Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 2 · Verse 5 – Verse 6, 7, 8
VERS. 5.
Remember yee not, that when I was with you, I told you theſe things?
THe cloſe of what belongs to the deſcription of Antichriſt, and the two neceſſary Antecedents to Chriſts ſecond comming. Carried as beſt Interpreters conceiue, ſo as to checke them for obliuion.
Remember yee not? q.d. you ought to hauehave remembred: Doubtleſſe its the blame of Gods people, not to keepe in memory what is taught them by their Paſtors. Maries commendation;aLuc. 2.19. ſhe kept the ſayings in her heart. Dauids, that he bPſal 119.11.hid them, as ſome treaſure, in his heart, that he might not ſinne againſt God, To this end tendedcNum. 15.38, 39 Phylactaries amongſt Iewes; and the preſcript ofdDeut. 6.7, 8, 9. writing on doore posts, and continuall talking of the Law, giuen to Iewes. God hath giuen vsus eares to heare, mindes to know, memories, as ſtorehouſes, wherein to treaſure vp what we hauehave heard. A Chriſtian ſhould be as our Sauiours wiſe Scribe, able to bring out of his eMat. 13.52.ſtorehouſe things new and old.
Vſe I know not what merciemercy or wrath God hath in ſtore for vsus: we may liue to taſte Amos hisfAmos 8.11. famine, our Nauſea is the ſame. Happy is the man, who in that time, is able from the old ſtore, to ſupply himſelfe with direction and conſolation.
Helpes auaileable to confirme memory of heauenly doctrine. 1. Once know price of it: I neuer knew man ſo old that he forgot where he laid his Gold. Oh thatgPſal. 119 72. Dauids minde were in vsus. 2 Frequent meditation, Ruminating helpes digeſtion in thoſe that are cleane. 3 Conference. 4 Pens, though ſometimes miſtaking, often marring the text with the gloſſe, I ſimply blame not, rather encourage to vſe. Take heed yet, that your knowledge dwell not more in your bookes, then in your braines. 5 Cloy not memorie with ouer various remembrances of things Secular, vnum eſt neceſſarium. hLuk. 10.41, 42.Mary choſe the better part: if Martha grumble, remember her checke; and thinke it true which Bernard hath; Its Foelix Domus, vbi Martha conqueritur de Mariâ.
VERS. 6, 7, 8.
And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be reuealed in his time.
For the mysterie of iniquitie doth already worke: onelyonly he who now letteth, will let, vntill he be taken out of the way.
And then ſhall that wicked be reuealed.
THE words hauehave this ſcope: as to checke them for their wauering after their information by the Apoſtle and knowledge receiued, ſo withall to proue the minor belonging to the antecedent of Chriſts comming, the reuelation of Antichriſt. That he was not yet reuealed appeares, becauſe the impediment of his Reuelation was yet in the being of an impediment. And becauſe it might be quaered; Is he not yet in the world? foreign he anſwers; he is in the world, but ſecretly, and in fieri; manifeſted not yet, nor likely to be: whereof are two Reaſons: 1 God, that ſweetly ſorts all things to their ſeaſons, had allotted to Antichriſt his ſeaſon of reuealing. 2 And the reuelation muſt not be till the impediment be remoued. This the ſum and ſeries of the text.
To foreign to Chryſoſtome ſounds foreign; to Oecumenius foreign; that which hindereth his reuealing or diſcouerie. What that is for realtie is the firſt queſtion. I willingly forbeare the various coniectures amongſt Interpreters, leaſt I grow ouer voluminous.
1 Generall conſent of Expoſitors old and new, Proteſtant and Popiſh, is that its ment the Roman Empire. If any aske why not ſpecified by the Apoſtle, Saint Augustine, Hierome, &c. anſwer, leaſt thereby rage of thoſe then perſecuting Emperors and their people, who promiſed themſelues eternitie of Imperiall rule, might be exaſperated againſt Chriſtians: probably.
2 Meanes he the heatheniſh or the Chriſtian Empire? Reſp. Perhaps or without perhaps both. While the Heatheniſh preuailed, was no place for Church-mens ambition; thoſe were dayes of perſecution. And while the Chriſtian knew their ſtrength, they eaſily bare not inſolencie of Chriſtian Biſhops.
3 Is it now remoued?iBellarm de de Rom ponti. lib. 3. cap. 5. In no wiſe ſaith the Cardinall; for though he hauehave now nor pallace nor territorie in Rome or Italie, though not ſo many Kingdomes as they of old, yet ſtill remaines the ſucceſſion of Emperour to Emperour in the ſame power and dignitie; ſtill the Name of Roman Emperours. Whence is the Inference; therefore Antichriſt not yet come, becauſe yet no whole deſolation of the Empire.
