by which Antichrist shall be by little and little consumed and brought to nothing if this be a true interpretation of these words then the Lords destruction of Antichrist is not nor cannot be at the day of Judgement for then the Ministerie of the Word shall cease But Cornelius à Lapide confutes this opinion by one good argument It cannot saith he be meant the preaching of the Word for Antichrist shall remove that by slaying the two Witnesses ô Cornelius I fear thou wilt prove a true Prophet Antichrist will forbid all Preachers upon the greatest penalties to let alone his usurped tyrannical bloudie government Neither saith he is the preaching of the Word able to kill Antichrist Alas Antichrist is Sermon-proof All the reason and Religion in the World shall not take him off from his purposes all the thundering Cannons of the Church affright him no more then a paper-pellet from a pot-gun he is shot-free in this holy War he is that Leviathan which counts these darts as stubble and laugheth at the shaking of these spiritual spears Therefore saith my Author Christ when he comes to destroy him shall not come ad praeliandum but ad judicandum Hence he and with him Aquinas Oecumenius Andreas Scaynus Fab. Paulutius Goranus conclude that by the spirit of his mouth is meant his Imperiall command his Majestick sentence Aquinas hath another tolerable exposition of these words he parallels these words with that in Isaiah 11. where it is said The zeal of the Lord of boasts shall do this that is the zeal of his justice wherewith he is zealous out of love for the good of his Church Indeed zeal it is flamma amoris and as the Noble Husband otherwise milde and gentle cannot but furiously arise against those that offer injurie to his beloved wife which flame of fury ariseth from the fire of love even such is Christs against the enemies of his Spouse the Church especially against the Antichrist the greatest and worst of enemies to the Spouse of Christ. Grotius by these expressions of the Apostle understands the facility of the work in Christs hands He can as easily confound Antichrist as the winde before the smoak away as the Sun causeth the dew to vanish 't is but speaking the word and it is done as Antiochus Dan 8. 25. a type of the Antichrist was destroyed without hands so shall the Antichrist without hands by the breath of Christs mouth be destroyed In Psal. 10. 5. there we finde the wicked succesful Tyrant puffing at his enemies he overthrows them by his might as easily as a man blows out a Candle 't is an expression full of disdain to his enemies even so here Christ in disdein to the Antichrists might and power shall with the breath of his mouth confound him As Antichrist puffed at the Saints of God disdeining all their force and power and easily vanquished and overthrew them so the Lord Jesus when he comes he will puff at Antichrist and easily vanquish him and therefore Christ in disdein to him all his power that he brings against him Rev. 19. 17 18. sends his messenger to invite the fowls of the air to a supper that he would give them made of the carcases of those Kings and Captains and mighty men so much doth he disdein the armies of his enemies and so little doth he doubt of the success of the day that before he fights he promiseth the fowles a supper at night of these mighty men that set themselves in array against him that day the breath of Christs mouth against his enemies is that that shall overthrow them in the height of their strength Therefore Isaiah 59 19. When the enemy shall come in like a floud the Spirit of the Lord shall by blowing against sin make him to flie the Spirit of Christs mouth shall vanquish the adversary the Antichrist The Scope of this Text being to set forth the destruction of the Antichrist by the Lord Jesus his immediate power and command I conceive the expressions in the Text are such as run parallel with the Old and New Testament-texts that prophesie also of this great day of Antichrists destruction For the finding out of those parallel Texts we must take in both expressions whom the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth and consume with the brightnesse of his comming 't is but a doubling of the same expression as Grotius observes after the manner of the Hebrews when they intend either to expresse a thing elegantly or vehemently or certainly both these expressions tends saith Grotius to one thing For the first expression we shall finde some Texts onely parallel with the matter some both with the marter and the phrase whom the Lord shal destroy with the breath of his mouth Parallel both with the phrase and matter are those two Texts Isa. 11. 4. and Revel 19. 15. Isa. 11. 4. And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked one This Text saith Cornelius à Lapide Paul alludes unto vel potiùs citat or rather cites it It is manifest both from the Hebrew Translators and also from the Greek Translatours that the Texts in the phrase are alike one thing more is observable in the reading of the Text that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scebet which we translate rod signifies Scepter so that He shall smite the earth with the Scepter of his mouth this Scepter of his mouth Revel 19. 15. is called the sword of his mouth wherewith he smites the Gentiles here he smites the Gentiles there the earth both which Lukes copie of the same prophecie from Christs mouth expresseth Luke 21. 25. there the earth shall be distressed and in great anxiety and the Gentiles at their wits end 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 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 against 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
shall omit the sifting of them until we come to explain them The Doctrinal part may be summed up in this negative Proposition The day of Iudgment is not presently to come In the General we are led to take notice of Pauls modus procedendi his wise and orderly dealing with these affrighted Thessalonians where there is first the Subject matter and secondly the introduction to this matter The Introduction is Rhetorical 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 CHAP. III. IN his Rhetorical Introduction we have 1. His form of delivery 2. his terms of expression 1. His form of delivery is not mandatory but supplicatory he does not say mandamus but rogamus 2. His terms of expression he gives them are not harsh but mild and full of affection he does not say vos Thessalonicenses or vos amici but vos frates Ver. