An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians…

V. 4 Which is an adversary, and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that he doth sit in the temple ⟨p. 279⟩of God, showing himself that he is God. This the Apostle speaketh of Antichrist. He is the man of sin, and the son of perdition. It will be somewhat hard to treat of this matter, and to open the words of this scripture. Whatsoever I shall speak, it will be ill taken of many, and many will doubt of the truth of my speeches, such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle deciphereth to be Antichrist. Albeit whatsoever I will utter in opening the Apostles words shall be such as the holy scriptures and learned writings of the holy fathers have left unto us, and the church of God hath proved, and at this day doth prove to be true. God promised, that Christ should come into the world, even the Shiloh, unto whom all the people should be gathered: and that he should be the hope of Israel and deliver his people from their sins. God made promise of him to Adam, & to Abraham, David, &c. The scriptures are full, and the prophets make often mention of this promise. Old men, and young men, and all the people waited for the fulfilling ¹thereof, & said: Send him whom thou wilt send. ²And again, Ye heavens send the dew from above, and let the clouds drop down righteousness: let the earth open, and let salvation and justice grow forth. And again, God will come & ³save you. Thus was every eye bent upon him ⟨p. 280⟩and every heart waited for his coming. But when the fullness of time was come, God sent ⁴forth his son made of a woman, that we might receive the adoption of the sons. He was in ⁵the world, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. Light came into the world, and men loved ⁶