Reſp. Quid audio? A Romane Emperour without territorie, palace or dominion in Rome? that is to ſay, an Emperour without rule; Romane without poſſeſſion, or any intereſt in Rome. The name and title makes not an Emperour; but the power of gouernment and co…ction, and that more then Regall, ouer Kings and Prouinces. 2 And is the ancient dignitie and power of the Roman Emperour, to obtaine precedence onelyonly, and ſuch like ceremonious complements? vt verbo expediam. Conſider 1 what the Turke in the Eaſt hath taken from it. 2 How many Kingdoms Chriſtian hauehave wrought to themſelues an immunity, and are now become abſolute Monarchies in themſelues, without any reference to the Empire. 3 How euen in Germanie, where the Name remaines; he is 1 precariò, ſuch and at the Popes pleaſure. 2 Titular onelyonly without ſoueraignty, tribute, homage, or ought elſe, except ceremonious complements. 4 Specially how in Rome and Italie, poſſeſſion and right is wholly ſeized by the Pope, you wil be forced to confeſſe an omnimodous deſolation of the Roman Empire, except perhaps emptie names and ceremonies make vp the nature of Imperiall ſoueraignty. If this then be the let of Antichriſts diſcouerie intended by Paul, which onelyonly hindered his Reuelation; and if with remouall of this impediment the diſcouery of that lawleſſe one be ſo coniunct, as Pauls foreign intimate; what ſhould hinder vsus to conclude, both that he is reuealed; and that out of the ruins of that Empire, he hath had his immediate ſpring, and raiſing to his now magnificence?
The witty and learned coniectures of the late interpreter of the Reuelation, touching this impediment, though full of probability, and of ſome auaile to expedite difficulties, I willingly ſilence; who liſts may Reade him, not without much pleaſure and contentment, ad Apoc. cap. 17.
4. Followes the diſcouerie of Antichriſt immediately vponupon the decay of the Empire? Reſp. Paul (then) ſaith Caietane, aptly ſignifies that before it, he ſhall not be reueled; but vponupon no certainty affirmes, that immediately thereupon this diſcouerie ſhould follow.
But if, 1. This was the onelyonly thing that hindered him from appearing, who had ſo long ſtriuen to ſee the ſunne, then immediately vponupon the remouall thereof was he manifeſt. 2. The end of that obſtacle intended by prouidence, was that he might be reuealed in his ſeaſon.
The time of remouall therefore was the foreign, the Article and point of Time wherein he was reuealed. So that who can informe himſelfe ſufficiently, what time the Regiment of Rome was relinquiſhed by Emperours, and ſeized by that Biſhop; to the full ſatisfies himſelfe for the time of his firſt diſcouerie: for my part I willingly vſe and profeſſe mine foreign. Its not the beſt light which the cauel critick in his foreign on the Reuelation, brings to this intricate queſtion, conſule.
But that the impediment is remooued, and that wicked one diſcouered is a little Article of my Faith.
Vſe 1 That a man might wonder, ſaue that God hath foretold their ſtrong deluſion, that Romaniſts ſhould ſtil prattle of, I know not what, new Antichriſt, to come ſome three yeeres and a halfe before the end of the World; eſpecially knowing what they teach touching this impediment, that its vndoubtedly the Romane Empire. But thus they deſerue to be deluded, who ſhut their eies againſt the cleere light of Truth ſhining vntounto them, Faxit Deus ne non & nostri.
Me thinkes I ſhould not but compaſſionate our miſled forefathers, who liuing in the depth of Ignorance, were drawne to adore and admire the beaſt. But for vsus, after ſo cleare reuelation of the Truth: ſuch libertie of ſearching Scriptures vouchſafed vsus of God; after accompliſhment of all predictions concerning Antichriſt: 1 Apoſtaſie from Faith. 2 Hauocke made of Saints: 3 Inſulting ouer Soueraigntie. 4 Remouall of Impediment, &c. running into our ſenſe; for vsus to halt twixt the two opinions, to ſtudie reconcilement, to reſolue of admitting his Character, what is it leſſe then to profeſſe halfe Atheiſts and wilfully to renounce our owne ſaluation? Iuſt were it with the Lord to permit vsus to ſtrong deluſion that wee may bee damned: to make our damnation ſo much more intollerable then that of blinde forefathers, by how much the more gracious the Lord hath bin to vsus, in the more meanes of knowledge, and cleare diſcouerie of the man of ſinne. I ſay as Paul, kGal. 5.1.ſtand fast in the libertie wherewith Chriſt hath made you frée, and bee not againe intangled in that yoake of bondage.
