[2.] The other notion is, rj a-elSaa/xa ; we render it, ' or is worshipped.' The Greek word is, whatever is held in the highest degree of reverence, whatever is august or illustrious ; as the emperors of Rome were called "Xe^acTTol : Acts xxv. 21, Paul ' appealed to be referred to the hearing of Augustus ;' it is tov Xe^aarov, not Augustus Ctesar, who was then dead, but his successor. Well, then, here is the character of Anti- christ : that he exalteth himself above all civil authority authorised and permitted of God, not only above ordinary magistrates, but kings and emperors. Now, we find in history no less than twenty kings and emperors trampled under foot by the Pope of Rome, some of whom he had excommunicated and deposed from their kingdoms, and their people dispensed wathal in denial of their subjection to them ; others brought to cruel, shameful deaths, and their kingdoms miserably rent and torn, to the destruction of millions of men, by their means. He that hath any knowledge of the histories in Christendom cannot but know these things ; how he treadeth on their necks, kicketh off their crowns with his feet, and hath brought them to the vilest sub- missions. And if kings and emperors have received more spirit and courage, and the Popes of Rome learned more modesty nowadays.
40 THE FOURTH SERMON. [2 ThES. II. 4.
thanks is due to the light of the gospel, which hath shined so far and to such a degree as to the consuming of Antichrist, though not to his utter destruction.
2. The next insiince of his pride is his usurpation of divine honour, expressed in two clauses : — (1.) The one showeth the usurpation itself, ' That he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God ;' (2.) The other, the degree of it, ' showing himself as God/ Both must be explained and vindicated.
[1.] For the usurpation itself, 'he sitteth as God in the temple of God.' By the temple of God is meant the church : 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17, * Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.' So 2 Cor. vi. 16, ' What agreement hath the temple of God with idols ? for ye are the temple of the living God.' The external visible church, which professeth the faith of Christ and beareth his name ; so that the place wherein Antichrist shall arise is the visible Christian church ; not Rome ethnic, but Christian.
But is, then, the church of Rome the church of Christ ?
A lis. It was one part of it before it was perverted ; it usurpeth still that name ; it retaineth some relic of a church, mangled as it is. Saith Calvin in his Epistles : ' I think I have given some strong reasons that it yet retaineth some show of a church.' Now in this temple of God he sitteth as an officer and bishop there, as I before explained it : and whereas other princes are said to reign so many years, the Pope is said to sit so long. It is his sedes, his cathedral or seat. And again, here he is said to sit as God, that is, as God incarnate, for Christ is the true and proper Lord of the church ; none should reign there but he. And the name of this man of sin is not Antitheos, but avri'xpLa-ro'; ; not one that directly invadeth the properties of the supreme God, but of God incarnate, or Christ as Mediator: he sitteth negatively, not as a minister, but positively as supreme lord upon earth, whom all must adore and worship, and kings and princes kiss his feet. In short, he usurpeth the authority due to Christ. Now I shall prove that by a double argument: —
First, By usurping the titles due to Christ ; for he that will make bold with names will make bold with things ; as to be sponsus ecdesia', the husband of the church, as Innocent called the cimrch sponsam suam, his spouse ; caput ecclesicc, the head of the church, wliich is proper to the Saviour of the body ; supreme, visible, and universal head, which only Christ is, who hath promised to be with her to the end of the world, and will be visible to those who do at length approach his court in heaven, where his seat is; to be chief pastor, Christ's own title : ' And when the chief shepherd shall appear,' 1 Peter V. 4 ; to be pontiftx moxinuis, the greatest liigh priest, whereas Chri.st alone is called ' the high priest of our profession,' Heb. iii. 1, and ' the great high priest over the house of God,' Heb. iv. 14 ; so his vicar- general upon earth ; whereas the ancient church attributed this to the Holy Ghost, calling it Vicariam vim Spiritus Sancti, he su])plies his room and absence. Now titles including ])0\ver, certainly they are not to be usur^Kid without warrant. Therefore to call the Pope the chief
2 ThES. II. 4.] THE FOURTH SERMON. 41
and only shepherd, and the like, it is to usurp his authority to whom these things originally belong.