HOLY weeke.
To his Disciples (by occasion of Hierusalem and the Temples destruction) he foretelleth, 5.
what things shal be before the consummation of the world, as specially the Churches ful
preaching vnto al Nations. 14. Then, what shal be in the very consummation, to wit, Antichrist with
his passing great persecution and seduction, but for a short time. 24. then incontinent the day of
Iudgement, 28. to our great comfort in those miseries vnder Antichrist. 32. As for the moment, to visit
perteineth not to know it. 33. but rather euery man to watch, that we be no vnprouided when he cometh
to each one particularly by death.
1.
✟
See the Annotations vpon S. Matthew. c. 24.
*
Mat. 24,1.
Luke 21,5.
AND when he went out of the Temple, one of his Disciples saith to him: Maister, behold
what manner of stones, and what kind of buildings.
2. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering, said to him: Seest thou al these great buildings? There shal not
be left a stone vpon a stone, that shal not be destroied.
3.
*
TVESDAY
night.
And when he sate in Mount-oliuet against the Temple, Peter and Iames and Iohn and
Andrew asked him apart:
4. Tel vs,
When shal these things be?
Arch-heretikes be false-Christs and false-Prophets.
The miseries which did fal before the destruction of the Temple and citie of
Hierusalem, were a resemblance of the extreme calamitie that shal befal before
the later day at the time of Antichrist: whereupon Christ speaketh indifferently
of both.
when shal these things be? and what shal be the signe when al these things
shal begin to be consummate?
5. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ answering began to say to them, See, that no man seduce you.
6. For many shal come in my name saying that
I am he.
As before the destruction of Hierusalem, divers Seducers arose, and called
themselues Christes, promising the People deliuerance from the feares and dangers,
they were in of forraine souldiars; so shal there come many towards the end of the
world and make themselues Christs & Authours of Sects, and shal gaine many
Disciples; as in plaine words foloweth in this chapter v. 22. There shal rise
vp False-Christs, and False-Prophets &c.
I am he; and they shal seduce many.
7. And when you shal heare of warres and bruits of warres, feare not. For these things
must be, but the end is not yet.
8.
⋮
Great warres toward the later end.
For Nation shal rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom, and there shal be
earth-quakes in places, & famines. These things are the beginning of sorowes.
9.
⋮
Much persecution of the faithful and Catholike men in the later end.
But looke to your selues. For they shal deliuer you vp in Councels, and in Synagogues
shal you be beaten, and you shal stand before Presidents and Kings for my sake, for a testimonie vnto
them.
10. And into al Nations first the Ghospel must be preached.
11. And when they shal lead you and deliuer you, be not careful beforehand what you shal
speake; but that which shal be giuen you in that houre, that speake ye. For it is not you that
speake, but the Holy Ghost.
12.
⋮
Great treacherie and many false brethren at the same time.
And brother shal deliuer brother vnto death, and the father his Sonne; and the
children shal arise against the parents, and shal worke their death.
13.
⋮
Constancie & perseruerance necessarie in time of persecution.
And you shal be odious to al men for my name. But he that shal endure vnto the
end, he shal be saued.
14. And when you shal see
*
Dan. 9,27.
2. Thessa. 2,4.
the abomination of desolation,
The abomination of desolation.
Caluinisme tendeth to the abomination of desolation.
No heresie doth so properly and purposely tend to this abomination of desolation
*which by Antichrist shal be archieued, as this Caluinisme: which taketh away with
other Sacraments and external worship of God, the very sacrifice of Christes Body
and bloud, which being taken away (as S. Cyprian saith**) no religion can remaine.
*Hyppol. li. de Antichristo.
**Cyp. de Cæn. Do. nu. 1.
standing where it ought
not (he that readeth, let him vnderstand) then they that are in Iewrie, let them flee vnto the
mountaines:
15. and he that is on the house-top, let him not goe downe into the house, nor enter in
to take any thing out of his house:
16. and he that shal be in the field, let him not returne back to take his garment.
17. And woe to them that are with-child and that giue suck in those daies.
18. But pray that the things chance not in the winter.
19. For those daies shal be such tribulations as were not from the beginning of the
creation that God created vntil now, neither shal be.
20. And vnles the Lord had shortned the dayes, no flesh should be saued: but for the
elect which he hath elected, he hath
✟
Antichrists reigne shal be but three yeres and a halfe.
Dan. 6. Apoc. 13.
shortned the daies.
21. And then if any man shal say vnto you, Loe, here is Christ, loe, there: doe not
beleeue.
22. For there shal rise vp false-Christs and false-Prophets, and they shal shew
Signes and wonders.
False-Christes and False-Prophets be seducers, who in the later day by the power
of the Diuel shal seeme to worke wonders, and yet men must not beleeue them; Much
lesse these, which for their false faith can not shew so much as one false miracle.
signes
and wonders, to seduce (if it be possible) the elect also.
23. You therfore take heed; behold I haue foretold you al things.
24. But in those daies after that tribulation
*
Exo. 31,7.
Ioel 3,15.
the sunne shal be darkned, and the moone
shal not giue her light,
25. and the starres of Heauen shal be falling downe, and the powers that are in Heauen,
shal be moued.
26. And then they shal see the
*
Dan. 7,13.
Sonne of man comming in the clouds, with much power and
glorie.
27. And then shal he send his Angels, and shal gather together his elect from the
foure winds, from the vttermost part of the earth to the vttermost part of Heauen.
28. And of the figtree learne ye a parable. When now the bough thereof is tender, and
the leaues come forth, you know that sommer is very nigh.
29. So you also when you shal see these things come to passe, know ye that it is very
nigh, at the doores.
30. Amen I say to you, that this Generation shal not passe, vntil al these things be
done.
31. Heauen & earth shal passe, but my words shal not passe.
32.
⋮
The Ghospel for some Confessours Bishops. And on the Anniuersary of
the creation of a Bishop.
But of that day or houre no man knoweth, neither the Angels in Heauen, nor the
✟
Not as though himself knew not, as the Heretikes Agnoitæ held; but because
he knew it not for to teach it others, as being not expedient. Amb. de fide
li. 5 c. 8.
Sonne, but the Father.
33. Take heed, watch, and pray. For you know not when the time is.
34. Euen as a man who being gone into a strange countrie, left his house; and gaue
his seruants authoritie ouer each worke, and commanded the porter to watch.
35. Watch ye therfore (for you know not when the Lord of the house commeth: at euen,
or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning)
36. lest comming vpon a soden, he find you sleeping.
37. And that which I say to you, I say to al, Watch.