The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Thessalonians — Section 50

expected ae the reeult of \uiet improvement wit.hout relapse. Between the preeent and that" great Divine event dark chasms of iniquity yawn. Every age bas thought it could detect signs of this evil in its midst. So the unbelief and corruptions of our own day are taken by some to be "signs." Unhappily the language of the apo8'le warne us to expect more terribly demonstrative signs than any yet seen. IV, THE APPEARANCE OF THE MAN OF SIN 18 A SIGN OJI' THE APPROACHING ADVENT OJI' OHRIST. Here ie some encouragement for the Ch11rch to endure the trials of the darkest times. 'l'hese times are to usher in the ii;reat and glorious day of the Lord. Evil, when most triumphant, is nearest defeat. Dreadful as may be its transient success, it will soon be swept away. When the horror of sin is blackest, the jud6rment which is to sweep it away ie nearest at hand. Christ will come again when be will be most needed. -W.F.A. Vera. 7, 8.-7'ul mystery of lawlessness. The exact, objective application of this prediction, like that of the preceding description, is not easy to discover. But principles are involved which are susceptible of general application. 1. THERE 18 A MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS. By this expression the apostle probably means a mystery the character of which is lawless. 1. We may e:rpect to meet with new mysteries. ~hile time and inquiry resolve some mysteries, they bring upon us fresh ones. We are not to expect to be able to understand all the forces and influences with which we are surrounded. It is enough that we are in the hands of God who knows all, and trusting in Christ who can lead us safely through the darkness. 2. New mysteries may be characterized 1Yy new lawlessness. The answer to our inquiries may be very unsatisfactory in revealing only evil. There are strange novelties which are obscure in all points but their moral character, and that is plainly evil. If so, we may hope for no good from them, and need not further interest ourselves in them. 3. .dll lawlessness i, mysterious. How did it originate? How is its existence possible? Why does not God sweep it away? These questions have perplexed men in all ages. We bow before them in helpless, pained wonder. Il. THERE 18 A RESTRAINT ON THE MYSTERY OP LAWLESSNESS, 1. Ila f'l/,ll power is not yet revealed. There are those who treat all sin with unbecoming levity, because they do not yet see its terrible fruits. They are playing with a torpid adder, that may awake at any moment and inflict a fatal wound. No one knows what bidden posai- bilities of harm lurk in the deep caverns of undeveloped sin. There are volcanoes iu the hearts of some quiet men which may burst into destructive fires. 2. H'l/,man means may be used to restrain the mystery of lawlessness. Government, law, society, healthy habits of the majority, keep it down for a time. 3. God holds the mystery of lawlessness in check. He is supreme over its wildest raging. " He that sittetb in the heavens shall laugh." God restrains the superabundant wrath of man (Ps. lxxvi. 10). Ill. THE HIDDEN MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS WILL BE BEVEALED. The volcano must break into eruption some day. Evil cannot slumber for ever. Hypocrisy will tire of its meek, innocent demeanour. The harvest of sin will have to be reaped. Let not any man put his confidence in the secretness or slowness of the processes of evil. The more they are hidden now, the worse will be the appalling outburst of them when the restraint under which they groan at present is released. The longer the wild horses are held in by the leash, the fiercer will be their mad gallop when they break loose. IV. CHRIST WILL CONQUER THE MYSTERY OF LAWLESSNESS. Evil will not long be rampant. One fearful rebellion and then a tremendous defeat. 1. Christ i, to be the Oonq'UIJror of it. He came to destroy the works of the devil. We could not effect this great work, He, our Saviour, does it for us. 2. (,'hrist is to come ugain for this object. When the mystery is revealed, Christ's " manifestation " follows. 3. Christ conq'l/,erS with a breath. His first work was difficult, involving bis death. His la.st work will be divinely simple, and yet sublimely successfu!.-W. F. A. Vere.10-12.-The love of the truth. The reason for the doom of those who are to be destroyed at Uie 1econd coming of Christ here given, is that they do not receive the love of the truth. I, GOD EXPECTS US 'l'O IU!:OEIVB TSE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, I. Truth ii gooa in  i8 'l'HE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIAr-;s [cu. II, 1-17.