Here the desoriptlon of tl:.e me.n of ■in reference being to the whole clalllMI, being oonclude1, e.nd hence the second division of "chosen to salvation in sanctification ol the the Epistle oloses. The succeeding verses Spirit e.nd belief of the truth." He oe.lled you. Whom God elects from eternity, he 1hould have been attached to a new para- calls in time. By our goapel ; the gospel graph, being the oommenoement of the third preached by us. To the obtaining (or, or hortatory portion of the Epistle. acquisitum) of the glory of our Lord lesu1 Ver. 18.-But; this may be oonsidered u a Christ. Different meaningB hal'e been 1imple particle of transition, or as containing attached to these word■ ; some render them a contrast. to those e.lJuded to in the previoll8 "for the purpose of e.n acquisition of glory verses. I thank God that you are not ex- to Jesus Christ ; " others, " for a glorious posed to the delusions of the man of sin and possession of Jesus Christ ; " e.nd otbeni, " to to the desuuction of his followers. We. be possessors or sharers in the glory of By some re8tricted to Paul, e.nd by others J e,,u, Christ." The le.at meaning is the as inoluding Silas and Timotheus (eh. i. l). oorrect one. Believers are couatituted Are bound to give thanks e.lwe.y to God. " heirs of God and joint-hein with J'esus Notwithstanding the disorders which had Christ." a.risen in the Church of '£liessalonica, Paul Ver. 15.-Therefore, brethren, stand fast, had e.bunde.nt reason to thank Gotl for his and hold the traditions. Traditions gene- great grace vouchsafed to the Thessalonians, rally denote statements orally delivered and in retaining them in the gospel, and in reported ; here the word denotes the apostle's enabling them to abound in faith and love. instruclions in Christianity, whether these For you, brethren beloved of the Lord ; a.re given by word of mouth or by letter. that is, of Christ. In the former Epistle he Which ye have been taught, whether by word; calJs them "beloved of God" (l Thees. i. referring to the apostle's pree.ching when in 4), here "of Christ;" one of tl,~ numeroua Thessalonice.. Or our Epistle; referring to indirect proofs in these Epjstles of the the First Epistle to the Thessalonians. Divinitv of Christ. Beoe.UBe God hath from Ver. 16.-Now our Lord leeus Chriat, and the beginning. Some valuable me.nusoripte God, even our Father, who hath loved ns. read, "because God he.th chosen you e.e first- These last words, " who bath loved ua," a.re fruits," e.nd this rendering has been adopted to be restricted to God our Father, whose by several eminent expositors (Jowett, love we.s manifested in sending his Son t" Hofmann, Riggen be.eh); but the prepon- rescue sinners from destruction. And hath derance of authorities is in favour of the given us everlasting consolation ; or, cumj<Yrt ; reading in our A.V. The phrase, "from everlasting as contrasted with the temporary the beginning," does not denote "from the e.nd deceitful comfort whioh the world gives. beginning of the gospel," but "from eter- And good hope through graoe; or, in grace. nity." The apostle refers the salvation of "In grace" belongs to the verb" he.th given,'' the Tbesse.lonie.ns to the eternal election of and denotes the mode of the gift-of l,is God. Chosen you to salvation-the final own free gre.ce, in oontrast to personal purpose of God's election. Through ; or merit. rather, in, denoting the elements in which Ver. 17.-Comfort yolll' heart&, and stab- the salvation oonsisted, or, whioh is the lish you; or, according to the best manu- same thing, the state into whioh they scripts, stablish them, namely, your hearts. were chosen. Sanoti.flcation of the Spirit These verbs a.re in the singular, but their -the Divine side-and belief of the truth- nominative is our LorJ Jesus Christ and the human side of the element in which the God our Father, thus implying the unity salvation we.s realized. between these Divine PersoDB, In every Ver. 14.-Whereunto; lo 111hicA. The good word and work.
HOMILETICS. Vere. 1, 2.-Tlie second advmt. 1. The time of the advB'llt. The erroneo111 notio11s of the Thessalonians concerning the advent. Our Lord's references and the references in the Epistles to the advent. There is no reason for the assertion tbe.t the apostles believe,l in or taught the immediate comiag of Christ. They announced the certainty of the advent, but the precise time was not within the sphere of their inspiration. 2. The practical influence which the doctrine of the secofld advent should have upon 11s. Ne.gRtil·,•ly, it should not deprive us of our sober reason or fill us with alarm. Posi• tively, itB certainty Bhould inspire us with hope and fill us with joy; its uncertainty ~hould stir us up to watchiulness and preserve us in patience. We must not measure by our impatience the purposes of him with whom "one day is as a thousand years, e.nd a thousnn<l years•~ one dav.'' 28 THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIA.NS. [os. u. 1-1'1.
Ver, 8.-Importance of re'ligious know7edge. We are surrounded by m1my l11H11ences tending either to lead us into e1Tor and delusion, or into scepticism and infidolity. We must add to our faith knowledge, and seek to be rooted and grounded in the faith. The truth ought to be the great ~ubject of inquiry. Let us cultivate the love of the truth; let us pursue the truth wherever it leads, lest we should render ourselves liable to the condemnation of those who believe not the truth, but hnve pleasure in un- rigbteonsness; and lest we should be led from error to error, and be lost in a perfeot maz1:1 of falsehood.
Vers. 8-9.-f'M doctrine of antichmt. Antichrist is the caricature or counterpart of Christ.. 1. He is the man of sin, the personification of iniquity; whereas Christ is the righteous One, the personification of righteousness. 2. He is the rpystery of iniquity; whereas Christ is the mystery of godliness. 8. His advent is announced hy the s"me word as the advent of Christ. 4. His coming occurred in its proper season; ~o also Christ came in the fulness of time. 5. His coming is after the working of Satan; whereas Christ's coming is in the power of the Hoiy Ghost. 6. He performR miracles of falsehood, a counterpart of the real miracles which Christ performed. 7. He sitteth in the temple of God, thus occupdng the proper seat of Christ. 8. He ,hows or exhibits himself as God, whereas Christ is the true manifestation of the Gorl- head. In short, the king,lom of light which Christ has established has its counterpart in the kingdom of darkne ,.