Exposition of 2 Thessalonians, Exposition · Chapter 2 · Verse 2
VERS. 2.
That yee bee not ſoone ſhaken in minde, or bee troubled, neither by ſpirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from vsus, as that the day of Chriſt is at hand.
THe greater matter of the Caueat. foreign, to bee mooued from your minde. It likes Maſter Beza beſt to interpret after the proper ſignification of foreign; In his apprehenſion it ſounds, putting beſide their minde or right wits; as if ſome dementia ſhould ſeize them when once they gaue way to vnſound doctrine; inſtances hee giues many in antient and latter Heretickes, and their Sectaries: ſo inchanted and madded when once throughly poſſeſſed with errour, that except furious obſtinacie be Reaſon, there ſeemed left nothing of Reaſonable creatures in them. Indeed Saint Paul ſtickes not to imputedGal. 3.1. demencie to ſeduced Galathians, and conceits a kinde of Witcheraft and ſtrong inchantment to poſſeſſe them. To Timothie mentioning ſuch, hee ſaith theye2 Tim. 2.8.9. foreign; In his loſſe, imputes no leſſe then foreign, amentiam, madneſſe or loſſe of wits vntounto them.
Gods Iudgements are ſometimes open, ſometimes ſecret, alwaies iuſt: ſtrong was the infatuation caſt vponupon Gentiles for fRom. 1.28.detayning truth naturall in vnrighteouſneſſe. If Chriſtians to whom the light of Gods glorious Goſpel, hath ſhined, yet grow to maintaine errors, bee ſtricken with blindneſſe of minde, poſſeſſed with a ſpirit of giddineſſe, I wonder not. But ſingularity is dangerous, the next ſtep to madneſſe. Minde it, Brethren, you that itch after nouelties, leaſt you looſe your mindes, when once that ſpiritus vertiginis ſpoken of in the Prophet, hath poſſeſſed you.
But why not foreign Tropically for foreign? Sentence or Iudgement: the trope is not infrequent. Wee hauehaveg1 Cor. 2.16. the minde of Christ; that is, his ſentence and iudgement by himſelfe declared vntounto vsus. Bee knit together in the ſame h1 Cor. 11.10. foreign.minde, and in the ſame Iudgement; the latter added foreign: that Pauls meaning may be this; bee not ſoone mooued from your minde; bee not eaſily altered from that ſentence you hauehave entertained: touching the time of Chriſts ſecond comming; no ſmall matter ſhould ſhake or cauſe to waue or wauer their iudgement ſo well before enformed, foreign; perhaps heere ſignifies the ſame that foreign.
The euill Paul cautions againſt, is leuity or inſtability of Iudgement in matter of Faith: farre be it from vsus.Ob. To beeiEpheſ. 4.14. wherried about wethercock-like with eueryevery blaſt of vaine doctrine is childiſh: Its good that the heart bee kHeb. 13.9.ſtabliſhed: to hold faſt the confeſſion of our Faith lHeb. 10.23.without any ſo much as wauering.
1. Truth is but one in re qualibet; though errours bee various and maniſold;mGal. 1.7. It is not another Goſpel, to which you are tranſported: And when our wilde witts hauehave tyred themſelues in wandring, to that antient and firſt truth they muſt retyre, if euer we will finde nIer. 6.16.reſt to our ſoules.
And how can we thinke to eſcape? If we ſhall oHeb. 2.3.4.deſpiſe ſo great ſaluation, 1. Preached by the Lord, 2. Teſtified by Apoſtles, 3. Confirmed by miracles, 4. Attended with gifts of the holy Ghoſt? Is it not to deſpiſe, top2 Tim. 4.1. turne away our eares from the truth; and to attend to Fables?
That ſcabies ſcalpenda, the skiruyq2 Tim. 4.3. itch of the eares how hath it infected our Auditors? That ſcarce any thing can now pleaſe, but what ſauours of nouelty. And heerein who ſo is not palpably Hereticall, bee hee neuer ſo extrauagant, ſhall be a Prophet for this people, who ſo illiterate but may make a faction? So odd, but may draw Diſciples after him? I would this euill ſtaid among our virgine vulgus onelyonly that are yet to chooſe their Religion. The okes of Baſhan, the tall Cedars of Lebanon, are become as Reedes, ſo ſhaken with eueryevery blaſt of vaine doctrine; ſo ready to be tranſported to another Goſpel. I ſpare particularizing: onelyonly I ſay, vetera vera; the oldrIer. 6.16. way is the good way.
