(2.) The Avay it took to obtain these ends, how God may be satisfied, man renewed and changed, God pacified by the sacrifice, merit, and intercession of Christ Jesus, Avho came in our flesh and nature, not only to acquaint us Avitli the Avill of God and the unseen things of another Avorld, but to suffer an accursed death for our sins ; therefore the mystery of godliness is chiefly seen in ' God manifested in our
52 THE FIFTH SEKilOX. [2 'rHES. II. 5-7.
flesh/ 1 Tim. iii. IG ; ami man must be renewed and clianged, for our misery showeth wliat is needful to our remedy and recovery: that we be not only pardoned hut sanctified, if ever ve will be saved and glorified ; for till men have new and holy hearts they can never see God : Heh. xii. 14, ' Without holiness it is impossible to see God ;' Mat. v. 8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,' &c. ; nor for the present love him and deli*;ht in him, nor take him for their chief hapi)iness. As none but Christ can satisfy justice and reconcile such a rebel to God, so none but Christ's Spirit can sanctify and renew OUT souls that we may live in obedience to him : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' Such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Si)irit of our God.' This is the mystery of godliness.
[2.] Now, for the mystery of ungodliness or iniquity : that is a quite ojjposite state, but carried on ])lausibly, and with seeming respect to the mystery which it opposeth. To know it, take these considerations : —
(1.) Where the carnal life is had in request and honour, there cer- tainly is the mystery of iniquity to be found, whatever pretences be put u))on it. Now, the carnal life is there had in request and honour, — (1.) Where all is referred to worldly gain and ])rofit, and the whole frame of the religion tendeth that way ; for certainly they are ' enemies to the cross of Clirist whose god is their belly, and who mind earthly things,' Phil. iii. 19. Now pardons, indulgences, purgatory, shrines of saints, what do they all tend unto but to make a merchandise of reli- gion ? It was an old byword. Omnia Romcu vcnciUa — all things may be bought at Rome, even heaven and God himself, &c. And these things are used, not only to open the people's mouths in prayer, but their hands in oblations and offerings. The complexion of their reli- gion is but a gainful trade. But the pa])al exactions and traffickings have been so much and so loudly insisted upon, and the evil runneth out into so many branches, that I shall forbear. (2.) W^here temporal greatness is looked upon as the main prop of their religion. ' The king's (laughter is glorious within,' rich in gifts and graces, Ps. xlv. 13 ; Ps. xciii. .5, ' Holiness becometh thy house, 0 Lord, forever;' but the false church is known by pomp and external splendour. It is easy tO' discern the true ministers of Christ from the false ; the true are known by being much in labours, much in afflictions : 2 Cor. vi. 4-G, ' In all things approving ourselves the ministers of God, in much patience,, afflictions, necessities, distresses, in labours and watchings, and fast- ings ; by ])ureness, by knowledge, by long-sulfering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,' &c. ; whereas the false ministers are known by the life of pomp and ease. The rule is i)lain. because self- denial is one of the great lessons of Christianity, and self-seeking the bane of it : therefore where men proiesscdiy seek the greatness of the world, they serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies.
(2.) Where men are turned from God to idols, though it be not the demons of the Gentiles, but saints, as mediators of intercession, there godliness is destroyed and the mystery of iniquity set U]) ; for the gr-eat drift of the Christian religion is to bring us to God, through Christ. So the great whore— (which imjjorts a breach of the funda- mental article of the covenant, ' Thou slialt have no other gods but
2 TlIES. II. 5-7.] THE FIFTH SERMON. 53
me), it is said, Rev. xvii. 5, ' Upon lier forehead was a name written, IMystery, Babylon, the mother of fornications and abominations upon earth,' — debaucheth nations with her idolatry, and so seduceth from God to the worship of the creature, that the great intent of the gospel is lost.
(3.) Wherever power is usurped in Christ's name, and carried on under the pretence of his authority, to the oppressing of Christ's sin- cere worshi]ipers, who hate the carnal life, and would by all means keep themselves from idols, or bowing and worshipping before images, but excel in unquestionable duties, there is the mystery of iniquity ; for the beast, that hath a mouth like a dragon, pusheth with the horns of a lamb. Rev. xiii. 11. The violence and persecution against the sincere, pure worshij^pers of Christ is nothinj^ else but the mystery of iniquity, the enmity of the carnal seed against the holy seed, or the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman disguised.