created until now, neither shal be. 20And unles the Lord had shortned the dayes, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect which he hath elected, he hath [1] shortened the daies. 21And then if any man shal say unto you, Loe, here is Christ; loe, there: doe not beleeve. 22For there shal rise up false-Christs and false-Prophets, and they shal shew ″ signes and wonders, to seduce (if it be possible) the elect also. 23You therfore take heed; behold I have foretold you al things.
24But in those daies after that tribulation *Ex. 31, 7. Joel. 3, 15. the sunne shal be darkned, and the moone shal not give her light, 25and the starres of Heaven shal be falling downe, and the powers that are in Heaven, shal be moved. 26And then they shal see the *Dan. 7, 13. Sonne of man comming in the clouds, with much power and glorie. 27And then shal he send his Angels, and shal gather togeather his elect from the foure winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of Heaven. 28And of the figtree learne ye a parable. When now the bough thereof is tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that sommer is very nigh. 29So you also when you shal see these things come to passe, know ye that it is very nigh, at the doors. 30Amen I say to you, that this Generation shal not passe, until al these things be done. 31Heaven & earth shal passe, but my words shal not passe.
The Gospel for some Confessours Bishops. And on the Anniversary of the creation of a Bishop.32But of that day or houre no man knoweth, neither the Angels in Heaven, nor the [2] Sonne, but the Father. 33Take heed, watch, and pray. For you know not when the time is. 34Even as a man who being gone into a strange countrie, left his house: and gave his servants authoritie over each worke, and commanded the porter to watch. 35Watch ye therfore (for you know not when the Lord of the house commeth: at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning) 36lest comming upon a soden, he find you sleeping. 37And that which I say to you, I say to al, Watch.✠
ANNOTATIONS.
Chap. XIII.
Arch-heretikes be false-Christs and false-Prophets.4. When shal these things be?) 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.
6. I am he.) As before the destruction of Hierusalem, divers Seducers arose, and called themselves Christes, promising the People deliverance from the feares and dangers, they were in of forraine souldiars; so shal there come many towards the end of the world and make themselves Christs & Authours of Sects, and shal gaine many Disciples; as in plaine words foloweth in this chapter v. 22. There shal rise up False-Christs, and False-Prophets &c.
Calvinisme tendeth to the abomination of desolation.14. The abomination of desolation.) No heresie doth so properly and purposely tend to this abomination of desolation *Hyppol. li. de Antichristo. Cyp. de Cæn. Do. nu. 1. which by Antichrist shal be archieved, as this Calvinisme: 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.
22. Signes and wonders.) False-Christes and False-Prophets be seducers, who in the later day by the power of the Divel shal seeme to worke wonders, and yet men must not beleeve them; Much lesse these, which for their false faith can not shew so much as one false miracle.
