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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44854	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.	Hall, Edmund, 1619 or 20-1687.	1653 (1653)	Wing H325; ESTC R11943	203,833	222

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 per●…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

of reliques and with an excommunication of all hereticks in generall they dissolved the counsell By excommunication of all hereticks they meant all those that should withstand any of their cannons which they had decreed Here the Church of Rome and the Protestants parted and if it be seriously viewed on both sides by a clear and impartial eye 't is manifest that the Church if you 'l call a faction so of Rome left us Pope Adrian 6. acknowledged that the Church and chair of Rome was at that time in many things abominable The German English and French Churches desired that those abominations might be purged out for this end a generall councell was desired and under pretence of granting it a party of men were packed to oppose this end and carry on a contrary designe to the ruine of those who desired a reformation and in stead of removing those grievances established them Which now of these two parties is in the right They that kept their faces Zion ward in the reformation of a Church generally acknowledged to be corrupted or they that hardened their necks in a resolved obstinacie to persist in that corruption and added much more abominable corruption to it and established it by a law and made those that departed from their abominations to become a prey to them This is the true case betwixt us and Rome The faction of Rome pretended with us whose hearts were set upon a reformation to reform but in stead thereof established those very grievances the Church complained of hereby 't is manifest that they starting aside like a deceitfull bow left us in the high way of a reformation If we have left them 't is because they have left the truth whiles error was in a private faction in Rome though 't were damnable yet we left not that Church but when that private faction so prevail'd as to establish damnable heresie by a Law and excommunicated all that would not drink of the same poisonous Cup with them then 't was high time to leave their Communion notwithstanding they usurp the name of the Catholick Church The Church of England left not the Church of Rome because governed by Bishops but because those Bishops were become Starrs fallen from heaven to earth apostatized toto coelo from their primitive institution The See of Rome is become the beast of the Sea with seven heads and ten hornes and upon it's heads the names of blasphemy The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of Romes fornication therefore we come out from Rome and herein we have obeyed the voice of our Lord Iesus Revel 18. 4. We never held Bishops quatenus Bishops Antichristian though many Schismaticks and ignorant zelots have builded high upon that stramenous foundation which since the Iesuites by their Gunpowder plots have neatly fired about their ears It is true indeed the German French and British reformers that left Rome or rather were left of Rome could never attain to that reformation was requisite and they desired and the reason thereof is generally known For Rome with her Allies was alwaies so potent against them that it is rather to be admired they have a being then to be complained of that they have attained to no better a being The Churches beyond the Seas both in Germany and France by reason of their innumerable number of potent enemies were constrained to do what they might not what they would happy they that they may eat the Manna of true Doctrine though under the tents of an incompleat and insollid government Those Churches are like the wounded man betwixt Jericho and Jerusalem they have met with a friend that hath powred oyl into their wounds and brought them to an Inn but that Inn of government is not I think their proper home however happy they they are got safe out of the bloudy hands of Romish theeves unto that Inne God send them from thence safe home Let 's be thankful for pure Doctrine that the Ark but le ts not rest till we have lodg'd it within the Temple of right Government I have oft thought that the white linnen of the Saints signifies the right Government of the Church which is the Churches upper garment if so then let them wait with patience for this white linnen they shall not wear untill the Witnesses are risen the Witnesses are yet in sack-cloth or actually slain when they are restored this white Vesture of Church-Government shall be restored to the Church in splendor Let us not censure but pity and pray for those Churches that have not on this white garment confident I am that it is not for want of will but power that all this while many reformed Churches have it not on I cannot forget Bergermannus's words in the Assembly of Dort as I have them from a good hand to the Bishop of Landaff who when he had declared to him how