-bellied Pro∣phecies, from thence ariseth, and hasts to you the skilfull and ex∣pert Midwives, to assure you that they groane, and travell in pain together, longing to be delivered of what the Churches expectation waits for, (viz.) the glorious kinde of manifesta∣tion of the Son of God at the seventh Trumpet.

He humbly craves pardon for his hasty comming in an unready dresse into your presence, his hast from them to you, is, that you may make the greater hast to them; a high esteeme both of you and them, hath put him on beyond his naturall boldnesse, to what he hath done, in all he hath done, or whatsoever he shall do or suffer, he desires to expresse himself

An obedient Son and Ser∣vant to the Church and State of ENGLAND. H.