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we beseech you brethren Though Humane Authors as the Learned observe seldom use this word in a Petitionary way yet the holy Apostles use it often so in the Scriptures The word is like Solomons Chariot paved with love it comes from a word signifying love So that the word seems to carry all this honey in its loyns We lovingly beseech you Hee that by his Apostolicall Authoritie might have come with a rod of correction and sharp conviction becomes a Petitioner in love and meeknesse we lovingly beseech you brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brethren a significant word full of bowels and naturall affection as much as to say You that are uterini of the same womb with me that sucked one and the same milk with me Herein the wisdom of that Lamb-like Lion as I may call him Paul doth much appear Paul perceived how the design of the Seducers was to undermine his new planted Church at Thessalonica by disquieting their souls with terrifying Doctrines as that Doomes-day would be within a yeer and for proof hereof they quoted Paul Wonder not then if the new planted Church of Thessalonica which were all but tender Lambs were much tossed and perplexed in their mindes at the hearing of this strange Doctrine for if Felix that lion was made to tremble but at the hearing of that day well might these Lambs who daily expected to see it This tender Church was to be fed with milk and not with such strong to say truth poysoned meat They were begotten by Paul to the true faith but not to that heighth of evidentiall faith as not to be moved to hear that on a sudden they their wives and children should be brought to judgment These boisterous windes of false Doctrine raised by these incarnate Divels the false teachers and beating so impetuously upon the fluctuant passions of these new planted Christians raised so great a storm against that holy house and houshold that had it not been built upon the rock it had doubtlesse fallen and great had been the fall thereof To allay this storm it seems to me a harder task for Paul at land then for Christ at sea to effect Christ first rebuked the wind and then commanded the water to be still and they were so but contrariwise Paul begins first to allay the waves as the onely means to dispell the winde Paul like a wise Physician layes his finger on the right pulse he there began the cure where the enemy began the wound their passions had made them enraged distractions caused through sudden fear had made them as it were mad and therefore Paul comes in good season with his heavenly melodious charm to allay them We lovingly beseech you brethren Thus Paul like another Orpheus or rather like David with the well-tuned harp of Rhetorick perswades these brain-stung Thessalonians to take a cure He hath half done the cure upon the judgment that hath but allayed the timorous distempered affections of a seduced soul. Paul comes in the same method here to the Thessalonians that Christ came to his disciples in after his Resurrection the first word is peace it was a word in season from the Prince of peace to his poor disconsolate and disquieted servants He that would settle Truth must first make Peace The first word of Command is Peace which being made is commonly the introduction to Obedience Behold here also the vehement desire of Paul and the exceeding earnestnesse of his spirit to repair the ruâ—…nes that this sudden Church-quake had caused in Thessâ—…lonica What must a King put off his Crown to his subjects Must he become petitioner that ought to be petitioned Indeed in reason and conscience it ought not But Paul voluntarily falls upon his face to set them fallen upon their feet Paul saw the dangerous consequences that would follow and therefore as Aretius observes Paul useth these supplicatory terms as a prudent Ambassador of Christ who knew the times and seasons the time when to imbrace and when to refrain from imbracing when to come with a rod and when to come in love Thus you have Paul's Exordium 2. The second thing observable in the doctrinal part is the Matter it self which though in its form it be Supplicatory yet in its quality it is Dehortatory In the Supplicatory dehortation may I beg leave to call it os the Apostle dehorts the Thessalonians from three things in which leaving their Affections he comes home to their Judgments by most plain conviction 1. He dehorts them from the matter of their present fear as if the day of Judgment were at hand 'T is no such matter saith Paul Wherein 2. He dehorts them from the intrinsecall causes of this fear viz. instability in the Truth through forgetfulnesse of it and groundlesse credulity in receiving every new fangle of false Teachers without searching the Scriptures so intangling themselves to their own trouble making themselves miserable before their time without any ground A sin against Philosophie 3. He dehorts them from the external causes of their trouble and those are Seducers be sure so long as their hearts were a Magazeen of powder these fire-brands would never cease until they had blowed them up by the sparks of false Doctrine cast in amongst them therefore the Apostle dehorts them from crediting such persons whom he describes by their subtile practices commonly putting on one of these three cloaks when they went a cheating 1. Either fained revelations 2 Or fained words 3. Or fained Epistles Of the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and of our gathering together to him for so we read the Text. The whole verse runs thus We beseech you brethren of or concerning the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ and our gathering together to him This verse is imperfect in its sense without the other therefore this of the next must be
Moon and caused a great Eclipse in the minds of the Thessalonians They that Paul left confirmed in the Truth are now shaken off from the Truth This Moon that was as white as snow in the truth is now turning into blood and darkned through the deceits of these impostors Hoodwink a Church with error or mis-belief and in that mopish fit it is apt to be led any way by Seducers The Scholiasts interpretation on this Text is notable That ye be not shaken in mind i. e. to be troubled or terrified out of ignorance of mind and servility ofâ—…t in prostituting it to the lusts of Seducers There is no way to lead a Religious mind but by darkning it and terrifying it Other Learned Interpreters by mind here understand the faith conceiving mind to be put by a Metonimy of the Subject for the faith it being the seat of faith and in this sense they understand it who read the words à vestro sensu that is say they from the truth I Paul taught you concerning the day of Judgment and the great Apostasie of the Gospel Church before that day which you by faith embraced Others conceive that Paul speaks here of the Regenerate mind whereby they did apprehend the truths of the Gospel as if he should say after once you have been brought to know aright and imbrace the saving Doctrine of faith suffer not your selves to be removed from this saving knowledg Grotius expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sentence or Doctrine delivered Since these various and Learned opinions do circle the Truth I will not give the precedency to any but as Augustin in such a like case said so shall I and I suppose it best becomes me to say Why may not all these interpretations be taken in since there is so much probability of truth in all and so little clashing betwixt any Nor be troubled The Greek word comes from a word say the Criticks which signifies the clamour or noise of those that make a tumult To this Zanchie agrees Therefore Nor be troubled he thus expounds Be not ye terrified with the clamor and noise of those