so THE THIRD SERMON. [2 TilES. II. 3.
believers from reading the scripture?, wlien they arc so cxpres.^ly enjoined to do it ? John v. SI), and Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.' That deny one part of the Lord's Supper to his disciples, notwith- standing his institution to the contrary ? 1 Cor. xi. 25, 2G, ' After the Siinie manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, staying. This is the New Testament in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me ; for as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's death till he come.' It were endless to instance in all : I shall speak more of it in the following verses.
6. This apostasy is not only forbidden, but foretold as a thing that would certainly come to pass. This consideration is necessary for divers reasons.
[1.] Because the Papists ask how this can be consistent with Christ's care of his church, that there should be a universal apostiisy and decay of Christian religion, who hath promised ' the gates of hell shall not prevail against it ' ?
Ans. That promise is made chiefly to the invisible church, or com- munity of the elect, not to all the visible societies of the Christians, against whom the devil can and hath prevailed, and doth daily, to the destruction of many souls. And we say not that the whole visible church did apostatise, though all are faulty.
[2.] Because some require the time when this apostasy began to be particularly assigned and noted to them, and by what persons these corruptions were first introduced, or else deny that any such thing hath been. But the case is clear : it began to work betimes, only it wrought in a mystery. But cannot we prove a man to be old, unless we prove the first moment when his grey hairs began to appear, or his natural force to be abated ? Who can tell every step of the ])rogress of the corruption of the Jewish church ? and why should the like be required of the Christian ? This dunghill of corruption was not raised in one age : and suppose that in track of time authors be forgotten, matters of faith are not to be contradicted because of the defect of history. And yet histories are not altogether wanting in the case, only in things that came in by degrees they are not neces- sary. In the introducing of the general apostasy, some erred in the simplicity of their hearts, as the people followed Absalom, 2 Sara. xv. 11. But shall we deny a thing to be done because we cannot speak the particular moments of time, and circumstances of them, when and how it was done ? Shall we say the pointer in the dial passeth not, because we do not see its motion ? Might not the priests judge of a leprosy, though they knew not how it was contracted ? Iniquity mystical did by degrees prevail.
[3.] Becau.se some think, if we should grant such an apostasy, it would interrupt the whole course of visible Christianity, and so deprive the world of a ministry and ordinances, till Christ send some new nuncios from heaven, or by miracle, at lea.st, authorise a new ministry, that may be owned by the world, and received by his people. A vain conceit ! for though this apostasy is foretold that it should come to pass, yet it is also foretold that Christ will be with the apostles and their successors to the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20 ; and prayed for
2 ThES, II. 3] THE THIRD SERMON. 31
all them that should believe in him through their word, John xvii. 20 ; and though the church was corrupted by degrees, yet all this while it ceased not to be a church, nor the officers thereof to be Christ's ministers. Wiien the ten tribes fell away, yet God till their dissolution continued the spirit of prophecy amongst them ; and in the Christian church a ministry, though many had their calling from such who consented to the encroachments of Antichrist. God had not so wholly cast off his people, but that there was a ministry and ordinances ; their minis- try was a true ministry, and the baptism a true baptism, to be owned in foro externo : for these things remain whilst anything of Chris- tianity remaineth. In a body mangled with wounds, or all overgrown with sores, there is life remaining ; and so some functions and offices of life. God called idolatrous Israel his people, and was not angry with them for circumcising their children, but for offering them to Moloch, Ezek. xvi. 20, 21. But of this in the next verse, where Anti- christ is said to sit in the church of God.
II. The revelation of Antichrist ; atid that man of sin sliall he revealed, the son of 'perdition ; where two things are notable : — (1.) His rise and appearing ; (2.) The names and titles given to him.
1. His rise and appearing, expressed in the word revealed ; that is, that great and chief Antichrist, upon that apostasy or falling away, shall be extant and show himself to the world. A thing is said to be revealed two ways — either when it is in being, or when it is discovered ; both ways are proper here. He shall publicly appear, exercising a tyranny in the world, or cast ofi" his veil, and show himself in his colours. God by his providence permitteth him to be, and by the doctrine of the gospel discovereth his impostures to all those who have no mind to be deceived.