xvii. 1. &c.]: or Jerufalem, in our Saviour's days, might be called the holy city, [Matt. iv. 5.]: or, as the greateft corruptions may retain the names which were given in times of the greatest fimplicity and purity; fo, among the ancient prophets, nothing was more ufual than to call the children of Ifrael, even when they were grievously revolted from God, by the name of "the people of God;" [lfa. i. 3. and iii. 12. Jer. ii. 11, 13. and vi. 27, 28. and ix. 1-7. and xv. 7. and xviii. 15. Ezek. xiii. 10, 19. and xxi. 12. Hof. iv. 6. Amos vii. 8. Mic. vi. 2. 3. 5. Zeph. ii. 10.] "the faith"ful city," [[fa. i. 21.]; "the vineyard of the Lord," [Ifa. v. 3. 7.]; "the fervant of God," [Ifa. xli. 9.]; "the holy feed," [Ifa. vi. 13. and xli. 9.]; "the chofen or elect people of God," [Ifa. xli. 8, 9. and xliii. 20, 21. and xlv. 45. and lxv. 9. 22. Jer. xxxiii. 24.]; "the beloved," [Jer. xi. 15.]; "the Lord's houfe, and heritage, the dearly beloved of his foul, and his portion," [Jer. xii. 7-10.]; "the flock and pasture of the Lord," [Jer. xiii. 17. and xxii. 1-3, &c.]

Ver. 5. "Do not you remember, that, when I was yet with you, "I told you these things?"] This prophecy was diligently inculcated upon the ancients. St. Paul did not devife it to ferve a turn; neither was it a new difcovery at the time of writing this epiftle. But he had taught it, to the Theffalonians, among the first and most important truths of Chriftianity. And now he repeats it to them, to fatisfy them that this day of the Lord was not just at hand.

Ver. 6. And you know what now obftructeth, that he might "be revealed in his own proper feafon."] From St. Paul's cautious and covert manner of fpeaking, left he should offend the then reigning powers, as well as from other arguments, it is highly probable that the Roman emperor was the obftructing power. And it is remarkable that, upon that very account, the primitive Chriftians used to pray for the continuance of the Roman empiret,

Tertullian, who flourished about the conclufion of the fecond century) faith, Even now the mystery of iniquity is working: only "he, who obftructeth, will obftruct, until he be taken out of the << way. Who is this, but the Roman empire, whofe divifion into "fo many kingdoms will bring on Antichrift? And then shall that "wicked one be revealed," &ct. Jerome [on Daniel] fays, "It was the general opinion, that towards the end of the world, ten "kings fhould fhare the Roman empire; and that Antichrift should "be the eleventh, and overcome all." And§, when he heard that Rome was taken by Alaricus the Goth, he fhewed plainly that he expected the appearance of Antichrift, upon the removal of the Roman empire; and wondered that it was not more speedy. "For

Vid. Auguftin. de civ. Dei, 1. 20. c. 19.

T 3

(fay's

+See Dr. Geddes's Effay upon the Roman empire, &c. Vol. III. p. 26. of his tracts,

Tertullian. Apol. c. 32, 39.

Vid. Tertull. de refurrect. carn. c. 23. Lactant. L. 7. § 16.

Ad Geront. de monogam.

(fays he) he that hindered, is taken out of the way; and yet we do not understand that Antichrift approaches."-Almost all the fathers of the Chriftian church were of this opinion, viz. that the Roman empire was the obftructing power*. And we may eafily conceive how the ancients came by this interpretation; even though they lived fo long before the accomplishment. St. Paul had told it to the Theffalonians; and would (no doubt) as freely tell it to other Chriftian churches. And, when any of the Chriftians, in the neighbourhood of Theffalonica, read this epiftle (if they did not know it before), they would, out of a very natural and innocent curiofity, enquire of the Theffalonians, what was intended by the obstructing power? And the Theffalonians would as readily impart the knowledge thereof to them.-St. John alfo did afterwards [Rev. thirteenth and feventeenth chapters] confirm this opinion. And, from thefe things, very probably, it spread, till it became (as Jerome calls it) the general opinion among the Chrif

tians.

Ver. 7. "For the mystery of iniquity is now working only there is one, who obftructeth, until he be taken out of the way."