Incendiaries those false Alarmers of the Church which as Aretius observes from the word with their mouthing terrible words of deceit and lyes went about to raise a storm in a quiet Haven to the intent to shipwrack the Church An Army sometimes is more easily overthrown by a false Alarm in the night then by a pitched Battel in the day this was the way that these Seducers went first they went to make it night in their understandings by leading them from the truth and then they intended to give them a false Alarme to distract them fear them and disorder them As Gideon by his Rams horns sounding his Pitchers chinking and his new and sudden light appearing ruined that strong and mighty Army so did these Seducers intend by the chinking of their Pitchers producing of their new and unexpected light and crying the word of the Lord and the word of Paul intend to rent and ruine the Church of Thessalonica Now Paul that he might prevent the mischief indeavours to remove the cause which lay more in the weak minds and timorous hearts of the Thessalonians then in any thing else for had they held fast to Pauls Truth which it seems by ver 5. they had forgot and not been terrified these Seducers had been utterly disappointed of their ends for they came into this Church but as Pick-pockets into a Fair making an uproar on purpose thereby with more ease to beguile the people therefore the Apostle saith to this effect O ye Thessalonians Non solum non moveamini quoad intellectum sed neque terreamini quoad affectum Gorhanus Having thus discovered the inward causes of this Church-commotion he proceeds to discover by way of dehortation from the extrinsick causes of this Church-quake CHAP. IV. NEither by Spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us Christ when he plucked up the pale of his only quondam Royal Park the Jewish Church He chose the Gentiles for his Forrest and Paul that had been the Divels Huntsman heretofore is now made Christs Ranger of this Forrest he with his commission from Christ goes â—…like another Orpheus with an harp from Apollo and makes such melodious Musick upon that heavenly harp the Gospel that by the Almighty power of him that sent him he made multitudes of people like woods to follow him he made the trees of the Forrest to bud and bring forth fruit to God He tamed the wild Beasts and turned stones to living creatures which became the sons and daughters of Abraham In this Forrest there were many night-walkers who did hunt with vnlawful nets and went about to destroy Christs Spiritual Game they had many baits and snares about every Burrough especially this at Thessalonica Now that Paul might spoil their unlawful Game he breaks their nets and spoiles their baits which he does by discovering them for these Seducers like cunning Fishers had mudded and troubled the waters that so their nets might not be discovered they raised a storm in that Church and then like Syrens sang their deceitful tunes in that storm Neither by Spirit Some conceive that Paul useth the word Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mimically in an holy scoffe at those Spirit-mongers who came with their empty vain dreams and opinions pretending them to be revelations of the Spirit therefore saith Iohn Believe not every Spirit 1 Ioh. 4. 1. i. e. every fellow that pretends to have the Spirit Primasius conceives by Spirit is meant the strange signes that Seducers shall shew pretending them to be done by the Spirit such Juglers there were doubtless in those dayes as well as those we live in Spirit say others by a Metonimy is here put for the revelation of the Spirit because the Spirit is the Efficient cause of revelation these false Teachers came and fained revelations as Zanchie hath it and then fathered it on the Spirit as Oecumenius hath it although those false Prophets themselves were the Authors of it Some conceive that by Spirit here is meant Prophesie and not unlike for the Spirit of Prophesie was then one special gift of the Holy Ghost and that which Christians were to give much heed unto and to try them by the Rule i. e. of the old Testament Prophesies as wel as by the new delivered by the Apostles Now this being the likeliest way to deceive the people in came these Seducers at this golden gate Hence Theophylact expounds it Prophecie because as he conceives certain men did counterfeit a Prophecie as that the day of Judgment was at hand If I should quote Beza Aretius Piscator and many more Commentators it would but inform us that they vary only in expression scarce any thing in sense Therefore I leave the Reader to follow whom he pleaseth Nor by word Here must be added As from us and probably as from
us hath relation both to Spirit Word and Epistle and so the Apostles meaning may be We had no such revelation from the Spirit we never delivered any such thing in any Sermon nor did we ever write any Epistle that expressed any such Doctrine The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Learned observe is here put for a specious pretence So it is used in Coloss. 2. 23. which things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a shew of wisdom a specious pretence of high Divinity Others as Hyperius and Zanchy conceive the word imports as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a perswasory speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A word that Paul useth Col. 2. 4. Lest any one beguile you with inticing words or probability of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an adapted perswasory speech to make that which is spoken be it true or false seem to be a reall clear and undobted truth It is in Logick called a Paralogisme which saith Aretius the false Apostles here made drawing their false conclusions from 1 Thess. 4. 15 17. Thus they might argue from these words Then we which remain alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Now if Paul reckon himself and the present Saints of Thessalonica amongst the number of them that shall be alive to be caught up with Christ then the day of Judgment must be near for Paul is well stricken in yeers and many of the Saints of Thessalonica are old and ready to go to their graves But say they Paul expresly saith Wee that are alive shall be caught up together with him Ergo The day of Judgment is neer at hand Such kind of Sophisme Zuinglius Primasius Hyperius and Aretius conceive the Apostle means Cornelius à Lapide and Estius by word understand the word or sermon of Paul as if Paul should say any such thing that the day of Judgment was at hand for saith Estius the false Apostles affirmed se ex ore Pauli audivisse that they heard Paul speak it That the day of Judgment was at hand from beleeving which the Apostle dehorts them flatly denying that any such word ever proceeded out of his mouth Nor by letter as from us This is to a word according to the Vulgar Translation which reads it so from the Greek Copie 'T is generally conceived that those false Apostles did either forge Epistles in Paul's name or set false glosses upon those he writ Therefore saith Theophylact these Seducers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They fained Epistles