destruction of Jerusalem is supposed to be called his coming, so the destruction of Antichrist may also be called another coming, these being great events in which Christianity is much interested, as if the head of the church. and of all things in it, had come in person to look after its affairs. Or lastly, some remains of the corrupt principles and practices of Popery may continue to the proper coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven.

PARAPHRASE.

With respect to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the solemn assembling of all his faithful followers to meet him on that occasion, I earnestly desire, that you will not be disturbed by any pretended revelation, or by any person's discourse on the subject, or by any pretended letter of mine, so as to imagine that great day is near at hand. Be not misled in any of the ways that I have mentioued; for that great day will not come till after there has been a great apostacy, or falling away from the true faith of the gospel, and there appear a power which is properly characterized by the title of the man of sin and the son of perdition, who shall assume more power than any civil magistrate or prince, and even than the imperial dignity itself, which is superior to all other temporal powers; for, as if he were the immediate vicegerent of God himself, he will establish his power in the church of God, claiming even divine honours and authority.

You may remember that when I was with you, I apprized you of these things. I also then informed you what it was that prevented the rise of this anti-christian power: for the causes and principles of this apostacy do even now exist, but that power which for the present prevents the rise of this man of sin, will continue to do so till it will be removed. But then the pretensions of that wicked power will be advanced, and it will be fully revealed. However, notwithstanding the very great height to which this power will arise, it will certainly be destroyed, as by the breath of our Lord's mouth, and all the remains of it will entirely be done away at his glorious coming.

II. 10. It is hardly possible in general terms to describe the spirit of Popery, and the causes of its rise, more clearly than is done here. The various impostures and pretended miracles of the Papists are well known to all Protestants. They were also so barefaced and absurd, that men who were

really lovers of truth, and who were willing to take any pains in the investigation of it, would not have been deceived by them. But things were so circumstanced, that it was the interest of the temporal powers to act in concert with the popes, and to connive at their usurpations, which acquired strength with time.

11. This judicial blindness is often mentioned in the Scriptures. In our Saviour's time it was the case with the Jews, as well as with Pharaoh in former times. It is produced by such perverseness and obstinacy as leads men to slight the strongest evidence of those truths which are unfavourable to their vicious inclinations and pursuits. That these dispositions will blind the mind in the very plainest cases, we see every day; and if there be any proper objects of punishment, persons under this influence certainly are such.

13. We are not to infer from this, or any similar expression in the New Testament, that God acts immediately upon the minds of men, to sanctify them, without the use of their own endeavours, and the means that are naturally adapted to that end, such as are furnished in the gospel itself. The Holy Spirit always means the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, by which the gospel was confirmed. They are the truths of this gospel, and especially that of a resurrection and a future life, which was brought to light by it, that, operating in a natural way, reformed the world, and sanctified the hearts of men.

16. This is only another mode of praying that these Christians may obtain all the blessings of the gospel, of which Christ is the founder; and the expression is not to be understood literally, as if Christ had himself immediate access to the hearts of men, and administered consolation to them. Indeed, God himself does this only by means of natural causes, by such knowledge as is naturally adapted to produce that effect. In like manner God gives us our daily bread, but not in a miraculous manner. It is always in the use of our own labour and industry. We are, indeed, directed to pray for this, and also that God would cleanse our hearts, and give us a right spirit; but we shall deceive ourselves if we look for an answer to any such prayers as these by a proper interference of God, out of the usual course of nature. Our bodies are subsisted, and our hearts are cleansed, the one by bread, for which we sow the ground, and the other by those considerations with which we should

carefully impress our minds; and we must thank God that we have a proper soil to cultivate, and the knowledge of those truths which are adapted to improve our dispositions, and fit us for future happiness; and withal we should be thankful that he gives us skill to cultivate the ground, and capacity to discern the truth and act according to it.

PARAPHRASE.