For the myſterie of iniquitie doth already worke. foreign: the obiection this; Is he not in the world already? if ſo, then may the day of the Lord be as nigh, as wee are borne in hand. Subiect: 1 conceſſion, he is in the world, at leaſt in fieri. 2 diſtinction: ſecretly, and as in myſterie, but not reuealed; which is that manner of his being in the world, which muſt precede the comming of Chriſt; and that he is not ſo openly in the world, is prooued; for foreign will let till he be taken out of the way. That once atchieued, then ſhall that wicked be reuealed, till then it may not be expected.
In the words are two things: 1 The ſtile of Antichriſtianiſme, otherwiſe called Poperie. 2 The n…w Antiquitie of it.
1 The ſtyle it hath, is a myſterie of iniquitie, or iniquitie in a myſterie: expect not ſo much as mention of the various expoſitions: for quorſum? but to cloy the Reader.
Myſterium commonly ſounds a Religious ſecret, not obuious to capacitie of eueryevery vnderſtanding, rather requiring ſome extraordinary afflatus to the conceiuing of it; as myſteriū Chriſti, Epheſ. ….4. and the myſterie of Godlines, 1 Tim. 3.16. and the myſteries of the Kingdome of heauen, Mat, 13.11. things in their owne nature abſtruſe, and which without diuine reuelation we conceiue not.
Sometimes things apert in themſelues, and running into ſenſe hauehave that ſtile, when the reaſon onelyonly of the thing is ſecret: ſo Reiection of Iewes a myſterie, Rom. 11.25. ſometimes, things hauehave that appellation, for the couerture of carriage in the allegoricall expreſſion: as Epheſ. 5.32.
To whither acception of the word, is the alluſion here? Reſp. To firſt and third, if to any; though perhaps the reaſon of the appellation bee, onelyonly the couerture and ſecreſie of carriage, and conueiance into the Church.
Yet ye read ſome where oflAoc. 2.24. depths of profoundeſt learning, as they call them, which yet are but the depths of Sathan: homo-foreign, myſteries, but of iniquitie; ſuch will Poperie ſtore you withall: orders of Angels and their ſeuerall ranks and ſubordinations, which poore Proteſtants apprehend not, becauſe Gods ſpirit hath not reuealed them in Scripture, theſe know exactly: their language and manner of expreſſing the conceptions of their vnderſtandings, each to other, yee cannot learne but from their myſticall, Angelicall, Seraphicall Doctors. How a body Naturall may be without dimenſions, Accidents ſubſiſt without a ſubiect, and ſuch like deepe myſteries of abſurditie, you can learne from none but their Teachers; nor in truth ſhall euer rationally conceiue; niſi credideritis non intelligetis: you muſt captiuate your thoughts to the obedience of Antichriſt; for I tell you theſe are great myſteries in their Iniquitie.
But Carriage of their groſſeſt errours, you ſhall finde ſo couert, and no leſſe then myſticall, that except we hauehave wits exerciſed to diſcerne betwixt good and euill, we ſhall hardly deſcrie them. That Chriſt is onelyonly Author of righteouſneſſe and ſaluation; the onelyonly name giuen vnderunder heauen by which we must be ſaued: they conſtantly proclaime, Where is the myſterie? he ſaues, but in and by vsus; hauing merited that we might merit, and purchaſe our owne righteouſneſſe and ſaluation.
That Chriſt is very man borne of the Virgin; retaines the ſame nature entire now glorified without any eleuation to a diuine being, is their doctrine with great feruencie taught againſt Vbiquitaries and elder Heretiques: yet ſo is his body eleuated aboue the condition of a naturall body, that it may be in many places at once; hath loſt dimenſions, circumſcription, or if there be any other propertie more proper to a body Naturall.
Anathema they crie to Pelagius, and all his Sectaries, maintaining free will in nature ad ſpiritualia: yet prie into the myſterie, ye ſhall finde them halfe, or more Pelagian. God excites and perſwades, changeth not the condition of the will, nor infuſeth an abilitie which before was abſent, to beleeue or repent: the will excited by a ſecret, though languiſhing, natiue power, applies it ſelfe to Gods excitement, and accepts his perſwaſion: Mysterium iniquitatis in Doctrinâ
See it in their cultus: faireſt pretenſes it hath of vertue, ſanctitie, deuotion: 1 Acts of Religion, the ſame that God preſcribes or allowes; but miſchiefe on the myſterie, baned with infinite ſuperſtitions, Prayer, Almes, Faſting, Workes of ſatisfaction acceptable to Gods Iuſtice.
