38 THE FOURTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. 4.
great exercise autlioiity upon tliem ; but it shall not be so among you : but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister.' Among Christ's servants, he that is chief must be chief in service, even as a servant unto all : Luke xxii. 26, 'He that is chief, as he that doth serve.' Domination, greatness, principality and power, is allowed in the civil state, for there it is necessary ; yet it is excluded the church. This affecting of pre-eminence and chiefness is the bane of the church — it is taxed as a great sin in Diotrephes, 3 John 9 — be it either over their fellow-labourers, or the people of the Lord. You see how tender the apostles were in this point ; everywhere they disclaim this affec- tation of lordship : 2 Cor. i. 24, ' Not that we are lords of your faith, but helpers of your joy.' And Peter recoraraendeth it to his fellow- elders : 1 Peter v. 3, ' Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.' And if the apostles would not assume lordship, who may ? It is true, there is a government in the church, and the people are to obey their guides, Heb. xiii. 17, and to ' have them highly in honour, for their works' sake,' 1 Thes. v. 13; but yet the pastors of the church should govern by light and love, not by pomp and force, and not be known by such pomp and authority as begets fear. Well, now, let us see the opposite state. If humility and meek- ness be in the very essence of Christianity, and woven throughout the whole frame of it, then it is antichristian to be lordly and proud, especially in them who pretend to be successors of Christ and his apostles. Now, in the Pope and his adherents, you will see the most odious pride set forth that ever the world was conscious unto, without any cloak and shame. And all their business is to get power ; what designs they have for preferment in the world, how studiously they have, and do prosecute it, they blush not to own openly before angels or men. This worldly ambition to rise higher and higher is their design and trade of life. As the bishop of Rome, at first, from the chief pastor of that city, affected to be an archbishop over the suburban towns and cities ; then, a patriarch over many cities ; and because two opposed him in Italy a long time, Ravenna and Milan, he gets power over them, and then he must be oicumenical bishop over all the world. But Constantinople resisteth for a long time, yea, arrogateth within the empire the same titles. Who more earnest against it than Gregory, wl)om they call the (ireat, and more forward to charge the assuming of this title as antichristian? But then, when once they began, by powerful means and many indirect courses, to be owned as universal bishop, they enlarged their bounds, not only over the ecclesiastical power, but civil, and all kings and princes must stoop to them, as well as bishops. So that here was the progress and gradation : — First, from the chief presbyter, a bishoj) over many presbyters in the same city ; then, a metropolitan over many bishops in one province ; then, a patriarch over many jirovinces in one diocese (for in tlic Roman divi- sion there were seven i)rovinces in one dioce.se) ; then, universal bishop in the whole world ; then, the only shc'i)herd and bishop, and others but his substitutes. Pretty stejjs of ambitious encroaching! But yet exalting hira.self farther, he challengeth all power in heaven and earth ; and the like is practi.sed by his followers at this day in the church of Rome. From private priests they grow up into some prelature, as
2 ThES. II. 4.] THE FOURTH SERMON. 39
archdeacons, deans ; then a bishopric ; then a better or richer ; then archbishops, cardinals ; then pope. And the devil is grown so impudent, by the lielp of these churchmen, as that it is counted a great piece ot' spiritual wisdom, publicly owned in the world, to be able, by these steps, to get higher and higher, and lord it over God's heritage ; as if ambitious affectation were the honour of Christianity, and gospel humility would expose the church to scorn, and pomp and grandeur were a greater ornament to religion than grace ; when, in the mean- time, they have nothing to prove them to be true pastors of the church but Judas's kiss, a little owning of Christ to countenance their ambition.
II. The particular instances wherein the pride of Antichrist is set forth are two : —
1. His exalting himself above all human powers : ' He opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is w-orshipped.' Here the object is set forth by two terms : — (1.) All that is called God ; (2.) Or worshipped. They both belong to the same thing.
[1.] That which is called God, that is, magistrates, princes, and kings : Ps. Ixxxii. 1, ' He judgeth among the gods ;' and ver. 6, ' I have said. Ye are gods ; all of you are children of the Most High ;' and John X, 34, 35, 'It is written in your law, I said ye are gods. If he call them gods unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken,' &c. God hath clothed magistrates with his own honour so far that he hath put his name upon them ; and their emi- nency is a part of his image, as it lieth in superiority, dominion, and power. Though magistrates be but like their brethren as to their common nature, yet in respect of their office they have the glorious title of gods conferred upon them ; as being his vicegerents, and bear- ing his person in government, they are honoured with his name. So that, without impeachment of blasphemy, those that excel in the civil power may be called gods. Now, over these Antichrist exalteth him- self, that is, above all kings and potentates.