that we can do our enemies more hurt then God can and will if we leaue the reuenge vnto him vnto whom indeed it appertaineth The second ground of the former Assertion is this that as it stands with the iustice of God to punish them that afflict persecute his seruants So it stands no lesse with his iustice to giue vnto his seruants which are troubled and molested rest and quiet of which the lesse hope and assurance there is in this life the more cause there is to assure themselues of it in another life and therefore to expect that day wherein they shall be put into a full and eternall possession thereof It is no such comfort to the soule of an afflicted Christistian to be perswaded that God will render vnto the wicked enemies affliction for affliction more comfort it would bee vnto them to see some signes and tokens of their repentance and forgiuenesse But this is the strength and life of Christian consolation that the more sorrow and trouble that they sustaine for Christs sake and his kingdome the more pledges and demonstrations they haue therein of their owne eternall rest and happinesse for howbeit our sufferings as is formerly declared are farre from meriting any such matter yet it is iust with God to giue them rest and quiet which haue beene content patiently to suffer for his sake no man shall suffer in vaine for Christ but the more he suffereth if hee suffer for the kingdome of Christ the more securitie and assurance hee hath of eternall rest in heauen which all those want which want that grace neuer looke thou to enter into this rest except thou canst with patience and faith indure trouble and disquiet for the kingdome of heauen He sheweth what manner of rest this shal be by way of comparison in these words with vs .i. It shall be such a rest and quiet as is prepared for vs that are Apostles and Euangelists and such as together with vs you shall certainely enioy This must needes increase their consolation exceedingly there are no true Christians but are perswaded the Apostles and Euangelists shall in this great day be in most happy condition neither can they desire to be in better estate wouldst thou then be sure to rest with Paul Siluanus Timothie and the rest of the Apostles and Euangelists thou must learne with patience and in Faith to suffer persecution and tribulation when the Lord shall call thee thereunto for that Faith and Religion which thou hast learned of them for the Lord hath not prepared a higher heauen for them and a lower for vs but we shall rest together with them in the same heauen if together with them we shall suffer in this life for that kingdome which they in the Gospell haue called vs vnto When the Lord Iesus shall bee manifest from heauen with his mightie Angels 8. In flaming fire That the consideration of the day of doome the manifest signes whereof they were to behold in their patient induring of persecution might the more comfort them and strengthen them in their troubles The Apostle concludeth this second part of their consolation with a digression into a description of that day of iudgement euery part whereof containeth great matter of comfort to all the afflicted and persecuted seruants of God and no lesse matter of feare and horror to all their enemies if they had grace to apprehend the same The first part of the description declareth who shall be the Iudge euen our Lord Iesus himselfe in his owne Person euen he who loued his Seruants so dearely that he gaue his life for them yea did vndergo his Fathers wrath for them which was for the time a Hell of Hells vnto him and therefore the more gracious and louing and mercifull he hath shewed himselfe vnto them the more mercilesse and cruell will he in this iudgement shew himselfe vnto their aduersaries Whom could the afflicted Seruants of Christ more desire to sit in iudgement then their owne deare Sauiour for whose sake they haue suffered so many indignities Whom can the enemies of the Gospell more feare then him whom in his Seruants they haue most dishonoured and despighted No doubt but in this day they would rather choose any to be their Iudge then Christ yea they would hope for more fauour and mercy from the Diuels themselues then from him Let vs then if euer the Lord shall exercise vs in the same manner comfort our selues in this That Christ himselfe will in his owne Person in this day come to iudge the cause betwixt vs and our enemies It were great matter of consolation if we were assured but of this That Christ would raise vp some iust man vpon earth to doe it or send a Saint or an Angell from heauen for that purpose but this must needs be an exceeding comfort That Christ in his owne Person will come to sit in iudgement vpon our aduersaries and will not put the matter ouer to Vnder-Commissioners Let vs then take heede lest in our sufferings for Christs sake we breake not out through impatiencie or distrust into any sinne against Christ for this is the greatest aduantage that we can giue to our aduersaries and a signe that we doe not so much