the cause of the German divisions was for want of right Discipline he makes this affectionate replie in the midst of that Assembly Domine nos non sumus adeo f●…lices The Churches that protested against the Babylonish abominations established by the Popish faction at the councel of Trent have ever since born the name and title of the Reformed churches not that all or any of them are perfectly reformed for many of them are corrupt in severall doctrinal points and the most of them deficient as to the pattern of primitive government or as the sacred Rule requires Amongst these reformed churches England hath alwayes been esteemed the purest as being most conformable to primitive purity and the word both in Doctrine and Discipline This appears even from the pens of the Heads of other Reformed churches such as Calvin Camerarius Melancton Bucer Beza Zanchie Molinens Causabon Fergevil Saravia and others who many of them confesse in plain words and all by consequence conclude That the church of England of any church in the world comes the nearest to the Apostolick rule Yet for all this what by reason of the Popish pollutions on one hand and schismatical Separatists on the other hand the church of England could never put on that white garment of pure Discipline she so much endeavoured for though the Temple of Doctrine was purged and the walls of Discipline raised to a comely height under which the church flourished in Queen Elizabeth's and King James his dayes yet the Romish foxes in sheeps clothing crept up the wall of Discipline in King Charles his time and laid the church open as it is this day to the bloudy cruelty of the Babylonians The popish Prelats or rather the Spanish Faction then and ever since prevailing informing them knew the way to popish Doctrine was first to bring in popish Discipline which produced a double effect tending to their end For hereby cities and counties non ignota loquor were filled with superstition and profanenesse having liberty from the Prelates to profane the Lords day and we all know how great

relation to God for though the Roman Throne were whiles the Pagan Emperors sate in it the Divels yet now a Christian Emperour possessing the Throne it is justly called Gods Throne for Gods Vice-gerent sate in it In this sense the two Witnesses ascend up to heaven Rev. 11. 12. that is to that Supremacie from which Antichrist had thrown them No wonder that the throne is called heaven when those that sit in that throne are called Sun Moon and Stars Gen. 37. 10. it signifies in this place the whole royal Family as Iacob expounds it The like phrase of Scripture to the same sense we finde in Isa. 14. 12. where you see the Church insulting over Babylon when she comes to ruine amongst others this is one expression How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer Here Lucifer is put fo●… the Prince the brightest Star in their Orizon and heaven is put for his Imperial seat from whence he is fallen and such a phrase sets forth the fall of the Kingdom of Iudah under the Conquest of the King of Babylon Lam. 2. 1. How hath the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel The beautie of Israel was their Monarch in the Throne but this beauty was cast from heaven to earth Either he means the good King Iosiah who was violently snatcht from the Throne by death in the war or the carrying away of the Royal Family from the Throne to Babylon To our purpose is that Luke 10. 18. where Satan falls like lightning from heaven i. e. from his throne where he rules and where is that but in the hearts of men 'T is usuall to call a Throne Heaven Very many Scriptures more there are of the like signification and expression as Isa. 34. 4. Ioel 2. 10. and 3. 16. Hag. 2. 6. which by their expressions make it probable to us that Rev. 6. 12 13 14. and Rev. 12. 8 9. do both set forth the overthrow of the Pagan Empire by Constantine the Christian Emperor And thus you see the first period of the Churches afflictions in Iohns Vision to be finished The second follows which is that of the Apostasie After Satan was cast down from persecuting Christians by the Pagan Emperors he was not then bound observe that but Rev. 12. 14 15 16 17. drives the Woman into the wildernesse by the Woman is meant the Church where she hath a place provided for her ver 6. which is called her place ver 14. that is a place peculiar to her where she shall be visible This runs paralel with Rev. 7. 2 4 5. where Gods providence is set forth by sealing up his Elect in this time of apostasie which is but for a certain season The Church shall fly upon the two wings of the Eagle i. e. Magistracy and Ministry who shall be in sackcloth into the wildernesse and there be fed 1260 dayes ver 6. 14. God shall be a pavilion to them he will feed them and protect them they shall be under his seal But observe how the apostasie goes on in this 12th Chapter ver 12. there is a woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea and in Rev. 8. under the four Trumpets which was the eminent time of the four angels doing mischief you have the effects of this woe both upon the earth and sea i. e. Church and State The cause of this woe we have it expressed in Rev. 12. 