as if they had been written and sent forth by Paul and Zanchy as others conceives that either they did forge Epistles in Pauls name or else Paul alludes to the former Epistle where he had treated of this day of Judgment Beza hath a notable saying upon these words very fit to be applyed to our times alluding to the hereticks of those times he lived in If Beza which saw those monsters but in their babieclouts did conceive this Text to be fulfilled in his time what would he have said if he were now alive in England to see these monsters in their full strength and power But I leave this As that the day of Christ is at hand or instantly to be Some conceive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies here the time past and so the false doctrine here they make to be the same with that in 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. of Hymeneus and Philetus who affirmed that the Resurrection was already past but there is no word in the Greek Copie in all this Text to draw any such Interpretation from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But we have parallel texts to prove that the word signifies the present time whether the present year or the present generation it is indifferent but it signifies present 1 Cor. 3. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either things present Some conceive possibly the Apostle here repeats the words in derision of the false Apostles who made it all their cry The day of Christ is coming upon us 'T is close at hand t is close at hand Zuinglius affirms that the Apostle took occasion to write this dehortation from a certain book that was writ Anno 24. which had this false doctrine of the day of Judgment 's being at hand This may have some probability if Zuinglius mean the 24 yeer after Christs Ascension But I can neither fully beleeve him nor cleerly disprove him But the most learned conceive that the Apostle grounds his Dehortation upon certain false teachers Doctrine that of meer envie took upon them the profession of Christianity possibly they were crafty Jews of that City on purpose to overthrow it when they saw an opportunity and Paul being absent they thought the fittest time to do mischief was then Now the mischef they intended was twofold 1. To bring Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus into the greatest disgrace that might be by defaming them as Seducers false prophets Baals priests Antichristian Ministers c. for if the day of Judgment did not fall out at their false set time Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus should be in all the blame these false teachers would have seriously professed that they were misled by those false prophets Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus but now their eyes were opened to perceive plainly that they were seducers and for their part they would no longer follow them nor their Doctrine which was so evidently false Such an engine in that age as well as this might have blowed up a whole Church at once and have made professors turn Apostates and hate their Ministers 2. By this Doctrine they intended to bring the Christian Religion into publick disgrace not onely to cast out Paul but Paul's doctrine out of all esteem for could they have possessed the people that the day of Judgment would certainly be that present year for 't is conceived that that was their designe the Christians that beleeved it would have neither sowed their seed nor dressed their vineyards nor provided for their families for to what purpose 〈◊〉 had been when they daily expected fire from heaven to consume all Now what a hardening would this have been both to the heathens on one hand and to the Jewes who had there a Synagogue on the other hand when they should have seen these poor Christians and their Families in extreme want of family necessaries meerly through the delusions of their Religion what shame reproach would it be to Christians and how would the Christian Religion have been cryed down as a most false deceitfull Religion and what a door had here been opened for weak Christians to have apostatized to their former Atheisme Many hundred yeers after our Ecclesiastical histories tell us that the Divell by such a cheat drew away many Professors to become Atheists when they saw the day of Judgment according to their Seducers Predictions came not to pass Ver. 3.
colour of truth Grotius conceives the Holy Ghost points here at Caius Caligula the Successor of Tiberius in the Roman Empire who made a great apostasie from the good deeds of Augustus and Tiberius his Predecessors which they did to the Jewes and to their Religion what they did to please the Jewes this did undoe to displease and disprofit the Jews After this manner he makes him run parallel with the other part of the Prophesie but this is rather Iusus then allusio rather a sporting with then expounding of Scripture He shews us how foolish a Commentator mans fancy is of Scripture be the man never so learned and how easily a man may be deluded by the strength of his fantasie to beleeve a lye when t is so byased with its own parallels as to melt sacred Texts into its own mould and shape it to its own liking What is it but transitus à genere in genus to make historicall notions in humanity to beget the conclusions of Divinity like that high-strung Musician Aristoxenus who would out of the principles of Musick determine the nature of a humane soul and what usually is the end of such mens violent labors but only Praxitiles-like to make beguiled minds bow downe to the painted Strumpet of their fancies The reason why so many learned men have like drunken men reeled and rambled and stumbled and fel in their Treatises upon Prophetick Texts is because they â—…ipple themselves first with the brainsick wine of their own fancies drawing This hath been and to this day is I am confident the cause of those gross mistakes concerning the powring out of the vials making all the vials almost of Gods wrath to be poured out upon Rome and her adherents when if we look into Scripture soberly and into History with an unbyassed judgment we shall find not one vial as yet to be poured out I know this opinion is vineger and smoak to some but I presume not to sober men well read in these mysteries humane Histories at the best are but the worst Interpreters of the Scripture The body of the Scripture is like Solomons Temple which a wiser then Solomon hath builded for the Church of God every stone is fitted before it come hither for its fellow here window answers to window and pillar to pillar no noise of axe or hammer is heard throughout it The Scripture is like Ierusalem compact and at unitie in it self it is as Strabo saith of that City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well watered within it self so that we need not go any farther then the threshold of the Sanctuary we need not go over it to quench our thirsty desires of understanding it There is no Doctrinal truth for the feeding of the Church nor any Prophetick truth for the comforting of the Church but it is established 2 Cor. 13. 