Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsMark 13

When shall these things be?

The miseries which did fall before the destruction of the Temple and city of Hierusalem, were a resemblance of the extreme calamity that shall befall before the later day at the time of Antichrist: whereupon Christ speaketh indifferently of both.

I am he.

^◦ As before the destruction of Hierusalem, diverse Seducers arose, and called themselves Christs, promising the people deliverance from the fears and dangers they were in of foreign soldiers; so shall there come many towards the end of the world, and make themselves Christs and Authors of Sects, and shall gain many Disciples: as in plain words followeth in this chapter v. 22. There shall rise up False-Christs and False-Prophets &c.

• ◦ Arch-heretics be False-Christs and False-Prophets.

The abomination of desolation.

No heresy doth so properly and purposely tend to this abomination of desolation ^[1] which by Antichrist shall be achieved, as this ^[2] Calvinism: which taketh away with other Sacraments and external worship of God, the very sacrifice of Christ's Body and blood. Which being taken away (as S. Cyprian saith) no religion can remain.

• 1 Hyppolyt. li. de Antichristo. Cypr. de Coen. Do. nu. 2.
• 2 Calvinism tendeth to the abomination of desolation.

Signs and Wonders.

False-Christs and False-Prophets be seducers, who in the later day by the power of the devil shall seem to work wonders, and yet men must not believe them. Much less these, which for their false faith cannot shew so much as one false miracle.