15. The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a floud after the Woman that he might cause her to be carried away of the floud The streams of this floud were the Arian and Eutichian Heresies with the rest of those wicked opinions then raised These streams were like the fountain the Divels mouth was the fountain and the mouths of the inhabitants of the earth were the sea to swallow up those streams therefore wo to the Inhabitants of the earth earthly professors that professed themselves Christians but lived in and loved the world more then their own souls or Gods glory such as the most of our Professors are these drank down Heresies as the pure water of Orthodoxal Truths Now all this while the Bishop of Rome was but as one of the four Angels of the Church and he though leading into apostasie exceeding fast yet in that way of Heresie the least hurtfull nay he was so far from being hurtfull that he was a succourer for some yeers of the orthodox Christians who opposed Arianism yet in regard of the aspiring insolent pride and covetousnesse in the Patriarchal Chair of Rome it might well be denominated one of the four hurtful Angels for as we shewed already soon was this Star in heaven fallen to the earth the Chair of Rome was apostatized from its primitive puritie as much as a Star●… is removed when it f●…lls from heaven to earth The Dragon Rev. 12. 17. when he saw that by the floud of Heresie he could not touch the Church because that under the wings of the Eagle that is of the Roman Magistracy and Ministry she was protected the Divel faceth about like a valiant and cunning Warriour and falls upon his strongest enemies that stood out against him which are called the remnant of the womans seed which keep the commandments of God The Angel of the Western Church had under his jurisdiction many faithful orthodox Divines which maintained Truth against these now the Divel wageth war a spirituall war against their souls So many and various are the deceits and wiles and strategems of the Divel that no Mathematician can draw lines so fast as the Divel can devise wicked wayes and subtil snares to entrap the Church of Christ in This war seems to be especially made against those of the Roman Church where the remnant of the faithfull Oxthodox Christians lay which fled from the Arian persecution And what 's the Divels Stratagem now Observe in the next verse Rev. 13. 1. there you have the ground he chooseth to stand upon And he stood upon the sand of the sea Some read but amisse and I stood conceiving that Iohn stood there No it was the Divel He stood Sea and Earth often signifie in the Revelation say learned men Church and State Here the Divel stood upon the Sea sand probably 't is meant Church government and Governours for as the sea is tyed with a rope of sand that so far it shall passe and no further so Governours and Government in a Church do curb the insolent surges of the peoples raging passions and vain fantasies that they break not in upon the Church to its overthrow By this Stratagem the Divel carryes all before him for●… soon doth he make the Governors and Government of the Church of Rome his own and the next thing that Iohn sees is a Beast arising out of the sea this is the Popedome of Rome The head of the Church of Rome was called one of

Likewise Act. 22. 3. proves Paul was never bound to that Trade of Tent-making for he was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel now all men know that Gamaliel was no Laick Pharisee he was no Tent-maker but a Doctor of the Law who taught Paul not Tent-making but as the Text tells us the perfect manner of the Law of the Fathers Tertullian and Hierom affirm that he was incomparably wise in the knowledge of the Scriptures Moreover Pauls Learning Eloquence and practices tell us that he never learnt before his Conversion nor ever practised the Trade of Tent-making he had a far worse Trade which hee followed too hard to be of that in stead of making Tents for men he pulled down and destroyed the Tabernacles of God the bodies of the Sainrs Such was his humane Learning that saith Chrysostome it was a great question amongst the Heathens Whether he were not more Learned then Plato 3. Next let us view Pauls Conversion This Paul that Lion that devoured the Saints that brier that scratched and wounded all that came neer him or hee could come neer that son of the Divel that imprisoned the Saints dragging them from Prison to the place of execution that Rock that could stand and see them murdered without relenting behold this Lion that devoured Gods Sacrifices now lying down amongst them and eating straw food formerly against his pallate with them This Wolfe is now found feeding not upon but meekly with the Lambs This Brier of the Wilderness that formerly drew bloud is now become a fruitful Vine in the garden of God and yeilds not only pleasant fruit but like the Apple-tree in the Forrest yeilds