2 Thessalonians 2

Their faith is a fable. God has given them up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, that they may be damned (2 Thessalonians 2:11). 2. If there be but one God, then there can be but one true religion in the World (Ephesians 4:5).

Election is the first link of the golden chain of salvation, vocation is the second; he who has the second link of the chain, is sure of the first link. As by the stream we are led to the fountain, so by vocation we ascend to election; calling is an earnest and pledge of glory (…

That you may fear Hashem, Hanicbad Jehovah, this glorious and fearful name Jehovah. Use 2. If God be Jehovah, the supreme Lord, then it condemns the blasphemous Papists who speak after this manner, Our Lord God the Pope: Is it a wonder the Pope lifts his triple crown above the h…

God's Spirit is a Spirit of consecration; though it sanctifies us but in part, yet in every part (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This is such a mercy that God cannot give in anger; if we are sanctified, then we are elected (2 Thessalonians 2:13): God has chosen you to salvation through…

The belief of the Scripture is of high importance: it is the belief of Scripture that will enable us to resist temptation (1 John 2:14): "The Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." It is the belief of Scripture that conduces much to our sanctification;…

Sanctification makes our holy things accepted; a holy heart is the altar which sanctifies the offering; his duties, though they are not to satisfaction, yet to acceptation. 6. Without sanctification we can show no sign of our election (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Election is the caus…

Satan is tempting persons to atheism, to cast off all religion. 13. The subtlety of Satan in tempting is to draw men off from the love of the truth to embrace error (2 Thessalonians 2:11), that they should believe a lie. Satan is called in Scripture not only an unclean spirit, b…

There falls out often in opinions a preconditioned inclination — a giving of the mind that such a thing is so or so — and in such a case Satan can strike in exceedingly to strengthen such a conceit. I take this to be implied in that phrase in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, where the apost…

Thus in the church of Thyatira, those cursed heretics who applauded themselves and were admired by their followers for the depths and profoundness of the learning shown in those heresies they broached — 'depths as they speak' (Revelation 2:24) — but if they call them depths, say…

So it is said, that the man of sin, even Antichrist must be abolished: not by the power of princes. Yea, let all the princes and potentates in the world do their best for him, yet his kingdom must down in God's good time; for God will consume him with the breath of his mouth, an…

Why are men given up to strong Delusions, but because they received not the Truth in love? 2 Thessalonians 2.10, 11. The more we love God, the more we hate those Heterodox Opinions that would draw us off from God into Libertinism: The more a man loves health, the more he hates M…

(2 Samuel 24:1) The Lord moved David to number the people. (2 Thessalonians 2:11) God sent strong delusions that men might believe lies. These and such like places have a special meaning, thus to be gathered.

And again, We are created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). And, God has chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and faith of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The elect are vessels of honor:…

The Pope's supremacy was judged by sentences of Scripture and condemned long before it was manifest in the world, the spirit of prophecy foreseeing and foretelling the state of things to come. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: The man of sin (which is that Antichrist) shall exalt himself a…

Indeed a known harlot may afterward remain a wife and be so termed — yet after the bill of divorcement is given she ceases to be a wife, though she can show her marriage ring. Now the Church has received the bill of her divorcement in the written word, namely 2 Thessalonians 2 a…

Objection 1. 2 Thessalonians 2:15: The Apostle bids that Church keep the ordinances which he taught them either by word or by letter. Hence they gather that beside the written word, there are unwritten traditions that are indeed necessary to be kept and obeyed.

4. Others will say, that they would gladly know, but they are very dull and incapable; and it's often true, that they are so; but are such in earnest, out of love to knowledge, studying to come by it? It's said of some (2 Thessalonians 2): because they received not the truth in…

3. Verse 8: all prayers in general must be without wrath, and with pure hands, and not prayers only for persecutors. Objection 12: The thing prayed for, is that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, that so the Gospel might run and be glorified (2 Thessalonians 2:1; John 17:22…

And those benefits are many and diverse. As first, Teaching, that is one benefit the Churches receive by these Epistles (2 Thessalonians 2:15). brethren stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or by our Epistle. This was one end of the Ap…

We must obey it, and in obedience we shall learn it (John 7:17). We must as heartily love the word of God, as in mind we conceive it; lest by not loving of it we be given up to strong illusions to believe lies (2 Thessalonians 2:10). Lastly, we must pray to God to be taught and…

Answer: It draws them indeed, because it is a natural religion: but it does not turn them from darkness to light, from death to life. Secondly, I answer, that Antichrist in his coming shall draw the multitude (2 Thessalonians 2:9). The fifth motive.

Now that Paul subscribed every Epistle with his own hand, he himself witnesses 2 Thessalonians 3:17: The salutation of me Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every Epistle (that it is mine, and not forged in my name by another) so I write; the grace of our Lord Jesus Chris…

But however they feel not his power immediately, yet can they not escape it, but at the last they shall be struck to death with it. And yet it seems the Prophet's meaning should not be sufficiently explained, because he not only speaks here of the inward feeling with which the w…

But Saint Jerome, however he be credulous enough in other things, yet holds this as a fable. He speaks not then of one man particularly, but of the whole kingdom: even as when the Scripture speaks of Antichrist, it comprehends the estate of all the Popes (2 Thessalonians 2). And…

Thus Satan at that time vexed the minds of men by these entangled ambiguities, that he might always leave them hanging in suspense, that gave themselves to be directed by such impostures. But besides this, that is to be noted which Paul says (2 Thessalonians 2:9), That the effic…

