Lecture 5 · 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4

THE FIFTH LEC TVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

WELBELOVED brethren, ye haue heard the request the Apostle makes in the beginning of this second chapter to the Thessalonians. He requests and adjures them by the comming of the Lord Iesus, and by our assembling vnto him at his comming; that they suffer not themselues to bee deceyued, or put by their mindes, troubled in hart and affection, especially in this head of doctrine that concernes the comming of the Lord in the latter day, and that they should not be deceiued by false teachers who wēt about to deceiue them in this point, teaching that the day of the Lord is at hand, he shall come incontinent, ye shall be found aliue when he shall come. This age and generation shall not be past when he shall come. This pointe of false doctrine that these false teachers went about to perswade the Thessalonians, and so to vnqiuet them, held them ay in vexation of sprit and minde, looking ay for Christs comming, assuring them that he should come ere that presentage should end.

Now in this text the Apostle enters to a refutation of that false doctrine, and he proues that the day of the Lord was not instant, that the day of the Lord would not beat such a tyme, that it should not fall out in that present age. Now marke his reasons. If the day of the Lord were instant then there should not bee an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ, before the day and comming of the Lord: Vniuersal defection must goe before the Lords cōming. For, vvhy? This Apostasie must craue a large space of tyme. Then, he subjoines, but, so it is, before that day shall come, there shall be an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith and trueth of Christ Iesus. And so, hee concludes. Therefore, it is not so, as they say: The day of the Lord is not instant and is not so neere hand, as they goe about to perswade you. Marke his reason. The proposition and first part of the argument is not expressed in the text. The next parte, the assumption is sette dovvne in the text, to witte, The day of the Lord shall not bee, before that an vniuersall defection be first. Now, before I come to the wordes, take vp shortlie this one thing. The Thessalonians, to whom he wrytes being deceiued, thought, that, incontinent Christ should come, and that they should be rest to the Heauen with him, and glorified from hand. The Apostle, to put them out of this consaite, tels them, ere they and the Church be rest vp to Heauen and glorified there, that, they shall suffer yet on the earth some trouble, there shall be yet a great alteration and vexation in the Church of God. Brethren, mark it. The battell must goe before the victory, let none looke for the victory before he fight, thou wilt not come sleeping to Heauen. Thou must fight on earth ere thou come to glorie and ere thou triumph in Heauen, thou must be victorious on earth; throgh many tribulations we must enter in the kingdom of heauen. This is that, which the Apostle teaches the Thessalonians.