1. in the mouth of two or three witnesses the fault is only in our selves we are weak sighted and cannot perceive them nor distinguish them Let not the Reader think I cry down either the searching into or the applying of humane History to divine Texts but only the riotous fancies of those who in their writings set up Historie against Scripture and I had almost said reason it self I will willingly give as much worship to History in the Divinity School as the Schoolmen give to Images in the Church that is cultum respectivum but not so much worship as the Papists give to Images this day .i. cultum conjunctum My task therefore shal be to search after that testimony which the Scriptures give concerning the Apostasie and that testimony though but single will carry it against all others I shall only first mention the reason that they give that hold Paul means the ruine of the Roman Empire in this place why Paul did not speak plainly and openly of it To this the Greek and Latine Fathers answer viz. Chrysostom Oecumenius Ambrose Hierom Tertullian and several later Writers as Cajetan and Aretius c. ' Paul say they in prudence kept covert this truth ' lest hereby the Christians and the Christian Religion should ' suffer as enemies to the Empire of Rome Indeed I have read of Saint Basil and it is spoken in his commendation as a grave prudential act of his that considering the season and the predominancy of Hereticks pro temporis ratione Haereticorum principatu he did refrain from some sound expressions concerning the Deity of the Holy Ghost which others of a lower degree in the Church did boldly and frequently use Without all doubt there is a season for all things a time to speak and a time to be silent and a word spoken in due season how pleasant is it But all this shall never make me believe that Paul would for fear of Humane or Diabolical power or crueltie put Gods candle of Truth under a bushel he spake as the Spirit gave him utterance neither adding to nor detracting from any thing imparted to him by the Holy Ghost he delivered the whole mind of God to them Paul had none of that baseness in him which is so frequently found in the Ministers of this Age to baulk Truths for fear of persecution The least Truth of God is worth all the Churches in the world yea set me say it were the least Divine truth put in the scales against all the souls in the world it would out-weigh them Better all those souls should eternally miscarry then that truth should perish Though the pretended Saints of God in this age think a little of the world to be worth a great deal of Gods Truth yet those that are truly sanctified and enlightned think far otherwise Truth it is of the Essence of God for God is truth and he that will with-hold any thing of God for a carnal end will easily be drawn to let go all of God in the end and therefore this their reason I hold to be as unsound as their opinion who think Paul prophesied here of the destruction of the Roman Monarchy by peoples falling away from it Some and those not a few make the Apostafie and the Antichrist to be all one directly contrary to the light of the Text as also other prophetick Texts which run parallel with this As it is a sin to separate what God hath joyned together so 't is no lesse an error on the other hand to joyn in one that which God hath distinctly made two Cornelius à Lapide to whom the Christian world in this latter Age is beholding for his learned Labours saving his errors on the Bible saith on this prophetick Text that there are two great signes which fore goe the day of Judgment which the Apostle in this Prophesie holds out 1 This universall Apostasie and then the Antichrist himself which treads upon the heels of the apostasie and immediately follows it Oecumenius seems to point at the Idolatry of the Church of Rome for saith he the deceit of Idols shall cease and
then the Man of sin shall be revealed He makes them distinct This truth of the Scripture had need to be more then ordinarily insisted upon not in regard of its obscurity for I know not any truth cleerer in Scripture then this but in regard of its opposition and that by many learned and pious Protestants We do affirm that the general apostasie and the manifestation of the Man of sin that Antichrist are two distinct things and this we prove from their opinions that affirm the contrary for they themselves affirm these particular points 1. That this apostasie is a falling away from Christ from the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Christ. 2. That they are Professors of the Gospel that make this apostasie for it must be a forsaking of that they did once professe how else can it be said an Apostasie 3. They say this Apostasie must be an universall and general Apostasie of all the world that is of every Church in the world for otherwise they say the Apostle would have limited his speech and not spoken indefinitely as he doth now put this with their opinion of Antichrist together If the Apostasie be universal thoughouâ—… every Church and this Apostasie and Antichrist are all one then Antichrist must be an Ubiquitary he must be in Europe Asia and Affrica at once for the Europan Churches Affrican Churches and Asian Churches are all apostatized from the Doctrine and the Discipline of the Primitive times All Protestants grant it so that by making Antichrist one with the Apostasie we shall grant that are Protestants more to the body of Antichrist then we will allow the Papists to grant to the body of Christ for we make it to be every where at one and the same time It is granted from S. Iohn's words that the spirit of antichrist was long since in the world and S. Paul here saith the Mystery of iniquity did work then but he tels us that Antichrist was not then but after that to be revealed It cannot be denyed but that the spirit of antichrist went forth with the apostasie and therefore S Iohn 1 Ioh. 2. 18. minding the Churches of the prophesie of antichrist to come in the last times tels them that there were many Antichrists already abroad i. e. that had apostatizing proud aspiring malicious trayterous thoughts and endeavours to supplant the Gospel Ordinances and Gospel Officers but he cleerly distinguisheth the antichristian spirit from the Antichrist in the self same verse and in the 22d and so doth Paul twice in this 2 Thess. 2. distinguish betwixt the Apostasie and the Antichrist In ver 3. he calls it the falling away first and then the Man of sins manifestation which will not be untill the end of the apostasie and ver 7 8. there the apostasie is called the mysterie of iniquitie which then began and but began 'T is a Text parallel with that fore-cited 1 Iâ—…h 2. 