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.

CHAP. II.

THis second Epistle is partly Consolatory, partly Prophetical,* 1.1 partly Exhortatory.

The Prophetick part of this Epistle lieth in the twelve first Verses of this second Chapter, which is my designed task.

This part of the Chapter hath been for above these hundred yeers past, the common Theater whereon the learned Christi∣ans of the Europan Churches have met, and fiercely incountred each other. Paul was not more tossed in his Voyage from Ie∣rusalem to Rome, then Pauls Text hath been tossed amongst Christians since the name of Protestant and Papist hath been heard of in the world. They both throw dirt in each others faces, and then set this Prophecy of Paul's before each other as a glass of Infamy. My care shall be to avoid those that cause Division, my Design being to follow truth and peace, and thereby (if pos∣sibly I can) to unite those that love it.

The very Title of this Subject may justly cause me to relin∣quish it; for as the Sun is too glorious an object for a sore eye to look on, and the Rocks too hard for foundered feet to go upon; so is this Prophetick Subject too high and mysterious for such a weak head as mine to comprehend, especially since the Ancients conclude, this prophesie is not to be fulfilled until to∣wards the end of the world, so that we in this Age must look* 1.2 for the fulfilling of it: And in good manners I might take that Greek Fathers grave Counsel, rather patiently to wait on God for the fulfilling of Prophesies, then rashly to determine of future events.

But, if I may, I shall plead my excuse for this my boldness to the Reader in the Preface.

I am now (though long first) come to the Text.

This Chapter is divided as many several wayes as the Levites

wife was sent: I shal divide only so much as I intend to handle, avoiding all affectation of Noveltie or Singularitie.

These twelve first Verses divide themselves into two General parts: 1. A Doctrinal Part: 2. A Prophetical part. Which* 1.3 distinction Criticks will go neer to say is without a difference; for what is Prophetical but Doctrinal? only it is in a cloud more mysterious.

But by the Doctrinal part here, we mean, that Thesis which lieth implicitely in the two first Verses, and part of the third, That the day of Iudgement is not at hand: This I call the Doctrinal part; and then from ver. 3. to ver. 1•…•…. you have the Reason confirming this Doctrine, and that I call the Prophetick part.

First then of the Doctrinal part in the two first Verses.

Ver. 1. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ, and our gathering together to him,

2. That yee be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by Spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

We must first see to the true reading of these words before we can come to divide them aright.

Though there be a harmony in the Original Greek Copies, yet there is jar•…•…ing in the translating of them. The greatest dif∣ference which is material in the first verse, is about the transla∣ting of the Preposition 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the most translate it [Pe•…•…] others with the Preposition [D•…•…] which changeth the sense of the words: now the question is, Who are in the right? That is now our part to enquire; Learned men are on either side, some take in both as probable, but incline more to one then another.

The words in the Greek are these, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which the old Latine Version, •…•… Beza, Tremelius▪ and several o∣ther learned a 1.4 Expositors, both Protestant and Popish translate thus, per adventu•…•…, by the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ, conceiving the words to carry in them the force of an oath, or vehement obtestation. The Authority that they bring for the translating it so▪ is from an b 1.5 humane Author, and that but a single proof out of Homers •…•…aàs▪ and that scarce a proof; where Mer∣cury pleading or inte•…•…ding in the behalf of Achillis, expresseth himself thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉—.i. by his father and by his

mother. If this be all that can be said why 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should be tran∣slated, per, by, I believe more will be said, why it should be translated De, of, or concerning,

First from the Authors themselves, who translate it per adven∣tum▪* 1.6 Zanchie saith, it may signifie the matter or the thing it self about which the Controversie was, and so it may be expounded, [We beseech you, concerning the coming of Christ] as if he should say, but as to the controversal point among you, viz. concerning the coming of Christ▪ •…•…dmonish you not to think that it is at hand. This seems to be the true sense and scope of the Text, for the tumult that was raised in the minds of the Thessalonians was about the day of Judgment being neer, which opinion the Learned conceive was raised by false brethren, who a∣bused and mis-interpreted these words of Paul, 1 Thess. 4. 15, 17. thence persw•…•…ding them that they should all be caught up into the clouds▪ this was a startling Doctrine to new plan∣ted Christians, which caused such a Church-quake amongst them, and therefore P•…•… comes in seasonably, I beseech you brethren, concerning the coming of Christ, and your being gathered together, that ye be not troubled.