Novv, to come to the vvordes of the text, and to make this matter plaine, we shall insist particularlie on euery word, taking vp the meaning of Gods Spirite heere. And first, there occurres this vvord Apostasie, which must be before the day of the Lordes comming. This Apostasie is nothing, but, a falling avvay, a flyding aback. This Apostasie is not a particulare Apostasie, or, defection of this man, or, that man onely, of any one person, or any two or three persons onely. But it is an vniuersal defection of multitudes of men and wemen in this world. For the word ye see is generallie set downe in the text to be a departure without any restriction. It is not said a departing of this man or that man, but generallie a departing. Therefore the Apostle must meane of a departing and falling away of multitudes, and great multitudes. Now all the question is, what Apostasie meanes the Apostle of? I am not ignorant how a great number of the olde Latine fathers in the Church, vnderstandes this Apostasie to be meant of the defection of many Nations from the Empyre of Rome. It is true indeede the Nations of the world fell away from the Romane Empyre: But how well and rightly they vnderstood this Apostasie of that falling away from the Romane Empyre God knowes. And it is a wonder that so many learned and quick spirited men should haue erred together in this pointe so long: Indeede it is likly that when one of them fel in this error all the rest followed on in troupes without further discretion or judgement. But I leaue them. What Apostasie is this then that the Apostle meanes of heere? I shall tell you. It is an vniuersall defection, not from an Emperour or earthly King, but from the King of Heauen Iesus Christ, and from his faith. This agrees with the course of this text and with that which followes immediatly of the Antichrist the head of this Apostasie. This agrees with the speaking of this same Apostle in sundry other places. In the 1. Tim. chap. 4. verse 1. he foretels of this vniuersall defection from the faith. The wordes are, The spirit speakes euidently that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith, and shall giue heed to spirits of error and doctrine of deuils, forbidding to marie, and commanding to absteine from meats vvhich the Lord his ordained to be receiued vvith thankes-giuing of them vvhich beleeue. There the summe of this defection whereof he speakes in this place. Looke also the 2, Tim. chap. 3. vers. 1. 2. 3. In the latter dayes there shall be troublesome tymes, men shall be louers of themselues, louers of pleasures and not of God, corrupt in mynde, reprobates concerning the faith: There the Apostasie from the faith. In that same Epistle chap. 4. verse 3. The tyme shall come vvhen men shall not suffer to heare the sound doctrine, but according to their ovvne lustes shall gather together heapes of teachers: to wit, orders of Monkes, Friers, and heaps of Iesuites, and the rest of that prophaine and deuilish rable, that the deuill by his spirit hes thrust in on the people of God, and they shall auert their eyes from the trueth and turne them to lies. Peter in his 2. Epistle chap. 2 verse 1. sayes, There shall be among you false teachers vvho shall bring in damnable heresies, and many shall follovv them to their perdition. They shall goe to destruction with their Heresies, and many shall goe after them. And before them Christ himselfe foretolde of this defection 18. chap. of Like verse 8, When, sayes he, the Son of man shall come, thinke ye he shall finde faith on the earth? No, there be an vniuersall defection. Then this vniuersall defection is nothing else, but this Apostasie and defection from the faith of Christ that shall be before Christs comming in the world. Now ye see then this is a prophecy of the thing to come. Is this Prophecy fulfilled yet or not? Is it come to passe? Is that vniuersall defection of the world from the church, from the faith of Christ come, or shall we looke for it? There is the question. I tell you, it is come, I cry it out, it is come, and come long since, and verie long since; It holdes on and shall hold on. Mahomet beganne it, when he drew away not only the people from the faith of Iesus, but also drew away the verie name of Christianity, so as there durst not one avowe himselfe to be a Christian. The Orientall Churches so well planted by the Apostles of Christ, whereof this Church of Thessalonica was one, may beare witnes hereof. Who followed on? (Mahomet ended it not then) The Popes, that beast of Rome followed on. As Mahomet played with the Orientall Churches: So the Papists played with the Wester and Occidentall Churches. The Pope hes drawen away this occidental Church of Christ in Europe, not indeede from the name and outward profession of Christ, for all are called Christians, but he hes drawen them from the faith of Christ, without the which there can be no saluation. So this Apostasie prophecyed so long before is come now to passe. Church militant subiect to errors. But ere I goe forward mark here. The estate of the Church of Christ militant on the earth, she is subject to errors and Heresies, to be caryed away vvith false doctrine, subject to defection, yea to an vniuersall defection of the whole visible Church on the face of the earth. And, brethren, euen godly men seeing this thing they haue bene compelled at tymes to doubt (they were so offended) whether if this Church was Gods Church or not, whether if this building was builded by God or not which they saw so beatten downe, and lying so long dead. It is a lamentable thing to see the Church of Christ so long vnder the dominion of the Antichrist. And therefore the Lord by his Apostle and others hes foretold of this vniuersall defection that the godly may be comforted and stand: seeing nothing commes to passe but by his prouidence and foresight. Then again ye know the Papists proposition; the church cannot ere. Now consider this place and ye shall see it cannot stand with that opinion. I aske how can that opinion stand with this Prophecie of Paul who telles, not of a light error, but of an vniuersall defection from Christ? Either this must be false which the Apostle saies, and which Christ spok before him (which wer blasphemie to affirme) or that which they say, that the Church cannot erre must be a lye, and it is so. And all the Papists are blasphemous lyars, beleue them as ye will. No the godly are not ignorant of their purpose in this their assertion. They hold that doctrine to be a pretence to keepe the Antichristian Church in her error and Apostasie: for she is altogether out of the way, and if she could thinke she could be subject to error she were curable, but because she lyes in her stinking Heresie and Apostasie and will not acknowledge it, therefore in the just judgement of God she shall perishe, perdition shall be her end, if the Lord waken her not in tyme.