It is impoffible for us to know more of the tendency towards this grand apoftafy, in the days of the apoftles, or primitive Chrif tians, than they have mentioned in their writings. Hymenæus and Alexander fubverted the Chriftians, by teaching falfe doctrines, Diotrephes afpired after the pre-eminence, Demas overloved this prefent world. Others were of a factious, fchifmatical fpirit; feparating themfelves from true Chriftians; being fenfual, not having the fpirit. Others were with difficulty kept from oppofing the higher powers; being felf-willed; defpifing government; and fpeaking evil of dignities. Some were condemned for making a gain of godlinefs; and preaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's fake. Others were for having Chriftians cat of meats offered to idols, and fo encouraged fome degree of idolatry. There were feveral falfe appearance of the apoftles, and deceitful workers, who transformed themselves into the apoftles of Chrift. Some pretended to philofophy; and, by a vain deceit, would have exalted the traditions of men above the ordinances of Chrift. Some, through a falfe humility, fell into will-worship, and particularly into the worship of angels. Some were for multiplying rites and ceremonies; and placed their religion very much in a diftinction between meats and drinks; or between days and weeks, months and years; as if fome were holy, others common, or unholy. Whereas the Chriftian religion confifteth "not in meats and drinks; but in righteoufnefs, and peace, and "joy in the Holy Spirit." There were fome difpofed to live in idlenefs, officioufly meddling with the concerns of other perfons, or fa milies; and (like begging monks and friars) living upon the labour and industry of other people. Others inculcated a fuperftitious

* See Mede's Works, p. 656, &c.

morti

mortification of the body, forbidding of marriage, and enjoining abftinence from several things which God allows us to make ufe of. Doctrines were contrived to render an holy life needlefs; and orthodoxy, or faith without works, was reprefented as fufficient to justify and fave men. Others denied that Chrift had a real body, "or really fuffered and died; or that Jefus, who came in the flesh, "was the Chrift." From fuch corruptions of Chriftianity it was that St. John declared, "There were, even then, many Antichrifts.” And, finally, fome pretended to prove things by oral tradition, or letters forged under the names of the apoftles, to fpread their false doctrine with greater fuccefs.-As we know what the apoftafy is at its height, it is easy to see how several of the corruptions in the primitive church made way for it, or were fomewhat of the spirit of the man of fin, or the mystery of iniquity then working.--According to this part of the prophecy, it is well known that they have not arrived to their grand corruption but step by step, and at the firft by flow and almost infenfible degrees.

Ver. 8.

And then fhall be revealed that wicked one."]-And it is notoriously evident, that the removal of the Roman emperor did make way for the advancement of the Bishop of Rome to his power and grandeur. Then was that wicked one fignally revealed.

**

O, that lawless perfon."] How proper a title for him who has been declared to be fubject to no law! but that he can, by the plenitude of his power, make right wrong, and wrong right; virtue vice, and vice virtue! that he can dispense with all "laws, human and divine, and that he may do all things above law, "without law, and againft law."

And what amazing wickednefs hath been committed under the protection and encouragement of the Pope! Witness the infamous Croifadoes, and the cruel maffacres of the Albigenfes and Waldenfes, of whom they are faid to have flain a million. [See Mede's works, P. 503]. In a little above thirty years from the first founding of the order of Jefuits, above eight hundred thoufand of the Proteftants were put to death. That cruel blood-hound, the duke of Alva, boafted that, by his means, in the Netherlands, thirty-fix "thousand were flain by the hand of the executioner only." And, befides thofe, great numbers perifhed feveral other ways. [See Mede's works, p. 504]. The horrible and infernal court of inquifition has confumed numberless multitudes of the best of mankind by various kinds of torments; and ftill remains in Spain and Portugal, in some parts of Italy, and in the Eaft and Weft Indies; the invention of incarnate devils, an hell upon earth, the terror of human nature, to hinder all free enquiry and examination, to keep mankind in the most profound ignorance, and in the most flavish fubjection to an hierarchy of infolent, lazy, domineering, and debauched priefts*.

* Whoever would fee a faithful and authentic account of the rife, progrefs, and laws of the Inquifition, and of the various tortures and inhuman treatment that fuch as differ from the church of Rome there undergo, let them read Limborch's Hiftory of the In"quifition,"

The cruel purfuing, imprisoning, torturing, and burning the mar tyrs, here in England, and the horrid and prodigious maffacres in France and Ireland, cannot furely ever be forgotten. No benevolent perfon can read the account, at this distance of time, without weeping eyes and a bleeding heart.

Perfecution is a diftinguishing characteristic of that apoftate. [See More's Mystery of Iniquity, p. 166, &c.] If to wear out she faints of the Moft High," [Dan. vii. 25], and to flay fuch as are witneffes for true religion," [Rev. xi. 7, 8.]; if " to make war with the faints, and frequently to prevail against them, and ❝ overcome them," [Rev. xiii. 4-7.1; and to be drunk with the "blood of the faints, and of the martyrs of Jefus ;" [Rev. xvii. 6.] if these things, I fay, can poffibly be accomplished; they have been, and still are, accomplished by the treacherous, cruel, and tyrannical church of Rome.