2 Pretences of ſanctifie and other vertue in all their abominable Idolatrie: in Images adoring the Deitie: they are good Remembrances, preuent diſtractions, excite deuotions. By Saints, as mediators of impetration, conueying their petitions to God: the pride is intollerable for a ſinfull man to goe himſelfe boldly to the throne of Grace: Infinite I might be in diſcouering the myſterie of their iniquitie.
I ſay as Paul, mCol. 3.16.Let the word of God dwell plenteouſly in you: ſtore you with cleareſt and diſtincteſt knowledge: thinke not its ouerly and confuſed vnderſtanding may ſecure you, you hauehave to deale with myſticall iniquitie.
Warily, and with warrant of calling aduenture on their conference and writings; eaſily thou maiſt bee puzzled in this myſtery, as they carrie it.
A myſtery is Popery; but of iniquity: foreign: Beza renders it illegality. The terme is the ſame c…oſen by Gods Spirit to expreſſe the generall Nature of ſinne, 1 Ioh. 5. ſignifying priuation or want of that rectitude, which the Law requires in our Nature and actions. But is it all iniquitie, or ſinne that is carried in that myſtery? Reſp. Take view of their doctrined practiſes, in deuotion to God, Carriage to men, to our ſelues; Mentior, if thou finde them not all in matter, manner, or natiue iſſues, meerely and out of meaſure ſinfull: praying to Saints, is it not Idolatrous: worſhipping God in an Image, is it not ſuperſtitious? Adoration of Hoſtes, is it leſſe then abomination? What ſeemes moſt holy amongſt them, is their practiſe of pretended Mortification: as they preſcribe and practiſe it, the ſoarce of all ſinne; ſinne as thou wilt, as oft as thou wilt, keepe thy Tall…e of prayers, faſt, pilgrim as the Prieſt enioynes; ſatisfaction is made ſufficient to Gods iuſtice; & quid ni peccemus; and as Mountebankes, drinke of deadly poyſon, hauing the Antidote ſo at hand?nApoc. 17.5. Infronte myſterium; meretrix magna, mater omnium fornica…ionum & abominationum Terrae: Myſterium iniquitatis.
Doth already worke: Whither you render agit or agitur or operatur, or peragitur, the iſſue is one. The meaning is, it was then in brewing. If you wil ſay, as Papiſts thēſelues expound, in Anteceſſoribus Haereticis, I repugne not: Let them boaſt of ſuch progenitors. I confeſſe we cannot tracke them in eueryevery point of their Faith and Religion, in Apoſtles writings; Rome was not all built on a day; by degrees it had proceedings to that height whereto its now growne. Howbeit that Antichriſtianiſme is antient, as Apoſtles, in the maine foundations of it, this Scripture is pregnant. Saint Iohn accordeth; theo1 Ioh. 4 3. ſpirit of that Antichriſt is now in the world: Idle trow you? The buſieſt of all infernall Spirits: that man is not iuſtified by Faith onelyonly, but by workes of the Law; was taught foreign: that faith is the beginning of Iuſtification, workes the conſummation, there were then that taught; and Galatians belieued. Paul indeedepGal. 3.1. befooles them for it; yet ſo ancient is that Article of Poperie.
That by qCol. 2.18.Angels we muſt commend our ſuits to God, as mediators of Impetration, in Pauls time was broached in the Church of Coloſſe; they ſhould abaſe the Majeſtie of the Sonne of God to make him maſter of Requeſts, to preferre petitions of ſinfull men vntounto his Father. It ſauours of more Humilitie, to employ Angels in that Mediation. Indeed Paul tells the Coloſſians, giuing way to ſuch Religion and Humility, may without reuocation of ſuch wicked errour, depriue them of their reward. Idem.Howbeit, ſo ancient is that point of Poperie.
In Pauls time, were theſe Ordinances deliuered to obſerue.rCol. 2.21. Touch not, Taſte not, Handle not. Touch not a woman, 1 Cor. 7.1. Taſte not meate: Handle not money; meddle not with Secular contracts. Indeed Paul in a refractarie ſpirit of ſingularity, I warrant you, blames Coloſſians, as halfe Traytours to their Chriſtian libertie, in ſubmitting to ſuch Ordinances; tells them they areſCol. 2.22.23. vaine obſeruances, no better then Will-worſhip: ſhewes only of Wiſedome: yet ſo ancient are thoſe points of Poperie.
