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. I.

THere are foure grand Controversall Prophetick points, which are as yet unresolved amongst the learned of the •…•…hurch: that of the grand Apo∣stasie; that of the being, slaying, and rising of the Witnesses; that of the Antichrist; and that of the Conversion of the Iews.

1 From that of the grand Apostasie there arise many doubts, as whether there be any one particular head of it, or more then one? Who that head or heads are? When the Apostasie begins? What this grand Apostasie is? And when it ends?

The most of these we have in our touch upon the grand Apo∣stasie hinted▪

2 The scruples that arise about the Iews Conversion, are: Whe∣ther it shall be? When it shall be? How it shall be? Whether they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be restored to their own Land, and ancient Civill Go∣•…•…? Whether all the Tribes or only Iudah shall be con∣verted? •…•… cannot tell whether these questions will come within my l•…•…ttle •…•…ircle at this time.

3 That of the Witnesses, which affords us these doubts: Who they are? Where they are? What is meant by their slaying? When they shall be slain? Who shall slay them? What their rising is? And what shall be the Consequents of it? Whether their rising be at the seventh Trumpet, or the Earthquake which slayes the 7000, be that Earthquake which slayes the Antichrist and puts an end to the Apostasie? Some of these will fall within my com∣pass.

4 From that of the Antichrist, Questions may be raised ad infi∣nitum: chiefly these▪ 1 When he is to arise and appear? Whether (as Brightman saith) assoon as the Pagan Emperours were de∣throned,

and Constantine possessed the throne, or (as Bellarmine saith) when the Roman Monarchy is to be ruined? 2 Where or in what part of the World must the Antichrist appear? Whether (as Downam and Brightman say) in Rome, or in Ierusalem, as the Pa∣pists say? 3 Whether Antichrist be past, as Brightman saith, or yet to come as Bellarmine saith? 4 Whether he be the seventh head of Rome? 5 Whether he be one single person, or a King∣dom, as some affirme? Whether he be the head of the general A∣stasie, as Calvin saith, or whether he be the Apostasie it self, as others affirm? So many of these Questions as fall within the reach of the texts I am to handle, I shall endevour to resolve.

These nine following Verses of Pauls, are a large and full dis∣covery* 1.1 of the Antichrist, as the most Interpreters acknowledge.

Quest. It may be asked, why Paul should say so little of the Apostasie, and so much of the Antichrist?

This question only I will answer, and then proceed to the words in the text.

Answ. I answer, Paul here follows the method of all the ho∣ly Prophets that Prophesie of the Antichrist. For Daniel in the seventh and eleventh Chapters, makes a larger description of An∣tichrist that riseth in the end of the Roman Monarchy, then of the Roman Monarchy it self, and Christ himself in his Prophecies, Matth 24. speaks more of the time of Antichrist's appearing then any other, and so Iohn in the 11th Revel. and 13th and 17th de∣scribes Antichrist more largely then the Apostasie: and the rea∣son (as I conceive) is because the Holy Ghost knew the Aposta∣sie would be obvious to the sense of every Christian, as what is more cleer then this of the Apostasie of the Eastern and Western Churches. But now the Antichrist, by reason of his subtilty and successes, and goodly pious pretences would not be so easily dis∣cerned: therefore it is so much is said of him.

2 The appearing and the destruction of Antichrist in the Church, is the great ensigne that God hangs out to the World, that the day of the Jews redemption, & the Gospel-Churches de∣liverance draweth nigh. Then the grand Apostasie is drawing to an end, and the mystery of God is ready to be finished, then is Christ at the door comming forth on his white horse, Revel. 19. to clothe all his Saints in white, and to take off from off the back of his two Witnesses the filthy garments, their sackcloth; and to put Priestly robes on his Ioshua, and to set his slain Witnesses in the* 1.2

throne, Revel. 11. and Revel. 20. and Da•…•…. 7, 27. to give the domi∣nion to the Saints. Then is Christ comming on the white cloud (Revel. 14. 14.) with a sharp sicle in his hand, to reap the vine of the earth. Then do the horns appear in his hand, and the mystery of his power is then revealed: then shall the Vision, (that is for an appointed time to be silent,) speak to them that wait for it, for it will speake peace, and salvation; and to the enemies of the Church eternal ruine: then is that one day come, which is known to the Lord, Zach. 14. 7 the evening of which day shall be light assuredly to the Church of God, and ruine to her enemies.

