A17182:26
A commentary upon the second epistle of S Paul to the Thessalonia[n]s In the…A commentary vpon the seconde epistle of S Paul to the Thessalonia[n]s In the…
A commentary upon the second epistle of S Paul to the Thessalonia[n]s In the which besides the sum of our faith, there is sincerely handled [and] set forth at large, not only first co[m]myng up [and] rising with the full property [and] dominion, but also the fall and utter confusion of the kingdom of Antichrist: that is to say of Machomet [and] the bishop of Rome.A commentary vpon the seconde epistle of S Paul to the Thessalonia[n]s In the which besydes the summe of oure faythe, ther is syncerelye handled [and] set forth at large, not onely fyrst co[m]myng vp [and] rysyng with the full properyte [and] dominion, but also the fall and vtter confusion of the kyngdome of Antichriste: that is to say of Machomet [and] the byshop of Rome.
Printed in Southwark : In S. Thomas hospital by James Nicolson, 1538Printed in Southwarke : In S. Thomas hospytall by Iames Nicolson, 1538
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
And after he had desired to know the meaning of this vision, he heard this answer: The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, it shall be greater then all other kingdoms, it shall devour, tread down, and destroy all the world. The ten horns are ten kingdoms that shall arise out of the kingdom, after whom there shall stand up another, which shall be greater then the first, & shall subdue three kings, and so forth. S. ⟨p. 14⟩Jerome declaring this place of the Prophet,1 doth expound it of the empire of Rome, saying: He compared the kingdom of the Romans unto no beast, & named it not: to the intent that what cruelty more than other we did suppose in the beasts, we should understand that of the Romans. And surely this empire hath subdued and wasted all the world: not being only unlike unto other kingdoms, in the setting up & governance of the kingdom, but also in cruelness, strength, & fierceness. For what nations hath it not wasted with fire & sword, & utterly destroyed, brought them in to bondage, and as it were a full and wanton beast trod them under his feet? For the which cause Mithridates the king of Pontus (as Justinus did note out of Trogus Pompeius) was wont to say of the Romans: That they did truly boast, that their first beginners or ancestors were brought up with wolves milk, because that all the people of Rome had wolves minds, never full of blood & ever greedy & gaping after dominion & riches. Also Plinius in the .vii. book of his natural history, the .xxv. chap. saith of Julius Cesar.2 He fought in plain field fifty times: he only ⟨image 15⟩passed Marcus Marcellus a captain of the Romans also which yet had pitched & fyghten .xxxix. battles. For besides his victories over cities, truly I would not speak to his praise, of eleven C.xcii.M. men that were slain by him in battles. Also the great injury that mankind suffered by him: which thing to be true he himself confessed, although he made no mention of his destruction in civil wars. The self same Plinius in the .xxvi. chapter witnesseth, that in the temple of Minerva, was a table hanged up, briefly containing the acts of Gneus Pompeius the great which he had done in the East parts,3