Lord that our giddy braines were once ſetled. 1. 'Twill neuer bee, ſo long as wee hauehave mens perſons in admiration; neuer till wee hauehave learned to giuegive Faith her ſolefooting on that moſt ſure word of the Prophets, 2 Pet. 1.19
2. Neuer, till we ſtudie to liue, rather then to diſpute; to practiſe, rather then to contemplate, Ioh. 13.17. Mat. 7.24.25.
3. Neuer, till wee hauehave receiued the louelove, as well as the knowledge of the Truth, 2 Theſſ. 2. Pro. 23.23.
4. Neuer, till we hauehave experimented, and felt the power of Gods Word in our ſoules,This is foreign & foreign. Phil. 1.9.
Nor be troubled. foreign: the word imports ſuch perturbation as ariſeth fromſSee Mat. 24. Marc. 13. rumour, or relation of ſomething terrible. And not vnlikely, the publiſhers of this errour rung in their eares, the terrour of the Iudge, the ſtrictnes of accounts; vnbowelled hell it ſelfe the more to affright. Whence grew the perturbation and anxious vnquiet of their mindes.
That clauſe of the admonition, to mee ſeemes an implicite Reaſon, diſſwading leuitie and vnſetledneſſe in matter of Faith and Religion; becauſe it breeds diſturbance, anxietie and trouble of minde, reſtleſſe, no leſſe oft times then perplexed, ſo that of a man vnſetled in that kinde, may be ſaid, as of them in Eſay: They tIſa. 57.20.21. Iac. 1.are neuer at reſt; but are as the raging ſea toſſed of the windes: they doe but uGal. 1.7. & 5.12.trouble you that bring in another Goſpel: the word is foreign. S. Iohn mentioning the Locuſts ſet-riſing out of the bottomeleſſe pit, Antichriſtian Teachers, vſeth another word, implying*Apoc. 9.5. torture no leſſe then that of the racke; ſuch horrible torture ſhould they plunge ſeduced conſciences into, while they taught to ſeeke Righteouſnes, ſatisfaction to Gods iuſtice by their owne good workes or voluntary paſſions.
I beſeech you, brethren, by the peace of God which paſſeth all vnderstanding, be ware how you attend to the chirping of ſuch locuſts; ſuffering your ſelues to be tranſported to another Goſpell. If euer from principles of Popiſh Doctrine, Conſcience be ſetled in ſound peace, ſay, God hath not ſpoken by me. With me its an vnderunder rule to iudge of doctrines pretented to be Euangelicall: Tends it, in the Nature of it, to pacification of the diſtreſſed Conſcience? elſe tis not Euangelicall,xRom. 5.5. ſaith not the Apoſtle the ſame? vniuerſally I thinke as Ieremie; y that is onelyonly the good way wherein I may finde the ſweetneſſe of holy reſt to my ſoule.
Neither by Spirit, nor by Word, nor by Epiſtle as from vsus. Item againſt the meanes of their vnſetling and ſeducement; pretences of Authoritie no leſſe then diuine and Apoſtolicall: three in number, the Ancient colours of moſt Heretiques.
The firſt is, Spirit; that is, as I conceiue, pretenſe ofzSee 1 Ioh. 4.1. inſtincts, inſpirations, Reuelations immediate and extraordinary from the ſpirit of God. TheyaMic. 2.11. walke in the Spirit, yet lye falſely, ſaith Micah. Montanus had his Paraclete, beſide his Prophetiſſes Priſca and Maximilla. Simon Magus, his Helene: curſed Moamed cals the dead fits of his falling ſickneſſe, his exſtaſie and rauiſhment at the appearance of the Angell Gabriel. At promulgation of his ordinances, his Doue inured to fetch food from out his Eare, is pretended no leſſe then the holy Ghoſt; ſent whiſperingly to imitate what he ſhould enact for the people. Heatheniſh Politicians had like pretenſes, to win credit to their Lawes. Numa Pompilius receiues his, from the Goddeſſe Aegeria. Lycurgus his, from Apollo, &c.
Impudencie of Heretiques is ſeldome leſſe then blaſphemous, what blaſphemie greater then to father doctrines of diuels, vponupon the God of truth? Spirits of Errour, to be ſtiled Gods Spirit of Truth?
