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…

We may not think ye Antichrist shall come as a robber by the high ways, or like a murderer, or like a tyrant that burneth our houses, or sacketh our cities, or destroyeth our fields, or pulleth down all that is before him. We may not look that he should say I am Antichrist, I am that man of sin, I am the son of perdition, I am the adversary, and am contrary to Christ. He shall not show forth himself in such a sort, he shall not so speak of himself. He is subtle and cunning, he shall deceive the learned and the wise: he shall cast himself into a colour of holiness: he shall fast, ⟨p. 304⟩he shall pray, he shall give alms and show mercy: he shall walk as if he were a disciple of Christ: he shall counterfeit an Angel of light. He shall go before, and the world shall follow him. So shall the mystery of iniquity work. His life, his religion, his doctrine shall be close & hid, and secret. Antichrist worketh in mystery. Hierome saith, Ingemuit totus orbis, ¹& Arianum se esse miratus est. The whole world mourned, and did marvel that they were possessed with the error of Arius: that they denied the divinity of Christ before they were ware. This was a mystery. So shall the learned and wise be deceived. They shall honour Antichrist unawares. They shall say, we defy him, and detest him, and yet shall fall down and worship him. This is a mystery. So secrete shall his dealing be, it shall not be known to many.

We may not thinke ye Antichrist shal come as a robber by the high wayes, or like a murtherer, or like a tyrant that burneth our houses, or sacketh our cities, or destroyeth our fieldes, or pulleth downe al that is before him. Wee may not looke that hee should say I am Antichrist, I am that man of sinne, I am the sonne of perdition, I am the aduersarie, and am contrarie to Christ. He shal not shew forth himselfe in such a sort, he shal not so speake of himselfe. He is suttle and cunning, hee shal deceiue the learned and the wise: he shal cast himself into a colour of holinesse: he shal fast, ⟨p. 304⟩he shal pray, he shal giue almes and shewe mercie: he shal walke as if he were a disciple of Christ: he shal counterfeite an Angel of light. He shal goe before, and the worlde shal follow him. So shal the mysterie of iniquitie worke. His life, his religion, his doctrine shal be close & hid, and secret. Antichrist worketh in mysterie. Hierome sayth, Ingemuit totus orbis,