Then is the Lord▪ comming to smite with his sore, great, and strong sword Leviathan, the Serpent crossing like a bar (i. e. Antichrist) and slay the Dragon in the Sea (i. e. the Popedome, the beast of the Sea) say 27. 1, 2. and then shall the Church have* 1.3 a Song of the Vineyard of red Wine sung unto her. Then is God ready to darken the Sun, and eclipse the Moon, and cast the Stars from Heaven, and shake the powers of Heaven, Matth. 24. 29. that is, ruine the Roman Monarchy; and then will the Lord Christ gloriously manifest himself to the twelve Tribes, that he is their Messias, and they shall weep and mourn for that they have crucified him; in that day the Vision shall be writ so plain, that he chat runs may read it. That which was a Mystery before is now made plain, it seems to me to be parallel with Revel. 17. 5, 7, there the Mystery is writ on the Womans forehead, so plain and open, that every body might read it. At this time (saith Habak∣kuk* 1.4 2. 4.) The just shall live by faith. i. e. the Iews that look for sal∣vation & justification, shall come in unto the Gospel, & no longer seek for righteousnesse by the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. This text Paul quotes, Heb. 10. 37, 38. Paul tells the Hebrews, that Habakkuk's Vision is yet for a little while concealed, i. e. Christ their▪ Messiah hides himself from them, but he will come, and they shall live on him by faith: this Vision of Habakkuk's sealed is the great Mystery of God to be finished. And therefore ô ye Noble and ancient people of Israel, look about you this day, look into your own Prophets, in whom you say you believe; and see whether their words are not fulfilling in your eyes and eares this day; you have negligently lost one glorious day, for w^ch you have lost your Nation, Government, & Temple▪ you would not heare your Mes∣sias voice, but hardened your hearts against him in that day. Yet comfort your selves, & let me comfort you blinded, as that blinde

man was comforted when Christ passed by him, Be of good com∣fort▪ his bowels that have been long shut up, are yerning after you; he is comming this day to you, and he calleth for you by name, Luke 21. 28. and when these things begin to come to pass when ye see the Antichrist to appear in the World, (the signe of whose appearing is that his great and prodigious act of slaying the Wit∣nesses) whose destruction wil be suddenly after his appearing thus; then look up, and lift up your head, look up with faith, and lift up your head with hope, for your redemption draweth nigh Be not faithlesse, but believe: Behold, he commeth with Cloudes, & every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him; you ô Iews, that pierced him, shall by the eye of faith see him, and all the kindreds of the earth; i. e. all the families of you, wheresoever scattered upon the earth, shall wail with a godly penitential heart (as your Prophet Zachary 12. 10, 11. hath fore-told) because you have dealt so unkindly with your Lord and gracious King: even so, Amen. But that we may give you good ground for your hope that your re∣demption (which I hunger after, and more earnestly desire of God then my life) draweth nigh; we shall proceed to set forth the great fore-going signe of Christs comming to this glorious work, and that is the appearing and con•…•…ounding of Antichrist. Now he doth appear, but men doubt now whether it be the very Antichrist or not (though every mark is writtē in his forehead, that is written in the Word;) but when Christ comes to destroy him, then, 2 Thes. 2. 8. the world shall know by Christs dreadful taking vengeance on him, that that is he; Then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of his mouth; then the world shall be enforced to know by Gods dread∣ful hand on him and his followers, that that is the very Antichrist whom the World adored for a Saint, and wondred after him for his great Successes: he is to be known above all▪others in the world, by his prodigious acts of sin.

[And that man of sin be revealed.] to a word it is, [And that* 1.5 man of the sin be revealed.] to note the notorious sinfulnesse of his sin, as a singular character of the Antichrist. A sin peculiar to the Antichrist, by which sin he shall be known when he comes in∣to the world; that sin is set down in Revel 11. 7. and when they have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomlesse pit; note the time when the Antichrist (for this is he) is to appeare in the Church: it's at the end of the Apostasie, when

the Witnesses have finished their testimony in sackcloth: then doth Antichrist arise, make war with, overcome and kill the Wit∣nesses; this is his sin, which Daniel explains (as I may say) in Dan. 7. 24, 25. 1 He is (saith Daniel) one that ariseth after the ten Kings belonging to the fourth Kingdome, the Roman Mo∣narchie, which must necessarily be about the end of the Apostasie.* 1.6

Secondly, Daniel tells us, He shall be divers from the ten Kings, that is, the grand enemy of Kingly Majesty and authority, he shall be divers from these first before him, in his rising and in his ruling; or else it may be read, He shall be greater then the first, that is, in his Successes, in his tyranny, and absolute lawlesse power,* 1.7 then any of the other. Therefore he is said in Dan. 11. 36. to pros∣per in his blasphemy and illegality, until the indignation be accomplish∣ed▪ And Paul calls him the lawlesse one; from hence,

