Ch 1,2. Ofthe ma,n. of j"n II.TheiTalon4ans, or Antichrt.CIu,ar hecaufe they received not the love of the truth, that they might be faved. I1. And for this taufe Gdd fhall fend them ftrong delufion,thatthey Ihould believe a lie : 12. That theyall might be damned who believednot the truth, CHAP. II. I Owwe befeech you,brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jefas Chrift, and by our gathering together unto him, 2. That ye be not fo loon Ihaken in mind, cr be troubled, neitherby fpirit norby word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Chrift is at hand. 1, a. I vehemently befeech you that no Pre- tence either of Spirit, Word, or Apoßolicl Letter, perfuade you that Chriß's Coming is near at hand, and fo trouble you, and your Faith be Shaken when that's dilapponrcd. Natefarther, That it's more than the Da Ibruc- eon of yerujölem that is here meant; For it will be the Churches geuhcring egcther to Chrift at his coming. 2. And it neither agreeth with the following long Petfecutiousof the Church by theHeathens, nor withPaul's Idol Pity to the 9's s, thus to intuit in theirDeftrudion, asit¡it brought aFelicity to theChu.chlikeHeaven it felf. 3. Let no man deceive yez: by any Means : for that ClayJuall not romo, ex- cept there come a falling away'hrft, and that man of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition: 4. Who oppofèth and exaltech himfelf above all that is called God or that is worlhipped ; to that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, (hewing himfelfthat he is God. 3. It is dangerousdeceit for any to perlir:de }you, that the Day of thrift is at hand: for there are many things that mutt firer come to pa : There muff tirft be a falling away of ma- ny from the Faith; and that notable Man of Sin mutt appear, who is to be deftroyed. 4. Who arrogantly oppofethtrue Chriftianity, and exalt- eth himfelf above all, be. 5, 6, 7. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you, I told you thefe things ? And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be _re waled in his time. For the myftery of iniquity cloth alway work: onely he who now lettetl,, -v'lll let, until he he taken out of the way. S. And then Shall that wicked be revealed_, whom the Lord (hail conidme with the fpirit of his mouth, and flail de- ft-my with the hrightnels of his 'co- ming: 9. Even bins whoiè_ coming is after the working ofSatan, With ail power,. and figns, and lying wonders, no. And with all deceivablenels of mnrigllteoulnels, intin that peril ; but had pinafore in unrighteoufnel. Rote, 1. That Forewarning Should beFore- arming. 2. Both the rife and fall-of Sin and Sinners midi have their proper Seafons: God's delays are but Baying till the due time 3, Re- moving Itopediments is the Preparatory work for future events. 4. This great Enemy ofChrift is a Man Lawlef, and made up ofWickednefs. 5. He muff be tìrß revealed, and thencontained, even by his Word, Spirit, and Coming. s. Sa- tan will promote this Enemy of Chriß, with Power, Signs, and lying Wanders, and Decei- vablenefs of Unrighteoufnefs, 6. Not receiving the Love ofthe Truthof sheGofpel, norhearti- ly believing it, but taking pleafure in Unrighte- oufitefs, prepare Men for damning Delufions. 7. God is Paid to fend them filch Delufions, by penal Defertions and PermifTrons. Reactors, I dare not take on me to teachyou. that as true, whichI know not my felf; nor yet to pretend that I know more than I do, I con- fefs, that I am uncertain who it is that Paul here detcribeth: And meetly to know what o- ther Men fay of it, is no fàtisfadion to me, of pecially when they fo greatly differas they do. r. Moft of the Fathers and Papids think, that Antichrift here defctibed is fome odious Falle- Chrift,who is yet to corne before the Radof the World,l have much so fay againft that Opinion. a. Grrtius thought that this Chapter fpeaksof the Emperour Caius Caligula chiefly, and partly of Simon M_agso. So much may be Paid'againft that,as that his FollowerDr.Hammcnd rejedcthir. 3. Dr. Hammond thinks it fpeaketla onely of Simon Magus, I cannot believe that: t. Re- ceufe really this Simon was no fuch confiderabla formidable i'erfon as he dekrihethhim. The few Scraps of Hiftory cf Simon recited by him, are very dubious. No great or publick Hiftory of chore Times mention him. He was affrighted in. to Submiffion and Supplication to Peter, Ad. S. He was hot thought worthy the naming after inall the Tharp Charges again[! Hereticks in the Epifiles. The Judaizers are reproved; the Con- cifion callcd Dogo; the-Troublers Paul witheth cut off; the ldlçodrdtars named; and the b1'o- mana7bmial, aria many Antichrifts mentioned by Yalu, the g;affcr fort of Hercticks fmartly deGribed, and cc.ndeotned by Peter and y.sde: ychn forbids us to Lid there Good=fi.eed: Paul bids Men aVo,d them as felf- condemned : The Reveluiun-fpeakethyet more fully And none of them all mention Simon as the God and Ring. leadeç,afthem.rftheAwcalaitans,and all thulethat the Db:}or callcthGnrfliel,1, were known tobe the Difeiples of Simms, why is that concealed in tuck
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