the brightness of his coming." But my impression is, that, while this is true, it was not the object of the Apostle to teach it by this digression, but rather to point out to the church the fertile source and the fearful consummation of those seductions, with which they, as well as all the other churches, had been tried. Having taken up the subject of those agitations and deceptions, he prosecutes it to the end, and shews to what a climax of wickedness they shall come, and with what a fearful catastrophe of instant destruction they shall be overthrown in the day of the Lord's appearing. This I believe to be the main purpose of that digression; which contains very much information concerning the man of sin, well worthy of large discourse, but only to be glanced at in this place; teaching us, that there is a mystery of iniquity, as well as a mystery of godliness, working in the world, concerning which the Apostle was wont to instruct the churches, that they might be well guarded against it; that there was also a power, or a person (for it is both in the masculine and neuter gender), letting, or hindering, it from producing the man of sin: but, so soon as this hindrance should be taken out of the way, then should the wicked one be revealed, with prodigious powers of deception and delusion, which God should promote by blinding the eyes and hardening the hearts of men to believe a lie; and when by these means he hath gathered a great head to himself, and hath exalted himself into the place of God, in God's own temple, Christ shall by his own personal appearance utterly consume him with flaming fire, together with all his followers, "who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, in that day." By this wonderful discovery of the work which Satan was working, and about to consummate, in the church, the Apostle instructs the Thessalonians to be stedfast and immoveable in the doctrines he had laid down to them, and to withdraw themselves from all those who sought to do otherwise. But with all this discourse doth he never hint that the Lord's coming was far off, or that these things were to take a long time of developing themselves. On the other hand, he declares that the mystery of iniquity

was already working; and gives no intimation, because I believe he had no revelation, how long it was to work on before it should yean forth the man of sin. Nor, when that revelation was fully given to the Apostle John, in the Apocalypse, with all its circumstances of times and seasons, is it used to postpone the time, or to deaden the expectation of the Lord's coming, but the very reverse. And, finally, in answer to the objection, But were the Prophets and the Apostles thus deceived, seeing it did not quickly come?' I refer to what I have set forth in the First Lecture, and in various other parts of these Lectures. Did God keep up a constant expectation by a false representation? No; but he desired to keep up a continual desire after that which, if it had been eagerly desired, would long ere this have come to pass. Prophecy is not fatalism, but the discovery of God's mind and purpose after such a sort, as that it may be God's instrument, in working upon men's will, to will and to do of his good pleasure. God wished to bind up every man's hope, and desire of blessedness in the coming of Christ; which therefore since Enoch's time he presented in such wise, as that every man since Enoch's time ought to have been wrapt up in it, entirely possessed with it, and to have prayed for it continually, as the only remedy of this world's ills: which if men had done, verily long ere this it would have come to pass; which men neglecting to do, and God pitying their wickedness, and earnestly wishing them to repent, behold it hath been postponed even until now. And what though it should be postponed much longer? I care not: I know what my duty is, and I will endeavour to do it; I know what my God's commandment is, and I will endeavour to observe it. Neither by my own calculations, nor by the calculations of all men, will I be prevented from desiring my Lord continually, and expecting him daily, even as I ever seek to do; and when he saith, "6 Behold, I come quickly," my soul, do thou make answer, "Even so; come quickly, Lord Jesus."

This inquiry hath revealed a deeper reason than we have yet observed, for connecting the coming of the Lord with the duty of "holding fast," and "keeping what we have;" a connection in which we have seen it occur in every one of the last three epistles. Not only, in general, doth it