But was affectation of Primacie in Church-men ſo ancient? then hauehave we the heart of Poperie. Saint Iohn mentions Diotrephes, perhaps with ſome iniury to Peters chaire, to hauehavet3. Ioh. 9. affected preeminence; primacie in ſuch ſort, that St. Iohn himſelfe muſt crouch, and be contented to hauehave his letters ſlighted. Indeed he threatens him ſomewhat ſhrewdly and calls him Prat…r. Yet ſo ancient is that pillar of the Papacie.Ver. 10.
Ʋſe That's true of Tertullian. Quod primum verum; falſum quod poſterius. Ieremie accords it: the old way is the good way▪ Ier. 6.16. For my part I ſhould put all queſtions of Faith and Religion to that iſſue: what is found truly moſt ancient, ſhould bee acknowledged moſt true. So be it, as our Sauiour, we count that eldeſt, which was from the beginning; and may thinke that nouellous, of which may be ſayd, Non fuit ſic ab initio. Yet its true, there is an ancientie of Errour; within a day, its as old as Truth, Reuealed to man: For the diuell was a lyar, a man-ſlayer from the beginning; thinke not as the Manichees and Archontici, of his owne being; but of mans exiſtence, intentionaliter, of his being ſinfull, actually. And Papiſts much diſaduantaged themſelues, when they made fathers errours th'hi…h…ſt originall of their Preſcription. They are but yeſterdaies men in compariſon to Simon Magus, and ſuch like coaetanei of Apoſtles. Bel…eue vsus no more, if wee ſuite them not with Patriarches, ſuch as Tertullian calls Philoſophers, whoſe heads were Gray, long ere their fauoring fathers were borne: but branded, I confeſſe, for hereticall prauitie. I wiſh our people ſo wiſe as to make Scriptures the Rule of their faith; to thinke of errours, ſtrengthened by cuſtome neuer ſo ancient, as Cyprian: Conſuetudo ſine veritate, vetuſtas erroris eſt. OnelyOnly he which lets will let, vntill hee be taken out of the way. Will let, is not found in th'originall, but the foreign, is frequent, as Mr. Beza noteth; and without ſtrayning ſupplyed: ſee 2. Cor. 1.6. & 2.10. & 5.13. Th'other ſtraines of Maſter Beza and other Neotericks, about the varied ſignification of foreign, as impertinent, I omit. foreign: that is, till he be remoued and taken away: compare 1. Cor. 5.2. and Col. 2.14. Whither remoued? hath been alreadie treated.
And then ſhall that wicked be reuealed: then immediatly, vt ſupra: His Epithite deſerues our notice, and will leade vsus by the hand where to finde him. foreign: that is, that lawleſſe one, whom no lawes of God or man may keepe within bounds of duetie. Gratian in his Decrees ſorts vsus with varietie of lawes of God and man. Publique, priuate; poſitiue, of Nature, and Nations, Cuſtomarie; written, vnwritten; Ciuill, Canonicall. Of them all, the concluſion after ſome debate is; they are ſubiect to Popes Interpretation, diſpenſation: many to abrogation. Hee is theu1 Cor. 2.15. ſpirituall man who iudgeth all things, all men, himſelfe is iudged of none; and though he ſend, plures animarum Currus ad Tartara, no man may dare ſay; Why doeſt thou ſo: See ſupra, citata ex Innocentio 30. Tibi ſoli peccani, is their Motto.
Some fauouring, flattering rather the eminence of Princes, hauehave made it queſtionable, whither they be bound by their owne lawes, and lawes of their countrie; neuer did any queſtion, whither higheſt Monarch were ſubiect to the lawes of God, Deut. 17.19. Kings muſt learne to feare the Lord; to kiſſe the Sonne, Pſal. 2.10, 11, 12. he is Rex Regum and Dominus Dominantium.
Heere is a good fellow, as the*Luke 18.2. vnrighteous Iudge, nor reuerencing man, nor fearing God: at pleaſure diſpenſing, yea, cancelling the lawes of God, for, by his owne Traditions.
Ʋſe Let that exorbitancie of this ſpirituall Tyrant, encreaſe our deteſtation of his pride; make cautionate againſt his bondage. Woe to that land, whoſe Princes Rule by abſolute ſoueraignty, not by lawes: what differs that Regiment from Tyranny? But woe and alas. When theyxPſal. 2.3. breake the bonds of Gods lawes aſunder, and caſtaway thoſe cords from them: who is Dauid or the Sonne of Ieſſe? Is ſcarce worth the name of Rebellion. That of Pharoah, is to bee trembled at,yExod. 5.2. who is IEHOVAH, that I ſhould obey his voice; that onelyonly ſuites his holineſſe. And of his deſcription and Reuelation thus farre.