Againſt all ſuch fanaticall Enthuſiaſts and Enthuſiaſmes, the Lord hath made vsus cautionate. The quaere is common, how we may diſcerne a pretended, from a true Prophet. Reſp. Time was when was place for ſuch inquirie; when God was pleaſed by ſuch meanes extraordinary to inſtruct his people: for my part, a piaculum I hold it, to expect in theſe dayes Miniſters ofbApoc. 22.18. Propheticall Spirit, reuelation any aboue the ordinary. Let Papiſts boaſt, as they will, of their lumen Propheticum: Propheſie now none is to mezIer. 6.16. knowne, but what in that tearme the Scripture intends,c1 Theſ. 5.20. interpreting Propheticall and Apoſtolicall Scriptures.
Of old theſe were the rules: 1 Was it matter of prediction, they pretended in their Propheticall inſtinct?dDeut. 18.22. Euents muſt trie it.
2 Matter of Doctrine.eIſai 8.20. To the Law and to the Teſtimonie; if they ſpake not according to this word, there was no light in them. Though with ſignes and wonders they ſhould confirme their Doctrine, yet if it fDeut. 13.1, 2, 3.led to other gods, Iſrael muſt not attend. Is it another Goſpell foreign, but different, not contrariant to that already receiued? though Iſai or Elias, Paul or Peter, Gal. 1 8.yea g an Angell from heauen ſhould publiſh it,Tertullian. we muſt hold him accurſed. Adoro Scripturae plentitudinem.
The ſecond is foreign: out of the diuers ſignification of the word, diuers are the rendrings and interpretations, foreign.
1 Some interpret, Arithmeticall computation or ſupputations, ſuch as men following the vanitie of Aſtrologers, vſed in calculating, as it were, the end of the world; as Tullie ſpeakes of the Mathematicians great yeare. Not much vnlike that of the great Rabbine Elias; Duo millia Inane; Duo millia Lex; Duo millia Chriſtus: postea finis. tricae.
2 Some Argumentation, Reaſonings and diſcourſes taken from the naturall condition of the Creature; now aged and ſelfely inclined to a diſſolution: probably enough they proceed for the maine. Who but obſerues in the main parts of the world, in all particular kindes of Creatures decay of vigour? Terra effaeta, ſaith Tullie, through age. Ptolomie in his time obſerued the Sunne to be come neerer the earth by many degrees, as it were to comfort with his more heat, through more nighneſſe, the cold old age of the earth. The ſtrength of men, what is it to that of them of old; their ſcantling of life, what to that before, or after the floud? how few reach to Dauids terme? foreign, ſaith Damaſcene; and howſoeuer ſome priuiledge of perpetuitie may be allowed to celeſtiall bodies, yet for ſublunarie Creatures, vndergoing ſo many, ſo continuall mutations, and through mutations, enfeeblings; Reaſon it ſelfe would eaſily finde out ſomething more then probabilitie, whereout to conclude certainely of their finall waſting: that they ſtand ſo long inexhauſted is not ſo much out of their owne ſtrength, but as Saint Peter obſerues; by the word of God ſupporting them. The heauens and earth that now are, are kept in ſtore h2 Pet 3.7.by the word of God, reſerued to fire vntounto the Iudgement of the Great day.
3. Ratheſt thus: word or ſpeech; becauſe it followes, as from vsus. It more then ſeemes; theſe falſe Teachers pretended they had heard it from Pauls mouth; whither equiuocating they built themſelues on that Nos qui viuimus, 1 Theſ. 4.15. miſinterpreted; or, which I rather thinke, by impudent fiction they fathered their errour vponupon Paul, as they had heard him teaching in other Churches; or, as falſely they might boaſt, priuately imparting it, as ſome ſecret to themſelues: how euer, Its but the tricke of an Heretique to flye from verbum Scriptum, to verbum Iraditum: I meane, where the doctrine is vrged as matter of neceſſary faith: belike Apoſtles had forgotten the charge of their Maſter, toiMat. 10.27. publiſh on the houſe tops, what they had heard in ſecret when they muſt whiſper in ſecret the abſtruſer points of knowledge, to the more perfect; conceiling them from all notice of the vulgar. Saint Auſtin makes mention of the Deuteroſis Iudaeorum, Cont. Aduerſ. leg. & prophet. lib. 2. cap. 11.which to them was a ſecond Miſhne, equalled with Moſes his written Deuteronomie. Vnwritten traditions (who doubts but pretended from Moſes or ſome other great Prophet? which they equalled with the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets. Quid nostri? The written word is but partialis Regula; ſupplie it muſt hauehave from Tradition: No nay; for where elſe ſhall we finde Purgatorie, Inuocation of Saints, Adoration of Images, Sacrament, Reliques? &c.