suffer how iust soeuer the cause be for Christs sake as for our owne fancie for how can that man say that he suffereth for Christs sake when in his suffring for his sake he will not for his sake forbeare such and such sinnes which Christ forbids Can he in his suffrings comfort himselfe in the consideration of this iudgement when in and by occasion of those sufferings he rebels against the Iudge The second part of the description of the latter day followeth wherein is set forth the glorious manner of Christs comming to iudgement consisting of three parts First he shall manifest himselfe from heauen i. shall appeare to the eyes and senses not onely of the godly but the wicked and they with these eyes of theirs shall behold him comming from the highest heauens in that maiestie and glory wherein he now sitteth at the right hand of his Father and not in that base and contemptible estate wherein he first shewed himselfe when he tooke our nature vpon him So that Christ will sit visibly in iudgement in this day and that in all the sensible glory that may be he shall then shew himselfe in all his maiestie to euery mortall eye then shall the godly behold and see that their trust and confidence in him in the midst of all their greatest afflictions was not in vaine they shall then haue cause to triumph and glory that they haue though through many reproches and contempts serued so honorable and glorious a Lord. How then shall the wicked enemies of Christ hang downe their heads that haue scorned and disdained his Seruants as if they had serued some base and contemptible Master Verily so vile and base is the seruice of Christ in the eyes of some yea and
first part of their consolation wherein the Apostle taketh notice of their persecutions and troubles praising them for the Graces of God manifested therein The second part followeth taken from the happy issue and consequent which these patient sufferings of theirs did portend These sufferings saith he of yours are an infallible signe or demonstration of the great day of Iudgment wherein the more patiently you haue suffred for the kingdome of God the more you shall be reputed and declared worthy of that kingdome for which you haue suffred What an vnspeakable consolation would the due consideration of this be vnto all that shall suffer for righteousnes sake that the more they suffer the more they may assure themselues of a day of publique hearing before the Lord who will thorowly debate all those iniuries and wrongs that haue bin offred vnto them and that not in a corner but in the face of the world that this iudgement wherein this cause of theirs shall be heard shall be a righteous iudgement not corrupted by bribes and ouer-swaid by partiall affection but proceeding according to the equitie of the cause without respect to the qualitie of Persons that in this iudgment shall be called into question especially their suffrings for the kingdom of God and that which they haue indured for righteousnes sake in obedience to the Gospell that in this iudgement the more it shall appeare that with Patience and Faith they haue suffred for the kingdome of God the more they shall be accounted and reputed worthy thereof in Iesus Christ insomuch as they shall with that praise and glory before the face of their enemies be put into the eternall possession thereof as if they had merited and deserued the same by their suffrings though the greatest suffrings that euer any Christian hath or can indure are in deed and truth in themselues no wayes worthy that glory which shall be bestowed vpon them Rom. 8.18 and it being giuen is an inheritance Matth. 24.3.4 and therefore not of desert What an vnspeakable comfort must this needs be in the midst of all persecutions whatsoeuer when euery particular wrong and iniurie which here a man shall indure for the kingdome of God are so many infallible signes and demonstrations of this iudgment so that the more they suffer and indure at the hands of men and the more the Consistories and Iudgement Seats are shut against them the more cause they haue to be certaine and assured of this iudgement and the more to reioyce in it It would be great consolation vnto a Christian heart and a meanes of much patience and constancie in suffering if he might be assured that his cause should come to indifferent hearing but before men yet there is far more cause of comfort in the certaine assurance of this iudgement and so much the more certaine assurance there is of this by how much the more vncertaintie doubt and despaire there is of the other But this is no matter of Consolation to them that suffer though with neuer such patience and confidence for the fancies and inventions of their owne braines or the superstitious inventions and traditions of men which appertaine to the kingdome of Sathan and Antichrist They which will reap this consolation in their sufferings must look to this that they suffer for the kingdom of God i. for their obedience and subiection vnto the lawes of Christ their Head and