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. XI.

IN the prophecies, there are two great dayes spoken of, wherein Christ comes with sore punishments upon the Roman Gentiles, before both which times he is seen upon his white horse.

In Revel. 6. he goes forth conquering on his white horse; but* 1.1 the Roman Gentiles yield not; whereupon the great day of the Lambes wrath fell upon the Roman Emperours, that they were not able to stand against Constantine, but were utterly overthrown, and cast from heaven, the Imperiall Throne, Revel. 12.

The next great day of battel against the Roman Gentiles is a∣gainst the apostate Antichristian Gentiles, Revel. 19. where we finde Christ again appearing on his white horse utterly to ruine the heads of the Romish Apostasie, and the Antichrist, which are both set forth under these two titles, the beast and the false Prophet. Now, as at the first great overthrow of the Romish Pagan Gentiles the Jewes were driven out of their own Countrey, and scattered throughout the World; so at (or about) this great day of Christs comming to plague the Antichristian Gentiles, the Jews shall be both converted to the Gospel, and called again to be a Nation, and therefore we have (both in the Old Testament and the New) these prophecies joyned together; for the great signe of the Jews conversion to the Gospel shall be the ruine of Antichrists followers by a great Commotion, Revel. 11. 13. and the calling up of the Witnesses to heaven, i. e. to their imperiall Seat and Throne. This we shall finde to be the scope of severall prophecies, both in the Old and New Testament; and this is the

scope of this fore-cited Text in Isa. which when we look neerer to it, we finde both the manner of expression and the matter con∣tained in it exactly matching Pauls expression and prophecie; for in it (as in Pauls) we finde an ingemination of the thing, and the denomination of the person; for Paul calls him the wicked one, and Isaiah calls him the wicked one; Paul saith, he will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth; and Isaiah saith, he will destroy him with the Scepter of his mouth; and Iohn in Revel. 19. with the sword of his mouth; which sword is called, Isa. 27. 1. the Lords great and strong sword.

Now, in that he saith, he will smite the earth; I humbly conceive in this place he means the Antichristian earth; and by the wicked one is meant the Antichrist▪ which Paul (in the Text we are upon) calls the wicked one; therefore, now in that he saith, He will smite the Antichrist with the Scepter of his mouth; it gives us to under∣stand, that Antichrist shall not be destroyed by humane power, but by the immediate power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall gloriously manifest his justice therein, & therefore in that Type of the Witnesses in sack-cloth, Zach. 3. under the representation of Iehoshua the Priest in filthy garments, and of their state of rising, again under the type of Crowns being put on their heads, and their garments changed, and Ioshuah and Zerubbabel standing like golden Candlesticks of the Temple, and Olive-trees supply∣ing them. The Prophet wondering how this should be brought about in such an afflicted state as the Church was then in; the answer is, Not by humane help or power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts, Zach 4. 6. the mighty power of the Spirit shall make that mountain a plain before his Zerubbabel.

Out of Christs mouth goeth a sharp sword, wherewith he smites the Gentiles. The sword in his mouth is his imperiall command: the word of an absolute Monarch is a sword, against whom none can stand: there lies the majesty of a Monarch in his absolute com∣mands, which commands are the spirit of his mouth, or the Scep∣ter of his mouth, or the sword of his mouth: how much more is it so in the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

If the Word of Christ from the mouths of weak Ambassa∣dours be sharper then a two-edged sword, vvhat is it immediately from heaven? the voice of the Lord breaks the Cedars in Leba∣non, it bringeth mighty things to passe; the voice is the spirit of the mouth; this voice is that vvhich calls the Witnesses from

death to life; from their low and sad state up to heaven, Revel. 11. 12. and the same hour causeth an Earth-quake or Commotion to overthrow the Chieftains of men, who were by their sword-pow∣er the upholders of the Antichrist, v. 13. and this voice causeth all the Kingdoms in the world to flock in unto the Gospel and Scepter of Christ; and what power in heaven or earth can effect such glorious things, but onely the spirit of his mouth who breaths the life of all souls into them? Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, whereby he smites the Nations, Revel. 19. 15.

That which from all this we may gather is, that neither the ri∣sing* 1.2 of the Witnesses, nor the ruine of Antichrist shall be by meer humane help or power, but by the mighty imperiall power of Christ. Hence it is, that when Christ commeth to accomplish this great work, (Luke 18. 8.) he shall scarce finde faith on the earth; and why? but onely because he'l come to raise the Witnesses, when there is no visible power in the world to own them, (Deut. 32. 36. Isa. 59. 16, 17, 18, 19.) and when the enemies are in their might and strength irresistible. When the adversary shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall blow him to flight; and this shall be (v 16.) when there is no man to help or save his Church; as in that of Moses before cited, when there is none shut up, nor left; and all their power is gone; then God ari∣seth to judge for his people against their proud insulting enemies. These three verses comprehend the fore-cited Texts which run pa∣rallel with Pauls. In v. 16. you have Christ clothing himself in ar∣mour to come against this enemy, as in Revel 19. and v. 19. he destroys the adversary by blowing upon him; 'tis as much as to say, the Lord shall destroy him with the spirit of his mouth.

