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.

WHose comming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders.

In verse 8. we had a generall view of Antichrists reigne and Antichrists ruine; now in the four following verses the Holy Ghost descends to a more speciall and peculiar description of An∣tichrists appearing when he comes to be formally Antichrist, i. e. to dis-possesse the lawfull Magistracie and Ministery, the two anointed ones; and to set himselfe and his Image or government above them.

The Holy Ghost describes him (that the Church may know him above all others when he comes) 1 By his manner of appear∣ing in the world. 2 By his followers or subjects.

His manner of appear∣ing is described in

• Generall, to be after the working of Satan.
• Speciall, to be, 1 With power. 2 With signes. 3 With lying wonders. 4 With all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse.

[Whose comming] Comming, or appearance, or presenee, is here put for the full possession that Antichrist hath of the throne he usurpes; his appearing formally to be Antichrist; and how is this appearance? the Text answers, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] accord∣ing to the working of Satan.

Some learned men conceive that by Satan is not here meant the Devil, but such an enemy and adversary of the Lords Anoint∣ed, as Iudas was; their ground for this is partly from the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies not an infernall spirit, or reprobated Angel, but an adversary or spightfull enemy. If this be the mean∣ing of the Text, then it must run parallel with that, Revel. 13. 12. he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, or in the

presence of him; that first beast is the Pope, so that as the beast of the Sea with seven heads and ten horns got up to his usurped greatnesse by supplanting his Sovereign; so by the same rounds of policie doth the Antichrist climbe up to his usurped greatnesse: and thus he may be said to come after the working of the adver∣sary the Pope, who is the grand adversary of the true Christian Church, and of the Jews conversion; but I cannot adhere to this opinion: for Satan here (as for the most part every where) is one of the black attributes of the Devil, appropriated onely to him.

It would scarce be worth while, unlesse to satisfie the curious, to repeat the wilde opinions of some learned men on this expres∣sion. Some thinke he is a Devil incarnate, who endeavours to imitate Christ, and to perswade the people that he is Christ: they think he shall be of the Tribe of Dan, and after this manner de∣ceive the Jews. They think he will pretend to come of a Virgin as Christ did.

Others, that he shall not be a Devil, but a man begot by the Devill of a Virgin.

Hierome on Isaiah 16. thinks that the Devil is the father of An∣tichrist: this in some sense is tolerable; but for the other o∣pinions I finde not the least ground in Scripture for them, and therefore leave them. Neither can I so heartily imbrace the opi∣nion of learned Swarez, and those other Romish Doctors of his opinion, who hold, that Antichrist shall be filled with the evil qualities of the Devil from his cradle. Yea the Devill (say they) shall so shape him to his mould, when he is in the wombe of his mother, ut temperamentum & complexio ejus fiat propensissima ad om∣nia vitia; these things may be true, but 'tis very uncertain to me; I desire to sail by the Compasse of the Word, and the winde of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture as neer as I can, and that (if any thing) will bring me to the desired fair heaven of truth. Anton. Scaynus, Hemingius, and Bened▪ Iustin, have very good glosses upon these words; the neerest to truth of any of these I have re∣peated.

I most concurre with Zanchie upon this Text; his coming is ac∣cording to the working of Satan, i e. the Devil, who hath, (Iohn 8. 44.) two Epithites given him by the Holy Ghost, even by Christ himselfe, he is a liar and a murtherer: now according to this efficacie of Satan Antichrist comes; these ars, (as Zanchie calls

them) Antichristi arma, the weapons of Antichrist; in this sense we finde a parallel Text, Revel. 13. 11. the beast of the earth spake like the Dragon, and how did the Dragon speak? Gen. 3. 1, 3, 5. he speaks flattering lies, and teaches abominable rebellion. He taught to pluck the forbidden fruit; so Antichrist flatters his fol∣lowers with fair promises of liberty; but they are lies, and teach∣eth to pluck the forbidden fruit; you know there is one sacred tree in the world, which man is forbidden to touch, yea the Hereticks and Apostates of these times confesse it; some of the eminentest of them have acknowledged that it is as sacred corn, onely to be reaped by the hand of God; now this forbidden fruit, this sacred tree he cutteth down; and herein he commeth according to the efficacie of Satan, i. e. as a liar and a murtherer and a cheater. The Devil put on a painted skin when he vented his most pernici∣ous poison: so doth Antichrist, he puts on the speckled skin of fair pretences. Nothing but liberty, the Gospel, and the promotion of piety and Saintship is in his mouth, but his heart and practices and designes are diametrally against it.

Notes

• Verse 9.
• Theodoretus. Hypolitus de Consummatione S•…•…culi. Rabanus de Antichristo.
• Operatio Sata∣nae & omnis co∣natus ejus in hoc homine situs •…•…rit. Ant. Scay∣nus. In ipso, cum ip∣so, & per ipsum operabitur Sa∣tanas. Tirinus. In Antichristo est Diabolus. •…•…uggerens, •…•…icut dicitur de Juda, Jo. 13. Introivit in eum Satanas, scilicet instigan∣do. Aquinas. Ità Gorranus.