King manifested in his word vnto their soules and consciences VERS 6. For it is iust with God to render in like manner affliction to those which afflict you 7. And to you which are afflicted rest with vs FOr the further confirmation of them in the aforesaid comfort he here rendreth a reason why this Patience and Faith of theirs must needs be a manifest signe of the iust iudgement of God aforesaid because saith he it stands with the iustice of God to afflict them that afflict his seruants and to giue rest vnto them which are afflicted for his sake and therefore the more that any do suffer for the kingdome of God and the more that the wicked preuaile ouer them the more certaine and infallible signe it is of that great day So that in this reason he comprehendeth two grounds of the former assertion The first is this That it stands with the equitie and iustice of God to afflict and punish them which molest and trouble his children for righteousnes sake God hath stampt in man who is his owne Image the print of this iustice Can a Prince indure that his Seruant should be abused for doing his will and commandement Will he not take himselfe bound in equitie so far as his authoritie and lawes will stretch to call them into question that shall abuse him If he should carelesly suffer the same would it not be iudged an vniust thing Hath not the righteous God that care of his Seruants that an earthly man hath Is it possible that he that hath written this point of iustice in the brest of man should neglect it in his owne Person and suffer his owne Seruants for obeying his will to be persecuted and wronged and that before his owne face and put it vp Yet we see that for the most part in this life he doth so None more free from iudgement and vengeance then they that persecute Gods Seruants none liue more merily none dye with more ease Why then we must of necessitie conclude that therefore there must come a day of doome wherein they must answer it God must needs be a iust Iudge and therefore the fewer iudgements ouertake the enemies of the Gospell in this life and the more they triumph ouer Gods Seruants the more we must learne to comfort our selues in being so much the more assured and perswaded of this day of iudgement If there were no other cause to be heard but this it stands with Gods iustice to heare the same It would affect and comfort Gods children in their affliction to behold some present iudgement of God or man vpon them which persecute them and it much dismayeth them when they see no hope of helpe either from God or man in this life But this ought to strengthen and comfort them so much the more for this is so much the greater euidence and demonstration that in this great day of iudgement the Lord will render affliction to those which trouble his Seruants This then is the best reuenge that Christians can execute vpon their persecutors euen with faith and patience to suffer persecution and affliction at their hands for the more they suffer the more they binde the Lord in his iustice in this day to iudge and reuenge their cause so that if Christians by dint of sword could subdue all their enemies they haue not therein such iust matter of comfort as in their patient faithfull sufferings The lesse we reuenge the more hath God in iustice bound himselfe to be auenged of them and it is great folly to thinke
then the foundations and grounds and principles of the Antichristian religion were secretly laying So that the Apostasie of Antichrist or the Antichristian Religion was not to rise on a sodaine but as an edifice is long before in squaring and working and at length is reared and ioyned so the Religion of Antichrist which is therefore an auncient religion at least the maine grounds whereupon it is built should be a long time preparing and priuily contriuing before it should come to be openly and eminently erected in his due proportion and full perfection 3. He telleth them that that which hindreth the manifestation of the Man of Sinne shall hinder vntill it be remoued and that as soone as it is remoued shall that wicked one be discouerd Which sheweth that Antichrist reuealed and this let and impediment could not stand togither but the one must be remoued before the other can shew himselfe in his colors Here then the Apostle giueth them a watch-word concerning the time when the Church of God was to expect the manifestation of Antichrist to wit when this let was remoued and not before then So that the Man of Sinne shall be discouered and then must be discouered when he is at his greatest height Note by the way the Title giuen this Man of Sinne here he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lawlesse person So that Antichrist is such a one as will be lawlesse subiect and lyable to no law but will ouer-top and ouer-rule all lawes at his pleasure 4. He putteth them in minde of the end of Antichrist after he is reuealed and that is twofold 1. He shall be consumed by the breath of the Lords mouth As Antichrist shall in a speciall manner