Thus I iudge: 1 Euer ſince the Church had a word written, ſhe had in that written word a perfect rule of faith and practiſe; perfect I meane protempore. The quaere is vſuall all whither Articles of faith were increaſed in proceſſe of time. And is thus reſolued: they were not encreaſed noua addendo, but implicita explicando. Doth any doubt whether Moſes related fully what was preſcribed to Adam or Abraham to be beleeued?
2 The Goſpell which the Apoſtles preached, they did afterwards by the will of God deliuer vsus in their writings,Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 1. to be the foundation and pillar of faith: perfectly and fully, trow we? Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem, ſaith Tertullian. Scriptum eſſe do…eat Hermogenis …fficina: Si non eſt Scriptum, timeat vae illud, kVide Apoc. 22.18. In cap. 2. Aggaei.adijcientibus, vel detrahentibus deſtinatum. Saint Hierome. Quae abſque autoritate & testimonijs Scripturarum, quaſi traditione Apoſtolica ſponte reperiunt, at que confingunt, percutit gladius Dei.
3 Can we imagine the Apoſtles, inſerting in their writings paticulars many, comparatiuely to thoſe of neceſſary faith, of no ſuch conſequence for knowledge, would pretermit any thing concerning vsus in the maine? Credat Iudaeus Apella.
4 But who can imagine their writings and Traditions are contrariant? Ends of committing the word to writing, ſee largely in Theophylact, Kemnitius, and others Ancient and Moderne; and tell me how well this Phanſie ſorts with them.
Nor by Epistle as from vsus. The third is letter. Meanes he the former Epiſtle ſent to this Church, corrupted by audacious gloſſe of theſe falſe Teachers? Rather ſome other forged by them, and fathered vponupon the Apoſtle: why elſe in the cloſe is the Apoſtle ſo carefull to Characterize his Epiſtles? doubtleſſe that the forgerie, if any, might thereby be diſcouered.
Such forgerie is no new thing in Heretiques and other Impoſtors. Apoſtles yet ſuruiuing, they publiſhed vnderunder their Names Euangelicall ſtories: Ambroſe on Luke mentions the counterfeit Goſpels of Thomas, Bartholomew, Paul, whoſe Authors he ſuppoſeth thoſe many mentioned by Luke to hauehave attempted, but without ſucceſſe, the narrations that concerned our Sauiour. After-Times were not free from like Impoſtures: But as any man gained to himſelfe reputation of learning and ſanctity in the Church, ſo was his Name prefixed to the Pamphlets of ſeducing Teachers, to gaine them Authoritie: out of this ſhop came that booke of Hermes, commonly ſtiled Paſtor: and thoſe many counterfeit Fathers, whoſe Authoritie is ſacred amongſt our Romanists. Truth is, ſcarcely any of the Fathers, but their names hauehave bin made Panders to their ſuperſtition: that where their indubitate writings ſteed them not, counterfeit additions may procure them patronage.
What thinke you? Is not the cauſe deplored, which but by ſuch baſe ſhifts cannot be ſupported? HaueHave ye no written word for purgatorie prayer for the dead, in all the indubitate Scriptures of Prophets & Apoſtles? but ye muſt flie to the Apocrypha, Tradition, apparitians of the dead, &c. for their foundation. 'Twill euer be true which Tertullian ſaid of Heretiques, they are Lucifugae Scripturarum. I ſay as Baſil, Infidelitatis Argumentum fuerit, Serm. de fidci Conſeſſione. lib. 3. cont. lit. petilian. cap. 6.& ſignum ſuperbiae certiſſimum, ſi quis eorum quae ſcripta ſunt, aliquid velit reijcere, aut corum quae non ſcripta introducere; as Saint Auguſtine. Si quis ſiue de Chriſto, ſiue de eius Eccleſia, ſiue de quacunque aliâ re, quae pertinet ad fidem, vitamque nostram, non dicam ſi nos, ſed quod Paulus adiecit, ſi Angelus de Colo vobis annunciauerit preterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus & Euangelicis accepistis, Anathema ſit. But of the generall matter of the Caueat, and Item againſt the meanes of ſeducement hitherto: followes the particular errour.
As if the day of the Lord were at hand. Is that an errour? ſaid not Peter the ſame?l1 Pet. 4.7. The end of all things draweth nigh: And Paul, the m1 Cor. 10.11.ends of the world are come vponupon vsus.
Reſp. 1 Some thus. Its not farre off if ye compare the vtmoſt endurance with eternitie; A n2 Pet. 1.8.thouſand yeares is as one day; millions of yeares; the perpetuitie of time ſcarce a point, a moment in eternitie; yet may it be farre off after the meaſure of Time. 2 Comparatiuely night to the times foregoing Chriſts comming in the fleſh, not ſimply nigh.