But when shall this Text of Isaiahs be fulfilled? compare v. 20 with Rom. 11. 25, 26. it tells you when it shall be fulfilled, when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in, i. e. when the Gentile A∣postasie is come to the full; i e. when the Antichrist appeares with his great successes against the true Church, which Isaiah in v. 18. seems to tell us shall be situated in the Islands towards the Evening-Sun, v. 19. for as the Gospel in its first glorious day came from the East, and shone into the West; so in the second glori∣ous day of the Gospel; this day (Isaiah tells us) it shall go from the West to the East; for then all Israel (the Easterne people) shall be saved, i e. converted to the faith, and restored to their own land, as it is written, There shall come out of Sion a deliverer

and turn ungodliness from Iacob: I'le appeal to all sober men in this world whether ever this Text that Paul quotes, since Pauls time hath been fulfilled; if not, then probably it is to be fulfilled when the apostasie of the Gentiles is fulfilled, when the Antichrist the Popedome, and the Dragon are cast into utter darknesse, and by Christ destroyed.

As for that Text, Isa. 11. 4. we take the boldnesse to affirm that it is literally meant of the destruction of the Antichrist, as Pauls Text is: Paul taking this prophecie from Isaiah; that so the Jews in time to come might believe Paul as well as their own Pro∣phets to be sent of God. My reasons why I take this Text to be prophesied of the Antichrist, are,

1 Because of the stupendious change which shall then be wrought, v. 6, 7, 8. there shall be a blessed▪ cordial, and charitable union wrought betwixt Jew and Gentile: this (say the learned) was partly begun by the twelve Apostles, but it shall be compleat∣ed after Antichrists ruine by the prosperous successe of the two Witnesses: so that the glorious effect of Christs appearing to ru∣ine Antichrist is to be accomplished.

2 Because of the gracious promises then to be fulfilled, which to this day have not been fulfilled, v 9, 10. There shall be no kil∣ling nor destroying in all Gods holy mountain, or in the moun∣tain of holinesse, i. e. all wars shall cease amongst Christians; The mountain of the Lord shall be on the top of all the mountains; that is, the Church shall prevail, as Christianity did in Constantines dayes, and much more abundant, and the Gentiles shall flock in unto it; hereby their union shall be wrought, which shall pro∣duce a generall peace in the Church. Now to this day, this hath not been accompilshed; therefore it is to be, say many learned men; yea the Rabbins themselves in a manner affirm as much, that it is to be, when the Lord shall come to destroy Antichrist; for, they say, it shall be accomplished, when their Messias comes, which they say will be in the end of the Roman Monarchy, which they call their last redemption, being exceeding angry at the Chri∣stians (would they had not just cause) for extending many of their most ample and glorious prophecies no further then the second Temple. Vide Rab. Solomon on Ier. 31. 40. and then the promise is, that the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea; i. e. there shall be an universal know∣ledge of Christ in the world, which never yet hath been: and

then (in v. 10.) it shall be in that day that Christs rest shall be glo∣ry, or exceeding glorious: by rest is here meant either the peace and tranquillity of the Church, which he calls [his rest] or the place of Christs residence, which signifies his Church. So that either way the Text hath not been yet fulfilled: for the Church hath had little rest since Christs time; for the generall Apostasie hindered its glory: but when the Apostasie shall be taken away, then the rest of the Church shall be glorious: therefore this smi∣ting the wicked one in the Text, is most probably the smiting of Antichrist.

3 From v. 11, 12, 13, 14. we argue, for this smiting of the wick∣ed one shall be in that day when God will recover the remnant of his people the second time from Assyria and Egypt, and Pathros and Cush: this must be meant of some recovery of them after their carrying Captive into Babylon by the Assyrians; for they were never set down in Scripture to be delivered above once from Assyria, and that was when they were restored by Cyrus. But now here is a second restoring again of the Jews, which must be un∣derstood of their restoring under the Gospel, which yet hath not been; for their recovery, (v. 12.) shall be from the four corners of the earth, from whence they were never yet redeemed, but are to be, Matthew 24. 30, 31. compared with Ezechiel 37. 9, to 28.

And Revel. 1. 7. when Christ comes in the clouds; that is, sits on the white cloud, Revel 14. with a Sickle in his hand to cut down the vine of the earth, i e. the beast of the earth, the Antichrist. In Isaiah Christ sets up an Ensigne, and in Matth. 24. there is the signe of the Son of man, by that, in both the dispersed Jews are gathered from the four corners of the earth.

And that which most of all confirmes it, that this conversion and redemption of them is to be in these latter dayes, is (v. 13.) for Ephraims and Iudahs enemies shall be cut off; and both Ephra∣im and Iudah (i. e. the ten Tribes and the two Tribes, never since Solomons time united) shall be now at peace, and firmly united; but this hath never yet been; therefore (say very many) this promise is to be fulfilled.

