A04472:573
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…
An expositio[n] upon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians by the reverend Father John Jewel ... ; whereunto is adjoined a very necessary table of the principal matters contained in this exposition.An expositio[n] vpon the two epistles of the apostle S. Paul to the Thessalonians by the reuerend Father Iohn Ievvel ... ; vvhereunto is adioined a very necessarie table of the principal matters contained in this exposition.
London: printed by Ralfe Newberie, 1584
¶ The Second Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Thessalonians. › Chapter 2
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Only he which now withholdeth, shall let till he be taken out of the way.
Onely he which now withholdeth, shal let til he be taken out of the way.
Now the Emperor holdeth the whole power and authority over the world: but it shall be taken away from him, and then shall Antichrist come, when all stops and lets shall be removed. Who is he that doth stop him and let his coming? The Emperor of Rome. So saith Tertullian, so Augustine, Ambrose, and Chrysostom. Antichrist shall possess a great part of the Romaine Empire: ⟨p. 319⟩yet so long as the Emperor shall stand and prosper, he will not suffer any part of his empire to be abated. So long as the Emperor shall be able to bear himself, Antichrist shall never be able to grow. But a time shall come when the Empire of Rome shall be rent asunder, then the authority of the Emperor shall decay, then Antichrist shall gather strength, and shall place himself where the Emperor was. A traitor can not usurp the crown so long as the right king is able to stand and maintain his state. Antichrist is a traitor. A traitor both to God and man. When the Emperor shall fall and decay, then he shall rise up. When the Emperor becometh weak, then he shall grow strong. Therefore Paul saith, Antichrist shall not come yet, for the Emperor letteth him. The Emperor shall be removed, and then shall Antichrist come.
Nowe the Emperour holdeth the whole power and authoritie ouer the worlde: but it shal be taken away from him, and then shal Antichrist come, when al stoppes and lets shal be remoued. Who is he that doth stoppe him and let his comming? The Emperour of Rome. So saith Tertullian, so Augustine, Ambrose, and Chrysostome. Antichrist shal possesse a great part of the Romaine Empyre: ⟨p. 319⟩yet so long as the Emperour shal stande and prosper, he wil not suffer any part of his empire to be abated. So long as the Emperour shal be able to beare himselfe, Antichrist shal neuer be able to growe. But a time shal come when the Empire of Rome shal be rent asunder, then the authoritie of the Emperour shall decay, then Antichrist shal gather strength, and shal place himselfe where the Emperour was. A traitour can not vsurpe the crowne so long as the right king is able to stande and maintaine his state. Antichrist is a traitour. A traitour both to God and man. When the Emperour shal fal and decay, then he shal rise vp. When the Emperour becommeth weake, then he shal growe strong. Therefore Paule saith, Antichrist shal not come yet, for the Emperour letteth him. The Emperour shalbe remoued, and then shal Antichrist come.