set himselfe against Christ so will Christ set himselfe in a speciall manner against him and then most when he is greatest Neither will Christ at once vtterly confound him but first he will by litle and litle consume him So that as at the first he grew by litle and litle to his greatnes so he shall by litle and litle be consumed The meanes whereby he will consume Antichrist is by the Spirit of his mouth that is by the word of God and the preaching of the Gospell See Psal. 33.6 and Esai 11.4 It is not sword and speare that shall so much preuaile against Antichrist as the Ministerie of the word Antichrists glory shall more and more vanish the more that it preuaileth This point may giue vs great light in the discouerie of Antichrist and his kingdome and of the open and secret frends thereof 2. He and his kingdome shall be vtterly abolished at the second comming of Christ and not before So that though he be the vilest and most detestable monster that euer was yet he shall not either by the word or sword be vtterly destroide vntill the latter day So that till the day of doome he shall sit in the Temple of God seducing the Saints of God and drawing men from the Gospel of Christ to his idolatry euen vntill the end of the world and then shall he and all his limmes by whose meanes his kingdome hath here bin aduanced be cast into that burning Lake Apoc. 20.10 So that Antichrist now is and hath his kingdome vpon the Earth and shall haue though euery day more and more ruinated vntill the day of doome These are the points which he calleth to their memories which formerly he had taught them and is faine to teach them ouer againe and to apply them as a speciall counter-poyson against that false error that before was mentioned concerning the neerenes of Christs second comming Vers. 9. Whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power signes lying wonders 10. And in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perish THe Apostle here returneth againe to the description of Antichrist from which he had digressed shewing the meanes whereby this Man of sinne should raise himself to his height and hauing so done should vphold from time to time this his apostaticall kingdome The meanes are Generall or Speciall The generall that he will come with the efficacie of Satan that is Satan especially when he is mounted vp into his chaire of estate will worke mightily and powerfully in and by him so that he shall haue all the helpe and furtherance that Satan can afford him for the aduancement of his kingdome euen as if he and all his Champions were inspired with the diuell and had Beelzebub as a familiar with them to aduize and execute what they would No Iuglers or Coniurers no Witches and Wisards not the Soothsayers of Egypt shall come with that efficacie of Satan that he shall and therefore it must needes be wonderfull powerfull As the Spirit of God is effectuall in the ministers of Christ. Col. 1.29 1 Cor. 14.25 So shall the spirit of Satan be as effectuall to these ends and purposes in the ministers and instruments of Antichrist More particularly he sheweth 1. wherein this efficacie of Satan shall consist and 2. Vpon whome it shall take hold For the former The efficacie of Satan in him shall shew it selfe in procuring him all the power and authoritie that may be and in confirming the same with lying wonders and miracles and by all the wicked and impious fraudes and collusions that may be deuised Which sheweth that Antichrist shall be such a one as shall not deceaue of ignorance but of set purpose and shall propound to himselfe by all deuices that may be to drawe men from the truth against knowledge and conscience It shall be his glory and joy to seduce men and to withdrawe them from the true faith of Christ to the end that he may thereby the more establish his owne kingdome and greatnes vpon earth 2. The persons whome Satan by Antichrist shall seduce are such as shall perish as are reprobates Iud. 4. Apoc. 13.8 9.4 These are the true members of Antichrists kingdome in whom he shall worke most effectually So that the more wicked a man is and the more hated of God the more subiect shall he be to be deceiued by Antichrist and the more that we see men deluded and deceiued by him the more are we to feare their eternall perdition Obiect What Shall Antichrist then deceiue none but those that shall perish Sol Yes euen Gods owne people shall be in Babylon which is Antichrists kingdome Come out of her my people Apoc. 18.4 But they shall bee most effectually deluded that shall perish They shall of all other by the iust iudgement of God be most abused by him So that the vitall members of Antichrist and the peculiar limmes of his kingdome shall be a damned crue of reprobates persons ordained to perdition because they receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued Here is the reason why those that shall perish shall thus be deceiued because they shewed no loue nor liking nor would giue any intertainment to the truth but despised the meanes