From all this I argue, If the great Gospel-effect in uniting Jew and Gentile together, of universall peace in the Churches of Christ, of universall knowledge of Christ in the earth, of the re∣covering of the Hebrews from the four corners of the earth, and uniting them, being recovered, be to be in that day, when Christ

shall smite the earth with the rod of his power, & with the breath of his mouth slay the wicked one; then this day is yet to come; and, in all probability, this smiting is the smiting of the Antichrist, after whose ruine these glorious things are to be effected: as ve∣ry many of the Ancients, and of the pious learned Recents affirm, besides many clear Texts which make it apparent. The destruction of the Antichrist is onely ascribed to the Lord Jesus, and to none else: hence it is that in Deut. 32. 39, 40, 41, 42. we finde Christ in fighting against him, speaking of himselfe at least eleven times in the singular number, I, even I am he,—I kill, I make alive, I wound, I heal, I lift up my hand, I live for ever; if I whet my sword,—I will render vengeance, I will make mine arrowes drunk with blood: Christ in the first person singular, he alone will have the honour of Antichrists destruction; and hence it is, that thrice in Daniel 7. we have the little horn (the last upstart under the Roman Monarchy) his ruine set out like the day of Judgement; though the horn be little, yet his ruine is great, in v. 9. he is ruined by the Ancient of dayes, who did sit; this is the Lord Jesus, who is Alpha and Omega, who in the ruine of this little horne sets up, v. 14. his own Kingdome, which is an universall Kingdome, and a perpetuall Kingdome, that is, untill the end of the World. In v. 21, 22. there you have the Antichrist, and the quality of those over whom he tyrannizeth, they are Saints: which gives us by the way to know, that Antichrist must tyrannize within the purest Church; in that Church where are visible Saints. And you have the Ancient of dayes again appearing; many take this to be the day of Judgement, because here is mention made of the Ancient of dayes comming, which is onely to be understood of the com∣ming of Christ to ruine Antichrist, and to call the elect of Jews and Gentiles unto the profession of the Gospel; the same you have again in v. 25, 26. and in Dan. 11. 45. and 12. 1. when the An∣tichrist shall come to his end (after he hath prevailed so far against the Saints, as to pitch his tents in the mountain of holinesse) at that time Michael shall stand up to bring trouble upon the enemies of the Church, and deliverance to his distressed people; this Mi∣chael is none other but the Lord Jesus Christ, who by his immedi∣ate providence in making bare his Arm, making naked his Bowe, and appearing with the sickle in his hand (all Scripture-expressi∣ons of his immediate power) terribly and utterly confoundeth Antichrist, and all Antichristian powers. Hence also 'tis that Ioel

calls this great day of the destruction of the Antichrist, the day of the Lord, Ioel 3. 14. and what is this day of the Lord? in the verse before, 'tis the time of his putting in his sickle to reap the great harvest of Antichrists ruine, as 'tis expounded, Revel. 14. 15. the place is called the valley of decision: and why of decision? not that this alludes to the harvest, but to the place where this harvest shall be, which is Mount Olivet, alluding to that great rent that the An∣tichrist shall make there, Zach. 14. 4. the great division shall be made betwixt Antichrist and the true Church: by Mount Olivet cannot be meant otherwise then some eminent National Church of Unity within it selfe; out of which Church Antichrist and his a∣postate company arise against it; and this makes Mount Olivet to cleave in sunder; so that now that place is become the valley of decision: and then the next verse after the Text, v. 15. tells us this day of the Lord is to be, when the Iews redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21. and (as Matth. 24. hath it) when the signe of the Son of man appears in heaven; for the Sun shall be darkened, & the Moon shall withdraw her light, as 'tis in all the Evangelists except Iohn; and the immediate effect of it is (as in the following verses) a glorious day of Church-reformation: likewise in Obadiah 15, 16. this day of Antichrists destruction is called the day of the Lord upon the Gentiles: what Gentiles?

1 The Gentiles that have drank the blood of the Church, they were those Gentiles that had dranke blood upon the holy Moun∣tain: therefore, as these Heathens had done to the Church, so the Lord would now do to them. Revel. 18. 16. is a parallel Com∣ment on this Text.

2 They are those Gentiles that shall be destinated to destructi∣on, when the Gospel-Church shall have a glorious deliverance; and the Iews, both the ten Tribes and two Tribes (for these are the sonnes of Iacob) shall possesse their possessions, verse▪ 17. by which it seems most probable that this day of the Lord must be that day when God destroys Antichrist, who gathers great strength (Revel. 19. 19.) against the Lord Jesus, that is, against his true Church, and this war is called a war with the Lambe, i e. with the true Church; for it is impossible they should make war with the Lord Jesus any otherwise, then by ruining his Offices and his Ordinances, and blaspheming his Name, and denying his God∣head, and—which so neerly concerns his honour, that he will by his immediate power and might arise and ruine the Antichrist and

his Polyarchie. To these we might add many more texts, Zach. 14. 1, 3, 5. parallel with Iude 14. and Revel. 14. 1.

Notes

• * 1.1

  [Conficiet Spi∣ritu oris] est Periphrasis ver∣bi D•…•…i & virtu∣tis ejus; nam verb•…•…m breve & consumma∣tum facie•…•… Do∣minus super terram. Zuing∣lius.
• * 1.2

  Note.