Now to the wordes. The wordes are, That the day of the Lord shall not be vntill the tyme that that man of sin be reueiled. That man of sin must be reueiled ere the Lord come in the world againe. This is one thing with that which went before of an vniuersall Apostasie, the comming of an vniuersall Apostasie and the reuelation of that man of sin the Antichrist, is one thing in sundry wordes: For what is the Antichrist but the head of this Apostasie and vniuersall defection? and of all Apostats vnder the Heauens he is the cheefe Apostate. Now he is called heere a man, the Antichrist as though there were but one person. Marke it, (for this place is mistaken) When ye heare of this name of the Antichrist, who is here called the man of sinne, be not deceiued. The Antichrist woulde perswade you that this name of Antichrist signifies but one man some one person who shal be in the vvorld at such a tyme. No, the name of Antichrist imports not one man onely, but a succession of persons, one after another: in one kingdome or tyrannie ouer the Church of Christ in the vvorld; All this succession of persones is expressed by the name of one man or one person, because they ranne on all one course, and euery one of them hes but one purpose to exercise their tyme in oppression of the Church of God. Therefore the vvhole succession is called but on man. But when shall this reueiling of him be? He is said to be reueiled vvhen his kingdome and tyrannie commes to the height and full perfection in the sight of the vvorld: He beganne long before he vvas reueiled, and he vvas in the dayes of the Apostles. When Paul and Peter vvas in the vvorld, he vvas. And beginning in their dayes, he grovves on peece and peece in greatnesse from a small beginning vntill hee came to such a vvonderful and great height that he makes the vvhole vvorld vvonder at him: and this fell out in Anno 666. Reuel. chap. 13. verse 18. He came to his height vnder the Emperour of Constantinople, Constantine, Vitilianus being Pope of Rome at that tyme. Iohn in his first Epistle chapter 2. verse 18. sayes, that the Antichrist is to come: Then he subjoynes, euen novv there are many Antichrists. By the many Antichrists Iohn meanes these forerunners, little Antichrists, false Prophets, and little Heretikes vvho vvere forerunners to prepare the vvay to this great Antichrist the monstrous beast of Rome against his comming. By the Antichrist that vvas to come, he vnderstandes the great Antichrist, the head of the Apostasie, the mid-man betvveene the Dragon and the Antichristian kingdome and the Church. Reuelation chap. 13. verse 16.

Novv to goe forvvard to the description of the Antichrist as it follovves. He is first descryued from his nature. Secondlie from his properties. Description of the antichrist And thirdly, from his actions and effectes he bringes in the vvorld vvhen he commes. Marke it, This is a Prophecie not of the little false Prophets, but of the great Anchrist and false Prophet that sittes at Rome.) What is he of nature? His nature. A man like vnto other men of nature, not a deuill, nor substance of a deuill, but he is of an humane and manlie substance. Some thought that the Antichrist should be the deuill or a beast: it is but solie. He is not a beast of nature, but he is called in the Reuelation a beast for his beastlinesse, and for his filthinesse. (O how capable is the nature of man of euill, if God giue it ouer to be guyded by the deuill!) Then, what maner of man is he? His properties. The first propertie, the Antichrist hes, he is a man of sin. He calles himselfe the seruant of the seruants of God, No, but he is a slaue to sinne, his meate and drinke is sinne. The second propertie, he is the Sonne of perdition, destinate from all eternitie to Hell and euerlasting damnation. Peter in his second Epistle chap. 2. verse 3. sayes, Long agoe his damnation is not idle, or, his destruction sleepes not, but, wakes. He gettes this style, that Iudas gettes, in the 17. chapter of Iohn 12. verse, the sonne of perdition, adjudged to perdition from all eternitie in the secreete counsell of God. These two properties standes well together, the man of sinne, addicted to sinne destinate to perdition. The second is the ground cause of the firste For, hee, whom God from all eternitie destinates to perdition, that man will neuer doe a good turne. Nothing will come from his mouth, hart, or, hand, &c. but, all sinne. Alas, when we looke and see men, who can doe nothing, but sinne, sinne in the house, sitting, eating, drinking, and in the field, euer sinning, what shall we speake of them who does so, if they take not vp another course, ere this lyfe be ended, but they are men from all eternitie destinate for Helles fire. Let euery man try himselfe. Alas, if thou looked to thy bloudie hart and hand thou would thinke, thou had little warrand of thy saluation. Now this for his nature and properties.