Estius confesseth, that it may be so translated, De adventu: The Sy•…•…ck reads it, Ob adventum, which directly falls in to the foregoing sense: It is not fit so material a difference in the read∣ing should be passed over lightly, especially since the most (as I conceive) translate it to the most improper sense; which as E∣stius observes, is repugnant to the Greek Copie also; for accord∣ing to the reading, per adventum, the Genitive Cases are all governed of adventum, and then it yeilds us this sense (or rather▪ nonsense) [By the coming of our Lord Iesus▪ and by the com∣ing of our gathering together to him.] For (saith Estius) it is requisite, according to the Vulgar Translation, to repeat ad∣ventum, which is most improper, as himself confesseth, though against the received and adored Roman Translation.

Now for the avoiding this discommodious sense, Learned men, such as Hierom and Beza, that they might make 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 govern both adventus and congregatio, they read congregatio in the Accusa∣tive Case, clipping the Greek Copy to make currant their own.* 1.7 But leaving both these, and reading 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Genitive Case, as it is in the Greek, our English Translation will afford us this sense, [But we besee•…•… you br•…•…thren, of the coming of our

Lord Iesus, and of our gathering to him] you shall see a parallel Text for this, not out of Homer's, Plate's, or Theophrastus's Greek phrases, but out of Pauls own Copy, in Phil. 3. 13. For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do * 1.8 of his good pleasure. I presume hereupon, that it will be granted, that so reading the Text in English, is neerer to Pauls phrase in other Texts, and the nearest to his own Greek Copy here, and therefore I shall take the boldness so to read it. There being no material difference that I find in the reading of the rest of the two verses, we shall omit the sifting of them until we come to explain them.

The Doctrinal part may be summed up in this negative Propo∣sition:

The day of Iudgment is not presently to come.

In the General we are led to take notice of Pauls modus pro∣cedendi, his wise and orderly dealing with these affrighted Thes∣salonians; where there is first the Subject matter; and secondly the introduction to this matter. The Introduction is Rhetori∣cal: the Subject matter in the form of it is Logical, and may be reduced to this Syllogism,

You are shaken and troubled in mind because the day of Christ is at hand: But the day of Christ is not at hand: Ergo, you need not be troubled or shaken in mind.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pars Consola∣toria, 1^o Capite. Pars Propheti∣ca. 2^o Capite. Pars Paraeneti∣ca 3^o Capite.
• * 1.2

  Certius & fine periculo est ex∣pectare usque ad impletionem Prophetiae, quàm temerè divinare. Ire∣naeus l. 5. c. 21.
• * 1.3

  Pars 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• a 1.4

  Aug. d•…•… Civit. ▪Dei, l. 20. c. 19.
• b 1.5

  Plato, Theo∣phrastes, and Homer himself use often, if not altogether, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for Su∣per; the com∣mōness where∣of caused the Latines to take super from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, both signify∣ing the same, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 governs a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.6

  Aut Praepositio 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 sign•…•…ficat materiam, seu rem de qua agi∣tur, & si▪ posset exponi, [de ad∣ventu;] quasi dicat, quantum autem ad arti∣culum apud vos controversum, nemp•…•… de adven∣tu Domini atti∣net, moneo vos ne putetis cum jamjam immi∣ner•…•…. Zanch. in locum. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hic est po∣situm pro 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. G•…•…otius. Suborta •…•…pinio, par•…•…im▪ ex ver∣bis quibusdam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prioris, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 adventu•…•… Domini brevi futurum. Estius in locum. Iuxta nostram versio •…•…m hic re∣petenda ess•…•…t d•…•…∣ctio adventum, à quo reguntur Genitivi nostrae congregationis; sed sine dubio incommo•…•…us est talis s•…•…rmo. •…•…st.
• * 1.7

  Hieron cp. 152 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in •…•…um. Vatable.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Phil. 3. 13.