Thirdly, Daniel tels us he shall subdue three Kings; this is du∣biously interpreted, if it mean three Kings in person that he shall pull to the ground, my soul trembles to think of the State of the third only to be humbled, (for I like not that translation [sub∣dued] because it implies a subjection of the three Kings. There∣fore I rather choose to read it with Montanus [he shall humble,]* 1.8 or with Tremelius [he shall depresse])

Alas! dear son! •…•… he is now that sacred mark that this Anti∣christ prepares his arrows against •…•… How is he on the Stage, me thinks already falling as a prey into the monstrous jaws of this cruel beast, who cunningly hath set n•…•…s to catch his royal feet in! nets which are not yet discerned, but will shortly manifestly ap∣pear, 'tis to be feared to his•…•… overthrow. But I trust God hath chain'd Antichrist in a shorter chain.

By three Kings may be meant three Kingdomes, and then ô ye Witnesses of the Lord, that beare the royal Ensigne of the Li∣on of the Tribe of Iudah, the Lord Jesus, the mighty Monarch of the World, against Antichrist, in the midst of this your bloudy combate, look up with boldnesse and courage, and lift up your eyes, for your redemption draweth nigh: stand fast, quit your selves like men, receive not the mark of the beast, no•…•… his name, nor the number of his name; behold, the Lord is at hand, whose glorious comming shall be to the sudden and final ruine of Anti∣christ.

Fourthly, this Antichrist (saith Daniel) shall speak great words against the most High, and weare out the Saints of the most High;

by which 'tis evident that Antichrist tyrannizeth in those 3 King∣domes, where the Saints of the most High have possession; and which those are, I leave the Reader to judge. From these observations of Daniel I draw this conclusion, That the sin of the Antichrist (which is one individual person) is the humbling of three Kings, and usurping a lawless, arbitrary, tyrannical power over the Saints of God, in going about to ruine them (as Montanus reads it) in destroying the fundamentals of Govern∣ment in Church and State, and blaspheming against the Sta∣tutes* 1.9 of God and his Ordinances, and promoting and uphold∣ing desperate blasphemers against the Lord: therefore, Revel. 17. 3. he is full of names of blasphemie. And thus you have the man and the sin, that Paul mentions, described in Daniel, which I verily believe upon good grounds, is a true exposition of Pauls words.* 1.10

Bruno Carthus•…•…anus conceives, that he is called the man of Sin, in opposition to Christ; because, as Christ is that man of all righteousness, so is Antichrist here the man of all unrighteousness; in this he brooks his name.

Aretius on this place, seems to me to write his History; he tells us, that he is called the man of sin, because he is the prote∣ctor and patron of gross sins, he tolerates idolatry and re∣bellion, he invades Kingdomes, and under pretence of setting up piety, and promoting Saintship; he takes possession of the throne; none so great a Saint as he, if you will believe his words, or the flattering titles of his followers, who adorn him with good∣ly titles: but when he shall begin to appear publickly (i. e. be re∣vealed, as the Apostle saith,) he shall have no other ornaments to put on, but what the Apostles allow him (viz.) the man of sin, the son of perdition.

He is (saith Gorran) therefore called the man of sin; because he is the whole servant of sin, he doth, as it were, homage to sin. He lays his ground-work in sin, and all his superstructures are by sin; his tongue and his hands and his heart are eminently sinful: he leads into sin all that follow him, and punisheth the Saints for not sinning.

Divers of the Fathers conceive, that he is called the man of sin, Quia & ipse plurimùm peccabit, & alios ad peccandum coget: Because he is a notorious sinner himself, and constrains others to sin in the same abominable villanies with him.

Thus you have the multivarious expressions rather then opini∣ons of the sin, wherefore Antichrist is called the man of sin. But before we proceed we must say something of the man, because there lies the great difference betwixt the Protestants and the Pa∣pists, and betwixt Protestants and Protestants.

It is the opinion of all, that this man of sin is the Antichrist;* 1.11 but what this Antichrist is, is that which is much controverted.