Now, to his actions and doinges. What doing shall he haue? The first action. His actions. He shall oppone himselfe against all, that shall be called God, and shall be vvorshipped. This is the first action, a plaine opposition to all thinges that keepes the name of God, His first action. and is worshipped in Heauen and earth. He shall oppone him against all powers and magistrats, and against all thinges, that caries the name of a magistrat, whether they be Princes, or, Emperors on the earth, or, in Heauen, God and his Christ and from this opposition, he is called an aduersary, as the deuill is. As the deuil is called Satan, that is, an aduersar; so shall he get the name of an aduersar. And he is called Antichrist, that is, an aduersar to Christ. Now, let vs see who must be this man. I make my reason. He that oppones himselfe to euery thing, that hes the name of God, or, is worshipped either in Heuen, or, earth, that man of necessity must be this Antichrist, this is the action, that properly is competent to that person. Who is this man, then? look about al nations, if ye can take vp such a man. Who is it in Europ, or, out of Europ, that oppones himselfe to Iesus Christ the Lord, in doctrin first, in life and conuersation next? I tell you, if ye finde such a man, he is the Antichrist. Now I shall tell you some points of Christs doctrine, wher-vnto this aduersar oppones himselfe, that by them ye may find out, Pope the antichrist who is this Antichrist. The Lord Iesus saies and teaches Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God onely, and him onely shalt thou serue. What man of this world is it, that commes in and saies No, thou shalt not worship him onely, worship Angels, worship men & the soules of men departed this life, worship Images, dead mens bones called relicts, do reuerence to graues, and aboue all thou shalt giue that worship, that is due to God only, to that breadie God in the Masse? Who does this and teaches it? Is there any so ignorant, that knows him not? Againe, Christ forbids to worship God with such worship as men hes inuented, to worship him with men traditions & inuentions. Who is he that saies, he must be worshipped by infinit traditions, which are out with the book of the Scripture, and many against the booke of the Scripture, and bids serue him according to a rable of vyle traditions inuented by the brane of man. Yet more Christ sayes, this Scripture, the olde and new Testament is perfite, it is sufficient to make the man of God perfite, it conteines all thinges necessarie to our saluation. Who is he, that sayes, it is confused, difficle, mutilate, manked, the mother of all Heresies? Who sayes this? Looke ouer to Rome, who but the Pope. Woe to him and all his adherents. Yet, further. Christ sayes, I am the onely Mediatour betweene God and man. Who is he, that sayes, No, there must be many moe intercessours and mediatours? Is it not the Pope? Christ sayes, Iustification is onely by true faith in me. Who sayes, No, no, thy merite and goode workes must be a parte of thy saluation and thou must deserue it? Is it not the Pope? Christ requyres of vs a sure confidence, that in his bloude our sinnes are for giuen, and that thereby, we shall be safe and get lyfe euerlasting. Who sayes, it is an high presumption to beleeue so firmely, and biddes thee doubt whether thou shalt get lyfe, or not: Is it not the Pope? Christ sayes, it is impossible to fulfill the Law of God. Who sayes, it is possible to fulfill it, is it not the Pope? A plaine contradiction. Christ sayes, the onely price of remission of sinne is my bloud. Who sayes, I shall giue thee Indulgences and pardones for thy sinnes? is it not the Pope? Christ commanded to minister the Sacrament or the Supper vnder both the kindes. Who sayes the bread may suffice the laikes, let the Priests take both? is it not the Pope? Christ permittes the vse of mariage to all persones, without difference. Who commes in with that doctrine of deuils, forbidding mariage, and meates which the Lord hes commanded. Wherefore should I be long? Who is he, that oppones himselfe to euerie article of our faith? beginne at the one end and leaue at the other, he oppones to them all? Is it not the beast of Rome? Knowe ye not this to be true? His life. ye shall see it in that great day. Then come to his lyfe and behauior, wherein he denyes Christ. Christ when he was in the world was holy, yea, holinesse it selfe. But, what command is there, either in the first, or, second Table, which he transgresses not most euidentlie? Who is the head and cheefe Apostate from Iesus Christ the head of the Church? Who is the cheefe Heretike vnder the Sunne? The cheefe Idolater, the cheefe Magitian and sorcerer vnder the Sunne: Who is the cheefe blasphemer vnder the Sunne? Goe to the second Table. Who is the dishonourer of all powers and Empyres vpon the face of the earth? Who, of all murtherers, is the greatest murtherer, and can not be satiate with the bloude of all the Saintes? Who is most adulterous and filthie? Who is the greatest theefe and oppressor, reauing kingdomes? Who is the most perjurde person? And come to the last. Who is most full of all concupiscence in this worlde? Who is he, that settes himselfe aboue all men in this earth, and with an vplifted hand oppones himselfe to God, in all thinges? Read the Popes hues written all by their own men. So, I gather, in one word. This Antichrist, that maks opposition to the great God of Heauen, to all power and majestie on the earth, he was neuer, he is not now, nor neuer shall be, if he be not that man of Rome, who sittes not in Peters chaire, but, in the chaire of scorners, in the seate of pestilence: He is the very Antichrist and thou hast no eyes to see, if thou seest not this.

