dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, bim fhall God deftroy: for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are: and thus again in his fecond Epiftle, (VI. 16.) What agreement bath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God. He adviseth Timothy (1 Tim. III. 15.) how he ought to behave himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, as a pillar and ground of the truth. St. John alfo writeth thus to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, (Rev. III. 12.) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of God. Thefe few examples out of many are my fufficient to prove, that under the gospel difpenfation the temple of God is the church of Christ: and the man of fin's fitting implies his ruling and prefiding there, and fitting there as God implies his claiming divine authority in things spiritual as well as temporal, and showing himself that he is God implies his doing it with great pride and pomp, with great parade and oftentation.

These things were not afferted now merely to serve the present occafion. The apostle had infifted upon these topics, while he was at Theffalonica; so that he thought it a part of his duty, as he made it a part of his preaching and doctrin, to forewarn his new converts of the grand apoftafy that would infeft the church.

(ver. 5, 6, 7.) Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you thefe things? And now. je know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth, will lett, until he be taken out of the way. The man of fin therefore was not then revealed. His time was not yet come, or the feafon for his manifeftation. The mystery of iniquity was indeed already working: for there is a mystery of iniquity as well as a mystery of godlinefs, (1 Tim. III. 16.) the one in direct oppofition to the other. The feeds of corruption were fown, but they were not yet grown up to any maturity. The leaven was fermenting in fome parts, but it was far from having yet infected the whole mafs. The man of fin was yet hardly conceived in the womb; it must be some time before he could be brought forth. There was fome obftacle that hindered his appearance, the apostle fpeaketh doubtfully whether thing or perfon; and this obftacle would continue to hinder, till it was taken out of the way. What this was we cannot determin with abfolute certainty at fo great a distance of time; but if we may rely upon the concurrent teftimonies of the fathers, it was the Roman empire. Moft probably it was fomewhat relating to the higher powers, because the apostle obferves fuch Bb 2

caution.

caution. He mentioned it in difcourfe, but would not commit it to writing. He afterwards exhorts the Theffalonians, (ver. 15.) Brethren, Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epiftle. This was one of the traditions which he thought more proper to teach by word than by epiftle.

When this obftacle fhall be removed, then, as the apoftle proceeds, (ver. 8.) shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Nothing can be plainer than that avopos, the lawless, the wicked one here mentioned and the man of fin must be one and the fame perfon. The apoftle was fpeaking before of what hindered that he should be revealed, and would continue to hinder until it was taken out of the way; And then shall the wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume &c. Not that he should be confumed immediately after he was revealed; but the apostle, to comfort the Theffalonians, no fooner mentions his revelation, than he foretels alfo his deftruction, even before he describes his other qualifications. His other qualifications fhould have been described first in order of time, but the apostle haftens to what was firft and warmest in his thoughts and wishes. Whom the Lord fhall confume with the fpirit of his mouth,

mouth, and fhall deftroy with the brightness of his coming. If these two clauses refer to two distinct and different events, the meaning manifeftly is, that the Lord Jefus fhall gradually consume him with the free preaching and publication of his word, and fhall utterly deftroy him at his fecond coming in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. If these two claufes relate to one and the fame event, it is a pleonaẩm that is very ufual in the facred as well as in all oriental writings; and the purport plainly is, that the Lord Jefus fhall deftroy him with the greatest facility, when he shall be revealed from heaven (as the apostle hath expreffed it in the preceding chapter) with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jefus Chrift.

He

The apostle was eager to foretel the deftruction of the man of fin; and for this purpose having broken in upon his fubject, he now returns to it again, and defcribes the other qualifications, by which this wicked one should ad. vance and establish himself in the world. should rife to credit and authority by the most diabolical methods, fhould pretend to fupernatural powers, and boast of revelations, vifions, and miracles, falfe in themselves, and applied to promote false doctrins. (ver. 9.) Whose coming Bb 3

is

is after the working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders. He fhould likewife practise all other wicked arts of deceit, should be guilty of the most impious frauds and impofitions upon mankind; but should prevail only among those who are deftitute of a fincere affection for the truth, whereby they might obtain eternal falvation. (ver. 10.) And with all deceivableness of unrighteoufnefs, in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved. And indeed it is a juft and righteous judgment of God to give them over to vanities and lies in this world, and to condemnation in the next, who have no regard for truth and virtue, but delight in falsehood and wickedness. (ver. 11 and 12.) And for this caufe God fhall fend them strong delufion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

II. Upon this furvey there appears little room to doubt of the genuin fenfe and meaning of the

(7) Denudet ingenium fuum Caius. Sic et Caius omnibus fe Diis gentium prætulit, etiam Jovi Olympio et Capitolino, Recte autem dicitur Caius femet pofuiffe in templo Dei, quia fimulacrum fuum ibi collocari juffit. —L. Vitellius, cum Paulus ifta

paffage ;

diceret, et hæc fcriberet, Syriam et Judæam tenebat, vir apud Judæos gratiofus, et magnis exercitibus imperans, cui propterea facile fuiffet, fi tam graviter Judæorum animos exaíperaffet Caius, eorum tutelam fufcipere et provinciam sui fa

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