Very many of the Protestants do hold, that Antichrist is not one single person; but a certain Politie or Kingdom, wherein there is a succession of persons governing: Brightman saith, the Antichrist must be understood of a wicked Kingdom. Calvin saith, that the Antichrist is the head of the Apostasie, Ergo no one single man; but we deny his Antecedent, for it will never be proved from History or Scripture, that ever any one Government, City, or Polity was the Head of all the Churches that apostati∣zed. Neither doth the Scripture say any such thing of the Anti∣christ, but the contrary, as we shall shew hereafter. We only give this as a true and full answer to his argument, that there is not a word of Scripture in all the Bible, to prove that the Antichrist is the head of the grand and general apostasie; but for brevity sake, wee'll only give you Brightman's strange opinions of the Anti∣christ: for him do the most Protestants follow. I have briefly col∣lected them thus. 1 Antichrist (saith he) immediately after the ruine of the Roman Empire, appeared in the Roman Throne, and* 1.12 made that his seat. 2 That Antichrist is a wicked Kingdome, and no single person. 3 That the time of his comming is past, and not to come. 4 That the Antichrist is to reign no where but in the City of Rome. 5 That the Antichrist is the seventh head of the beast which reigns after the Emperours in Rome.

A man needs go no farther then his own arguments to fetch fire enough, to turn into vapour and smoke each of these gross mistakes which have no Scripture for their bottom; for the present, this shall be all the confutation (which is enough to that ingenu∣ous Reader, who peruseth him seriously) that we shall give, be∣cause we have work of more consequence to follow, which will reach him fully.

The Protestants (both Lutherans and Calvinists) affirm that Paul speaks of the Antichrist in 2 Thes. 2. 4. which exalts himself above all that is called God, and that he as god sits in the Tem∣ple of God, shewing himself that he is god. This say they, is the Pope. By the Temple of God they acknowledge (as all men must) that it is the Church of God. Observe now how Bellarmine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this with an argument ad hominem, thus:

Arg. If the Pope of Rom•…•… sitting in the Church of Christ be* 1.13 Antichrist▪ then the Calvinists & the Lutherans, & as many as have forsaken the Church under the Pope, are out of the true Church of Christ, for the Church of Christ can be but only one as Christ is one▪ But the Calvinists and the Lutherans do affirm the Pope to be Antichrist: Ergo they have left the true Church.

If this text be meant of the Pope of Rome, then do I not see how Bellarmines Argument can be answered. This Argument of his is to this day not cleerly answered, notwithstanding several answers I have read of Brightmans and B. Downams, two learned Prote∣stants.

This is an undeniable truth, that the Antichrist shall arise in the midst of the purest Church in the world, even when it remains pure, therefore (Dan. 7.) 'tis said, He shall wear out the Saints, and change their customes and lawes; by which it appears, it is the true Church in which he appears; and that Church (by their customes and lawes) is a Nationall Church; where should the two Witnesses be but in the true Church? and where then should he arise that slayes them but in the true Church? look not for An∣tichrist any where but in the midst of the true Church, and at that time (and not before) when the Witnesses have finished their testimony; in that place, at that time, look for the Antichrist. But that time is not immediately after the overthrow of the Roman Pagan Emperours, n•…•…r •…•… the City of Rome▪ as is evident from Revel. 12. let not the Reader think I plead any thing for the Pope or the Church of Rome, because I do confidently •…•…ffirm that the Popedome is not the Antichrist, nor Rome the seat of Antichrist, as learned B. Downam would make it, lib. 10. de Antichristo, cap. 3, 4. I do fully agree with him, that Rome is mystical Babylon, and the Popedome the whore of Babylon; but all this makes not the Popedome the Antichrist, nor mysticall Babylon the seat of the Antichrist which slayes the Witnesses, as he would have it, lib. 1. cap. 6. it makes the Popedome the beast with seven heads and ten

horns, Revel. 13. 1. but not the beast of the earth, Vers, 12. nor the beast of the bottomless pit, Revel. 11. 7. which is the Antichrist Paul here describes. We will not do the Church of Rome that honour, to make it the Church where Antichrist usurps and ty∣rannizeth; for that Church, where Antichrist is revealed, is the purest Church; 'tis the true Church that hath good lawes and customes, else Antichrist would not think to change them: we say, and can prove it, that the Church of Rome is an apostate, de∣generate Church, full of all manner of abominations and filthi∣nesse, the mother of Harlots; all this the Scripture saith of it,* 1.14 and much more. And we do affirm this of the Pope and Pope∣dome, that the Pope is that Star of the Roman Church fallen from heaven to earth, i. e. as eminent an Apostate Church-man as ever can be in the World, and by his hellish, bottomlesse pit∣policie is got to be the beast of the Sea with seven heads and ten horns, full of Blasphemie. We will grant him the greatnesse of being that monstrous head of the Western Apostasie, and this the Scripture saith of him; but to affirm, that the Pope or Pope∣dome is the Antichrist that shall arise when the Witnesses have finished their testimony, and shall slay the Witnesses, or the little horn in Daniel, rising after the ten horns, or the man of sin sitting in the Temple of God, then to be revealed, when that which did let is removed, all the learned men in the world shall never make me believe; and therefore let not the Papists think their Cham∣pion hath wonne the day of the Protestants, because he grounds an argument upon their mistakes; no, for we deny that the Pope is the Antichrist that slayes the Witnesses, and yet we do affirm, that the Popedome of Rome, and those that have possessed that u∣surped charge make the beast with seven heads and ten horns, which drove the Witnesses into sack-cloth, and into the wilder∣nesse, they drove the woman, the true Church into the wilderness, into her place, and what place is that? but where the Witnesses finish their testimony, and are slain by the Antichrist, who reigns onely so long, as the Witnesses lie dead, which is but three yeares and the halfe of three years in that dominion, where he slew the Witnesses.