I answer, God never afterward so afflicted his Church, that the whole face thereof was abolished, as it fell out when the people were carried away captive into Babylon. For albeit Antiochus and others made terrible wastes, after which followed those revolts which Saint Paul fore…

But the Prophet uses a phrase of speech very ordinary. For the Holy Spirit is wont to say, that God causes men to err, hardens, and gives men up into a reprobate mind (2 Thessalonians 2:11; Romans 9:18 and 1:28). Now when the faithful speak thus, they mean nothing less than to m…

And certainly it was proper that men of eager curiosity, who, not satisfied with lawful proof, were every day asking new miracles, should be carried away by such impostures. This is the reason why Christ, in another passage, foretold that the reign of Antichrist would be full of…

For if their vowed profession were of such worthiness, that it excelled faith, it must also excel the word of God: and if it excels the word of God, it must needs follow, that it excels and surpasses God himself. And here we see, that Saint Paul wrote very truly in saying (2 The…

These things therefore are most earnestly, and diligently to be both spoken and heard: and God is most humbly to be desired and prayed to, to turn his heavy wrath and plague from us. For this calamity and wretchedness comes not upon us by chance or blind fortune, but it is sent…

The second chapter is against those who extoll works only, and throw down Faith. And therefore he warns us beforehand of false teachers and seducers, who by new doctrines of their own device should darken and abolish this assurance, which each one ought firmly to have of Faith:…

That is Holiness, which God works in men by his Spirit, because he has chosen them, and nothing else is so. For he chooses us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thess. 2. 13. Salvation is the End that God aimes at in his choosing of us, in subordination to…

But is this that which firstly and principally we are ordained to, and that for its own sake, namely, Holiness, and Unblameableness in the Obedience of Love? No; we are firstly Ordained to eternal life, Acts 13. 48. we are chosen from the Beginning to Salvation, 2 Thess. 2. 13.…

(3.) Or if neither of these had been your Lot, but you had been emptied by the womb of nature into this little spot of the Earth which is Christianized by profession, but nevertheless for the most part over-run by Popish Idolatry, and Antichristian delusions; what unhappy men an…

The word in the Hebrew is this, the asses were feeding at their hand, or at hand; to be at hand, does note nearness; in our language we say, such a thing is at hand, or such a man is at hand, the day of our fear is at hand, when we mean they are near; The Lord is at hand (Philip…

But let not men deceive themselves, this is the soft word, that mercy, and love it self, that Christ, that the gospel speaks to despisers of forgiveness. It is Christ who is this legal terrifying Preacher; it is he that cryes out, if you believe not, you shall be Damned; and wil…

Would you know whether you are heirs of the promise? You must find it in these sacred writings (2 Thessalonians 2:13). He has chosen us to salvation through sanctification.

(1) With respect to the kingdom of Antichrist. This seems to be the masterpiece of all the contrivances of the devil against the kingdom of Christ, and is evidently so spoken of in scripture, and therefore Antichrist is the man of sin, or that man of sin, 2 Thessalonians 2:3. He…

The church that the Pope sits in, is called The Temple of God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4. And with regard to the people of Israel, it is very manifest, that something diverse is oftentimes intended by that nation's being God's People, from their being visible saints, or visibly holy,…

This he is to accomplish and will bring about in those who are his. He chooses us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 2 Thessalonians 2:12. This the Father designed as the first and immediate end of electing love, and proposes the consi…

From this source of all our consolation come those descriptions of it in scripture from its properties and adjuncts. First, it is abiding — hence it is called everlasting consolation, 2 Thessalonians 2:16. Comfort that vanishes not, because it rises from everlasting things.

We have a command not to believe every spirit but to try the spirits, 1 John 4:16. The reason added is that many false spirits have gone abroad in the world — that is, men pretending to the revelation of new doctrines by the Spirit, whose deceits in the first church Paul intimat…

If he shall draw with him innumerable souls of men into hell, yet none may say to him, what do you? Does not the Apostle's description of that man of sin, the son of perdition, agree to him of whom those things are spoken (2 Thessalonians 2:4)? Is he not in Papists' account, as…

and 4:23. 2 Thessalonians 2:13, et cetera. Now these Expressions of his are to be understood in the common Sense and Meaning of the Words, and not as far-fetched Metaphors; for it is evident, that in all this he does not affect the Arts of Oratory, nor assume a magnificent Air,…

And this is the main thing called the witness of the Spirit. (2.) He works such graces as are peculiar to God's children, and are evidences of our interest in the favor of God: and therefore it is called, the sanctification of the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and the renewing…

Fear is to Hope as the Oil to the Lamp, it keeps it burning: the more we fear Gods Justice, the more we may hope in his Mercy. Indeed such as have no Fear of God do sometimes hope, but it is not, Good hope through Grace, 2 Thessalonians 2:16. Sinners pretend to have the helmet o…

From all this it is evident that the word of God indeed by its nature brings us life and salvation, but its use is changed by us, because by our fault and malice God is more and more angered, and we become daily more guilty of rebellion before his tribunal — because our slowness…

Thus to return upon our heart when any light begins to shine in our minds from the Scripture, is this the Word of God, and does it find no more entertainment in my heart? 2. Receive it in the love of it: the Apostle makes that to be the ground of apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:10),…

There must be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. And that there may be a ready plague of strong delusion and lies for them that receive not the truth in the love of it (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12); for damnable errors are the dungeons i…

Of our presence with God, when our afflictions are over; that is our happiness hereafter, we shall be there where he is (John 12:26): There where I am, shall my servant be: and (John 17:24): Father, I will that they also whom you have given me, be with me, where I am, that they…