pleasant shade unto the Church scorched with afflictions For the Church had rest round about This Rock in the Desert of Zin as I may call him is now become a pleasant River to multitudes of thirsty souls This Paul that was the Son of the Divel in the morning and ready mounted on his message and more then three parts of his journey towards the place where he was to execute his Warrants is made the Son of God at noon This Mount Etna we find removed into the midst of the Sea and all his fiery flames put out This Cedar of Libanus is not only shaken but falls at this sudden Thunder of God This Iordan that was swiftly running into the dead sea is driven back at his rebuke Adam was not more strangely disfigured by his fall then this man gloriously transformed by his fall His fall was his promotion his blindness a giving sight Paul met with a better Tutor now then Gamaliel Gamaliel only and scarce that taught him Law but this new Master teacheth him Gospel he learnt more in one hour now then ever he learnt in all his life before he now learned the true knowledge of the Lord of life and no marvel though he were miraculously taught for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by the Lord of life It is most probable that this was the time that he was rapt into the third Heaven I mean the time of his three dayes extasie at Damascus Here Christ not only made him a Saint but created him an Apostle The other Apostles had the favor to see Christ after his Resurrection but he had the honor to see him and hear him speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ineffable words which were not lawful for man to utter after his Ascension which few besides Iohn in Patmos could ever boast of After he was thus baptized with fire in heaven by Christ and with water on earth by Ananias you may behold this Christian Champion the true Hercules passing through his twelve fold Labours with mighty successe insomuch that never any man before or after him can be compared to him The Trophies of his Conquests still remaine in Europe Asia and other parts of the world The weapons of his warfare were spiritual therefore the more noble and the enemies with which he grapled and encountred were not carnal but spiritual he had to deal with principalities and powers and spiritual wickednesses in high places therefore his Conquests are the more glorious See how hee conquered that roaring Lion Sergius Paulus proconsul of Paphus and made him lie fawning at his foot See him again crushing the head of that See pent Elymas Barjesus How many wilde Boars did he came which wasted and destroyed the Church It would be too tedious to relate either the Conquests that he got or the Scarrs of honour that he bore for Christ. He that thinks he can hyperbolize in his Encomiums of Paul wee 'l take up that Proverb on Pauls behalf as once on Hercules's against Iuno against him P●…strà Paulum Indeed he was mortall as other men but went to his grave with more honour then other Conquerors after all their Victories do he died in the field and yet the weapons with which he conquered are immortall which he hath left to succeeding Ages And we finde in his fourteen Epistles which like the Tower of David builded for an Armory have hanging in them a thousand bucklers all the shields of mighty men There is no weapon that the Church or any member of the Church wants at any time in any case against any Enemy but he may be ready furnished in Paul's Armory against him His Epistles are another Paradise full of fruit and flowers Thus out of Paul the man-eater came out meat for man This barren wildernesse became a spiritual Canaan to the Christian Church flowing with spiritual milk and honey Q. Why do you call him Paul when his name is Saul A. I call him as he calls himself in all his Epistles except that to the Hebrews But since it fals in my way to discourse of his name and the changing of his name I shall not baulk it but briefly touch of it and passe immediately from the Author to the Subject from the name to the thing Some think Paul had two names given him as an honor to him if so then the question will be who bestowed that Title of honor upon him who gave him that name of Paul Truely the answer will be uncouth yet very true not his Godfathers nor God-mothers I mean the Church or Company present at his Baptism nor the Minister that baptized him For they all after his baptism called him Saul Brother Saul Indeed the correlate title Brother was Paul's greatest title of Honour for however the world contemns it it is not onely a title of great honour but of exceeding great and unconceivable profit to be a true brother of the Church militant for they have undoubted Title to an everlasting Crown and Kingdome which Usurpers cannot dispossess them of Now if the Church gave not Saul the name of Paul in honour to him certainly the enemies of the Church would not doe it then it must be concluded as most probable that Saul gave himself the name of Paul and so that opinion will fall

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.