There is much difference amongst the learned about this man of sin in the Text; Hierome, and Beda, and Damascen, l. 4. c. 28. do affirm, that this man of sin is a Devill; but the most learned confute this, affirming that he is a man acted by the Devil, not a

reall Devil, that he is one single person, not onely the restrictive articles to each of his names do evidence, but the things attribu∣ted to him, as also the time of his continuance do convince us, that the Antichrist is one single person.

He is a little horn, saith Daniel, speaking great words against God, and wearing out the Saints for a time, times: and the dividing of that time, which, according to Daniels interpretation, can be but four years and a half in probability at the most; the like doth Revel. 11. say of the Antichrist.

Severall of the Papists make two Antichrists; the one apparent* 1.15 in the world, that is, Mahumetans; the other to come in the end of the Roman Monarchy, who (they say) shall slay Enoch and E∣lias, that is, the two witnesses, and reign three years and a half, and then he shall be destroyed by Christs comming to Judge∣ment▪

Notes

• * 1.1

  Haec est revela∣tio Pauli de ad∣ventu Antichri∣st•…•…. Jac. Fabrus Stapul•…•…nsis in Locum.
• * 1.2

  •…•…ach. 3. 3, 4, 5.
• * 1.3

  Joel 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
• * 1.4

  Habak. 3. 4. Habak. 2. 2, 3.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.6

  The sin of An∣tichrist what?
• * 1.7

  Et alius consur∣get post eos, & ipse major erit prioribus, & tres reges humi∣liabit. A. Mon∣tanus.
• * 1.8

  Tres Reges de∣primet. Trem.
• * 1.9

  Et Sanctos al∣tissimorum abo∣le•…•…it. Montan.
• * 1.10

  Sicut Christus omnis justitiae homo, ità ille (Antichristus) totius peccati homo. Bruno C•…•…rthus. Gloss. Aquinas, cum multitaliis. Sicut Christus melior omnibus sanctis, ità Anti∣christus pejor o∣mnibus malis. Aquinas. Invadet Impe∣rium Antichri∣stus ac domina∣bitur titulo ju∣stae possessionis, ac verae pietatis, sed ubi revelari eoeperit publicè, his notis orna∣bitur quas Apo∣stolu•…•… hîc ei tri∣buit (viz.) ho∣mo peccati, fi∣lius perditionis. Aret. Homo peccati, i. e. totaliter peccatis deditus, ex peccato & scelere consta∣tus. Aquinas. Zanchius. Peccator ille sceleratissimus. Tirinus.
• * 1.11

  Est multitudo aliqua, & di∣versi sibi invi∣cem succede•…•…∣tes, qui unum quodammodo Antichristi va∣stum corpus effi∣cerent. Hype∣rius.
• * 1.12

  Ve•…•…y much of this we may finde in learn∣ed B Down•…•…m de Antichristo.
• * 1.13

  Si 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nus sit A•…•…∣christus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Ecclesia Christi, t•…•…c Lutherani & Calvinist•…•…, & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ab Ecclesia q•…•…e Papa est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sunt, extra ve∣ram Ecclesiam Christi ver san∣tur; nam Eccle∣sia Christi una tantùm esse po∣test, sicut Chri∣stus unus est. Confirmant au∣tem Lutherani & Calvinistae Papam Roma∣num esse Anti∣christum; Ergo. Bellarmin. de Rom. Pontif.
• * 1.14

  Vide Dounam de 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 de 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & de 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Romanae Ec∣clesiae, lib. 5 cap. 2, 3, 4. 5.
• * 1.15

  Jacobus Fabrus Stapulensis in Locum.