Now come to the next action. His secōd action. He prophecyes of another action, that shall be, when he shall come. He shall, not onely in malice oppone himselfe to euery thing, that is called God, but, in the pryde of his hart shall exalt himselfe aboue euery thing, that is called God and is worshipped on the earth, against all power both heauenly and earthly. Now, who is this, that exaltes himself this way? Spy this man, who hes this action in his hand, and without doubt this man is the Antichrist. Now, I will aske some few thinges, that we may finde him out the more easilie. Who is he, that exalts himselfe aboue the Emperour? Who, vnder God is the head-man of the world? Who is he, that wil cause the Emperour stand and hold his stirrop, and will cause the Emperour holde to his shoulder, that he may leane on it, and cause him hold water to his hands, and goe before with his first mease, to his dinner? Who will say, he hes an absolute power, to make and abrogate lawes at his pleasure? He will make account to no man. He hes an absolute power, to close the Heauen and open it at his pleasure. To cary with him cartfulles of soules of men to Hell, if it please him? Who is able to comprehend this matter? Is there any here, that hes bene in Rome and seene the Pope in the solemne tyme of his jubile, and who hes heard, or, reade of it? How he commes out of his Palace with such a rich and glorious arrayment, that he makes the world to wonder, with his threfold crowne of gold, and pretious stones on his head mounted vp on mens shoulders, in a golden chaire, with his relicts and his breadie-god borne before him. Then, he will go to his paradice, the people on euery side crying for remission of sinnes. Then when he commes to Paradice, with an hammer of gold he will knock and bid the gate open, and he enters in and there he giues indulgences, some giues this homage, and some, that, yea, such, as is competent to God onely. Fy on him, such is his pryde, that he will scarcely affoord to put out his feete to kings to kisse them Is not this an horrible abhomination and monstrous villainie?