iniquity say the last learned Notes upon the Bible is opposed to the mystery of godlinesse 1 Tim 3. 16. But to read it to a word from the Greek Copie it is not to be read mystery of iniquity but the mystery of the Illegality Beza reads it mysterium illud istius abolitionis legis that mystery of the abolition of the law so that that which stands in opposition to it is the plain and known path of God and Natures law for what is opposite to a mystery but plainness open clearness and what stands in opposition to illegality but Gods natures mans lawes so that this mystery of iniquity or illegality is a slie and cunning revolting from Gods lawes natures lawes mans lawes which they do that r●…bell against and withdraw their allegiance from the higher powers in the State and the higher powers in the Church now this the Church of Rome hath done in casting off the Supremacie of the Emperour and setting up an usurping Tyrant in opposition both to Magistracy and Ministery debarring both of the exercise of their just power Now whereas the Greek Copie by both the Articles points to some speciall and peculiar mystery of illegality wherein Magistracy and Ministery shall be eminently rebelled against it is manifest that it points at the slaying of the Witnesses at the time of Antichrists appearing and this is clear from the subsequent sense for this mystery of iniquity shall have a stop curb or let and shall be inforced to cloke its illegalities in a mystery untill it can remove that which lieth in the way now the two witnesses are the let which vexeth and tormenteth the promoters of this illegality and hence it is that the followers of the Antichrist who slay the two Witnesses and remove the let do rejoyce and make merry and send gifts one to another because these two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth they curbed the promoters of the illegality in their Career and so tor mented them but when they two are removed then is the Exlex or Generaliss●…mo of this illegality revealed and then is the mystery no more a mystery but Revel 17. 5. written upon the womans forehead the Church of Rome's forehead Thus much I humbly conceive upon Sc●…ripture grounds the mystery of iniquity in this place imports Now worketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how did this mystery of illegality work in the Apostles time Beza and several other learned men answer in Iohns words 1 Iohn 2. 18. Now are there many Antichrists the mystery of illegality was begun by many Antichrists but it shall be finished by the Antichrist and his followers who are called false Christs and false prophets Matth. 24. But Paul had just cause to declare so much from the very doctrine of those seducers which in the beginning of the Chapter he refutes for the designe of the seducers was principally to defame Paul as a Preacher of false doctrine and so to cast him out of the affections of the Church of Thessalonica Here though mysteriously the seducers struck at the two great Offices of Magistracie and Ministery in the Church in striking at Paul for Paul as an Apostle was both Magistrate and Minister in the Church The Apostles were extraordinary Officers they had something of all the three Offices of Christ resplendent in them hence it was as some learned amongst the Ancients think that during the continuation of their extraordinary Office on earth that Majesticall rite of anointing whom they pleased with oil continued it was a badge of their power which was communicated to them by the Holy Ghost from the great High Priest that had made a generall and universall and all-sufficient atonement by the mighty sacrifice of his slain body upon the Crosse and afte●… that ascended into the holy of holies the heaven of heavens from whence he sent his Spirit to invest his twelve Apostles with power befitting the companions of such a mighty King Priest and Prophet so that anointing with oil after Christs ascension in the Church was a badge of honour and power in the persons anointing they were the sons of oil so that he that struck at an Apostle struck at all the three offices of Christ and therefore these seducers in going to undermine the Apostle and supplant him struck at Gods mans and natures law for if they could any way have proved the Apostles doctrine to be false his office had fallen to the ground so that the mystery of the illegality began in these seducers subtile practices to work then Estius conceives that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be expounded passively now it begins to be acted now the Devils Play was begun his Histrio's were now entered upon the Stage and begun to act their severall parts here he was but in his first Act but now he hath brought it usque ad quintum Actum by which I guesse his Play is almost at an end CHAP. VIII FOr the mystery of iniquity now worketh only until what letteth be taken out of the way The meaning is as I conceive that the great Apostasie worketh alone without the appearing of the Antichrist until the slaying of the Witnesses so he said before in verse 3. Before the day of judgement there shall come the grand Apostasie and then the revelation of the man of sin first the apostasie and then the Antichrist after that until what letteth be taken out of the way Here is the exact precise time prefixed of the Antichrists appearing and the slaying of the Witnesses together with the finishing of Apostasie Parallel with this text is that in Revel 11. 7. When they have finished their testimony the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them and overcome thom this text when and the other text until are parallel for in this the mystery of the illegality which verse 3. he calls the apostasie is to work alone until what letteth be removed and in Revel 11. the Church was to be under foot by the same Gentile apostasie until the Witnesses had finished their testimony This until is also parallel with that until in Rom. 11. 25. where mention is made of the Iews unbelief under the Roman Monarchy until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so Israel shall be saved Where observe the time of the Witnesses slaying and rising again is the time when the Jewes shall be converted the same untill we finde in Luke 21. 24. which tells us how long the Jews dissipation and the Gentile Churches affliction shall by the Gentile Apostasie be inflicted even until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Parallel also with the Texts until is that when Revel 10. 7. In the dayes of the seventh Angel when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God or the great mystery the mystery of mysteries shall be finished then there shall be time for the apostasie no longer Untill what letteth be removed out of the way Of