give to the church her proper place, of the steward and depositary of a certain gift, of which she should make merchandise, and be able to render a good account when the householder returns; but, in particular, it warns her, that towards the time of his coming, and immediately thereupon, there should be a great trial of her faithfulness and stedfastness; in the anticipation of which these repeated injunctions to hold fast are graciously given. The first and third epistles contain, indeed, threatenings that he would come against them for correction, if they did not repent, but no notices of his second advent to take an account of the stewardship of his churches; as if during the first and third periods the peril of the church was not to abandon, but to corrupt, the things which he had entrusted to her charge. But as the end draws nigh, and the time of reckoning comes, he is ever calling upon his servants to hold fast their gift, and be ready to present him his own with usury. And what need there was for such frequent and urgent remonstrances with her, is made apparent by the state in which the church is found in the Laodicean period, "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." These Philadelphians gave heed, and were ready to enter in with him; but the rest, regardless of his admonitions, and hardening their hearts more and more, in indifference to his coming and their own responsibility, and being altogether content with things as they are, come into that Laodicean condition which the Lord hardly endureth. But, besides this, the general scope of these merciful solicitations, I perceive another use of a more particular kind, which shall benefit us who believe that the Lord is to come again, and ought ever to be expected and desired by his people. When the church shall be occupied as she ought to be, with hunger. ing after her Lord, and desiring eagerly to see one of the days of the Son of Man, it shall doubtless come to pass that Satan, working through the flesh, shall renew some of those temptations by which, in the days of the Apostles, he assailed the Thessalonian and other churches. Not only will he attempt to sensualize the hope, and bring in Cerinthian grossness, and to Judaize the hope with earthly ambitions; but likewise to agitate and trouble the minds of believers with vain fears and alarms, and get them to

give up the diligent observance of the ordinances of the church, and even of civil life. Instead of working with their hands, they will be craving to have all things in common; instead of minding their callings, they will be led away to become busy-bodies; instead of being in subjection to the powers that be, they will be tried with seditious doctrines concerning the duties and obligations of Christian kings; and instead of love and dutifulness to the church, they will be stirred up to schism and revolt, by her indifference to the truth and severities against themselves: and, being thus released from the restraints of religion, and the daily, hourly obligations of life; and withal being forsaken of the Spirit, whose ordinances they had forsaken; behold, false Christs will arise, and false prophets, shewing signs and wonders, by whom those that are gaping after novelties, and refusing to stand in the old ways, will be seduced into all manner of evil, whereby the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. The Lord in his providence hath made me acquainted with instances of this kind; and I perceive the leaven at present working in various quarters: and in the cases where I have had to meet it I have found it irresistibly strong; and have seen too many pass irrevocably, so far as man can see, into the depths of error: wherefore I am the more zealous in exhorting all, with whom my word hath any power, to search and examine and prove themselves, and to observe the first workings of the evil spirit, and to repent, and confess their sins, and return to the way of truth and holiness. The wine of the kingdom is strong and intoxicating, unless discreetly administered and wisely used. God hath given to us, not only the spirit of power and of love, but also the spirit of a sound mind and if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth liberally, and upbraideth not. Now "the wisdom which is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." Oh that my brethren and companions, in the patience of Christ, would be careful to try themselves often by this Divine test of heavenly wisdom, and bring themselves into the docility and obedience of little children! not merely calling Christ Lord, and maintaining his lordship against the worshippers of the people, but

doing his commandments, and patiently abiding in all his ordinances; holding fast what we have till he come; and, above all things, not suffering themselves to be shaken out of their mind, or to be agitated in any way, by any spirit, word, or epistle, though of Paul himself, the learned doctor of the Gentiles.

While I thus lay out to my dear brethren the results of dear-bought experience-experience bought by the loss of spiritual children, and the declension of fellow-labourers from the truth, through the rash and heady temper of the times-and exhort all men to keep the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; I cannot leave this topic, without touching a little upon the opposite extreme, of base servility and prostrate homage, before the forms and ceremonies of the church, under which I see others bowing their faces down unto the earth. The doctrine of this matter I have already opened, when treating of the style of our High Priest contained in the word "true," or "real," as opposed to hypocritical and servile; but I may be allowed to say a word upon the practical form, which I perceive it assuming, and the discipline to which it ought to be submitted. It begins by seeking to sanctify ceremonies into obligations: whereas they have their force only as expedient, and not as commanded things; for good and comely order, not as terms of communion; and though authorized by the church, not on that account to be classed with the commandments of the Head of the church. This is not good, but bad, churchmanship, because the church herself presents them to us in no higher character; but, alas! how have I seen the narrow spirit of bigotry exalting them into very essential acts of service! From this it proceeds to exaggerate, and wholly to misapply, the matter of legal establishment; as if that conferred some new dignity upon the church, in virtue of which she might glorify and exalt herself; whereas it is a great temptation, in the midst of which she should seek to walk meekly; and an obligation, of which she should seek to discharge her conscience solemnly, as in the sight of God. And along with this, the church established in a particular kingdom frequently adopts the national jealousies and quarrels of that kingdom: whereas the unity of the church in all places is intended, among other good effects, for