I will not insist. His third action. There followes two particular actions, which rises on his pryde. The first is, He shall be so proud that he shall sit in the Temple of God as God, that is, in his Antichristian kingdome, which yet keeps the name of Christ, because it keeps a kinde of profession of the word of God, and in some respect hes the ensenzies of the Church. But, how shall he sit? Not like another man, but, as God, he puts God out of his chare and sittes down in Gods chare. What is the seat of God? Gods chare is the consciences of men and wemen, which all the Angels dare not prease to. Yet, he will sit downe there, and giue out Lawes, bind the consciences. Now, will ye spy this man out? Is this the Mahomet? Papist, I aske at thee, sittes the Mahomet in the Temple of God, sittes he in the Church, that hes the name of the Church of God? O, sayes the Papist, this, that shall be the Antichrist is not yet come: This that shall be the Antichrist shall be a wicked man, that shall be borne at Babylone of an Hoore, in whom the deuill shall dwell bodily, a Iew by nation, of the Trybe of Dan, who should be circumcised and broght vp in the citties of Chorasin and Bethsaida, who shall be detestable, for his forceries and witchcraftes, who shall come to Ierusalem, and there reedifie the Temple of Salomon, and take vpon him the name of Christ, and shall reigne by the space of three yeeres and an halfe with great tyranny and cruelty, against the Christians, and shall slay Enoch and Elias the forerunners of Christ, and then shall come the latter day, when in the Mount of Olyues Christ shall destroy him, and condemne him to Hell. A faire fable. It is thou, ô man of sin, thou, beast of Rome, that sittes in the consciences of men, it is thou, that shalt be beatten out of the chare to the Hels. It is thou ô beast of Rome, that sits in the Temple of Christ.

Another effect of his pryde. He shall showe himselfe to be a God sitting in the chare of God, his fourth action. in the Church of God: He shall giue himselfe forth as God, as prease to counterfoote God, in his name, style, dignitie, and all other circumstances, and bereaue God of that, which is proper to him. Well, spy this man. Who is he, that taks the name of God on him in the earth? He is not God onely, not man onely, but he is a midde thing betweene a God and a man. Who takes to him the style of a king and power aboue all the kings of the earth? Who sayes he hes the right to beare both the swordes? Heard you euer of a Pope Benifacius the eight? of whom it is said, He entered in lyke a Tod, raigne like a Lyon, and died like a dog. In the tyme of his jubile in the first day thereof he commes out in the Popes weed, and as he goes he blesses the people. In the next day he commes out in Cesars warlike clock and a naked sword horne before him and sitting downe, he cryes out, Behold two swordes heere, I am the head of the Church, I am the Pope and Cesar, I haue the Empyre in Heauen and earth. Who calles himselfe the head of the Church? A style onely proper to Christ. Who calles himselfe the Vicar of Christ? The brydgrome of the bryde the Church Who calles himselfe the high Priest? Styles onely proper to Christ. Is it not this beast of Rome? Whereto should I insist? It is wonder, that, the earth can beare such a proud filthie villaine. It is a wonder, that the Heauen can couer him; but, we must reuerence the long suffering patience of the Lord. And seeing the Scripture hes pointed him out so euidently, it is a wonder that men should be so blinde, that they should so reuerence him, when he rages this waye in sinne, and that they will call him the successour of Peter, and the head of the Church. What shall I say? all reading and hearing will not inlighten the mynde and perswade men, except the Spirit of God be present to open the hart. Therefore leauing this beast, I pray God to send his Spirit to let men see, that they may abhorre such an enemy to God and Christ, and that they may imbrace the light of Iesus, and that he would keepe vs, that we be not deceyued by these vanities. To this God, euen, the Father, Sonne and holie Spirit be all praise for euer.

AMEN.