3 foreign: Appropinquat, it draweth nigh; that is Saint Peters tearme; yet not foreign; inſlat, not inſtantly to fall vponupon the men then liuing; as if they ſhould not taſte of death till they ſaw the Lord Chriſt comming in his glorie; which ſeemes the conceit theſe meant to faſten on them.
4 But why preſume they to determine of times and ſeaſons which God hath reſerued in his own power? nigh therefore ſo nigh? What may we imagine Satans aime in venting ſuch an errour in the Church? ſeemingly ſo diſaduantagious to his Kingdome? The hearing of a Iudgement to come ſtrikes Foelix with oActs 24 25.trembling. The terrible ſound of the laſt trumpe which Hierome ſo continually ſembled to himſelfe,Omnia tuta timco. how did it make him feare where he was moſt ſecure.
Reſp. 1 Amongſt libertines it occaſions greater indulgence to the fleſh, as men willing to glut themſelues with the pleaſures of ſinne, becauſe their time is but ſhort, Iſai 22.12. 2 Any errour in Gods children as an errour pleaſeth the father of lies, the ſeducer of the Brethren; ſuch eſpecially as may tend to worke their perplexitie. 3 The maine is this: admit but one lye into Scriptures or Scripture doctrine,Auguſt. the Authoritie, the truth of all fals to the ground. The delay of Chriſts comming bred in thoſe mockers p2 Pet. 3.4.ſcoffing deniall of the maine Article: that mille Artifex foreſees his iſſue. Let it once be entertained as taught in Scripture, or by diuine Reuelation, or by Apoſtolicall tradition, that Chriſt ſhall come in a time prefixed, the euent not anſwering; how is all faith of all Truths taught, ſhaken and ouerthrowne? Saint Auguſtine to Heſchius a man inclining to ſome ſuch opinion out of an honeſt deſire, remembers this text of the Apoſtle; prohibiting to giuegive credence to them who taught the day of the Lord was ſo inſtantly to come: vponupon this Reaſon is the prohibition; Ne fortè cum tranſiſſet tempus, Auguſt. ep 80.quo eum credebant eſſe venturum, & veniſſe non cernerent, etiam caetera fallaciter ſibi promitti arbitrantes, & d… ipſa mercede fidci deſperarent.
We are not, at leaſt ought not be, ignorant of Satans wiles. 2 Cor. 2.11.See how cunningly he contriues errors intended to be conueied into the Church: in this particular view his comming. 1 Approach it hath as neare as an errour may hauehave to the truth taught by the Apoſtles. foreign ſaith Peter; appropinquat: foreign, Inſtat, ſay theſe falſe teachers: foreign, poſſedit me, in the text of the Septuagint; change but a letter (pronunciation will hide that too) read foreign, yea hauehave the full hereſie of Arius; that Chriſt is a meere Creature.
2 Seemingly it tends as much as any thing to mortification and deuotion; what more then the thought of Chriſts night approaching to iudgement? be but a little erroneous about that Article he will be the firſt ſhal broach it: how excellent is the regular vſe of faſting? meanes of mortification: quickner of deuotion; faſt with opinion of ſatisfaction and merit, he prefers faſting before Epicuriſme, like thinke of Prayer, Contemplation, &c.
Ʋſe Learne hence to keepe ſtrictly to the word of God; admit not corruption of a word, a ſyllable, a letter, be pretenſes or likely-hoods of profitable auaile neuer ſo holy. Saint Ambroſe obſerues, that the little addition to the prohibition of the tree of knowledge, made, whither by Adam or Eue, gaue hint to the Diuell, to entangle the woman in opinion of Gods enuying them their good? yee ſhall not qGen. 2.17.eat thereof, is all the Lord ſaid; nor rGen. 3.3.touch it is the cautionate addition: how is the Diuell aduantaged to faſten the opinion, that for ſome ſpeciall good in that fruit, the Lord is ſo ſtrict in interdicting it. Its reported of Ioab, that when his Teacher taught him to corrupt the text but in the vowelling, he ſlue him without ranſome; the charge was to deſtroy zecher, the memoriall of Amalech; he read it zachar, the males of Amalech: for this he ſlue him. The violent expreſſions were irregular; elſe his zeale commendable. The charge is ſtrict, not to adde, nor alter, nor diminiſh; not to turn aſide, no not to the right hand.