SERMON VII.

II THESSALONIANS, II-3.

AND THAT MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, THE SON OF PERDITION.

READER: Though it be our principal object, in the ensuing discourse, to give a faithful exhibition of the character, works, and destiny of the "Man of Sin," so named by the Holy Ghost; and though we might proceed and execute our object, on the authority of the single clause which we have selected for our text; yet, from certain other relative considerations, we deem it proper and highly important, here to introduce the whole passage, with which it pleased the Holy Ghost to connect it, commencing with the first verse of the chapter in which it is contained.

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us; as that the Day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity

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doth already work: only he who now letteth, will let, until he, be taken out of the way.

"And then shall that Wicked, be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders; and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

At such a time as the present, when efforts are making in almost every section of our country, by professed Catholics, and by some misguided high churchmen, in the Episcopal Church; to disseminate through their Oxford tracts, and through other mediums, the principles of the Roman Church, which is the thing called in our text, "The Man of Sin," to decry and misrepresent that blessed Reformation of the sixteenth century, which first scattered light and liberty throughout Europe; and which is the grand source, under God, of all the varied blessings and privileges which Protestants enjoy, in any region of the globe. Yes! When an association of Churchmen in Great Britain, are diffusing the above mentioned tracts,. &c., in every direction- and when it is manifest that this association receives the countenance and aid of many of the leading characters of the New School party, and of some of the dignitaries of the American Episcopal Church; though we are happy to find it discountenanced by others; it is certainly high time for the true friends of the Protestant Reformation, friends of the Bible of its doctrines-its influence, and its universal circulation, to take Bible measures to counteract the baneful errors, the pernicious effects, and demoralizing consequences of a false, a tyrannical, and diabolical power.

TO DIVERSE, NOTABLE FOOLS AND ASSES.

But here, let no one, say we are dealing unfairly, in the plan we have adopted, to reveal the character, works, and destiny, of the "Man of Sin.” Our blessed Saviour, himself, has ruled, with direct reference too, to this very power; 'By their fruits ye shall know them." These "fruits" are furnished and shown by history. And God, himself, cannot make that, not to be, which has been; and is already, a part of the record of his providence.

Indeed, in a country so enlightened as Great Britain, where the press is so free, and discussion so unrestrained, is it not wonderful, that men should be found there, who readily countenance a system of imposture-a system, as we shall see, revolting to common sense, and the plainest principles of the sacred Scriptures? Is it not, we solemnly ask, most astonishing, that men of any pretensions to learning and intelligence, to say nothing of Christians in both. Britain and America, should stand forth, at this day, and advocate a system of form, parade; of mere external pomp; instead of that contained in the Bible, which tends to purify the affections, to enlighten the understanding, to make men better citizens, better fathers, better husbands, better wives, better children, and better servants? In a word, a system. which expands the heart with benevolence, and which induces us to consecrate our time, talents, influence, and property, to the glory of God, and the good of our fellow mortals? Yes, it is wonderful, that such men should be found, who, through a strange obliquity of mind, manifestly under the influence of the prince of darkness, decry-ing the Protestant reformation; setting themselves, at once, against its pure and sound principles, and taking an open,. unblushing stand in favor of the exploded and soul-destroying, God-accursed principles of Popery? This, assuredly, is a most marvelous fact, for Christians to contemplate, who live in the nineteenth century. It baffles all the calculations of common sense and enlightened reason!!! For what has been the opinion of the public in Great Britain,

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with respect to the character of this Man of Sin and Son of Perdition? In order to ascertain the state of public opinion there, respecting this matter of the dangerous influence of the church of Rome, it is only necessary for us to revert, at our leisure, to the many excellent works which her best writers have given us, on this awful subject. Since the revolution of 1688, the British Protestant clergy, from the highest to the lowest, until recently, have been all ardent friends and advocates of the reformation and its principles.

But leaving these topics, we proceed to exhibit the character, works, and destiny of the Man of Sin, as drawn by the Holy Ghost, and illustrated by history; and in the first place, we inquire, does not most credible and authentic history inform us, that there now exists, and has existed during all preceding ages, from the days of Abel, as declared by the Lord Jesus, a tyranical, idolatrous, and blasphemous power, in pretense, Christian, but, in reality, antiChristian? This, no Christian scholar will deny. And this is the very power, according to the testimony of the Holy Ghost, which is portrayed in the little horn and the blasphemous king, by the phrophet Daniel;-in the man of sin- the son of perdition, by Paul; and, in the ten horned beast, or the false prophet, by John. We have, therefore, now found our "Man."

Does not most credible and authentic history, inform us, that the church, professed believers, have often apostatized, or departed greatly from the purity of Christian faith and worship? This is the same thing which the Holy Ghost declares, through the Apostle, in II Thessa. ii. 3: "The day of the Lord, shall not come, except there come a falling away, or an apostacy, first." And he saith, moreover, in another place, (I Tim. iv. 1,) that thespirit of prophecy (meaning Daniel) had, in express words, testified the same thing before. Now, the spirit saith, expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the

TO DIVERSE, NOTABLE FOOLS AND ASSES.

faith, or rather apostatize from the faith. And John, illuminated by the Holy Ghost, foresaw the church so far degenerated, as to become (Rev. xvii. 5) the mother of harlots, or whoredoms, and abominations of the earth.

Does not most credible and authentic history inform us, that this apostacy consists chiefly in the worshipping of demons, angels, and departed saints, and in honoring them with costly shrines, and rich offerings; instead of the worship of the one true God, through the one true Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus? Now nothing can better correspond to, and agree with, the declaration of Paul; (I Tim. iv. 1) he says, some shall apostatize from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines concerning devils; and it agrees equally with the prophecy of Daniel, (xi. 38) that the blasphemous king, in his estate, shall honor Mahuzzim—a word denoting God's protectors, or saints' protectors and a God whom his fathers knew not, shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

Does not history show, that the same church, which is guilty of this idolatry, is notorious, also, for enjoining celibacy to her clergy? and engaging her nuns to enter into vows of leading a single life? And that she makes a vain distinction of meats; and that she commands and institutes without any warrant from the word of God, certain times and days of fasting, and penance, wherein to take flesh, is judged to be a mortal sin? Here, again, nothing could more fully accomplish the prediction of Daniel, (xi. 37,) that the blasphemous king, who shall worship Mahuzzim, shall also not regard the desire of wives: and the prediction of Paul, (1 Tim. iv. 3.) that those who shall apostatize from the faith, by the worshipping of demons, shall no less distinguish themselves by forbidding to marry; and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of all them who believe and know the truth.