18. Now there are many Antichrists The mystery of iniquity began to work in S. Pauls time but not to that height as to carry all before it no there were lets there were the Sons of Oil which did curb it and would untill they were slain and then Mark â—…hen the Adverb of time clearly distinguisheth betwixt the Apostasie and the Antichrist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there a discretive particle and also points us to the set time of the Antichrists appearing But more of this in its due place But it may be said that though they are distinct yet they are as the body and the soul so united as that they appear together and vaâ—…ish 〈◊〉 though they may be distinguished yet they cannot be divided asunder There is some head and Ring-leader in this 〈◊〉 saith Iaâ—…kson on this Text and that must needs be the 〈◊〉 who shall be discovered and a little after he saith that this apostasie is to be a generall and universal departure of the whole Christian world then it must follow that the Antichrist must be the head of all the Churches in the world if so then the Pope cannot be the Antichrist though he bid as fair as he can for it for he is not head of the Eastern apostates and therefore we so frequently hear learned and reverend Divines pray for the ruine of the Eastern antichrist and the Western antichrist the Turkish antichrist and the Popish antichrist by which expressions of theirs they make it evident to me that they beleeve neither the Pope nor the Turk to be the Antichrist which Iohn or Paul single out with the Greek article â—… Possibly they may mean by the Western antichrist the chiefest cause and support of the Western apostasie which Rev. 13. is called the Beast with seven heads and ten horns and without all doubt that is the Popedome the head of which being apostatized from a spiritual Pastor to a proud Usurper in Temporall affairs is called the Star which fell from heaven to earth Ministers are called Starrs therefore by Star his Office Revel 9. 1. is set forth by falling from heaven to earth is meant his eminent and shameful apostasie Hence he is called Rev. 13. 1. the beast arising out of the sea Sea being put in opposition to Earth to note that he ariseth not out of the Civil but Ecclesiastick State he is a Church-man not a Lay-man And then he is crowned and horned to note his greatnesse in Temporal affairs he is one of the Roman Emperors in power But all this doth not make him the Man of sin nor the Antichrist here spoken of nor such an antichrist as some describe him How many learned Scholars both Protestants and Papists set up a Jack-a-lent of their fancies framing and then hoot at it for Antichrist Peradventure many will take me for one of these Fantasticks The safest way is to say so much of Antichrist as the Scriptures say and no more where the Scriptures distinguish concerning the Antichrist and the Apostasie let us distinguish where they are silent let us be silent Most men say the self same that I do highly extolling Scripture and truly acknowledging what the Mythologists sabulously report of their Goddesse Pandora that 't is Gods treasure on earth filled with all manner of heavenly riches and yet mean while either through ignorance or wilful wickednesse there are many too many of these in this age that open Scripture as Epimetheus opened Pandora's Box not as the alabaster box of Spikenard which sent forth an odoriferous smel but on purpose to infect the minds of people with false Opinions Heresies Rebellion and Blasphemies I confess the best Interpreters may take up that saying of themselves What man is there that liveth and sinneth not What Interpreter is he that writeth and erreth not Those of the highest form have confessed of themselves so much Errare possum saith one Haeretious esse non possum This was a confident high speech for no man knows his own nature thus much they know that it is
the slain bodies of the Witnesses which so soon as they rise must needs tumble down again their night is his noon When they are at the very lowest then is he at the very highest Be confident of this that the Antichrist is one single person destinated eminently to this one single act of slaying the Witnesses from which act he takes the name of Antichrist and therefore before that time he is not to be expected to be revealed in and to the world 2 Here is another of Antichrists titles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Syriack translate it iniquus ille and our best English reads that wicked so the same words is translated Act. 2. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by wicked hands by illegall hands in the Greek another reads it the man of sin Beza reads it most properly exlex ille and other learned men acknowlege that it should be so read though they render it otherwise conceiving that Antichrist is so called Antonomasticè by putting one name for another as lawlesse for impious We finde the word to signifie the same that Peshang in Isa. 53 12. signifies for the same word in Luke 22. 37. is this in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he was numbered amongst the lawlesse persons or it may be translated out-lawed persons persons so notoriously sinfull and abominable in their wickednesse that the law hath cast them out condemned them and sentenced them such a one is Antichrist he is so notorious a transgressour against all law both Gods and mans that they both condemn him and hence Daniel 7. 25. he is said to change the lawes and the customes of the Saints he changeth them by breaking them setting up his new image against them Revel 13. 14 15 16. which new image is Dan. 11. 38. his god Mauzim or god of forces his sword-power He is saith Estius called the lawlesse one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia jus omne divinum atque humanum conciliat in some sense it may well be applied to him that slayes the Witnesses because neither Gods lawes nor mans lawes are valued a jot by him but all must passe for law and divinity that he saith or doth Indeed many learned men take notice of the Emphasis in the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thence not onely observing as the most do that he is one single person but that person singularly wicked ille iniquus quia singularitèr iniquus saith Aquinas 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be revealed here you have the rearm or the Apostles manner of expressing Antichrists reigne he shall be revealed that is saith Zanchie he shall be so discovered that he may be plainly seen and known in his wicked reigne to be the Antichrist and so Tirinus understands revelabitur i. e. in lucem prodibit iniquus ille Antichristus quem post tres cum dimidio annos Dominus Iesus interficiet The word is very significant and addes this to our discovery of Antichrist when he comes 1 That when the Witnesses are slain the prodigiousnesse of the act shall make the person that slayes them eminently noted and observed in the World I mean that person who in their ruine exalts himself and rules and tyrannizeth by his Sword-power Therefore it is said Revel 13. 16. he causeth all both small and great to submit to his new government so that small and great shall know and feelingly know the person when he reignes they shall know him by his new government which much like that of Caesars vers 12. and by his successes and prosperous attempts against his enemies and by his manner of enforcing men to subscribe to his new government but though the World know him thus yet they shall not by this know him to be the Antichrist For as when Christ came in the flesh the Elders and Scribes and Pharisees and Herod and Pontius Pilate saw him and heard of his miracles yet did not know him nor believe in him as the Son of God because it was hidden from these wise and learned men they had eyes to see him and the miracles that he did and eares to hear him and the gracious words that he uttered but they did not see nor hear so as they ought viz. to believe in him as the Messias what said they is not this the Carpenter and the son of a Carpenter even so shall Antichrist of the apostate Gentiles be seen and felt and heard but not understood to be the Antichrist they shall not know him when he comes for he shall deceive them Revel 13. 