A04472:575
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.
But before I proceed to say more of this division of the Empire. That we may come to the bottom of this matter, & so see the mea•ng of this prophecy evidently laid open before us, I will show more plainly, and particularly of Antichrist, who he shall be. It is a hard and doubtful thing, as are all prophecies, but mark well, that shall be spoken. I will speak nothing without good warrant and authority of the old writers and fathers. I ⟨p. 320⟩will tell you the conditions of Antichrist, and where he shall dwell: that known, it shall be no hard matter to know the rest.
But before I procéede to say more of this diuision of the Empire. That wee may come to the bottome of this matter, & so sée the mea•ng of this prophecie euidentlie layde open before vs, I wil shewe more plainly, and particularly of Antichrist, who he shal be. It is a hard and doubtful thing, as are al prophecies, but marke wel, that shal be spoken. I will speake nothing without good warraunt and authoritie of the olde writers and fathers. I ⟨p. 320⟩wil tel you the conditions of Antichrist, and where hée shal dwell: that knowne, it shall be no harde matter to knowe the rest.
Who shall he be then, or of what condition, that we may know him? Some have said, he should be a Jew of the tribe of Dan: some that Nero the bloody tyrant should rise again and he should be Antichrist: some that he should be a mighty persecutor, which should rage and range over the whole world, raze towers and castles, set on fire the Church and oratories, and kill whom so ever he meeteth: Hippolytus sayeth he shall be begotten by the Devil, and himself shall be a devil. These devises were imagined and written many hundred years sithence, as every body were best able to devise. But these are fables, and have no ground. To say the trueth, Antichrist shall neither be a Jew, nor Nero, nor one begotten by the Devil. He shall be a Christian, he shall be a Bishop, and a holy father, and a Bishop of great show and countenance in the world. Mark, he shall not be a King, nor an Emperor, nor a tyrant, nor a temporal Prince, but a Bishop.