month, nor yeare, when it should fall. Aug. Ep. 80.
Heretikes seduce under faire titles.4. Seduce.) The first and principal warning, needful for the faithful from Christes Ascension to the very end of the world, is, that they be not deceaved by Heretikes, which under the titles of true teachers, and the name of Christ and his Ghospel, wil seduce many.
5. I am Christ.) Not only such as have named themselves Christ, as Simon, Menander, and such like; but al Arch-heretikes be Christs to their folowers, Luther to the Lutherans, Calvin to the Calvinists, because they beleeve them, rather then Christ speaking in his Church.
The Ghospel now preached to Infidels.12. Iniquity abound.) When Heresie and false teachers raigne in the world, namely toward the later day, wicked life aboundeth, and charitie decayeth.
14. Shal be preached.) The Ghospel hath been preached of late yeares, and now is, by holy Religious men of divers Orders in sundry great Countries which never heard the Ghospel before, as it is thought.
The abomination of desolation.15. Abomination of desolation.) This abomination of desolation foretold, was first partly fulfilled in diverse prophanations of the Temple of Hierusalem, when the Sacrifice and service of God was taken away, The abolishing of the holy sacrifice of the Masse by Antichrist and his ministers.but specially it shal be fulfilled by Antichrist, and his Precursours, when they shal abolish the holy Masse, which is the Sacrifice of Christes body and bloud, and the only soveraigne worship due to God in his Church: as S. Hypolitus writeth in these words: The Churches shal lament with great lamentation, because there shal neither Oblation be made, nor incense, nor worship grateful to God. But the sacred houses of Churches shal be like to cottages, and the pretious body and bloud of Christ shal not be extant (openly in Churches) in those dayes, the Liturgie (or Masse) shal be extinguished, the Psalmodie shal cease, the reciting of the Scriptures shal not be heard. Hippol. de Antichristo. By which it is plaine, that the Heretikes of these dayes be the special fore-runners of Antichrist.
Antichrist.22. Shal be shortened.) The raigne of Antichrist shal be short, that is, three yeares and a half. Dan. 7. Apoc. 11. Therfore the Heretikes are blasphemous and ridiculous, that say, Christes Vicar is Antichrist, who hath sitten these 1500. yeares.
24. Great signes.) These signes and miracles shal be to the outward appearance only: for S. Paul calleth them 2. Thes. 2.* lying signes, to seduce them only that shal perish. Wherby we see that if Heretikes could worke feyned and forged miracles, yet we ought not to beleeve them, much lesse when they can not so much as seeme to doe any.
The secret conuenticles of Heretikes.26. In closets.) Christ having made the Churches authority bright and cleare to the whole world, warneth the Faithful to take heed of Heretikes and Schismatikes, which have their conventicles aside in certaine odd places and obscure corners, alluring curious Persons unto them. Aug. li. 1. q. Euang. q. 38. Catholike Christians secretly assembling in time of persecution.For as for the comming togeather of Catholikes to serve God in secret places, that is a necessarie thing in time of persecution, and was used of Christians for three hundred yeares togeather after Christ; Act. 1, 12.* and the Apostles also and Disciples came so togeather in Hierusalem for feare of the Jewes. And Catholikes doe the same at this day in our countrie, not drawing religion into corners from the society of the Catholike Church, but practising secretly the same faith, that in al Christendom shineth and appeareth most gloriously.
Antichrist.29. Immediatly.) If the later day shal immediatly folow the persecution of Antichrist, which is to endure but three yeares and a halfe, as is aforesaid: then is it mere blasphemie to say, Gods Vicar is Antichrist, and that (by their owne limitation) these thousand yeares almost.
Chap. XXV.