14. that dwell on the earth yea saith Christ If it were possible the very elect but 't is impossible for God shall reveal this lawlesse one to them to be the Antichrist The word imports the revelation of a mystery which is revealed onely to some peculiar choice familiar friends but remains a mystery to the vulgar world notwithstanding this secret is revealed onely to such as fear the Lord Antichrist shall not be known to be the Antichrist though the prodigious acts of Antichrist shall be known to the generality of men in the world I mean that part of the world where Antichrist usurpes a dominion CHAP. X. WHom the Lord will destroy with the spirit of his mouth Here we have the ruine of the Antichrist which is expressed in these two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the person that ruines this man of sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then the manner how or the Instrument wherewith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the spirit of his mouth Observe this from the connexion of the reigne and ruine of the Antichrist that his reigne and his ruine are neer together soon after he is revealed to be the Antichrist shall the Lord Christ ruine him This Text I am confident is generally the most mistaken of any Text in all the Bible principally in this that they make this comming of Christ to slay the Antichrist to be the day of Judgement whereby all hope of the Jews conversion to the Gospel is totally taken away for the prophecies make it clear that the Jewes generall flocking in to the Gospel is after the ruine of the Antichrist I trust therefore through the influence of the Holy Ghosts light in the Scripture in opening the Text to clear it that the day of Christs comming here to destroy Antichrist cannot in any wise be the day of Judgement Whom the Lord By Lord here is concluded on all sides is meant the Lord Jesus and so Lord for the most part signifies in the Old Testament especially where you finde it joyned with God there you may ever conclude it signifies Jesus Christ. Shall destroy or consume or dissolve to nothing or kill for so as the learned observe it signifies With the breath of his mouth or the spirit of his mouth About this Interpreters differ the most say that by spirit of his mouth is meant the preaching of the Gospel
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 contained 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 understand 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 supplying 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 commands which commands are the spirit of his mouth or the Scepter 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 Ambassadours be sharper then a two-edged sword vvhat is it immediately from heaven the voice of the Lord breaks the Cedars in Lebanon 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-power 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 rising 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 ariseth to judge for his people against their proud insulting enemies These three verses comprehend the fore-cited Texts which run parallel with Pauls In v. 16. you have Christ clothing himself in armour to come against this enemy as in Revel 19. and v. 19. he destroys the adversary by blowing upon him 't is 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 Apostasie 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 glorious 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 Prophets 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 compleated after Antichrists ruine by the prosperous successe of the two Witnesses so that the glorious effect of Christs appearing to ruine Antichrist is to be accomplished 2 Because
them in such good method as may make its matter both plain and delightful to the Reader much less to expand the breadth and the length of those glorious truths which are involved in those texts but if in magnis voluisse sat est I am well enough I have done my endeavour I should now proceed to shew the errour of those Millenaries who on the other extream would from the frozen Zone of affliction bring the Church militant into the torrid Zone of terene triumph where it shall have no night of sorrow but shall have Christ personally present in the midst of them hereby utterly making void that text which is unlimited until the day of judgement Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven And All that will live godly in this life must suffer perâ—…ecetion nay worse then this it disgraceth Christ and debaseth his dignity so infinitely that when I consider the Majestie of Christs presence as he appeared to Iohn after his Assumption Revel 1. 13 14. with his eyes like a flame of fire his voice like the sound of many waters from his mouth a sharp two-edged sword proceeding and his countenance bright as the Sun shining in his strength and when I meditate of that glorious place into which with the humane nature he ascended I do so much abhor the thoughts of my Lord the King of Heaven and Earths debasing himself again to dwell with men before their bodies are changed and have put off corruption to be seene with these mortall sinfull eyes and touched with these polluted hands here that I cannot but cry out aloud against the opinion as blasphemous and therefore I passe it by as not worthy the mentioning of a solid Christian it needs not the confuting for the learnedst and most moderate of them Mead contradicts himselfe in one and the same page about this opinion and so do all of them that either print or prattle of it most ridiculously and absurdly Of the ANTICHRIST The Fourth Part. 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 Antichrists 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 appearing in the world 2 By his followers or subjects His manner of appearing 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according 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 Anointed as Iudas was their ground for this is partly from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not an infernall spirit or reprobated Angel but an adversary or spightfull enemy If this be the meaning 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 adversary 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 expression 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 deceive 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 Antichrist this in some sense is tolerable but for the other opinions I finde not the least ground in Scripture for them and therefore leave them Neither can I so heartily imbrace the opinion 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 omnia vitia these things may be true but 't is 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 repeated I most concurre with Zanchie upon this Text his coming is according 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 followers with fair promises of liberty but they are lies and teacheth 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
