in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God...

46 But if the bishop of Rome be the man of fin it may feem fomewhat ftrange that the apoftle should mention these things in an epistle to the Theffalonians, and not rather in his Epistle to the Romans. But this Epiftle was written four or five years before that to the Romans, and there was no occafion to mention the fame things again in another epiftle. What was written to the Theffalonians or any particular church, was in effect written to all the churches, the epiftles being defigned for general edification, and intended to be read publicly in the congregations of the faithful. When St. Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, he had not been at Rome, and confequently could not allude to any former difcourfe with them, as with the Theffalonians : and these things were not proper to be fully explained in a letter, and especially in a letter addreffed to the Chriftian converts at the capital city of the empire. The apoftles with all their prudence were reprefented as enemies to government, and were charged with turning the world upfide down; (A&s XVII. 6.) but the accufation would have been founded higher, if St. Paul had denounced openly, and to Romans too, the deftruction of the Roman empire.

However

However he admonisheth them to beware of apoftafy, (Rom. XI. 20, 22.) and to continue in God's goodness, or otherwife they should be cut off : and afterwards when he vifited Rome, and dwelt there two whole years, (Acts XXVIII. 30.) he might have frequent opportunities of informing them particularly of these things. It is not to be supposed, that he difcourfed of these things only to the Theffalonians. It was a matter of concern to all Chriftians to be forewarned of the great corruption of Chriftianity, that they might be neither furprised into it, nor offended at it; and the caution was the more neceffary, as the mystery of iniquity was already working. The feeds of popery were fown in the apostle's time; for even then idolatry was ftealing into the church, (1 Cor. X. 14.) and a voluntary bumility and worshipping of angels, (Col. II. 18.) ftrife and divifions, (1 Cor. III. 3.) an adulterating and handling of the word of God deceitfully, (2 Cor. II. 17. IV. 2.) a gain of godliness, and teaching of things for filthy lucre's fake, (1 Tim. VI. 5. Tit. I. 11.) a vain obfervation of feftivals, (Gal. IV. 10.) a vain diftinction of meats, (1 Cor. VIII. 8.) a neglecting of the body, (Col. II. 23.) traditions, and commandments, and doctrins of men, (Col. II. 8, 22.) with other corruptions and innovations. All heretics were in a VOL. II. D d

manner

manner the forerunners of the man of fin; and Simon Magus in particular was fo lively a type and figure of the wicked one, that he hath been miftaken, as we fee, for the wicked one himfelf.

The foundations of popery were laid indeed in the apostle's days, but the superstructure was raised by degrees, and several ages passed before the building was completed, and the man of fin was revealed in full perfection. St. Paul having communicated to the Theffalonians what it was that hindered his appearance, it was natural for other Chriftians alfo who read this Epistle, to inquire what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time; and the apostle without doubt would impart it to other Chriftians as freely as to the Theffalonians; and the Theffalonians and other Christians might deliver it to their fucceffors, and fo the tradition might generally prevail, and the tradition that generally prevailed was that what hindred was the R, man empire: and therefore the primitive Christians in the public offices of the church prayed for its peace and welfare, as knowing that when the Roman empire fhould be diffolved and broken into pieces, the empire of the man of fin would be raised on its ruins. How this revolution was effected, no writer can better inform us than

Machiavel.

1

(1) Machiavel. The emperor of Rome quitting Rome to hold his refidence at Conftan

tinople, the Roman empire began to decline, "but the church of Rome augmented as faft. "Nevertheless, until the coming in of the Lom

bards, all Italy being under the dominion. "either of emperors or kings, the bishops af"fumed no more power than what was due "to their doctrin and manners; in civil affairs,

they were subject to the civil power.-But "Theodoric king of the Goths fixing his feat "at Ravenna, was that which advanced their "intereft, and made them more confiderable in

Italy; for there being no other prince left in "Rome, the Romans were forced for protec"tion to pay greater allegiance to the pope. "And yet their authority advanced no farther "at that time, than to obtain the preference "before the church of Ravenna. But the "Lombards having invaded, and reduced Italy "into feveral cantons, the pope took the op

portunity, and began to hold up his head. "For being as it were governor and principal "at Rome, the emperor of Conftantinople and "the Lombards bare him a refpect, so that the "Romans (by mediation of their pope) began

66 to

(1) Machiavel's Hift. of Florence Book 1. p. 6, &c. of the

English translation.

66

"to treat and confederate with Longinus [the emperor's lieutenant] and the Lombards, not as fubjects, but as equals and companions; which faid cuftom continuing, and the popes entring "into alliance fometimes with the Lombards, "and fometimes with the Greeks, contracted

66

great reputation to their dignity. But the "deftruction of the eastern empire following fo "close under the reign of the emperor Hera"cleus, the pope loft the convenience of the

emperor's protection in time of adverfity, and "the power of the Lombards increasing too fast "on the other fide, he thought it but necessary " to address himself to the king of France for "affiftance.-Gregory the third being created

pope, and Aistolfus king of the Lombards, "Aiftolfus contrary to league and agreement "feifed upon Ravenna, and made war upon the pope. Gregory not daring (for the reafons

abovefaid) to depend upon the weakness of "the empire, or the fidelity of the Lombards,

(whom he had already found false) applied "himself to Pepin-for relief against the Lom"bards. Pepin returned answer, that he would "be ready to affift him, but he defired first to "have the honor to fee him, and pay his perfonal refpe&ts. Upon which invitation pope