This antichristian power will advance itself by the most wicked means, making use of pretended signs and miracles, and other unrighteous artifices, to raise his power. By this means he shall effectually impose upon those whose minds being abandoned to wickedness, and destitute of that love of truth which leads men into the way of salvation, will render them easy dupes to their impositions. On this account God will be justified in suffering them to be so deluded and imposed upon, that they may fall into that condemnation which is the proper consequence of their indisposition to receive the truth, and the pleasure they take in wickedness. But this, my brethren, beloved of God, is far from being your character. We thank God that, from the beginning of our preaching the gospel to you, there were evident tokens of God's favourable intention with respect to you, from which I have no doubt of your being destined for future happiness; which can only be secured by that holiness of heart and life which is the effect of true faith, of that faith which has been confirmed by the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the faith to which you are called by the gospel, the end of which is that glory which you will obtain at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With this glorious prospect continue firm in the profession of every thing that you have been taught by me, either in person or by letter. And now may our Lord Jesus Christ, the same who will return with so much glory, and who now influences your hearts by the gospel; and may God, even our common Father, who hath originally loved us, and has given us ground of the most solid consolation and good hope, through his goodness to us, comfort you in your tribulation, and confirm you in every good principle, and in all right conduct.

III. The apostle concludes this epistle with expressing his good wishes to those to whom he was writing, and with repeating the admonitions he had given them before not to

live an idle, disorderly life, depending upon others, from which we may infer that his former admonitions on this subject had not been sufficiently regarded.

2. In this the apostle probably alludes to the unbelieving Jews, who had driven Paul from Thessalonica, and cruelly persecuted the Christians in that place.

3. Here the apostle seems to use the word faith in a different sense from that in which it is used immediately before, viz. for fidelity.

5. Some suppose this means the patience of Christ,* as an example to us, the word coming not being mentioned. 10. This was probably a proverbial expression which the apostle had made use of.

15. This does not seem to amount to a regular excommunication, for it is probable, as I have observed, that the church at Thessalonica was not then regularly constituted. There were no elders or deacons then appointed, and no regular discipline established.

16. The Vulgate has, in this place,† the reading TоT for

τρόπω.

17. It is probable, as I have observed, that some persons had pretended to receive letters from the apostle, or had read one forged in his name to the Thessalonians: therefore, to prevent any imposition of this kind, he observes, that he should always write the salutations at the close of his epistles with his own hand, having made use of an amanuensis for the body of the letter.‡

PARAPHRASE.

In the last place, my Christian brethren, pray for us, that our labours in preaching the gospel may have the same glorious success in other places that it has had with you; and also that we may be delivered from the malice of our enraged persecutors. For many are so far from embracing the gospel, that they do every thing in their power to oppose the propagation of it. But God is faithful to his promise, and, if continue your zeal in his service, will establish you in all good, and keep you from all evil. And I am fully persuaded that, as you have hitherto been obedient to the gospel of Christ preached by me, you will continue to be obedient, and may God preserve you in his fear and love, and in patient waiting for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• "In charitate Dei et patientia Christi." Vulg. † In omni loco.

VOL. XIV.

See Lardner, VI. pp. 667, 668; Doddridge.

D

you

As I understand that you have not paid sufficient attention to my former admonition, with respect to labour and industry, I now repeat my injunctions on that subject, in the name of the Lord Jesus, that you give no countenance to those who live in a manner so contrary to every principle of duty, and to my precepts and example. You know your obligation to follow the example we set you, and our behaviour was very different from this. We did not live at the expense of any man, but laboured hard that we might not be burdensome to any of you, not that we might not have held ourselves excused from bodily labour, while we were engaged in your service, by preaching the gospel to you, but we chose to set you an example of industry and independence; and when we were with you we observed, that if any man refused to work, he did not deserve to eat.

For we are informed that some among you live an idle, disorderly life, minding no business of their own, and officiously meddling with that of others. All such persons we command, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they patiently submit to honest labour, and live by their own industry. Be not weary of this labour, or of any thing that is your duty; and if any continue still disobedient to our admonition, avoid their society, that they may be ashamed, but do not abandon them entirely, but endeavour to reclaim them as brethren, though their conduct be in this respect unworthy of their relation to you.

And now may the Author of all good grant you all kinds of happiness at all times, and may his presence be ever with you!

I shall conclude this epistle with my usual salutation, written with my own hand, so as to prevent any imposition; and I propose to do so in all my future epistles. May all the blessings of the gospel attend you! Amen.

GALATIANS.

THE apostle Paul had preached the gospel in Galatia (a part of Asia Minor inhabited by Gauls, who had invaded this country and settled in it, about two hundred and fifty years before Christ) during his second apostolical progress, A. D.

Thence he proceeded to Corinth, where he continued two years, and probably before he left that place, or about A. D. 53, he wrote this epistle.*

* See Lardner, VI. pp. 305–311; Doddridge, V. p. 2. Locke conjectures 57. See his Synopsis. Michaelis supposes 51. See his Introd. Lect. pp. 229-232.