their word of prophecie Therefore when Christ was cried up of the people for a Prophet the Pharisees come and require a signe from beaven Matth. 16. 1. that was to confirm his extraordinary mission and the new doctrines that he taught As Christ by signes and miracles confirmed his Anointing as only Head Priest and Prophet as man and so anointed above his fellows above all that ever were he was Davids Lord the King of Kings Priest of Priests and Prophet of Prophets as he I say confirms his unction and his new government by signes and miracles So the Antichrist when he comes he shall come in the spirit or energy of the Devil and with lying signes and wonders endeavour to confirm his usurpation by pretending to an extraordinary mission he goes to prove his title to what he usurps by the false signe of providence of Saintship of immediate revelations and such like wayes This observe as a general truth that that man or Church or State since the establishing of the Gospel-Church upon the Bible that have no better title then the present signes and miracles they bring with them to uphold it do build upon an Antichristian foundation For you may be sure their title is not good by the law of Christ in his sacred records who flie from that to feigned signes and miracles of their own I cannot say particularly what these signes are but sure I am from the text they are deceitful signes and prodigious signes What prodigies and signes Europe yea the World hath had these four yeers past I leave the judicious of the World to judge I pass on to the Scriptures that are cogent with the text I Revel 13. 13. there the Antichrist doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make great signes and upon what designes but to cheat the men of the earth to a subjection to his new government as you may see in the afterwords of that Chapter Another parallel text we have in Matth. 24 24. where the Antichrist is set forth by his followers those that comply with him and promote him by dividing and corrupting and over-toping the true Church by those factions of Apostates which they draw out of the Church against it They are caâ—…led false Christs and false Prophets who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though this be not spoken of the person of Antichrist yet 't is spoken of the followers of Antichrist who appear in the Church with the Antichrist and are the instruments of broaching those false signes which in the other texts are attributed to the Antichrist he being the head and patronizer of them for it is not to be imagined that â—…e alone doth these signes but he hath fit instruments designed by him for the work The Frogs out of the Dragons mouth the three unclean spirits help him I am loath to enter upon Revel 16. it being a Chapter so full of unrevealed revelations there being much more difficulty in it then commonly Expositors conceive yet if I did affirm that Revel 16. 16. ran parallel with Pauls prophecie in the description of Antichrists ruine verse 8. whereby the breath of Gods mouth as in Revel 19. 15. and the brightness of his coming as verse 12 16. manifesteth he is destroyed with his fellows verse 20. that is brought to Armageddon Revel 16. 16. I think I could easily prove it and upon better grounds then as yet I see by former Authours of other opinions refuted but I must return to a harder task and that is to prove that Matth. 24. 24. is a prophecie of the Antichrist and his followers For proof hereof we must borrow the method of him who wrote the last Annotations upon this Chapter Here are saith he three questions propounded 1 Of the ruine of the Temple and of Ierusalem 2 Of Christs comming to restore the Jews 3 Of his comming to judge the World As for that end spoken of v. 14. it is not meant the end of the World but the end of the Jewish Church and State-government the Temple and the Throne should be ruined Now to these three questions Christ distinctly answers denying none as false nor reproving them as needlesse To the first question you have an answer which extends to v. 22. To the second question viz. when Christ shall come to convert the Jews and restore the Kingdome to Iudah that is unite the twelve Tribes again in one Religion under one King as it was under David and Solomon The Disciples were questionlesse right in the question for otherwise Christ would have shewed them their errour and mistake but that Christ doth not neither in this Chapter nor in Act. 1. 6. where they ask this question Wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel i. e. unite Iudah and Ephraim the two sticks in Gods hand They had this opinion not onely by tradition from their fathers but they had it from their prophecies the written received Word from Moses and all the Prophets See what answer Christ makes to them It is not for you to know the times and the seasons that the Father hath put into his hands but ye shall receive power the Spirit of Revelation after his ascension should reveal this to them as it was to the beloved Disciple Iohn and to all them who by the Spirit afterwards understood Christs prophecies in Matth. 24. and Luke 21. So that Christ positively affirmes that such a restauration of the Kingdome to Israel there should be and they should have in due time a more full discovery of that truth in the mean time 't was reserved in the Fathers hands He that wrencheth the scope of Christs words to a contrary sense in my judgement offers exceeding much violence to the Text. Likewise in Luke 17. 20. when the Pharisees that grounded this question of the comming of the Kingdome of God upon the Old Testament-prophecies which are clear in the thing Christ denies not the question but answers to it in Moses words from whence they raised the question So that it is manifest the Disciples were found in the question about Christs comming to call home the twelve Tribes to which he answers from v. 23. to v. 35. where he gives the Symptomes immediately going before his comming and that is â—… Antichrist and his followers should be busie where in the Church about what about dividing Christ making factions in the Church saying Here is Christ and there is Christ behold he is in the desert behold he is in the secret chamber thus Antichrists followers by factions raised in the Church and by their false signes and false wonders in successes providences pretences of sanctity and such like falsities shall prevail so exceedingly that generally all loose professours shall be drawn to a defection or a cursed neutrality or to a malicious apostasie from the Church yea they shall stagger many of the elect and were it possible make them also finally to fall into the same delusions impenitencie and irrecoverable apostasie Now v. 27. comes