Ver. 8. ("Whom the Lord will confume, by the breath of his "mouth; and will deftroy, by the brightness of his coming :")Thefe words must be confidered as thrown in by way of parenthefis: or elfe his deftruction, mentioned in this verfe, will be placed before his coming and the manner of it, mentioned in the next verse. -And this account of his final deftruction was very opportunely thrown in, to comfort the minds of the Theffalonians, and other Christians, under fuch a dark profpect, by affuring them, that this apoftafy and tyranny fhould unquestionably come to an end, and truth and righteoufnefs finally prevail and triumph,

As the laft fentence was inferted by way of parenthesis, we may go on with the principal fubject as if it had not been inferted.

6

Ver. 9-12. When the obftructing power is removed; then "fhall be revealed that wicked one, whofe coming is after the work"ing of Satan, with all power, and figns, and wonders of a lie; "and with every unrighteous deceit, among thofe that perifh; becaufe they have not entertained the love of the truth, that they "might be faved. And, for this reafon, will God fend them the "energy of error, that they might believe a lie; that they may all "be condemned, who have not believed the truth, but have taken "pleasure in unrighteoufnefs."

The many pretences to miracles, in the church of Rome, have abundantly confirmed this. They have afferted that churches

have

quifition, tranflated into English by Mr. Chandler; as alfo Ifaac Martyn's and Mr. Cooftos's account of their own fufferings in the Inquifition; and Dr. Geddes's "Brief ac*count of the Inquifition," in his Tracts.

Because we are free from fuch perfecution, we are apt to fancy that Popery is now grown an innocent and harmless thing; but Mr. Archibald Bower, who is now here in England, writing "the Lives of the Popes," can inform us better. He was counfellor to the Inquifition at Macereta in Italy; there difcerned the errors of Popery; was shocked with the inftances of cruelty which his own eyes beheld; thereupon determined to leave that falfe, cruel, and perfecuting church; and, with difficulty, reached this land of liberty.-Every new and well-attested account of their more than hellish cruelty would (one would hope) help to pull down that antichriftian kingdom.

See More's Mystery of Iniquity, p. 133, &c.

have been taken up in one place, and carried through the air into diftant countries; that images have nodded, fmiled, frowned, or fpoken, upon occafion; that the first convert, which St. Gaul made in Switzerland, was a bear; that St. Anthony of Padua preached to a vaft affembly of fifhes, which he had miraculously called together, and which devoutly heard him preach the word of the Lord+; that St. Francis preached, with great fuccefs, to birds and beasts, which he thought our Lord had commanded, when he ordered his Apoftles" to go into all the world, and to preach the Gospel to "every creature.'

Numberless have been the fictitious apparitions of the fouls of dead men, in order to prove fuch a ftate as purgatory. Nay, to prove this, what have they not pretended to? voices from heaven or hell, cures at the fhrines of the faints, or by their bones or relicks, to which they have fometimes afcribed the power of raifing perfons from the dead! All the legends and lying wonders, which the moft diabolical invention could contrive, have been made ufe of, to found or fupport this notorious apoftafy.

The church of Rome pretends, at this day, to the power of working miracles; and holds this to be one of the marks of the true church. Whereas the pretence to miracles, now-a-days, is one mark of the falfe church, or one reafon for fufpecting her to be that antichriftian faction which would come after the working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders, and with all the deceit of unrighteoufness." &c.

Christianity was fufficiently attefted by the miracles which were worked when it was first planted in the world, and wants not miracles to be worked now, to prove and support it. Only allow men full liberty to examine, and well-difpofed perfons will difcern that Christianity is of divine original. But falfe doctrines and an apoftate church will for ever want new proofs and fresh fupports.

Some have fuppofed that, by lying wonders, the Apostle meant true miracles, but worked in fupport of a lie. Others have understood them to be here called lying, or false miracles . And I am much inclined to think that they are all lying miracles, which are pretended to, in fupport of falfe doctrines or wicked practices. For it is hard to fuppofe that God would fet his feal to a lies. And, as to the miracles of the church of Rome, the fact has been, that, where men have had liberty freely to examine them, they have been detected as mere forgeries |.

And by all the deceit of unrighteoufnefs, &c.] How remarkably

have

1

*See Addifon's Travels, p. 284.

See Addifon's Travels, p. 47, &c. where you will find the fermon itself.

Auguftin, de civ. Dei, L. 20. c. 19.

See what Dr. Sykes has faid, in his book on miracles, to fhew that what the magicians

of Egypt pretended to do, by their inchantments, was all artifice and delufion.

See John Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. II. p. 330. Dr. Geddes's Tracts, vol. III. P. 25, &c.